| Sebastian 25.10.2016 13:50 |
Have a look The plot thickens |
| mooghead 25.10.2016 13:56 |
Link not working? |
| Sebastian 25.10.2016 14:29 |
Fixed now ... I think. |
| mooghead 25.10.2016 14:53 |
Yep. |
| onedunpark 25.10.2016 15:21 |
Excellent find. It would be great to have an absolute timeline for Freddie's lessons, but it seems not unreasonable to assume it would have been as a result of the vocal problems he had on the Japanese Tour in 1979. There are plenty other far more informed members here who would probably be able to offer a more educated insight and I'd be keen to hear their take on it. Thanks again. |
| Sebastian 25.10.2016 20:25 |
I mean, it's somewhat accepted fan canon (fanon) that Frederick was completely self-taught, but what if that was a party line to give him more street cred and reinforce the legend of an endlessly talented self-made man? Peter Freestone often says Fred never had any lessons but, then again, he only knew Fred for the last decade or so of his life... he could've easily had 'secret' lessons before having met and/or before they spent every minute of the day together. |
| master marathon runner 25.10.2016 22:25 |
Maybe fred would more likely have considered it 'voice physio' |
| Biggus Dickus 25.10.2016 22:42 |
I wonder how accurate the article is. He said that Freddie could hit the high F. There's like one example of Freddie going that high in full voice (All God's People). Even at his best 5th octave notes weren't common live, also they usually were really short. The article seems to draw parallels between Freddie and tenors who could hit the high F consistently. Freddie wasn't one of them. |
| AlbaNo1 26.10.2016 02:14 |
master marathon runner wrote: Maybe fred would more likely have considered it 'voice physio'Yes , probably it was something akin to learning proper warm up exercises to avoid injury and maybe some refinement of technique, improvements on efficiency. I don't think the emergence of this knowledge detracts from Freddie s vocals being a wonder of nature. |
| Bad Seed 26.10.2016 14:47 |
I think it's fairly obvious Freddie had some vox coaching before the Crazy Tour. His technique, particularly when going for more daring notes was more of an 'open throat' method. He kept this up throughout most of 1980 but by '81 was gradually starting to slip into old habits of closed throat and forcing the notes during live shows. By the Magic Tour he was singing quite recklessly, I'm always amazed how his voice held up reasonably well throughout that tour. |
| Nitroboy 26.10.2016 15:16 |
Bad Seed wrote: I think it's fairly obvious Freddie had some vox coaching before the Crazy Tour. His technique, particularly when going for more daring notes was more of an 'open throat' method. He kept this up throughout most of 1980 but by '81 was gradually starting to slip into old habits of closed throat and forcing the notes during live shows. By the Magic Tour he was singing quite recklessly, I'm always amazed how his voice held up reasonably well throughout that tour. The problem is that the Crazy Tour voice didn't just appear all of a sudden, as this theory would propose. We're gradually seeing the signs of the Crazy Tour voice rearing its head, most notably on some of the Euro-78 shows. |
| Bad Seed 27.10.2016 01:11 |
You're absolutely right Nitroboy and I was going to mention this in my original post. I think it's quite plausible that he had a small amount of coaching before/during the NOTW tour. His technique is better than ever and even improves as the tour goes on. A first ever for Freddie. But I would guess that the state his voice got into during and particularly towards the end of the Jazz tour, prompted him to get serious about his touring voice and get some serious proper coaching. Hence the dramatic change we hear later that same year. |
| The Real Wizard 28.10.2016 01:08 |
I'd say his first solid tour was Euro/UK 77 - he's outstanding particularly in Bristol and Glasgow. But indeed, something switches on for Euro 78 (UK especially), and by the Crazy tour (the Saarbrucken festival, even) he's really found something. |
| Nitroboy 28.10.2016 04:23 |
Bad Seed wrote: You're absolutely right Nitroboy and I was going to mention this in my original post. I think it's quite plausible that he had a small amount of coaching before/during the NOTW tour. His technique is better than ever and even improves as the tour goes on. A first ever for Freddie. But I would guess that the state his voice got into during and particularly towards the end of the Jazz tour, prompted him to get serious about his touring voice and get some serious proper coaching. Hence the dramatic change we hear later that same year. His voice improved on the NotW tour because there was a ~3 month break between the North American, and European leg. As for the Jazz Tour, I really don't think it prompted him to do anything, but take better care of his voice (resting before and after shows). |
