JON's techniques for voice recording (PITCH)
 

Hi there!

I'll get straight to the point. I am an amateur musician and have a minimal notion of music production. On the other hand, I've followed the band for almost 20 years.

What awakens much curiosity are some studio recordings which the Jon's voice seems to have had changed in post-production. In other words, it's like he had sung in a certain tone and the sound engineer guy raised the voice in 1/2 tone.

The first example I have is 'LAST CHANCE TRAIN'. I decreases half tone.


The second example is 'I WANT YOU' which was also lowered in half tone.

https://soundcloud.com/felipefontoura/i-want-you

I would like the opinion of you. Has anyone here works with music production or something like that?

Thx!

It's pretty much common knowledge that Shanks does pitch raising on Jon's vocals since HAND where it became obvious. Never looked after it much before, but you're right. Could The Fire Inside also be raised by 1/2 a step?

I believe there was a thread about something along the lines of this not so long ago?

I'm not so good with the search function, maybe somebody can link it? There were some audios toned down or something like that.

http://www.drycounty.com/jovitalk/sh...ad.php?t=54777

Here it is. I wish they wouldn't do it, really. It'd be different if they didn't tune down the songs live anyway. I know there's a sharper edge in the vocals, but it seems so strange to record a half step down, pitch it a half step up to standard tuning, and then play it a half step down live.

I think I like more this lowered I Want You than the original.

Lately, I've been watching a lot of concerts on YouTube of the band from the 80s to early 90s. What a freaking amazing voice that dude had. And what a different performer and all around rock star he was too. Its so heartbreaking. Richie has changed too but in a way I would expect due to age. Looking back 10 years ago, I never expected Jon to sound like he does today. Jon doesn't even deliver a song the same anymore. He is so safe, that his songs come off unnatural.

If a producer could magically make Jon sound the way he did back in his prime, I'd be all for it.

When I hear Jon sing Alwayeeeeeeees, it makes me crazy.

Totally agree with you, especially in terms of him not being the performer he used to be anymore. I listened to the concert from Osaka 1995 in the car today - man what a difference! They used to be the kings of rock'n'roll back then. Just watch how Jon goes crazy and does a rare reprise of Wild in the Streets:

I've said for a while that their live show lacks spontaneity. Its all too safe, too planned, too fake. The jukebox shtick was good fun for one tour but now its contrived and boring.

I've come to terms with the fact he can't sing like he used to. It was a very demanding vocal style and the man's in his 50's now. It was never going to last forever. What there is no excuse for, is a lack of improvisation and delivering a feeling anything could happen.

I'd like him to up the audibles, up the improvised lyrics, and basically up the charisma. He may not be able to sing Always like he did in Wembley '95 but why he can't add the passion of the "through the wind, through the snow...etc" to the end of the song now is beyond me.

No. I think 'fire inside' is normal.

The Metallica's example actually is exactly what I'm talking about.

"they tuned down the instrumentals by half a key, made him sing his vocal lines, and then raised everything back up half a step just so it'd sound as if everything was played in standard tuning. When they went out on the road, they tuned down the instruments again and yet there was no way he was able to sing the songs like he'd sang them in the studio, which was what made people wonder about it in the first place, and eventually I think it was Rick Rubin, their producer, who confirmed theories fans had made up."