Question for the singers here
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It's an A-flat (G-sharp) above middle C. Which is definitely high, but certainly not the highest he's sung open throat (he sings an A on Sometimes live, a B-flat on ISHFWILF studio). I think what's more astonishing is the power he put into it, and holding it with that power and control for as long as he did.
explorer
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just out of curiosity, what the note he hits in pride? "in the naaaaaaame!!!"....
U2DMfan
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U2girl said:
the big Sometimes note is an A
highest ever note? I would be guessing
the Red Hill note is a possibilty. I don't know for certain.
it's a high C "All that's left..."
Still Havent Found hits a A#/Bflat, that was the highest I could find in that song, which would be a full step lower than the note in Red Hill
I'll look at some other songs and see if I can find a higher note
U2DMfan
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Good Lord, he hits C# (above middle C) on Bad
that's the highest one I have found
Bad-C#
Red Hill-C
Pride-B
He hits a B on Native Son for about 8 seconds, so he still has that upper register. Man, if you haven't that in a while, you ought to check that out. And I thought he was going balls out on Vertigo.
I am not an expert, but I think he just sings more correctly than he used to even if his voice is sort of ravaged by cigarrettes and time. The B in Pride is really really strained, ungodly sung. And the B in Native Son is just strong and from the gut. Back in the old days he was really putting his voice thru the ringer.
that's the highest one I have found
Bad-C#
Red Hill-C
Pride-B
He hits a B on Native Son for about 8 seconds, so he still has that upper register. Man, if you haven't that in a while, you ought to check that out. And I thought he was going balls out on Vertigo.
I am not an expert, but I think he just sings more correctly than he used to even if his voice is sort of ravaged by cigarrettes and time. The B in Pride is really really strained, ungodly sung. And the B in Native Son is just strong and from the gut. Back in the old days he was really putting his voice thru the ringer.
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I know that the high C the tenors sing is the highest note opera singers use, is Bad or Red Hill anywhere near that?
(I don't know what C# above middle C means)
In Bad is that the "I'm wide awake" bit? I thought Red hill was his highest as he didn't sing it live...
(I don't know what C# above middle C means)
In Bad is that the "I'm wide awake" bit? I thought Red hill was his highest as he didn't sing it live...
U2DMfan
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First off, I am an amateur singer/musician but I am just trying to help and really enjoy talking about music, if I am wrong anyone can feel free to correct me at any time.
U2Girl, I never bothered to check before, I had always heard his highest notes were Red Hill and Pride, which basically they are but that note in Bad is one step higher.
For me Pride, as a whole is the most difficult to sing front to back (album version). Because the whole chorus stays high as fuck, and if you aren't a great high range singer you have no ease on your vocal chords at all for the whole chorus. Bad, you can sing and try and come up with the goods when that note comes up, same with the other songs. Pride is just strenuous.
For me, as an amateur singer who's highest sustainable note is an A above middle C, every step gets harder and harder.
to go from A (SYCMIOYO) which is a strain for me to sing, even to A# (one step higher) is really tough. Then B, which is next, forget it. Singing along with Pride album version is an embarassment.
I can sing it, but it just doesn't sound good, at least I know my limits unlike a lot of Idol contestants.
After all that then you have C, and finally C# (Bad). Bono really used to sing some unreal stuff. Not just a note, but the power was unreal, and of course totally improper he's a rock singer after all we can cut him some slack.
They are the same notes a tenor would sing just not sustained.
So the B on Native Son, or the A on Sometimes might be more impressive becuse he hold the note. That would depend on the listener. As a singer, I listen to the C# on Bad and think "DAMN!!" and then I hear the "Freee" in Native Son and I think "HOLY SHIT!!" so it's really two sides of the same coin. Both to me are really impressive.
Bono sings more properly now than he used to do, with his diaphram now and with just basically his throat then. (someone can correct me if I am wrong). So yeah the C in Red Hill is the same note, but he doesn't sustain it, he is basically screaming it. It is a very hard note for a male singer. He only hits C on the "ALL" of all that's left to hold onto. A lot of opera tenors hit and hold those notes, so while he is hitting the range, he's not sustaining it.
Impressive anyhow, at least to me. Especially considering how he was basically screaming from his throat and lungs.
To explain what that means in relative terms. I would need to find a bit in a song where he is singing middle C then you could listen to them side by side. Other than that, here is an attempt:
(musician babble starts) hopefully it's not too confusing
Basically there are 12 steps in an octave going middleC-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B, so the next note is C, which is also a higher octave from where you started.
The middle C is a reference in music notation, it is rather arbitrary unless you are reading sheet music (I believe?), anyways it is a good point of reference if you are trying to nail a specific note.
When Bono is singing the verses to Vertigo (the night is full of holes......and so on) he is singing in E above middle C. The middle C is a reference point to the actual note he is singing. If you said "he is singing in E on the verses" you'd be right, but unless you had heard the song you wouldnt have the reference for the octave. As far as I can tell the average rock singer sings on and around middle C, so it's a good reference point no matter how you look at it.
Or if you wanted to go around and play it on a piano, you could play the actual note using that reference and so on. Basically, it's not really neccessary unless you just want to be specific, anyways enough of that.
Yes basically Bono hits one step higher than C above middle C, and that note is C#. I didnt even notice this until August 1st, he may actually have a higher note somewhere, which would be D, although I'd be a little surprised. I'd love to find it, any ideas?
I have to say that "Freeeeeee" in Native Son gets more impressive everytime I hear it. A 44 year old man belting that out for 8 or 9 seconds. .
U2Girl, I never bothered to check before, I had always heard his highest notes were Red Hill and Pride, which basically they are but that note in Bad is one step higher.
