I find this such an interesting topic that it's got me to finally post a message!
I can't say I know too much about singing, but I am a musician.
In my opinion, Freddie was naturally a baritone, and to sing the vast majority of Queen songs he was using his voice unnaturally for the higher notes and thus may have sounded like a tenor. This corresponds to either a noticeably nasal tone for softer songs (e.g. In Only Seven Days) or the rasping sound when he shouted it out for heavier songs (e.g. Death on Two Legs). In the 80s he seemed to lose the ability to use a more nasal tone. In both cases though, even though it was unnatural it still sounded great because of Freddie's amazing voice.
Also note that, for the most part, he sounded completely different when he was talking normally to when he was singing. I think that if you're a natural tenor, your speaking voice is noticeably higher than a baritone's or bass. For songs when he did sing lower (e.g. I'm Going Slightly Mad or some Barcelona stuff), he sounds much more like he did when he spoke.
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[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Fur wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I find this such an interesting topic that it's got me to finally post a message!
I can't say I know too much about singing, but I am a musician.
In my opinion, Freddie was naturally a baritone, and to sing the vast majority of Queen songs he was using his voice unnaturally for the higher notes and thus may have sounded like a tenor. This corresponds to either a noticeably nasal tone for softer songs (e.g. In Only Seven Days) or the rasping sound when he shouted it out for heavier songs (e.g. Death on Two Legs). In the 80s he seemed to lose the ability to use a more nasal tone. In both cases though, even though it was unnatural it still sounded great because of Freddie's amazing voice.
Also note that, for the most part, he sounded completely different when he was talking normally to when he was singing. I think that if you're a natural tenor, your speaking voice is noticeably higher than a baritone's or bass. For songs when he did sing lower (e.g. I'm Going Slightly Mad or some Barcelona stuff), he sounds much more like he did when he spoke.[/QUOTE]
Good post, but I don't agree with "if you're a natural tenor, your speaking voice is noticeably higher than a baritone's or bass". A bass yes, but a baritone no. I've listened to several interviews with Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti and you really can't tell they are tenors by their speaking voice alone.
I can't say I know too much about singing, but I am a musician.
In my opinion, Freddie was naturally a baritone, and to sing the vast majority of Queen songs he was using his voice unnaturally for the higher notes and thus may have sounded like a tenor. This corresponds to either a noticeably nasal tone for softer songs (e.g. In Only Seven Days) or the rasping sound when he shouted it out for heavier songs (e.g. Death on Two Legs). In the 80s he seemed to lose the ability to use a more nasal tone. In both cases though, even though it was unnatural it still sounded great because of Freddie's amazing voice.
Also note that, for the most part, he sounded completely different when he was talking normally to when he was singing. I think that if you're a natural tenor, your speaking voice is noticeably higher than a baritone's or bass. For songs when he did sing lower (e.g. I'm Going Slightly Mad or some Barcelona stuff), he sounds much more like he did when he spoke.[/QUOTE]
Good post, but I don't agree with "if you're a natural tenor, your speaking voice is noticeably higher than a baritone's or bass". A bass yes, but a baritone no. I've listened to several interviews with Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti and you really can't tell they are tenors by their speaking voice alone.
yes freddie was a baritone. i don't see why certain people are screaming expletives that he's a F-ing tenor!? like it matters? i too asked this question to my voice coach and he said, from listening to freddies voice its sometimes hard to classify his "natural range" because he used to used to sing out of his natural range so often! but this, if u look, is usually only in the studio.. where if ur voice breaks you can redo a part. in the earlier days freddies art was blending his falsetto beautifully with his full voice (i.e. ablum version of love of my life)
which makes the high note sound very soft. the way i find is best to tell if someone is a tenor is to listen to them live... if they can sing high up A sharp (below C4) softly with feeling then they're probably a tenor (a shining example of this is lady in red live "this beauty by my side")! freddie couldn't. it doesn't make him a bad singer though! in fact it proves how good he was that people even need to ask this question!
its really hard to get your head round this unless you actually sing yourself!
which makes the high note sound very soft. the way i find is best to tell if someone is a tenor is to listen to them live... if they can sing high up A sharp (below C4) softly with feeling then they're probably a tenor (a shining example of this is lady in red live "this beauty by my side")! freddie couldn't. it doesn't make him a bad singer though! in fact it proves how good he was that people even need to ask this question!
its really hard to get your head round this unless you actually sing yourself!
I commented on this on my website, but I guess I can shoot a couple of lines here.
Freddie, IMO, is a baritone. As some has already stated, it's not much about range, but vocal colour, where your passaggio is, and specially, the lower notes.
I've known LOTS of Baritones who can sing above that Middle A (two notes short of the tenor High C), which is often the top notes for baritones, but I'm yet to find one who can sing as low as low F as Freddie did.
Freddie had a vocal colour of a baritone, ergo, he's a baritone. But he had an unusually large range, and an exceptional high range, probably due to practice, and the preternatural flexibility of his vocal folds, and how developed were his larynxeal muscles.
Freddie, IMO, is a baritone (a light one), who sang his entire life in a baritonish/tenorish range (because, let's be real... the only diference between their ranges is a couple of notes here and there).
