U2 playing in higher keys
- Thread starter U2opra
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Bono says in U2 by U2 that the key he feels most comfortable with is Bb, which can be a struggle I suppose when the most common/popular keys for guitar are E, D, A etc, so they used to compensate by tuning them a half step down. that way they could play the same shape as the original key, but Bono could sing easier. I think for them to do a studio recording with Bono sounding struggling would be a silly move, although I think he is struggling a bit on Heartland; that's basically one of the first times he recorded a falsetto, and in 1987 it was still in it's infancy I guess
ultraviolet92
War Child
thats funny peter but i much preferred it when he screamed it... it sounds boring now expecially pride... he needs to sing with more passion although im looking forward to next tour after hearing desire from the chapel
in reply to the original post by u2opra... all i want is you on the mexico dvd is played in A and the recorded version is half a key lower and bono is trying to hit an high A when he sings the YOU note at the end and he tries his hardest and when he does the never tear us apart snippet he is attempting to hit a high c# which is probably the highest note he could hit back in the 80's and i love the passion in which he sings that snippet on the dvd
ultraviolet92
War Child
you can hear him struggling a bit in last night on earth recorded version his voice almost cracks on the youve gotta give it AWAAAAAAAAY note
ultraviolet92
War Child
sunday bloody sunday is still 1 and a half steps down just live elevation tour and popmart
ultraviolet92
War Child
by popmart i mean the full band version
the version edge sings is 4 keys up so he can sing lower
the version edge sings is 4 keys up so he can sing lower
gvox
Ghost of Love
Actually I think a more accurate description for SBS would be 'proper key, tuned half step down', flat, or 430 (however you want to put it)
Now Streets, on the other hand, on the Vertigo tour went back to album (standard) tuning, pretty sure of it. And that is fairly incredible when you think about it
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Now Streets, on the other hand, on the Vertigo tour went back to album (standard) tuning, pretty sure of it. And that is fairly incredible when you think about it
yea, and I also noticed that Adam plays the album version again, in other versions from zootv onwards he plays it differently.. there's a part which you begin with, D higherG higherB higher A, and on the album that repeats.. twice or three times (can't remember from the top of my head but I wrote it all down during my basslessons) and then he goes to D low G low B low A for the chorus and bridge parts, yet live he always did the higher part, then lower part, then higher again...
but last night I heard a vertigo version, and heard that he's back to album version again!
gvox
Ghost of Love
That's tuned down half step
doctorwho
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Actually, Bono's voice wasn't in top form on that tour as U2 had to cancel quite a few tour dates due to Bono's vocal problems.
What you might mean is that WHEN Bono could sing, he had a very rich, powerful voice. But that came at a high price - namely him losing his voice. This is one reason why I feel there were numerous changes come "Achtung Baby". Not only was there a musical shift, but a vocal shift. For the first time, we heard Bono sing with effects as well as "speak" songs ("The Fly", "Until the End..."). This certainly helped as he no longer had to belt out songs in concert.
Most bands (and solo artists) tune down a key or two to help their lead singers when performing, especially on tour where performing night after night in a variety of conditions (cold, heat, dry, humid, smoky, etc.) can really damage a voice. Singing in a lower key still enables power, but now the lead singer doesn't have to reach their upper echelon when singing. U2 has done this for ages. Bono has never sung "Pride" in concert as he did on the album. "I Still Haven't Found..." on JT was at Bono's upper open throat register (before shifting to a falsetto of some sort) and he did not perform that way on the JT tour. It's only logical to drop a key.
However, there were times when Bono's vocals shined - and he could really belt out notes. During those times, I didn't really notice the key change for the entire song, but rather, Bono just belting out at various moments during the song. These bursts give the performance added spark and often generate a good crowd response (note how well received the operatic solos were in "Miss Sarajevo"). I am hoping that with Bono's continued vocal improvement, we hear less scratchy (like the Pop-ATYCLB era) and more power (UF, JT, Lovetown, ZOO and Vertigo).
ultraviolet92
War Child
in the east rutherford concert in 1986 he sung sunday bloody half a step higher than recorded version! and sung bad in original key which is kind of rare and that concert is what i call bonos voice in top form
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
SBS from R&H is fatser then usally
gman
New Yorker
U2 go down in key if anything
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
When he sang Pride on JT/LT tour he just screamed "name" short, wich was boring to me. On Vertigo tour on some shows he realy shold the note with power.