For me Pride, as a whole is the most difficult to sing front to back (album version). Because the whole chorus stays high as fuck, and if you aren't a great high range singer you have no ease on your vocal chords at all for the whole chorus. Bad, you can sing and try and come up with the goods when that note comes up, same with the other songs. Pride is just strenuous.
For me, as an amateur singer who's highest sustainable note is an A above middle C, every step gets harder and harder.
to go from A (SYCMIOYO) which is a strain for me to sing, even to A# (one step higher) is really tough. Then B, which is next, forget it. Singing along with Pride album version is an embarassment.
I can sing it, but it just doesn't sound good, at least I know my limits unlike a lot of Idol contestants.
After all that then you have C, and finally C# (Bad). Bono really used to sing some unreal stuff. Not just a note, but the power was unreal, and of course totally improper he's a rock singer after all we can cut him some slack.
They are the same notes a tenor would sing just not sustained.
So the B on Native Son, or the A on Sometimes might be more impressive becuse he hold the note. That would depend on the listener. As a singer, I listen to the C# on Bad and think "DAMN!!" and then I hear the "Freee" in Native Son and I think "HOLY SHIT!!" so it's really two sides of the same coin. Both to me are really impressive.
Bono sings more properly now than he used to do, with his diaphram now and with just basically his throat then. (someone can correct me if I am wrong). So yeah the C in Red Hill is the same note, but he doesn't sustain it, he is basically screaming it. It is a very hard note for a male singer. He only hits C on the "ALL" of all that's left to hold onto. A lot of opera tenors hit and hold those notes, so while he is hitting the range, he's not sustaining it.
Impressive anyhow, at least to me. Especially considering how he was basically screaming from his throat and lungs.
To explain what that means in relative terms. I would need to find a bit in a song where he is singing middle C then you could listen to them side by side. Other than that, here is an attempt:
(musician babble starts) hopefully it's not too confusing
Basically there are 12 steps in an octave going middleC-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B, so the next note is C, which is also a higher octave from where you started.
The middle C is a reference in music notation, it is rather arbitrary unless you are reading sheet music (I believe?), anyways it is a good point of reference if you are trying to nail a specific note.
When Bono is singing the verses to Vertigo (the night is full of holes......and so on) he is singing in E above middle C. The middle C is a reference point to the actual note he is singing. If you said "he is singing in E on the verses" you'd be right, but unless you had heard the song you wouldnt have the reference for the octave. As far as I can tell the average rock singer sings on and around middle C, so it's a good reference point no matter how you look at it.
Or if you wanted to go around and play it on a piano, you could play the actual note using that reference and so on. Basically, it's not really neccessary unless you just want to be specific, anyways enough of that.
Yes basically Bono hits one step higher than C above middle C, and that note is C#. I didnt even notice this until August 1st, he may actually have a higher note somewhere, which would be D, although I'd be a little surprised. I'd love to find it, any ideas?
I have to say that "Freeeeeee" in Native Son gets more impressive everytime I hear it. A 44 year old man belting that out for 8 or 9 seconds. .
U2DMfan
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there is probably a trained musician (a pianist?) who could explain that last part better in about 3 sentences or so.
I don't really know how else to get my thoughts out without typing 200+ words.
I don't really know how else to get my thoughts out without typing 200+ words.
if you go to any piano, find the brand name labled right above the keys. then find the C key under it. it should look roughly like it's in the middle of the keyboard.
that's middle C.
on an electronic keyboard, you don't have that reference point, but usually "middle C" is about one third up from the left, since there are fewer keys on an electronic keyboard.
that's middle C.
on an electronic keyboard, you don't have that reference point, but usually "middle C" is about one third up from the left, since there are fewer keys on an electronic keyboard.
U2DMfan said:
Well I don't know about notes and stuff (it sounds cool though), but I do remember the do re mi fa so la ti do scale from elementary school music lessons. Would that be related in any way to the octaves?
That said, I do notice he sustains the notes these days ("sing" in Sometimes, Miss Sarajevo, the "heyy" in Electrical storm, Kite, "feeel" in Mercy). In a way I prefer to listen these high notes than the roaring he used to do in the 80s. (When love comes to town makes my throat hurt just listening)
As for D, I think I remember reading in another "high note" thread there is a D in Wire on UF. And I think I read someting about a C in the "come on now love don't you look back" in Who's gonna ride your wild horses.
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U2DMfan
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
U2girl said:
Well I don't know about notes and stuff (it sounds cool though), but I do remember the do re mi fa so la ti do scale from elementary school music lessons. Would that be related in any way to the octaves?
That said, I do notice he sustains the notes these days ("sing" in Sometimes, Miss Sarajevo, the "heyy" in Electrical storm, Kite, "feeel" in Mercy). In a way I prefer to listen these high notes than the roaring he used to do in the 80s. (When love comes to town makes my throat hurt just listening)
As for D, I think I remember reading in another "high note" thread there is a D in Wire on UF. And I think I read someting about a C in the "come on now love don't you look back" in Who's gonna ride your wild horses.
Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do is just like C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
so the highest and lowest Do's would be one octave apart, so yes
that is a good way to look at, or listen to an octave.
On a piano the octave would be between any given key (choose one) and the next one to the right that is in a similar position. And if you counted the keys (black and white) in between those two notes, there would be 12 keys. That would correspond to the notes I typed out earlier.
For example, if you hit the piano key in between the two little black ones on a piano. That is D, then move to the right to the next one in between the two little black keys, and that is also D, one octave higher.
The white key just to the left of D is C. The one in the middle is usually middle C.
I just listened to Wire and he hits C a few times in that song.
That is a difficult to song to sing if you try to nail Bono's pitch.
I believe the note in Wild Horses is also a C, as far as I could tell.
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