U2 playing in higher keys

[U2opra]

Okay, this is similar to the discussion about Pride in the other thread about the popmart vegas show. Difference is this is about all of U2's performance over the years. I've done searches on this topic but can't find anything.

So does anyone know shows or songs where Edge or the band was playing in a higher key and thus Bono had to sing louder? I'm really interested in this, because like the popmart show, it might show more passion and or desperation to deliver by Bono. I'd like to know if there was any songs recently performed in the same key as they used in the 80's that would be an interesting comparison.

 

[BVS]

So does anyone know shows or songs where Edge or the band was playing in a higher key and thus Bono had to sing louder?

Key and "loudness" have nothing to do with each other...

 

[GibsonGirl]

Key and "loudness" have nothing to do with each other...

It's a common mistake to make if you're not a musician...

U2opra, I assume you've heard people referring to Bono singing "higher" on songs that are played in standard tuning. That doesn't mean he's singing louder; it means he's singing in a higher pitch.

 

[discothequeLP]

well, sometimes when the key is higher you really have to belt it out to hit the higher notes. i think this is what u2opra is talking about.

 

[U2opra]

When for example edge's guitar playing is loud, how would you describe that in musical terms of loudness? For example, in the lovetown tour, Edge's guitar sounds quite loud, and Bono is sceaming over the sound of it, like in Pride in Popmart. I'm rather confused.

Yeah sorry if I sound confusing I have poor musical knowledge outside U2.

 

[corianderstem]

Well, louder is louder, but if you're talking about singing in different keys, you're talking about different notes. If they're playing in a higher key, Bono might have to strain harder to reach the notes and end up yelling.

I don't know if they play in higher keys that often. I'm pretty sure there a few songs that have gotten shifted to lower keys throughout the years.

 

[U2opra]

I meant playing not singing.

/me re-reads what I originally posted, to check confusion.

 

[GibsonGirl]

My head is spinning.

What are you talking about, U2opra? Key or volume?

 

[U2opra]

My head is spinning.

What are you talking about, U2opra? Key or volume?

This :

If they're playing in a higher key, Bono might have to strain harder to reach the notes and end up yelling.

Am I right in guessing this means singing only? I am confuzzled.

 

[GibsonGirl]

This :

If they're playing in a higher key, Bono might have to strain harder to reach the notes and end up yelling.

Really? You also said this:

For example, in the lovetown tour, Edge's guitar sounds quite loud, and Bono is sceaming over the sound of it, like in Pride in Popmart.

If Edge's guitar sounds loud, that's because it's loud. Simple as that. It has nothing to do with the key of a song. "Key" refers to notes and scales.

 

[U2opra]

No the quote above was from someone else. I thought their was a musical term for loudness in guitar playing... that's all and got confused with key and loudness.

 

[GibsonGirl]

No the quote above was from someone else. I thought their was a musical term for loudness in guitar playing... that's all and got confused with key and loudness.

Ah, I think I'm beginning to see now...I was confused because it seemed like you were contesting Cori's statement when you said "I meant playing not singing." Bono does sing in a higher key when the band plays in a higher key. If he didn't sing in a higher key, he would be out of tune with Edge and Adam. In order to hit the higher notes, he sometimes strains his vocal chords and essentially sounds "louder." You can hear that in Lovetown bootlegs. He doesn't sing louder because Edge is playing louder, however - he sings louder because it's more difficult to hit those higher notes. If you place strain on your voice by yelling or screaming, it's possible to reach notes that you wouldn't be to if you were singing normally.

Is that more along the lines of what you were getting at in your original post?

 

[U2opra]

yep, I just didn't know how to explain it, due to my lack of err understanding

 

[U2opra]

So does anyone know of any performances where it is in different key?

 

[EdgeIsTooSexy]

for the recent tours most of the songs Edge is tuned down half a step. its easier for Bono to sing then.

 

[corianderstem]

I think both Pride and Sunday Bloody Sunday have been played in lower keys on the past few tours.

 

[GibsonGirl]

I think both Pride and Sunday Bloody Sunday have been played in lower keys on the past few tours.

SBS was atrocious on the Elevation Tour. I can recall tuning my guitar three semitones lower (or was it two?) to play along with the Boston DVD.