I havent heard any show on JT/LT/ZooTV when he holds the Wide Awake like for an example like on the 2005-04-25 - Seattle version. It is clean without scream. One of the most terrible example of over screaming must be the 87 Dublin version.
in reply to the original post by u2opra... all i want is you on the mexico dvd is played in A and the recorded version is half a key lower and bono is trying to hit an high A when he sings the YOU note at the end and he tries his hardest and when he does the never tear us apart snippet he is attempting to hit a high c# which is probably the highest note he could hit back in the 80's and i love the passion in which he sings that snippet on the dvd[/QUOTE]
Never think of that before, you mean the word "Never"?
gvox
Ghost of Love
Hi
Peterrrrr, first at all congratulations for your webpage. I'm a guitarrist member of the yahoo group recording and fan of Bono's voice too. I did some posts of bono's voice, hightest notes on some songs for some spanish forums.
Sunday Bloody Sunday and Pride are down one tone respect of the studio's version. ISHFWILF is down one and a half tone respect to the studio's version.
Between the Unforgettable fire toor, Joshua Tree Tour and LoveTown Tour Bono's voice is his strongest and powerful. Achtung Baby and Zooropa Bono lost a little of register, but he sings better (he learns falsetto, follows better the rythm, etc). Pop and Popmart Bono begins his vocal problems and his voice is not as strong than allways has been. ATYCLB Bono voices is back, HTTAAB and Vertigo Tour is better.
I think Bono has lost about one tone of register since The Joshua Tree until now.
And his voice is not as powerful.
Highest notes of Bono in the studio:
- Bad has a C#. (I'm WIDE Awake).
- Red Hill Mining Town has several C's. A singer told me that the highest notes are C's, but my tabs book of the Joshua Tree show me this note is a D. I'm a little confusing. It's a C and not a D?
- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses has a C. ("Don't You LOOK Back")
- Pride is full of B's. (I think here you're wrong at your webpage is wrotten "The chours is a High B, the whole chorus takes place between the E above middle C and the high B". You think that he gets some E's at the chores, but he sings and repetats several B's)
- Stay is a Bb ("STAY and the night will be enough..." )
I would to know what's your opinion of Bono's voice between all the albums, and the better-worts moments, etc. I repeat your web is awesome, and you've done a great job. You have to add a very important song: "I've Got You Under My Skin", is one of the best Bono's voices and falsetto. Other interesting is "Dancing Shoes" from The Million Dollar Hotel, Bono does a Billie Holliday similar voice.
The highest Bono note on the studio is the C# of Bad. What do you think is the highest note live? You have to add to your clip of the best voice performances of Bono, the Even Better Of Milan (Zoo Tv Tour), he gets a D with full voice on "Take Me Higher" is awesome. A guy tell me in u2recording that Bono sang some E's with full voice on the Unforgettable Fire tour, but he didn't remember in what shows. I still haven't searched for them.
Cheers
Gery
Peterrrrr, first at all congratulations for your webpage. I'm a guitarrist member of the yahoo group recording and fan of Bono's voice too. I did some posts of bono's voice, hightest notes on some songs for some spanish forums.
Sunday Bloody Sunday and Pride are down one tone respect of the studio's version. ISHFWILF is down one and a half tone respect to the studio's version.
Between the Unforgettable fire toor, Joshua Tree Tour and LoveTown Tour Bono's voice is his strongest and powerful. Achtung Baby and Zooropa Bono lost a little of register, but he sings better (he learns falsetto, follows better the rythm, etc). Pop and Popmart Bono begins his vocal problems and his voice is not as strong than allways has been. ATYCLB Bono voices is back, HTTAAB and Vertigo Tour is better.
I think Bono has lost about one tone of register since The Joshua Tree until now.
And his voice is not as powerful.
Highest notes of Bono in the studio:
- Bad has a C#. (I'm WIDE Awake).
- Red Hill Mining Town has several C's. A singer told me that the highest notes are C's, but my tabs book of the Joshua Tree show me this note is a D. I'm a little confusing. It's a C and not a D?
- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses has a C. ("Don't You LOOK Back")
- Pride is full of B's. (I think here you're wrong at your webpage is wrotten "The chours is a High B, the whole chorus takes place between the E above middle C and the high B". You think that he gets some E's at the chores, but he sings and repetats several B's)
- Stay is a Bb ("STAY and the night will be enough..." )
I would to know what's your opinion of Bono's voice between all the albums, and the better-worts moments, etc. I repeat your web is awesome, and you've done a great job. You have to add a very important song: "I've Got You Under My Skin", is one of the best Bono's voices and falsetto. Other interesting is "Dancing Shoes" from The Million Dollar Hotel, Bono does a Billie Holliday similar voice.