But, on the lower notes (below Low C), he was most comfourtable than most tenors are. Check Ride the Wild Wind, Slightly Mad, The Golden Boy, or Ensueño. Ensueño is a living proof (living?? lol) of his baritonic qualities :)
http://www.f-mercury.com.ar
Best regards!
A.
Freddie, IMO, is a baritone. As some has already stated, it's not much about range, but vocal colour, where your passaggio is, and specially, the lower notes.
I've known LOTS of Baritones who can sing above that Middle A (two notes short of the tenor High C), which is often the top notes for baritones, but I'm yet to find one who can sing as low as low F as Freddie did.
Freddie had a vocal colour of a baritone, ergo, he's a baritone. But he had an unusually large range, and an exceptional high range, probably due to practice, and the preternatural flexibility of his vocal folds, and how developed were his larynxeal muscles.
Freddie, IMO, is a baritone (a light one), who sang his entire life in a baritonish/tenorish range (because, let's be real... the only diference between their ranges is a couple of notes here and there).
But, on the lower notes (below Low C), he was most comfourtable than most tenors are. Check Ride the Wild Wind, Slightly Mad, The Golden Boy, or Ensueño. Ensueño is a living proof (living?? lol) of his baritonic qualities :)
http://www.f-mercury.com.ar
Best regards!
A.
does it really matter now? i mean freddie is freddie there is no label for him. so forget it.
^ It would help me understand my own voice.
Like why scientists study dead critters - to better understand ourselves.
All this talk HAS helped me. I don't know where I fall on the scale of things, and by listening to how voices are "classified" - especially a voice that is very familiar to me, it helps me get a better feel of things.
Like why scientists study dead critters - to better understand ourselves.
All this talk HAS helped me. I don't know where I fall on the scale of things, and by listening to how voices are "classified" - especially a voice that is very familiar to me, it helps me get a better feel of things.
those poor critters
:-/
if i told anyone my range, they wouldnt believe me so like freddie i dont have one *stomps off*
its hard to say, i think hes a healthy mix of both and i believe hes too rare of a voice to really classify, and really classificatiosn of voices kinda teathers the talent dont you think?
if i told anyone my range, they wouldnt believe me so like freddie i dont have one *stomps off*
its hard to say, i think hes a healthy mix of both and i believe hes too rare of a voice to really classify, and really classificatiosn of voices kinda teathers the talent dont you think?
YES
FREDDIE IS A BARITONE
BRIAN IS A MIDGET
ROGER IS A NIGGER
AND JOHN IS NOT BALD!
Have a nice day, people!
=)
FREDDIE IS A BARITONE
BRIAN IS A MIDGET
ROGER IS A NIGGER
AND JOHN IS NOT BALD!
Have a nice day, people!
=)
And...
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Sir GH<br><h6>ah yeah</h6> wrote: [/QUOTENAME]And...
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]
You just made my day. :)
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]
You just made my day. :)
lmao
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Sir GH<br><h6>ah yeah</h6> wrote: [/QUOTENAME]And...
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]and you're a cunt, open-assed
"M a t i a s M a y" is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]and you're a cunt, open-assed
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]M a t i a s M a y<h6><i>QZ's Rainmaker wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Sir GH&lt;br&gt;&lt;h6&gt;ah yeah&lt;/h6&gt; wrote: [/QUOTENAME]And...
&quot;M a t i a s M a y&quot; is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]and you're a cunt, open-assed[/QUOTE]
Damn. I haven't seen a comeback like that since Elvis in '68.
But seriously.... people are arguing about this topic so badly, one would think that the subject matter actually had some bearing on anything. Who gives a flying *fuck* what he was?
This tenor/baritone argument is not a matter of opinion - if there is actually a *SINGLE* definition for either of those terms, then there is no discussion. Half of the people in here are wrong.
Suffice to say, if y'all are happy to trudge around in your own filth (figuratively speaking) then by all means do... I'm just not entirely sure why certain people in here (hyuk hyuk) are taking it so hard.
Anyone with a brain stem probably would've run off, gone and found the *incontrovertible* meaning of the words 'baritone' and 'tenor', applied them to Freddie's voice, and been off by now. Sheesh!
&quot;M a t i a s M a y&quot; is a kind, open-minded, tolerant, and understanding person.
[/QUOTE]and you're a cunt, open-assed[/QUOTE]
Damn. I haven't seen a comeback like that since Elvis in '68.
But seriously.... people are arguing about this topic so badly, one would think that the subject matter actually had some bearing on anything. Who gives a flying *fuck* what he was?
This tenor/baritone argument is not a matter of opinion - if there is actually a *SINGLE* definition for either of those terms, then there is no discussion. Half of the people in here are wrong.
Suffice to say, if y'all are happy to trudge around in your own filth (figuratively speaking) then by all means do... I'm just not entirely sure why certain people in here (hyuk hyuk) are taking it so hard.
Anyone with a brain stem probably would've run off, gone and found the *incontrovertible* meaning of the words 'baritone' and 'tenor', applied them to Freddie's voice, and been off by now. Sheesh!