| musicland munich 28.10.2016 11:00 |
The Real Wizard wrote: ...and by the Crazy tour (the Saarbrucken festival, even) he's really found something.That was exactly spotted by the press at that point " Freddie roars like Elvis " |
| Rich Tea 28.10.2016 15:07 |
You are all so off the mark. Freddie had a few vocal coaching just before he sang with Montserrat Caballé. He always had a great voice which improved and changed with age but he wanted to nail some proper operatic parts and not feel totally out of place with Montserrat. |
| Oscar J 28.10.2016 15:52 |
His voice did change with age, but it hardly improved after the mid 70's. |
| Sebastian 28.10.2016 16:50 |
Rich Tea wrote: You are all so off the mark.Source? Rich Tea wrote: Freddie had a few vocal coaching just before he sang with Montserrat Caballé.Source? |
| Gregsynth 29.10.2016 05:22 |
When I spoke with Peter Freestone a year and a half ago - he told me that Montserrat helped out Freddie with some vocal technique-related things. One of the things mentioned was breathing/breath support. |
| Sebastian 29.10.2016 07:35 |
Yeah, I heard the interview (and it was a really good one, by the way). |
| The Real Wizard 29.10.2016 15:46 |
Oscar J wrote: His voice did change with age, but it hardly improved after the mid 70's.Could not disagree more. Compare any live 1977 BoRhap to 1981. He's almost a completely different singer. |
| Oscar J 29.10.2016 17:12 |
Exactly, completely different and not for the better. His voice in the mid-late 70's, especially in the studio, was maybe the most pure, dynamic and versatile in rock - just listen to all the different shades of it in the isolated vocal version of STL, it's a absolute jewel. From feather like falsetto, to effortless breathy full voice in the upper fourth octave, to loud soaring notes that almost make the microphone clip. He had dozens of different tones and volumes at his disposal. Sure, his changed vocal style meant was more consistent live in the early 80's, but there's no way he could have pulled off vocal performances like Somebody To Love, You Take My Breath Away or even Bohemian Rhapsody etc to the same standard say a decade later - it was all about power by then. Just listen to Peter Freestone talking about how Freddie in the Barcelona sessions couldn't change his voice dynamics much, instead he would back off the microphone to adjust the volume. He had definitely lost something along the way. The 1981 live versions probably do edge out the 77 ones. But then the '79 Crazy Tour versions were probably the best ever - just before he'd turn all macho with his singing. |
| mike hunt 29.10.2016 17:59 |
Oscar, I Agree, The 70's studio Freddie was pure, dynamic and versatile. Examples are Somebody to love, love of my life, Bo Rhap, The falsetto was perfect in those days. you could add original to that list...no one sounded like him back then, and these days you hear singers like the singer from muse try and fail at doing a Freddie, but we're talking about his live voice here, in the early 80's he could do anything with his voice, he hit all the high notes, even did a bit falsetto, Early 80's he was at his best live... In the studio, he had the stronger voice in the 80's by far, but he did lose some of those things you mentioned. that original sounding voice. I prefer the A night At The opera voice...He really perfected his voice on that album, and A Day At The Races.. |
| The Real Wizard 29.10.2016 19:49 |
Oscar J wrote: Exactly, completely different and not for the better. His voice in the mid-late 70's, especially in the studio, was maybe the most pure, dynamic and versatile in rock - just listen to all the different shades of it in the isolated vocal version of STL, it's a absolute jewel. From feather like falsetto, to effortless breathy full voice in the upper fourth octave, to loud soaring notes that almost make the microphone clip. He had dozens of different tones and volumes at his disposal. Sure, his changed vocal style meant was more consistent live in the early 80's, but there's no way he could have pulled off vocal performances like Somebody To Love, You Take My Breath Away or even Bohemian Rhapsody etc to the same standard say a decade later - it was all about power by then. Just listen to Peter Freestone talking about how Freddie in the Barcelona sessions couldn't change his voice dynamics much, instead he would back off the microphone to adjust the volume. He had definitely lost something along the way. The 1981 live versions probably do edge out the 77 ones. But then the '79 Crazy Tour versions were probably the best ever - just before he'd turn all macho with his singing.Yup, can't disagree with a word of that. Indeed, he did lose his subtlety, the light and shade - the "thunder and the whisper" as Jimmy Page would say. He became more consistent, but at a price. Great post. |
| Fireplace 30.10.2016 13:27 |
