Sunshine 21.04.2006 03:34 |
Maybe it has been discussed before, I don't know... I was listening to Innuendo yesterday in the car and this morning a concert bootleg from the US Jazz tour and it was so obvious how Freddie's voice colour changed. On Innuendo he is so breakable but powerfull, it comes from his soul. You can hear his illness when he sings. And does anybody also hears the difference in Freddie's voice colour in All Gods People? I am very sure that vocal was not recorded during the Innuendo sessions in 1990 but earlier during the Barcelona recordings. His voice is much more different than the other songs on Innuendo. And then the Jazz tour, he has such a macho voice. Like on Live Killers, he says: "You buggers can sing higher than I can" This voice colour is so typical during the 78-79 tours. And then his voice changes to be more sophisticated after Safe Me and Play The Gam for example...I think its quite interesting... What do you guys think about it...? |
inu-liger 21.04.2006 11:29 |
I've noticed it too. Really changed a lot over the years. |
deleted user 21.04.2006 11:31 |
Smoking and drinking does effect the vocal cords... |
it was electric7 21.04.2006 12:18 |
I really love the change in Freddie's voice. Freddie's voice in the 90's is just superb. |
RainMustFall2 21.04.2006 12:47 |
Well, near the end, he had to stop smoking and drinking so much, so you can notice a subtle change in his voice from the Miracle to Innuendo, when his voice sounds a bit more like the earlier works. |
Poo, again 21.04.2006 13:24 |
Yes, I think we've all noticed the change, but I personally prefer his nearly girly voice of the early 70's. |
it was electric7 21.04.2006 15:15 |
I absolutly LOVE Freddie's voice in the "Fairy Fellers Master Stroke" |
Poo, again 21.04.2006 15:34 |
it was electric7 wrote: I absolutly LOVE Freddie's voice in the "Fairy Fellers Master Stroke"Oh, don't we all!? ;) |
ibanez122 21.04.2006 15:48 |
Huge change in a span of 10 years. His best voices were Id say, Queen II - and during the News Of The World tour - also add in the Crazy Tour to that as well. To me, it seems that his voice never fully recovered after the Live Killers tour. He got the majority of his range back from late 79 untill about 81 before the lower powerful voice kicked in and lost his higher range completely. |
Carol! the Musical 21.04.2006 16:06 |
The Millionaire Waltz wrote:Beautiful vocals! When you hear the part that goes "peeks under lady's gown" without the background singing, he sounds just like a girl! :-Pit was electric7 wrote: I absolutly LOVE Freddie's voice in the "Fairy Fellers Master Stroke"Oh, don't we all!? ;) |
turini 21.04.2006 16:11 |
i hate his voice during magic tour |
Thanks 21.04.2006 16:18 |
colour changing voices??? Someone's off their meds.... |
it was electric7 21.04.2006 16:38 |
I find this funny: I used to think there was a girl in Queen becuase I saw TSMGO video and saw Roger from IWTBF and thought it was an acual girl and then I heard the" Chippin around " part in Under Pressure and I was convinced that Queen had a lady friend or something who would come into the studio and hit the high notes for Freddie. Thats before I knew how amazing Freddie's voice was. |
deleted user 21.04.2006 18:10 |
yeah freddies voice changed through out his carer(sp mistake :S) he had a high voice in the 70s then in the 80s he had a low but powerful voice. its also due to smoking, that can ruin your vocal chords you know. |
stateside fan 21.04.2006 20:51 |
I know its awful to say but i dont like Freddie's voice at all on innuendo.Its so studio protected and echo-ie.For obvious reasons of course.I miss Freddie more and more every day but his voice during the late 80's into early 90's should never be compared to 1978-82 period where he had mastered not only his range but he learned the art of singing. |
Scott_Mercury 21.04.2006 21:30 |
ibanez122 wrote: To me, it seems that his voice never fully recovered after the Live Killers tour. He got the majority of his range back from late 79 untill about 81 before the lower powerful voice kicked in and lost his higher range completely.Disagree with this. Freddie's voice is amazing at Milton Keys in 1982. Also, the high part of Under Pressure was just as high as anything he'd done up to that point. The first few concert dates of the Magic Tour, he sounds just like he did at Milton Keyes in '82. Some the highest notes Freddie ever hit was on Innuendo...while in the advanced stages of AIDS. Freddie's voice was a little different later on(I say little, because I can name 25 singers right now whose voices changed more in 10 years than Fred's), but I think more of it has to do with age than any other factor. I know whenever we talk about this here, we get everything from smoking, drugs, AIDS, a well hung boyfriend...etc..etc... being the things that, as some of you put it "wrecked Freddie voice". I wish I had a **wrecked voice** like Fred's on Who Want's to Live Forever, and The Show Must go On. But anayway...I think getting older has more to do with vocal change then anything. Does Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sting, Rod Stewart...etc..etc.. sound like they did 20 years ago? Not at all... So why does everyone think Freddie sounds so much different from 1983-1991? I think many of you would be very suprised at just what a kick ass rendition of say, "Champions" that Freddie could have pulled off in 1990/91. His voice could have world toured in 1988, 1990, etc... his body could not have. |