 

[EdgeIsTooSexy]

yeah they both have been for a while.

 

[discothequeLP]

for the recent tours most of the songs Edge is tuned down half a step. its easier for Bono to sing then.

actually, the band changed a few songs back to their original key for the Vertigo tour, probably because Bono's voice was in much better shape than on Elevation. i'm pretty sure SBS on the Vertigo Tour was back to it's normal key.


U2opra, try One Tree Hill and Bad from 12-31-89, Streets from 12-26-89. And pretty much any Lovetown show. Bono's voice was in top form on that tour imo.

 

[blindinglights]

Mysterious Ways was played starting on the third leg of Vertigo in the Key of B major, which is higher than the original key by a half step. this is a good performance of it.
http://you tube.com/watch?v=uLxrCRLcDgc

 

[BVS]

It's rare that you will find a band playing in a higher key than the studio version, if anything a lower key due to the fact that tour singing is very hard on the vocals(no matter how good of shape your voice is in...)

 

[JOFO]

The original key for Pride is B.
By Popmart they were playing it in Ab. Which means it was 3 keys lower.

The original key for UTEOTW was E, by Vertigo tour they were playing it in G, which is 3 keys higher.

Now Pride requires singing pretty high for the chorus; "in the name..." is a high B; UTEOTW requires a very low, almost speaking voice, for the whole verses. The only conclusion I can reach is that Bono's vocal range has diminished, which is why he doesn't sing as high or as low as he once did.

Which, unfortunately, happens to singers.....

 

[ahittle]

From the very beginning, Edge and Adam often tuned down a half step to better suit Bono's voice. It's not too strange to do that. Yeah, SBS and Pride have moved around through the years to allow Bono to hit the high notes. That Popmart thing was the result of the band playing in the same key as UF. Bono couldn't hit those notes anymore. For the Elevation tour, they transposed down, what? A full step? Something like that.

I'm surprised they never monkeyed around with WOWY. Such a staple track and such high notes. Check out the Elevation Boston DVD to hear Bono struggling with that one...

Another interesting thing: EBTTRT actually moved up in key starting with ZOOTV. Maybe from A to D? That's quite a leap, but if you notice, the lead vocal on the studio version is quite low and didn't project well live, I guess. It really made Edge go high to hit that octave background vocal.

I think UTEOTW moved up as well. Seems like Edge capos that one at the third fret, 1.5 steps up from the studio recording. Again, another studio song with low vocals.

Anyway, God bless Bono for continuing to record songs that absolutely make him strain on the most emotional parts. Consider SYCMIOYO. Bono wrote the "fake it" line and recorded it knowing full well he'd have to try to hit that note night after night on tour. That guy punishes himself!

 

[quadcaster]

all the new songs off htdatb were played on the vertigo tour with guitars and bass tuned to standard, whereas all the older songs were still played with guitars and bass tuned down half a step...

 

[corianderstem]

Interesting about them raising the keys here and there ...

 

[Chill Mike D]

Yeah I thought they shifted a lot of their live songs down a half step starting all the way back with the Joshua Tree tour. The "With or Without You" sequence loop is in D-flat but the album version is D.

 

[Peterrrrr]

Well, louder is louder, but if you're talking about singing in different keys, you're talking about different notes. If they're playing in a higher key, Bono might have to strain harder to reach the notes and end up yelling.

Thats why I always say that his voice now is one of his best, in the 80's and the 90's he had to scream and strain to hit the high notes. But now he hit most of the high notes clean wihtout straining or screaming.

 

[U2opra]

how do you work out them changing keys?

I'm curious, so I can shift through a lot my own bootlegs.

 

[Galeongirl]

yea, for most songs they tune down 1/2 step live, both bass and guitar..
and it's easy to work out... if you know the album version, know how to play it, listen to a live version and play, if it sounds higher, tune up, if it sounds lower, tune down..

 

[Hornbag]

Sunday Bloody Sunday I think was a half-step down already for the album version, but by Elevation it was another one and a half steps down. The band were essentially playng it and Pride in C tuning. I'm not sure about Vertigo, I think SBS was back to half step.