Stevie's harmonies

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by ka10

This is all fascinating. I'm so used to hearing 3rds and 5ths in pop music, that I never even would have thought of 7ths and 9ths!


Does she really do that? Sing in another key? If so, I shall deem her brilliant.


Me, too.

~Kat

well, I'm no expert and that may not be the right term to use, but that's what I always "assumed"

...but you know what assuming does...

[danax6]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

I agree! And that became really apparent to me when Say You Will was released. Her lilting tones throughout the Lindsey songs are almost better than most of her lead vocals on her own songs. The video clip of her isolated in a booth laying down the harmony to Steal Your Heart Away is a perfect example of her ability to hit the high notes at whisper levels that are so beautiful.

And don't forget the

'Is the right harmony part on?'
'Yeah, it's the right harmony part on.'

That documentary is so interesting.

[LeighB04]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

Lindsey also kind of, notice I said kind of, acts like she is a child when they are working on the harmonies for Angel. He asks her to sing the melody and when she starts he cuts her off and is like "that's not the melody" - she kind of giggles, but in that way where you giggle because you are embarassed. I wanted to transport back to 1979 and go through the TV on him. She seemed so alienated...alone and writing or drawing...making the coffee...but maybe that's how she wanted it, who knows?

I think a lot of her problems with CM and LB stem from them being trained musicians, whereas she sings from instinct. It can make communicating in a studio setting really difficult: "Stevie, sing in C" and Stevie doesn't know what C is.... that would cause frustration which I have no doubt got aired during the months and months of recording FM would do. When you're living in such close proximity day after day, month after month, and trying to work with a person who can't do what you need them to do, I can imagine quite a few snarky comments came out...

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by LeighB04

I think a lot of her problems with CM and LB stem from them being trained musicians, whereas she sings from instinct. It can make communicating in a studio setting really difficult: "Stevie, sing in C" and Stevie doesn't know what C is.... that would cause frustration which I have no doubt got aired during the months and months of recording FM would do. When you're living in such close proximity day after day, month after month, and trying to work with a person who can't do what you need them to do, I can imagine quite a few snarky comments came out...

true - point taken

[David]

Originally Posted by ka10

To me, Stevie's harmonies always sound so much different than other singers' (which is what I love about them!), and I was wondering if someone here knowledgeable about the technical aspects of music (David?) could enlighten us with a little analysis of her harmonic stylings. Does she sing in thirds? Fifths?

Yes, you're right. Obviously I can't & don't want to go through every song she's ever sung & plot out the harmonic intervals, but if I had to generalize about her harmony singing I'd say it's standard thirds & fifths (& even an occasional fourth for transitional purposes -- very few harmonies are ever completely all thirds or anything else). Stevie does what everybody does who needs to put a harmony on a pop song.

If she sounds different to you from others, maybe that's owing to her timbre, which is as we all know distinctive. Timbre & other vocal qualities (where you have the same pitch) can make you think you're hearing different tones or other sonic qualities. Stevie's voice box is just built for that kind of Appalachian-Americana harmony sound that you can hear in the Carter Family & "roots" music like that. Back in the days when Stevie used to sing a third above the melody line of the chorus of "Dreams," she made that sound like the melody line almost, & if Chris was covering the actual melody line, it generally got buried waaaay under Stevie -- again, because of her style & timbre.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

One example to me was when La nicks was talking about the Angel sniglets she sang being the harmony Angels and CM is looking at the mixing board with, I believe a large glass of brandy or wine, and says in a condescending tone something like yea Stevie we get it - harmony Angels. She was being a bitch to these eyes. But, to each their own.

Does anyone know where I can get ahold of the Tusk Doc and outtakes. Seriously, I taught myself how to sing harmonies watching the Angel segment and I no longer have my copy. Plus, I've never seen the outtakes and would just love to.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by UndoingTheLaces

Does anyone know where I can get ahold of the Tusk Doc and outtakes. Seriously, I taught myself how to sing harmonies watching the Angel segment and I no longer have my copy. Plus, I've never seen the outtakes and would just love to.

I lost mine a long time ago in a comp. crash. Sorry

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

Yes, you're right. Obviously I can't & don't want to go through every song she's ever sung & plot out the harmonic intervals, but if I had to generalize about her harmony singing I'd say it's standard thirds & fifths (& even an occasional fourth for transitional purposes -- very few harmonies are ever completely all thirds or anything else). Stevie does what everybody does who needs to put a harmony on a pop song.

If she sounds different to you from others, maybe that's owing to her timbre, which is as we all know distinctive. Timbre & other vocal qualities (where you have the same pitch) can make you think you're hearing different tones or other sonic qualities. Stevie's voice box is just built for that kind of Appalachian-Americana harmony sound that you can hear in the Carter Family & "roots" music like that. Back in the days when Stevie used to sing a third above the melody line of the chorus of "Dreams," she made that sound like the melody line almost, & if Chris was covering the actual melody line, it generally got buried waaaay under Stevie -- again, because of her style & timbre.

I agree. I also think in the 70's and early 80's La Nicks had a very similar voice, when she wanted to, to Dolly Parton. The early demo of Designs of Love made me think that.

Interestingly, in her solo stuff, she was forced to sing melody on stage (though Sharona certainly helped more than once) - the effect was interesting to say the least. I often wonder if that at first frightened her - it would have frightened me a little to sing Dreams one way for three years and then another for BD.

In the end, she is very clever in the way she uses her voice in harmony even though I may not care for the result.

Also, she does this sort of inverse harmony thing I cannot think of the name of. The Goldfish and the Ladybug is a good example of it.