The Real Wizard wrote:Funny how that goes for the entire band as they went from more intimate venues to full stadium rock. Subtlety and variety were indeed the first victims.Oscar J wrote: Exactly, completely different and not for the better. His voice in the mid-late 70's, especially in the studio, was maybe the most pure, dynamic and versatile in rock - just listen to all the different shades of it in the isolated vocal version of STL, it's a absolute jewel. From feather like falsetto, to effortless breathy full voice in the upper fourth octave, to loud soaring notes that almost make the microphone clip. He had dozens of different tones and volumes at his disposal. Sure, his changed vocal style meant was more consistent live in the early 80's, but there's no way he could have pulled off vocal performances like Somebody To Love, You Take My Breath Away or even Bohemian Rhapsody etc to the same standard say a decade later - it was all about power by then. Just listen to Peter Freestone talking about how Freddie in the Barcelona sessions couldn't change his voice dynamics much, instead he would back off the microphone to adjust the volume. He had definitely lost something along the way. The 1981 live versions probably do edge out the 77 ones. But then the '79 Crazy Tour versions were probably the best ever - just before he'd turn all macho with his singing.Yup, can't disagree with a word of that. Indeed, he did lose his subtlety, the light and shade - the "thunder and the whisper" as Jimmy Page would say. He became more consistent, but at a price. Great post. |
| musicland munich 04.11.2016 12:22 |
Hi there... I 've just found an article about the Hamburg 78'Gig. In a short statement Freddie confirmed that he had vocal coaching because of his prone vocal cords on Tour. But he stopped cause he was afraid to loose his Rock and Roll touch... The name "Finelli" wasn't mentioned. The whole thing will be shared in the future ( Wow! A bit more than two pages including Pictures) |
| The Real Wizard 05.11.2016 00:40 |
musicland munich wrote: Hi there... I 've just found an article about the Hamburg 78'Gig. In a short statement Freddie confirmed that he had vocal coaching because of his prone vocal cords on Tour. But he stopped cause he was afraid to loose his Rock and Roll touch... The name "Finelli" wasn't mentioned. The whole thing will be shared in the future ( Wow! A bit more than two pages including Pictures)Wow - that's huge ! I wouldn't be surprised if he sought help after the 77 US tour. He sounds so much better by the spring in Europe. |
| Chopin1995 25.10.2018 15:29 |
musicland munich wrote: Hi there... I 've just found an article about the Hamburg 78'Gig. In a short statement Freddie confirmed that he had vocal coaching because of his prone vocal cords on Tour. But he stopped cause he was afraid to loose his Rock and Roll touch... The name "Finelli" wasn't mentioned. The whole thing will be shared in the future ( Wow! A bit more than two pages including Pictures)Are there still plans to share this article? |
| musicland munich 26.10.2018 00:12 |
Chopin1995 wrote:It actually already happened in the past. But I could not find with the "search" function on this "jurassic" forum.musicland munich wrote: Hi there... I 've just found an article about the Hamburg 78'Gig. In a short statement Freddie confirmed that he had vocal coaching because of his prone vocal cords on Tour. But he stopped cause he was afraid to loose his Rock and Roll touch... The name "Finelli" wasn't mentioned. The whole thing will be shared in the future ( Wow! A bit more than two pages including Pictures)Are there still plans to share this article? But thank god, Queenlive.ca saved it ;) Just look for Hamburg 78 Review of the show ( 1, 2 ,3 ) Maybe I can provide a better scan soon. |
| The Fairy King 26.10.2018 08:44 |
mike hunt wrote: ..no one sounded like him back then, and these days you hear singers like the singer from muse try and fail at doing a Freddie,Matt has his own voice/style and isn't trying to emulate Freddie (unlike a Marc Martel). If he wants Queen-esque harmonies in songs he nails them. So, dunno where you get the "fail" part. |
| Chopin1995 26.10.2018 12:28 |
musicland munich wrote:Thank you, I can see it. Thank goodness for Queenlive.ca :)Chopin1995 wrote:It actually already happened in the past. But I could not find with the "search" function on this "jurassic" forum. But thank god, Queenlive.ca saved it ;) Just look for Hamburg 78 Review of the show ( 1, 2 ,3 ) Maybe I can provide a better scan soon.musicland munich wrote: Hi there... I 've just found an article about the Hamburg 78'Gig. In a short statement Freddie confirmed that he had vocal coaching because of his prone vocal cords on Tour. But he stopped cause he was afraid to loose his Rock and Roll touch... The name "Finelli" wasn't mentioned. The whole thing will be shared in the future ( Wow! A bit more than two pages including Pictures)Are there still plans to share this article? |