ibanez122 21.04.2006 21:32 |
Scott_Mercury wrote:Agreed. I know I left out few points..I know he had an killer voice at MK. By then he started getting that lower tone in his voice, but yet he still had the range as he did the previous 3 years. I know I should have included Innuendo un my post - His voice there is similar to id say his voice on Jazz (this is my opinion atleast)ibanez122 wrote: To me, it seems that his voice never fully recovered after the Live Killers tour. He got the majority of his range back from late 79 untill about 81 before the lower powerful voice kicked in and lost his higher range completely.Disagree with this. Freddie's voice is amazing at Milton Keys in 1982. Also, the high part of Under Pressure was just as high as anything he'd done up to that point. The first few concert dates of the Magic Tour, he sounds just like he did at Milton Keyes in '82. Some the highest notes Freddie ever hit was on Innuendo...while in the advanced stages of AIDS. Freddie's voice was different, but I think more of it has to do with age than any other factor. I know whenever we talk about this here, we get everything from smoking, drugs, AIDS, a well hung boyfriend...etc..etc... being the things that, as some of you put it "wrecked Freddie voice". I wish I had a **wrecked voice** like Fred's on Who Want's to Live Forever, and The Show Must go On. But anayway...I think getting older has more to do with vocal change then anything. Does Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sting, Rod Stewart...etc..etc.. sound like they did 20 years ago? Not at all... So why does everyone thing Freddie sounds so much different from 1983-1991? I think many of you would be very suprised at just what a kick ass rendition of say, "Champions" that Freddie could have pulled off in 1990/91. His voice could have world toured in 1988, 1990, etc... his body could not have. |
mike hunt 23.04.2006 05:11 |
I disagree with all you wacko's (except for scott mercury) Freddies voice was ruined by smoking and aids!...give me a break people!...freddie voice was great during innnuendo, Don't try so hard and the show must go on. anyone who says his voice was shot during the eighties doesn't know shit, MK, we will rock you and live aid were the strongest his voice ever sounded. |
stateside fan 23.04.2006 23:29 |
Mike i think you are a fucking asshole,Can you ever be nice? |
rwon041 24.04.2006 00:46 |
Hahahaha I like this forum, it actually debates Fred's voice rather than what colour socks he had or whether he could use chopsticks. At MK his voice is pretty good but it's a different timbre to the 70's, it's deeper. Personally I feel he was at his best during the period 74 - 77. At the Houston 1/12/77 concert his voice is in excellent condition and sounds alot like the studio on songs such as Good Old Fashioned Loverboy. Yeah I don't really fancy his singing that much on the magic tour, it's very deep and definitely a baritone voice with not a hint of even being close to a tenor. On Live Killers during Love of My Life I think the note he sings when he sings the 'you' in "I still love you....." is a brilliant note, crystal clear and in a different key to the album but somehow it fits perfectly. |
mike hunt 24.04.2006 01:23 |
I know anything past 1977 is crap, how played out are you people!..."stateside" you obviously don't think freddie had a great voice during the barcelona album or the great pretender/In my defence?....shows how little you know, but most of you are stuck in 1975. |
Regor 24.04.2006 04:21 |
I like his 80's voice a lot (not more than his crystal clear early voice, but certainly not less), because what it - perhaps - lacked in chest voice octave-range (his falsetto was still amazing) it makes up for in power. Just listen to “ITLOTG... revisited” on LAW. The part where he goes from " ... but I gotta chance it - So FUNNY..." he just nails it ! Hits you like a hammer. Amazing. |
deleted user 24.04.2006 15:15 |
My first comment wasn't to mean that he wrecked his voice or ruined it. It was a CHANGE. Freddie himself commented on how he had lost range, but had more power. It's personal taste. There's certainly a difference in the voices of ... humbledy-mumbledy... Stevie Nicks and Anna Netrebko. Does it make one the worse? Just different. In my personal opinion, I think Freddie had a fine voice either way, I was just pointing out that it didn't do it all by its wee lonesome. |
ibanez122 24.04.2006 15:22 |
mike hunt wrote: I know anything past 1977 is crap, how played out are you people!..."stateside" you obviously don't think freddie had a great voice during the barcelona album or the great pretender/In my defence?....shows how little you know, but most of you are stuck in 1975.True about how some people are stuck in 75 on this board. I personally like the way his voice sounds during the South America gigs in 81. He was tearing it up. His voice was pretty similar to what it was in his prime the the 70's |
Poo, again 24.04.2006 15:25 |
I'm stuck in 1963. |
kdj2hot 24.04.2006 15:27 |
