Stevie's Vocal Range - Page 2

strandinthewind · #16 10-31-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

I'm not sure, Stevie definitely overdubbed a harmony. Have a listen to the first chorus, on "players only love you when they're playing". Stevie takes the third of the harmony there, up to C5 in falsetto. It's harder to tell on the other choruses, however! On that first one at least I can't hear Christine at all. I hear Lindsey singing the fifth, but in a lower octave.

Edit: I think I hear Christine singing the third on the second chorus! Can't hear a seventh though...

I think in the Making of Rumors doc. (circa 1997) -- LB dicusses the harmonies of the Dreams chorus. It could be, though, in the Rumors 5.1 reissue DVD. He actually plays the tracks alone. I can't find it though.

Interestingly, LB's voice was so high then that it often, to me, was hard to tell his voice from La Nicks' in some of the harmonies. The "YEAAAAAA" at the end of SYLM is a good example to me.

Finally, La Nicks' voice is sort of odd in that she sings in many different areas. Look at Circle Dance, which is higer sounding to me than Rhiannon. However, I think they are not that far apart musically.

WarmSir3 · #17 10-31-2009, 11:30 AM

Both Nicks and Vanessa Carlton sing up to G#4 on Circle Dance. Doesn't sound higher than Rhiannon to my ears, but I know what you're trying to say with that last sentence. I was sure Silver Springs was higher than Rhiannon, and it was very close, but nope! For the most part Circle Dance is higher, Rhiannon is a fairly low vocal, but the "all your life" and "would you stay". Are both nice C5s. She pulled them off nicely live aswell for a few years. I'm thinking she could have gone up to E5 in full voice around 1976-1982, maybe higher.

gldstwmn · #18 10-31-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

I was wondering if any of you could help me out by pointing out some of Stevie's most impressive vocal performances. I'm such she can go a lot lower and higher, I really love her voice!

Thanks!

Wild Heart, from the album The Wild Heart
Somebody Stand By Me - Boys On The Side Soundtrack
Frozen Love - Buckingham Nicks
Edge of Seventeen live version - Enchanted box set
Edge of Seventeen - VH1 Storytellers
Sisters of the Moon- Mirage Tour video
Sara - Tusk tour video
Gold & Braid - Enchanted box set
Angel - Tusk
Seven Wonders - Tango In The Night
Sleeping Angel - Enchanted box set

There are so many more and I'll add them later but these are the ones that immediately come to mind.

On edit: For the lower end of her vocal range you might want to check out God's Garden (for which I will post a link) and Destiny Rules from Say You Will.

WarmSir3 · #19 10-31-2009, 03:29 PM

Whew! Time to make a checklist!

Wild Heart, from the album The Wild Heart
Somebody Stand By Me - Boys On The Side Soundtrack
Frozen Love - Buckingham Nicks This was amazing! Great vocals throughout and a super B4 towards the end!
Edge of Seventeen live version - Enchanted box set
Edge of Seventeen - VH1 Storytellers Also very good but I prefer the studio version. This one went up to C5 I think.
Sisters of the Moon- Mirage Tour video Mentioned this one earlier, fantastic, and has the highest full voice note I've heard from her, D5.
Sara - Tusk tour video Wasn't that much of a fan of this video. The Melbourne performance however, goosebumps alert towards the end! Great A4 which I'll include in the video.
Gold & Braid - Enchanted box set Not much in the ways of highs/lows, but a good song.
Angel - Tusk Nice song, up to A4.
Seven Wonders - Tango In The Night Had a listen yesterday, wasn't a bad song, nothing groundbreaking note-wise as far as I remember.
Sleeping Angel - Enchanted box set Nice G4
God's Garden Oh wow! A few C#3s and even a few short B2s!
Destiny Rules That was a nice song! Down to C#3! That brings us to 2 octaves and 1 semitone, C#3-D5!
Baby Come Back (Nothing Ever Changes?) Cool song

gldstwmn · #20 10-31-2009, 03:32 PM

Here's the link to God's Garden: http://www.mediafire.com/file/t02j2gyejym/09 God's Garden.m4a

gldstwmn · #21 10-31-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Here's the link to God's Garden: http://www.mediafire.com/file/t02j2gyejym/09 God's Garden.m4a

You might also want to check out Nothing Ever Changes from The Wild Heart.

gldstwmn · #22 10-31-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

Edge of Seventeen - VH1 Storytellers Also very good but I prefer the studio version.

