Excited by Bono's voice

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bono needs to learn or relearn how to let the music breathe. and the edge couldve done so much more

Actually I remember that was one of my Dad's criticisms of HTDAAB when he listened to it, he said that Bono hardly shuts up for the entire album and should let the music have more room to speak for itself. I can see the point.
 
god, it wouldve sounded so much better if they would just have removed the whole lyric after would you deny for others what you demand for yourself, the whole cool now mama part should have been nixed and just simply left instrumental until the chorus where he starts with 'you speak'. bono needs to learn or relearn how to let the music breathe. and the edge couldve done so much more

Well maybe you'd think it more appropriate if you actually had the lyric right.

Cool down mama, cool off
Cool down mama, cool off

It's a response to the anger of the first verse. Trying to cool things off enough to make a coherent arguement. It has nothing to do with being cool.

Dana
 
No i heard it right i just forgot specifics since i never listen to bomb anymore and didnt really put much emphasis on the detail of the lyric. i know the story of the song and who its directed, im just saying it would maybe be more powerful if Bono let the music do the cooling.
 
No i heard it right i just forgot specifics since i never listen to bomb anymore and didnt really put much emphasis on the detail of the lyric. i know the story of the song and who its directed, im just saying it would maybe be more powerful if Bono let the music do the cooling.

Ok, to each his own.

Dana
 
Come on people, who are you trying to kid? It's never going to sound like it did in 1993, it's just not possible. The thing you should be hoping for is that he keeps himself in shape. He has been known to let himself go, so the real question about his voice will be whether or not he tires out quickly during the shows. Also, we know they're into pitch correction now (see crumbs from your table live fiasco) so maybe they'll have that ironed out and he'll sound better enhanced.

I never understood why people use 93 or any ZooTV time as a measuring stick. His falsetto was great back then but his full voice was just OK, his full voice is much better now than in 93.

And once again you speak of something you know nothing about, crumbs had NOTHING to do with pitch correction.
 
god, it wouldve sounded so much better if they would just have removed the whole lyric after would you deny for others what you demand for yourself, the whole cool now mama part should have been nixed and just simply left instrumental until the chorus where he starts with 'you speak'. bono needs to learn or relearn how to let the music breathe. and the edge couldve done so much more

You're forgetting you're just a fan, they are the artists, they've created the song in their own way and I don't think they need your or my advice about that. If you have things that clear, why don't you try to write something on your own? (I say it sincerely, it's not an irony), when I try to create something (nothing to do with music) is when I understand what Bono says about how hard getting the idea out of your mind is, but trying to get it is one of my best experiences in life.
 
I am no musical expert by far, but to me it seems like the raspiness and what not to Bono's voice has gone in the new single. His voice is crisp and clear. I dont know if that has something to do with the production or all the new tools they have when producing music, but in any case, I'm liking it and look forward to more!
 
You're forgetting you're just a fan, they are the artists, they've created the song in their own way and I don't think they need your or my advice about that. If you have things that clear, why don't you try to write something on your own? (I say it sincerely, it's not an irony), when I try to create something (nothing to do with music) is when I understand what Bono says about how hard getting the idea out of your mind is, but trying to get it is one of my best experiences in life.
i am writing my own music. and i dont really expect my advice to reach U2 im just making a comment on an observation. when creating a good rule of thumb ive found is that less is usually more. Bono used to be like that but now he just seems to want to dominate everything. i feel like he forgot that you can still make a statement with silence. better to leave them wanting more so to speak.
 
I am no musical expert by far, but to me it seems like the raspiness and what not to Bono's voice has gone in the new single. His voice is crisp and clear. I dont know if that has something to do with the production or all the new tools they have when producing music, but in any case, I'm liking it and look forward to more!

You're right, I'm no musical expert either, but I'm a phonetician, so I study the voice from a linguistic point of view and I know Bono's voice has been improving for some years now, I thought he wouldn't be able to regain his pitch, but he's doing it, the best things are that the secondary voice that you could hear sometimes and the metallic sound have disappeared, and that's the sign of healthy voice, I've been observing it in every live appearance for a while now, but, of course, having a rested voice helps a lot, I suppose he'll have to keep on being very careful during the tours.
 