Regor wrote: I like his 80's voice a lot (not more than his crystal clear early voice, but certainly not less), because what it - perhaps - lacked in chest voice octave-range (his falsetto was still amazing) it makes up for in power. Just listen to “ITLOTG... revisited” on LAW. The part where he goes from " ... but I gotta chance it - So FUNNY..." he just nails it ! Hits you like a hammer. Amazing.ME no agree with that statement. As I've been singing I understand that his voic was just fine, maybe the timbre changed a bit withhold Live at Wembley and some Works dates which could be due to the strains of touring. In the earlier days I assume Freddie was still attempting to find himself and sung with a lot falsetto mixed with his full voice in the studio. At some point he realized he didn't have to resort to falsetto sing those and used his full voice more. On Innuendo if it's truely isn't sped up, which I doubt because on the Mike Reid interview his speaking voice is even higher than in the past, he just pushed his voice close their limits whether to do the recording eqivalent of a dog pissing on a tree to mark his territory (i.e. leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that he does have one of the better voices of alltime) or if the songs they wrote just fit that style. One thing is it wasn't like his voice couldn't do that in the past, listen to News of the World and tracks like "It's Late" and "Spread your Wings". I will assume that it's much, much more different when you record an album and have no impending sense of mortality (i.e. NOTW) than when you know this could be the last thing anyone will ever hear from you )I.e. Innuendo). |
mike hunt 25.04.2006 00:42 |
I Personally love his voice for the majority of wembly, but I agree that he didn't have the range he had before. Freddie in 86 had less range, but more power (almost opera like) in the lap of the gods and who wants to live forever are examples of this. |
Asterik 27.04.2006 10:43 |
stateside fan wrote: I know its awful to say but i dont like Freddie's voice at all on innuendo.Its so studio protected and echo-ie.For obvious reasons of course.I miss Freddie more and more every day but his voice during the late 80's into early 90's should never be compared to 1978-82 period where he had mastered not only his range but he learned the art of singing.But the whole album was heavily produced. What do you mean for obvious reasons? His health had nothing to do with his voice which improved significantly post-86. Get your facts right. |
Asterik 27.04.2006 10:46 |
mike hunt wrote: I Personally love his voice for the majority of wembly, but I agree that he didn't have the range he had before. Freddie in 86 had less range, but more power (almost opera like) in the lap of the gods and who wants to live forever are examples of this.Yes I love the way he roars out "don't touch my wo-arrr-uunds with your fingertips"! Marvellous. |
stateside fan 27.04.2006 23:09 |
if you dont think his health didnt affect his voice you are dumber then you seem.aids at that stage is in your lungs,throat ect.plus being under weight changes your voice pitch alot.get your fact straight dill hole. |
deleted user 28.04.2006 06:48 |
Personally, I saw his voice change from lavender to royal purple. I've also heard hints of sugar-plum and peach. Some people say his voice could sound green, but I think that's rubbish, even on a bad day he maintained a standard of at LEAST violet. |
Danne 28.04.2006 12:23 |
I really think that one of Freddie's best vocal performances also is his last: 'Mother Love'. On that track he really shows exceptional power, both in the higher ranges, but also in the lower. I think it's amazing that someone can manage such a performance when his body is aching and he's using vodka to numb the pain in his throat... |
Asterik 29.04.2006 17:48 |
stateside fan wrote: if you dont think his health didnt affect his voice you are dumber then you seem.aids at that stage is in your lungs,throat ect.plus being under weight changes your voice pitch alot.get your fact straight dill hole.Before you start trying to act in a clever way, sir, may I point you to Mike Moran who said that Freddie's voice got better during his illness and that "he sings like a choirboy" on Innuendo. Faced between you, a rather nasty little upstart or Mike Moran, a composer and musical expert, i think I may rely on the latter. Point made. |
mike hunt 30.04.2006 00:14 |
Asterik I think 99% of queen fans will agree with you on this, anyone who thinks freddies voice sounded weak or bad on innuendo needs to get his ears checked. |
kdj2hot 01.05.2006 11:40 |
mike hunt wrote: Asterik I think 99% of queen fans will agree with you on this, anyone who thinks freddies voice sounded weak or bad on innuendo needs to get his ears checked.Mike Hunt you just don't have a good ear for music or lack the ability to recognize notes, i.e. Absolute pitch. Freddie's voice sounds anything but weak on Innuendo. Bad is a very subjective thing, if you think it sounds bad that's your stupid opinion. |
mike hunt 02.05.2006 02:04 |
what the hell are you talking about?....My opinion is freddie was at his best on innuendo, I commented on "stateside" stupid opinion, learn how to read! |
kdj2hot 02.05.2006 04:51 |
mike hunt wrote: what the hell are you talking about?....My opinion is freddie was at his best on innuendo, I commented on "stateside" stupid opinion, learn how to read!Well I will if you're gonna pay for the tutoring, smart guy. |
Poo, again 02.05.2006 10:39 |