Nothing wrong with that. I like the VH1 performance for the energy of the vocal and it's an excellent indicator of what she was capable of vocally at that time.
Seven Wonders is a sentimental favorite around here because it is the last known pre Betty Ford vocal. Sniff.

WarmSir3 · #23 10-31-2009, 03:58 PM

God's Garden is the lowest vocal I've heard from Stevie! As I said up there, a few C#3s and short B2s (not the man either!). I actually watched it on Youtube because iTunes was being tempermental. One of the comments mentions the song being slowed down, a few people were asking for the higher voice version. Slowing down would definitely affect the pitch. This version was 5:58, is the version you uploaded close to this length? I hope it's not slowed down, then we can credit her with B2-D5, 2 octaves and 3 semitones!

gldstwmn · #24 10-31-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

God's Garden is the lowest vocal I've heard from Stevie! As I said up there, a few C#3s and short B2s (not the man either!). I actually watched it on Youtube because iTunes was being tempermental. One of the comments mentions the song being slowed down, a few people were asking for the higher voice version. Slowing down would definitely affect the pitch. This version was 5:58, is the version you uploaded close to this length? I hope it's not slowed down, then we can credit her with B2-D5, 2 octaves and 3 semitones!

There is another version of God's Garden. It's not much higher. In fact, to me it just sounds as if the mix is different. It's anyone's guess whether the one I posted was slowed down.
Also for another stellar Stevie performance you might want to check out Smile At You - Mirage demo (angry version).

WarmSir3 · #25 10-31-2009, 04:37 PM

Well it doesn't sound slowed down, judging by her C#3s and D3s she should have no problem hitting B2! Maybe the Youtube user was suprised to hear her voice so low. So for now at least, I will say B2-D5 is correct, 2 octaves and 3 semitones!

I really enjoyed that Smile At You demo, lots of great C5s, even a trill up to D5 on one of them, and another short D5 later on! The D5s are better than the one in the live Sisters of the Moon aswell! Any more versions of the song? Probably the most impressive vocal I've heard from her!

CADreaming · #26 10-31-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Nothing wrong with that. I like the VH1 performance for the energy of the vocal and it's an excellent indicator of what she was capable of vocally at that time.
Seven Wonders is a sentimental favorite around here because it is the last known pre Betty Ford vocal. Sniff.

So, what we're saying here is that her voice sounded better on cocaine than off cocaine?

I'm just curious because I wonder what the drug does to cause that effect? I know of at least one other singer who falls into this category (for all I know there are a ton...)

WarmSir3 · #27 10-31-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CADreaming

So, what we're saying here is that her voice sounded better on cocaine than off cocaine?

I'm just curious because I wonder what the drug does to cause that effect? I know of at least one other singer who falls into this category (for all I know there are a ton...)

As far as I know, it did. Not sure cocaine had that much of an effect. For all we know it could have been even better up until 1986 if she'd never taken cocaine. Excuse my ignorance here, but wasn't she on a different drug in the 90's?

CADreaming · #28 10-31-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

As far as I know, it did. Not sure cocaine had that much of an effect. For all we know it could have been even better up until 1986 if she'd never taken cocaine. Excuse my ignorance here, but wasn't she on a different drug in the 90's?

Yeah, she traded cocaine addiction for prescription med addiction - Klonopin to be exact.

You're right about her voice being better without cocaine, period. I suspect smoking had more to do with her voice issues overall though. She has a classic smoker's rasp.

WarmSir3 · #29 10-31-2009, 05:09 PM

Stevie smoked? News to me! Klonopin definitely would have affected her physically, aswell as the weight gain. The same happened a few years ago to Lou Gramm of Foreigner fame after complications with medication after an operation to remove a brain tumour. Lou seemed to be in a worse state than Stevie, however Stevie improved very noticeably towards the late 90's, and Lou is also improving.

A bit off topic there!

vivfox · #30 10-31-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

You might also want to check out Baby Come Back from The Wild Heart.

What song is this? Do you mean Nothing Ever Changes?