I am no musical expert by far, but to me it seems like the raspiness and what not to Bono's voice has gone in the new single. His voice is crisp and clear. I dont know if that has something to do with the production or all the new tools they have when producing music, but in any case, I'm liking it and look forward to more!

im a little suspicious that the raspyness was as much as an act as the fly was. he doesnt even really speak with it anymore either. its like he just hit a switch and was done with it.
 
You're right, I'm no musical expert either, but I'm a phonetician, so I study the voice from a linguistic point of view and I know Bono's voice has been improving for some years now, I thought he wouldn't be able to regain his pitch, but he's doing it, the best things are that the secondary voice that you could hear sometimes and the metallic sound have disappeared, and that's the sign of healthy voice, I've been observing it in every live appearance for a while now, but, of course, having a rested voice helps a lot, I suppose he'll have to keep on being very careful during the tours.
what do you mean by secondary voice and metallic sound?
 
i am writing my own music. and i dont really expect my advice to reach U2 im just making a comment on an observation. when creating a good rule of thumb ive found is that less is usually more. Bono used to be like that but now he just seems to want to dominate everything. i feel like he forgot that you can still make a statement with silence. better to leave them wanting more so to speak.

Oh, really? I thought you really had to do something creative, so you will understand that an artist needs to be free and do things their own way, sometimes one needs to make his own mistakes if they are mistakes.

And no, the raspyness is not an act, it's one of the sign of vocal chords being swollen or deteriorated and it's quite diffult to cure.
 
what do you mean by secondary voice and metallic sound?

I just don't remember the scientific term in English, it is that when you speak you actually produce two sounds at a time, it's produced because the chords are swollen at a point and not all over the muscle, so the air goes through two (or in some cases more) different "holes", we use an instrument called expectograph (I'm translating here) to determine if there's an only stream of voice or more because sometimes it's very hard to know, the instrument shows waves quite similar to those in window media and it's also used by doctors, the metallic sound is a distinguishible change in the colour of the voice, sometimes due to breathing problems, both things were quite easily observed in Bono's voice during the Elevation tour and they have been improving ever since the beginning of the Vertigo tour, but his improvement became spectacular on the last leg and now I think his voice is quite healthy, but you know, I'm not a doctor, I hope I'm right.
 
Oh, really? I thought you really had to do something creative, so you will understand that an artist needs to be free and do things their own way, sometimes one needs to make his own mistakes if they are mistakes.

And no, the raspyness is not an act, it's one of the sign of vocal chords being swollen or deteriorated and it's quite diffult to cure.

i understand completely, im just saying i personally wish u2's music would be more instrumental in parts thats all.

i know bono had surgery on his throat so maybe its just taken this long to heal up. But i also know how he changes his voice up for every album and that he has insecurities about what he calls his whiney girl voice from the early days. if you watch the classic albums joshua tree vid he actually winces when lanois plays a vocal part back to him when they reminisce. i wouldnt put it past him to say the least.
 
I just don't remember the scientific term in English, it is that when you speak you actually produce two sounds at a time, it's produced because the chords are swollen at a point and not all over the muscle, so the air goes through two (or in some cases more) different "holes", we use an instrument called expectograph (I'm translating here) to determine if there's an only stream of voice or more because sometimes it's very hard to know, the instrument shows waves quite similar to those in window media and it's also used by doctors, the metallic sound is a distinguishible change in the colour of the voice, sometimes due to breathing problems, both things were quite easily observed in Bono voice during the Elevation tour and they have been improving ever since the beginning of the Vertigo tour, but his improvement became spectacular on the last leg and now I think his voice is quite healthy, but you know, I'm not a doctor, I hope I'm right.
wow if i wasnt so tired right now and on the verge of passing out id pick your brain about this, you seem very educated on this. being a singer and having a lump on my throat pushing my adams apple off center you most certainly have my attention. i kind of know what you mean by metallic sound.
 