kdj2hot wrote:I'm willing to pay.mike hunt wrote: what the hell are you talking about?....My opinion is freddie was at his best on innuendo, I commented on "stateside" stupid opinion, learn how to read!Well I will if you're gonna pay for the tutoring, smart guy. |
rocks. 05.05.2006 14:32 |
I deffinitly think there was a change from Queen II and SHA on, but I dont think he ever totally lost his range, listen to how high he went at Wembley during the impromtu, its insane!! Totally totally amazing. I just think the style that he chose to sang in was lower, but he diffinitly still had major range. |
FriedChicken 08.05.2006 12:21 |
"I think many of you would be very suprised at just what a kick ass rendition of say, "Champions" that Freddie could have pulled off in 1990/91. His voice could have world toured in 1988, 1990, etc... his body could not have" I don't think so, Freddie's voice got better in the late 80's and early 90's because he started to live more healthy. He stopped smoking and the main reason: he didn't tour anymore! Freddie didn't have singing lessons, thats why his voice got so damaged on tour. He didn't know how to use his vocal chords well. Thats why he couldn't sing the high notes (he always avoided them) and thats why he sang so good on the first 5 concerts, and after that it got worse and worse. I think if Freddie would've gone on tour in 1988, 89 and 1990 we would've had the same voice on Innuendo as the voice on A Kind of Magic |
koldweather123 08.05.2006 13:24 |
I think if he were to tour on Innuendo he'd probably have a voice probably higher then the AKOM and works tours. The key thing is he changed his style of singing from 86 through to his death he went from the ful lblown chest voice belting type singing (Gimme the prize for example) to using a mix of both chest and head voice with in fact some of his highest ever notes being hit in the Innuendo albem. It's intresting that he had no vocal sessions. I always felt that Freddie never quite had the right balance between his chest and head voice. LAW for example and you can clearly tell he was simply belting every other note. From experiance, you do that and your voice simply won't go much above your speaking voice, and you can actually hear his voice sounding rather tierd. his range didn't actualy change much at all, at least his hitable range, I'm sure he could hit most notes live if it wasn't for his poor technuiqe. What changed, as others have said, was his actual timbre and ALSO his style. He had a light voice in the early days, then over the years it deepened a little, then probably by the Jazz tour he changed his singing style and used mixed voice more and more often. A classic example is at MK bowl with under pressure and the higher higher high part, with the last note being a nice mixture. I personaly think this is his best period when he hits all the notes he used to with the power. However the mix isn't sustainable when you keep using it. That was the relative downfall of his voice in the mid-80's. He had a good balance in the early 80's and latwe 70's but by the mid 80's, due to his voice deepening slightly again he was forced to constantly use this to hit his highest notes and thats why he suffered thaty cracking sound, his voice simply couldn't take it. Instead for the rest of the tour he had to use his chest voice and belt out the notes, which led to a reduction of his range that was reachable in the works and AKOM tours, and hence why it got more powerful but deeper sound. However by the time his voice reached Innuendo, his voice had gotten higher again by a little bit and had were to do a tour, a reasoable comprasion would be the MK concert from 82 as to what he sounds like, he still has got a habit of using the mix on the Innuendo, BUT as his voice had gained a little upwards range again, he could pull it off and he was seemingly more willing to use his head voice then before. |
rc 08.05.2006 22:37 |
freddie's voice had about 4 definitive stages. the early, almost female voice. (74-77?) more trained rock singer (78-82) gravelly, powerful voice(83-89) and of course, the very clear but still powerful voice heard on innuendo (91) i don't have a personal preference, i like them all. |
mercuryphoenix5946 10.05.2006 13:22 |
DELETED |
kdj2hot 11.05.2006 12:49 |
mercuryphoenix5946 wrote: Being a Freddie Mercury impersonator (and a female one at that!), and the fact that I have a singing and speaking voice very similar to the deceased rock star icon, I have found it very, very difficult to pull off his sounds on stage without KILLING my vocal chords ... or better still - MURDERING them! lol In order to sing the songs he did that are soft, I must avoid cigarettes for a while so that my voice will be able to sing them better. As for the raucous songs like, Tie Yo Mamma, and others of that nature, cigarettes help to bring out the coarseness of my voice so as to sound like the original artist that performed those raucous tracks. It's easy to see why Freddie developed nodules on his vocal chords. I, myself, now have them, and I am only 36...wrong thread sorry lol |
beautifulsoup 12.05.2006 10:11 |
Nodules are developed from misuse of the voice... Smoking doesn't help, for sure. But lack of good vocal technique is usually at the core. |
AndresGuazzelli 12.05.2006 12:58 |