The highest Bono note on the studio is the C# of Bad. What do you think is the highest note live? You have to add to your clip of the best voice performances of Bono, the Even Better Of Milan (Zoo Tv Tour), he gets a D with full voice on "Take Me Higher" is awesome. A guy tell me in u2recording that Bono sang some E's with full voice on the Unforgettable Fire tour, but he didn't remember in what shows. I still haven't searched for them.
Cheers
Gery
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Thanks alot for the kind words, Im glad that you like it.
I would say that Vertigo is better then we think, he hits the same notes as he did in the 80's but without screaming and straining, wich he did in the 80's and 90's. Bono is a better singer now then ever, technically. One of his most powerful sound he ever have devolope with his voice must be the "Wave" note on the studio version of WOS. Back in the 80's and the 90's he wouldnt be able to get that sound in his voice. He is now also much better tenor.
I wouldnt say that Bonos voice was back on ATYCLB, his voice was even worse than on Pop in some views.
I can't agree here:
Wave note in WOS, L'amoure note in MS, Wide Awake in Bad, Let you go in Desire, HTH falsetto snippet on Vertigo, 7 seconds You in AIWIY, don't you look back in WGRYWH, touch in BD, Sing in SYCMIOYO, Rock N Roll ****** in Vertigo, Opera snippet in the end of SYCMIOYO 2006-12-04, Feel in Vertigo, Opera in Kite, falsetto in WITS... All from 2004-2007
I would rather say an A.
If you like good falsettos, try these:
1989-12-26- Dublin - WTSHNN
Night And Day
One Tacoma 92
Save the children
HTH snippet on Vertigo 2006-11-18 - Melbourne
That one is in my new update already, well be online pretty soon. The UF tour E full voice sounds very intressting
Keep me informed if the guy finds it.Thanks for the kind words about my website!
Hi Peter
I'm agree with you about the Vertigo Tour, it has a setlist very difficult for Bono, worst to sing that other tours because there were more tunes together in a high pith. But Bono voice was very good, i'm positive about Bono vocals in the new album, even Daniel Lanois said some weeks ago he was singing like a bird in the new recordings.
Cheers
Gery
I'm agree with you about the Vertigo Tour, it has a setlist very difficult for Bono, worst to sing that other tours because there were more tunes together in a high pith. But Bono voice was very good, i'm positive about Bono vocals in the new album, even Daniel Lanois said some weeks ago he was singing like a bird in the new recordings.
Cheers
Gery
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Peter, I only have The Million Dollar Hotel in old cassette, now i'm searchin over the web, but I don't find a link to download Dancin' Shoes. Tomorrow I will continue the search. Is an easy song to sing, but the best is the change of the Bono's voice, like a woman, like Billie Holliday.
Cheers
Gery
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Peter, I can send you Dancing Shoes.
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Peter, I can send you Dancing Shoes.
Thanks!
Hi
Between the different tenor voices, what do you think is Bono's voice? Lyric Tenor or Dramatic Tenor?
Tenor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I think Bono could be a lyric tenor, do3 to re5. With or Without for example is a do3 to la5. But Bono can get a C#5 or even a top D5 as a limit I think in other songs (Bad for example).
The dramatic tenor is si2 to do5, but I think is a very low voice, Bono maybe can get it, but as normal doesn't sing as low.
Cheers
Gery
Between the different tenor voices, what do you think is Bono's voice? Lyric Tenor or Dramatic Tenor?
Tenor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I think Bono could be a lyric tenor, do3 to re5. With or Without for example is a do3 to la5. But Bono can get a C#5 or even a top D5 as a limit I think in other songs (Bad for example).
The dramatic tenor is si2 to do5, but I think is a very low voice, Bono maybe can get it, but as normal doesn't sing as low.
Cheers
Gery
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Wired, well it must be some kind of falsetto.
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Could you talk to the person who had heard the high E in full open voice from UF tour, lets activate him to remember them
Could you talk to the person who had heard the high E in full open voice from UF tour, lets activate him to remember them
Yes, I'll try it again. I remember that he posted in a forum a message about Bono singing any E in the Unforgettable Tour, I asked again him what shows but he didn't remember. Maybe is a little difficult, but I'll ask again.
Cheers
Gery