Wasn't there a rumour that Bono quit smoking between the fourth and fifth legs of Vertigo? If so, I think that might have had something to do with the sudden improvement.
 
wow if i wasnt so tired right now and on the verge of passing out id pick your brain about this, you seem very educated on this. being a singer and having a lump on my throat pushing my adams apple off center you most certainly have my attention.

My advice: go to a good doctor, or two, and follow his instructions, if you have taken singing instruction good, if not, take some to learn to impost your voice without damaging yourself, don't shout or whisper, avoid anything too cold or hot in your throat and enjoy yourself and make your audience enjoy.
 
I never understood why people use 93 or any ZooTV time as a measuring stick. His falsetto was great back then but his full voice was just OK, his full voice is much better now than in 93.
quote]

No I disagree- his 93 voice had that depth that I can't quite put into words- I will call it a crooning quality.
 
i understand completely, im just saying i personally wish u2's music would be more instrumental in parts thats all.

i know bono had surgery on his throat so maybe its just taken this long to heal up. But i also know how he changes his voice up for every album and that he has insecurities about what he calls his whiney girl voice from the early days. if you watch the classic albums joshua tree vid he actually winces when lanois plays a vocal part back to him when they reminisce. i wouldnt put it past him to say the least.

Well, actually he went in for a possible biopsy but what he ended up with was a major roto rooter job on his sinuses. Thankfully his problem was pretty much due to allergies and inflamation from that. He snorts the white powder now (salt water actually) to keep the sinuses cleaned out and is more careful (although not perfect) about avoiding things he is allergic too especially the day before or of a performance. There's another irish singer who shares the same voice coach as Bono who talked about this in an interview a while back. Also, Bono has been doing operatic vocal training I believe and learning to use his voice properly. What I have noticed most of all is that he has much greater control over his voice than ever. He didn't really start seriously learning to use his voice properly until the scare of almost loosing it altogether during the recording of ATYCLB.

Dana
 
My advice: go to a good doctor, or two, and follow his instructions, if you have taken singing instruction good, if not, take some to learn to impost your voice without damaging yourself, don't shout or whisper, avoid anything too cold or hot in your throat and enjoy yourself and make your audience enjoy.
yeah im learning bit by bit everyday how to properly sing without wrecking myself. its sometimes hard to keep my throat relaxed when i get into it which is what ive come to realize is crucial. its like trying to throw a paper airplane, too much force and it crashes, too little and you dont get anywhere. i guess thats the shout/ whipser point. thanks for the advice, as soon as i get insurance ill be checking a doctor out.
 
Well, actually he went in for a possible biopsy but what he ended up with was a major roto rooter job on his sinuses. Thankfully his problem was pretty much due to allergies and inflamation from that. He snorts the white powder now (salt water actually) to keep the sinuses cleaned out and is more careful (although not perfect) about avoiding things he is allergic too especially the day before or of a performance. There's another irish singer who shares the same voice coach as Bono who talked about this in an interview a while back. Also, Bono has been doing operatic vocal training I believe and learning to use his voice properly. What I have noticed most of all is that he has much greater control over his voice than ever. He didn't really start seriously learning to use his voice properly until the scare of almost loosing it altogether during the recording of ATYCLB.

Dana
wow, i appreciate the info, didnt know about the sinus thing.
 
Bono's voice sounds absolutely brilliant in both those videos! Very nice control and build up to the 'america' parts !!! Keep up the good work Bono!!
 
I liked the live moments. /Islington chapel, Mandela birthday, BB King performance...studio has the advantage of adding any kind of effects on your voice/use your best takes.

Let's wait for the tour and see how he does on 100+ live dates. I will say his one-off live moments after Vertigo tour were considerably better than Popmart or Elevation one off moments. And he's years older now. He may not have the power and the clean tone of the 80's Bono or rich low register and the ability of early 90's Bono but it sounds like he's on the verge of a new era vocally.
 
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