koldweather123 wrote: I think if he were to tour on Innuendo he'd probably have a voice probably higher then the AKOM and works tours. The key thing is he changed his style of singing from 86 through to his death he went from the ful lblown chest voice belting type singing (Gimme the prize for example) to using a mix of both chest and head voice with in fact some of his highest ever notes being hit in the Innuendo albem. It's intresting that he had no vocal sessions. I always felt that Freddie never quite had the right balance between his chest and head voice. LAW for example and you can clearly tell he was simply belting every other note. From experiance, you do that and your voice simply won't go much above your speaking voice, and you can actually hear his voice sounding rather tierd. his range didn't actualy change much at all, at least his hitable range, I'm sure he could hit most notes live if it wasn't for his poor technuiqe. What changed, as others have said, was his actual timbre and ALSO his style. He had a light voice in the early days, then over the years it deepened a little, then probably by the Jazz tour he changed his singing style and used mixed voice more and more often. A classic example is at MK bowl with under pressure and the higher higher high part, with the last note being a nice mixture. I personaly think this is his best period when he hits all the notes he used to with the power. However the mix isn't sustainable when you keep using it. That was the relative downfall of his voice in the mid-80's. He had a good balance in the early 80's and latwe 70's but by the mid 80's, due to his voice deepening slightly again he was forced to constantly use this to hit his highest notes and thats why he suffered thaty cracking sound, his voice simply couldn't take it. Instead for the rest of the tour he had to use his chest voice and belt out the notes, which led to a reduction of his range that was reachable in the works and AKOM tours, and hence why it got more powerful but deeper sound. However by the time his voice reached Innuendo, his voice had gotten higher again by a little bit and had were to do a tour, a reasoable comprasion would be the MK concert from 82 as to what he sounds like, he still has got a habit of using the mix on the Innuendo, BUT as his voice had gained a little upwards range again, he could pull it off and he was seemingly more willing to use his head voice then before."The key thing is he changed his style of singing from 86 through to his death he went from the ful lblown chest voice belting type singing (Gimme the prize for example) to using a mix of both chest and head voice with in fact some of his highest ever notes being hit in the Innuendo albem." Then, you don't know what head voice is. The highest note I've ever heard from him, using his chest voice, was a Middle F in Barcelona. the rest of them, was head voice. If you want to hear it perfectly, download: link That's how Freddie sounded using his chest voice beyond his passagio: Tight, very tight. Note the change of resonances after covering the passagio.He sings chest voiced up to the 'WILLING' and headvoiced from 'friends until the end'. You may be confusing a light head voice, with mainly head overtones, and the powerful full voice Freddie used, which was head voice after all, with heavy chest harmonics, to give him his characteristic timbre, plus the high overtones from the head resonances. His balance between head and chest is one of the most marvelous mixes I've ever heard from a popular singer. |
Asterik 14.05.2006 16:13 |
FriedChicken<br><font size=1>The Almighty</font> wrote: "I think many of you would be very suprised at just what a kick ass rendition of say, "Champions" that Freddie could have pulled off in 1990/91. His voice could have world toured in 1988, 1990, etc... his body could not have" I don't think so, Freddie's voice got better in the late 80's and early 90's because he started to live more healthy. He stopped smoking and the main reason: he didn't tour anymore! Freddie didn't have singing lessons, thats why his voice got so damaged on tour. He didn't know how to use his vocal chords well. Thats why he couldn't sing the high notes (he always avoided them) and thats why he sang so good on the first 5 concerts, and after that it got worse and worse. I think if Freddie would've gone on tour in 1988, 89 and 1990 we would've had the same voice on Innuendo as the voice on A Kind of MagicNo I can't agree with that entirely. You under-estimate the work he did with Monserrat Caballe in shaping his later voice. Stopping smoking helped but it's not as if tours lasted 80 dates; The Magic tour was 33 dates, I can't see that roughening his voice live could be a big factor for studio sessions. In 1983 he had a whole year off from it but still sounded very strained on The Works. |
Vulcan 24.05.2006 07:07 |
kdj2hot wrote:Regor wrote: On Innuendo if it's truely isn't sped up, which I doubt because on the Mike Reid interview his speaking voice is even higher than in the past, he just pushed his voice close their limits whether to do the recording eqivalent of a dog pissing on a tree to mark his territory (i.e. leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that he does have one of the better voices of alltime) or if the songs they wrote just fit that style.A lot of the songs on Innunendo were sped up by at least a semitone. I have slowed it down, digitally and he definately sounds more realistic. ie.. I cant live with you and Hitman. Slow them down with Sound-Forge or something by 1 semitone. It is also obviosly sped up because his vibrato is faster than other songs, which has always been fairly consistant. |
Danne 24.05.2006 08:06 |
AndresGuazzelli wrote: "The key thing is he changed his style of singing from 86 through to his death he went from the ful lblown chest voice belting type singing (Gimme the prize for example) to using a mix of both chest and head voice with in fact some of his highest ever notes being hit in the Innuendo albem." Then, you don't know what head voice is. The highest note I've ever heard from him, using his chest voice, was a Middle F in Barcelona. the rest of them, was head voice. If you want to hear it perfectly, download: link That's how Freddie sounded using his chest voice beyond his passagio: Tight, very tight. Note the change of resonances after covering the passagio.He sings chest voiced up to the 'WILLING' and headvoiced from 'friends until the end'. You may be confusing a light head voice, with mainly head overtones, and the powerful full voice Freddie used, which was head voice after all, with heavy chest harmonics, to give him his characteristic timbre, plus the high overtones from the head resonances. His balance between head and chest is one of the most marvelous mixes I've ever heard from a popular singer.I believe we here witness an example of the absolutely and utterly confusing terminology that surrounds singing. Head voice, chest voice, etc... However, scientific studies of the vocal cords have shown that (for a male) there are basically two different types of voices: the modal voice ("chest voice", "speaking voice"), and the falsetto. The rest is mainly variation in timbre and expression created in different parts of the vocal organs. I believe the different usages of the term "head voice" here stems from two different "schools", one which uses the term as a synonym of falsetto, and another which uses it of the chest voice coloured with a more head-cavity based timbre, maybe with a bit of "twang". I would say, efter listening to your example from "Barcelona", that the two different sounds are both the modal voice, and that the changes of character and timbre are more due to different ways of colouring the sound on the way from the vocal chords to the listener... |
beautifulsoup 26.05.2006 11:41 |
mike hunt wrote: I know anything past 1977 is crap, how played out are you people!..."stateside" you obviously don't think freddie had a great voice during the barcelona album or the great pretender/In my defence?....shows how little you know, but most of you are stuck in 1975.I think "Barcelona" is among his best singing. "Guide Me Home." "The Golden Boy"..."Ensueno" *especially* shows some *gorgeous* low tones... I could go on. I won't. |
kdj2hot 27.05.2006 18:44 |
Vulcan wrote:kdj2hot wrote:[/quote]Regor wrote: On Innuendo if it's truely isn't sped up, which I doubt because on the Mike Reid interview his speaking voice is even higher than in the past, he just pushed his voice close their limits whether to do the recording eqivalent of a dog pissing on a tree to mark his territory (i.e. leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that he does have one of the better voices of alltime) or if the songs they wrote just fit that style.A lot of the songs on Innunendo were sped up by at least a semitone. I have slowed it down, digitally and he definately sounds more realistic. ie.. I cant live with you and Hitman. Slow them down with Sound-Forge or something by 1 semitone. It is also obviosly sped up because his vibrato is faster than other songs, which has always been fairly consistant. Jim |
Vulcan 31.05.2006 06:39 |
kdj2hot wrote: [/QUOTENAME Vulcan, that point has been brought up and dismissed plenty of times. I doubtt that innuendo was sped up. You're wrong on that I feel and shouldn't go around spreading misinformation. Freddie's speaking voice was even higer around that time so it's really ignorant to say slowing it down is proof it was sped up because it sounded like Freddie... OFCOURSE IT'S GONNA SOUND LIKE FREDDIE IF YOU SLOW IT DOWN A SEMITONE BECAUSE IT'S FREDDIE SINGING! His voice was just a lil' higher for what ever reason you want to pick. I doubt the MikReid inteview was sped up, maybe it was, if that was the case then you have a point lol.Since when is posting an opinion spreading mis-information??!?! I also don't understand what you're saying either - slowing it down makes him sound like he always used to sound - I don't believe that anybody's voice gets higher in a short space of time - especially due to illness - I'm still of the opinion that there is definately something unnatural about his voice on Innuendo, be it the pitch and colour, and there's almost no doubt that it has been "tinkered" with in the studio - sped up - loads of chorus, reverb etc etc. |
kdj2hot 31.05.2006 10:08 |
Vulcan wrote:I'm over sensitive and you definitely are as well obsiously. It's not an opinion if his voice is sped up, it's a fact it's either true or not. An example of an opinion is like whether abortion is right or wrong. Understand? AIDS wouldn't havce effected his voice at all. What's your point in saying that? What would have effected his voice was not touring and overall not using it as much, maybe weight loss, and even though this is debatable, if he stopped smoking and drinking (at the very least I think he stopped doing it as much). All of those would've effected his voice gradually. Which is what happened. It didn't happen overnight as you're trying to imply to make your point (more misinformation from you) it happened over time, 87-91). All of those recordings you can hear a "vocal improvement' <-- (an example of an opinion because an improvement to one may not be to another, it's not true/false) with minor changes as time passes.kdj2hot wrote: [/QUOTENAME Vulcan, that point has been brought up and dismissed plenty of times. I doubtt that innuendo was sped up. You're wrong on that I feel and shouldn't go around spreading misinformation. Freddie's speaking voice was even higer around that time so it's really ignorant to say slowing it down is proof it was sped up because it sounded like Freddie... OFCOURSE IT'S GONNA SOUND LIKE FREDDIE IF YOU SLOW IT DOWN A SEMITONE BECAUSE IT'S FREDDIE SINGING! His voice was just a lil' higher for what ever reason you want to pick. I doubt the MikReid inteview was sped up, maybe it was, if that was the case then you have a point lol.Since when is posting an opinion spreading mis-information??!?! I also don't understand what you're saying either - slowing it down makes him sound like he always used to sound - I don't believe that anybody's voice gets higher in a short space of time - especially due to illness - I'm still of the opinion that there is definately something unnatural about his voice on Innuendo, be it the pitch and colour, and there's almost no doubt that it has been "tinkered" with in the studio - sped up - loads of chorus, reverb etc etc. You don't understand that if your voice gets a little lower and then goes back to a higher frequency that if you slow it down it's gonna sound like the lower frequency voice? Um, ok... all it is either faster slower (i.e. slower = lower, faster = higher) Of course it's gonna sound like mid 80's Freddie. I bet if you slow down Spread your wings it'll sound like mid 80's Freddie. That probably works with a number of earlier tracks. Random bits about this topic: Stealing demo - his improvs at the beginning are higher than similar ones during the mid 80's. I suppose they bothered to take the time and speed up the dem as well. We know another one bites the dust was sped up, yet Freddie doesn't sound like he sounds on Innuendo. There's nothing on Innuendo that Freddie hadn't done previously on earlier tracks. That in combination with lower vocal use one must conclude it's unreasonable to suspect the vocals were sped up. |
Vulcan 31.05.2006 10:40 |
Wow - this is getting heated - let's give up on the misinformation line will you, that's completely unnecessary!! Listen to the Delilah dem and then the album version!! How else can you explain how unnatural the vocals sound on the above mentioned songs - especially AGP - compare the voice at the beginning and at the end! Way to much tinkering in the studio. And as I said before - speed-up giveaways by vibrato speed! Anyway, that is my belief - based on the way the vocal tracks sound, and the voice over the prev 20 years! And Going back and I can hear music are also blatantly sped up!!!! |
kdj2hot 31.05.2006 11:14 |
Vulcan wrote: Wow - this is getting heated - let's give up on the misinformation line will you, that's completely unnecessary!! Listen to the Delilah dem and then the album version!! How else can you explain how unnatural the vocals sound on the above mentioned songs - especially AGP - compare the voice at the beginning and at the end! Way to much tinkering in the studio. And as I said before - speed-up giveaways by vibrato speed! Anyway, that is my belief - based on the way the vocal tracks sound, and the voice over the prev 20 years! And Going back and I can hear music are also blatantly sped up!!!!Do you know when AGP as you call it, was recorded. I don't know what parts were taken for the demo. The parts on the final track from the delilah demo sound similar to the way they are on the album. Also using that evidence on the album is kind of an oxymoron in a sense. It's akin to looking at the officially FBI website to see if they posted evidence that they killed JFK assassination. If they song was sped up, why wouldn't the end be sped up as well? I'm going slightly mad is another example, his voice is slightly lower at the beginning. The most logical reason is that the vocals were from two different sessions. |
Vulcan 31.05.2006 11:49 |
I understand what you're saying - maybe we'll agree to disagree. Next time you're playing Innuendo - listen to WAGP, listen to the vocal track in the first half of the song - compare it to "Rule with your heart and live with your conscience etc etc" about half way through - I agree that they were probably both done at different sessions, but they sound SO different - the latter half sounds slightly pitched up - very chorussy and reverby - a bit like most of the other songs on the album. Lemme know what u think J PS Where can I get the mike reid interview? |
kdj2hot 31.05.2006 12:45 |
Vulcan wrote: I understand what you're saying - maybe we'll agree to disagree. Next time you're playing Innuendo - listen to WAGP, listen to the vocal track in the first half of the song - compare it to "Rule with your heart and live with your conscience etc etc" about half way through - I agree that they were probably both done at different sessions, but they sound SO different - the latter half sounds slightly pitched up - very chorussy and reverby - a bit like most of the other songs on the album. Lemme know what u think J PS Where can I get the mike reid interview?Oh yeah, I definitely noticed what you're talking about. The question goes back to why wasn't it all sped up then. Ofcourse that raises the question on how difficult it would be to sync up the two sessions, especially if it's the same line. So yeah, that could explain why it would seem one part and not another was. I'm far from a recording expert so I wouldn't know how difficult it would be to speed up and sync up two different vocal takes. At the same time on the particular line you name his voice doesn't sound like it is definitely from two different takes. The way the line need to be sung, it would make sense and is easily possible to sing it like it sounds on the album. |
Asterik 01.06.2006 08:40 |
I think Vulcan's flogging a dead horse here. Freddie's voice was great on Innuendo- end of story. If people can't accept that idea, shame on them. |
The Real Wizard 01.06.2006 12:25 |
Here's how to end the argument: Listen to the three demos of unreleased songs from the Innuendo sessions. Since they're just demos, chances are they weren't altered in any way. If you think Freddie sounds as good on those demos as he did on the album, then problem solved. |
tkokirrane 02.06.2006 09:32 |
it is very clear that his voice loses range as the years go on.he doesnt lose his power,but the range definitely decreases.this is most noticeable on live performances of "we are the champions" etc.to say his voice is "bad" on Innuendo is silly.All singers lose some of their range as they get older,i always thought that smoking/drinking just sped up the process a bit |
Digitube 03.06.2006 19:03 |
mike hunt wrote: I disagree with all you wacko's (except for scott mercury) Freddies voice was ruined by smoking and aids!...give me a break people!...freddie voice was great during innnuendo, Don't try so hard and the show must go on. anyone who says his voice was shot during the eighties doesn't know shit, MK, we will rock you and live aid were the strongest his voice ever sounded.Excuse me dear? Live Aid was july 13th 1985, and Freddie was smoking like a chimney back then! Same goes for Milton Keynes, at least, I think that's what you mean with MK. I'm a vocalist myself, Freddie is my hero, and I worship the dear fellow. When you try to do his 80's work...well...break a leg dear, you *won't* make it! On the contrary, some of his early 70's work, things like Fairy King, Doing allright, Dear Friends are not that hard to do. Freddie uses his falset on those tracks. But later on, during the 80's, he started to use his midrange voice, and hardly fell back at his falset. Now people : THAT IS TOUGH! He sang at the same high pitch, but now NOT using his falset. And THAT is difficult. When I'm really on the move, I can catch " The Kiss" from Flash Gordon, but doing I want to break free?? Nah-ah dear. :-| It would kill me instantly! Freddie's voice during the 80's was MUCH more powerful then it was in the early seventies. And this thing about smoking...pffffff.... I smoke like a chimney, for over 20 years now, and *never* had any difficulties with singing. Freddie grew and grew over the years. Just listen to the last track he ever recorded, Mother Love. W-O-W..... Practically dead, and SUCH a voice. Brill. Many healthy artist could not ever do that! I state my case <-) |
mike hunt 06.06.2006 01:30 |
I actually agree with you. his voice was stronger in the eighties. |
eat_dikk 06.06.2006 04:52 |
link |
Digitube 06.06.2006 08:45 |
Indeed :-S I actually *do* think we both agree. Guess I read your post wrong :-| Reading back, I see we both say the same thing. Nice name by the way! (Mike Hunt?!? Mike Hunt?!? Has anybody seen Mike Hunt?!? :-D Especially funny when you let a lady call for a person with that name, at - let's say - an airport) *giggle* <-) |
stateside fan 06.06.2006 21:44 |
Digi-great stuff!well said and i think you being a singer understand just how good he was in early-mif 80's.I must disagree with your point on mother love.the lower key stuff he nails but in the middle where he goes high it sounds a tad strained.With good reason sadly . |
Bambi 06.06.2006 23:21 |
Freddies voice range was so great four octaves he could sing anything, he qouted as once saying that smoking gave his voice the huskiness, but he did sing from the depts of his soul and heart, lol..... |
mike hunt 07.06.2006 01:31 |
I loved 70's and 80's singing from freddie, but if you listen to early to mid 80's he could do anything with his voice, very strong and powerful. Barcelona might have been the most impressive singing freddie did. |
Danne 07.06.2006 13:33 |
stateside fan wrote: Digi-great stuff!well said and i think you being a singer understand just how good he was in early-mif 80's.I must disagree with your point on mother love.the lower key stuff he nails but in the middle where he goes high it sounds a tad strained.With good reason sadly .I disagree. The strain you hear is there in lots of earlier recordings with Freddie, and is not strange considering the high notes we are talking about. In my opinion the strain adds to the performance. |
beautifulsoup 07.06.2006 13:40 |
mike hunt wrote: Barcelona might have been the most impressive singing freddie did.Agreed. Definitely. And also the most "natural," and in his best range. |