Bono's Vocal Range

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Annie, I thought you told me you were taking singing lessons some time ago , sorry if I used terms you don't understand, but as you talked about melisma I was convinced you knew them.

The thing is that it is a too much complicated area to be explained in a forum, if you want to learn something about singing, the best way is to take some singing lessons or even better, because it is great fun, join a chorus, but don't worry about it too much, music is enjoyable for everyone not only for the ones who have had some kind of formal instruction.

I'm going to explain you a bit what vibratto is, but it is not very easy for me as I have studied it in my mother tongue, not in English, I hope it will be clear enough. Again, the best thing you can do is enjoying the music.

You can hear vibratto in any song providing the appropriate circumstances are present, vibratto is an Italian term for vibration, and there are 3 kinds of vibratto:

- 1: periodic variations in the volume (amplitude) of the note

- 2: variations in the pitch (frequency) of a note

- complex, as it is very difficult to achieve a pure vibration of only pitch or volume what we usually get is a combination of both effects.

If the vibratto is produced only in the larynx, it is called tremolo, but if exagerated it can produce an ugly effect, like the voice of a sheep.

If it's produced in the diaphragm it is called wobble, it is a deffect of worn old voices.

The complex vibratto is relatively stable and gives the most beautiful voices a warm and emotional quality, it lengthens and strengthens the note.

If you want to listen to a magnificent vibratto from Bono listen to the operatic part in Miss Sarajevo, it can be easily discerned in the "amore" high note, or in The Hands that Built America. He uses it in other parts, but if you don't distinguish them, these are the most obvious to begin with.
 
Hi, interesting observation... I love this song a lot. Bjork´s vocal is out of this world. So much emotions and the range. It´s a shame they never sang with Bono together.
 
ozeeko said:
He might be "technically" a better singer today (i don't really know that for sure),but there's no denying his voice was a lot more pleasing to the ear pre-97. It was hypnotic, intoxicating, dirty, angelic...all at the same time sometimes. Sometimes it had to do with vocal effects. His voice today always sounds a little too clear, a little too in-your-face. It doesn't seep into the music the way it used to. Lost that murkiness, that hypnotic aura, that hazy feeling you'd get listening to his voice floating around the music. But again, it also has to do with less effects being used. I'm sure i'm probably wrong about something, but that's what stands out to me about the singing.
Click to expand...


Hello, Ozeeko, somehow 5 years later. Incredible post.
 
He utilized a lot of reverb effects in the late 80s and sang or at least tried to sing in a lower, deeper register.


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When I finally saw U2 live in 2009 for the first time since becoming a fan in 1992 I was totally thrown off by how his voice sounded live for the first few songs I heard that night. He sounded almost high pitch and nasally(is that even a word) then it started sounding normal to me.


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I can't agree with those who have been saying Bono sings better than ever today or at any point in the 2000s. To me he sang the best live and in studio from the unforgettable fire era until rattle and hum. It's age and style of singing.


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I find his voice anoying these days. His peak for me is AB era. Take a listen to baby AB on the 2011 reissue, TRYiNG TO THROW has been redone with his actual voice and it sounds awkward... Although today he s got more technique, It's sounds more pro and less emotional.
 
david said:
When I finally saw U2 live in 2009 for the first time since becoming a fan in 1992 I was totally thrown off by how his voice sounded live for the first few songs I heard that night. He sounded almost high pitch and nasally(is that even a word) then it started sounding normal to me.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
Click to expand...


I had the exact same experience. Definitely sounds different than on recordings.


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Unpopular opinion here, and border-lining ludicrous some would consider, but I even preferred his '01 era voice to his current.

I of course can't dispute the fact it's pleasing to hear his voice in such clean condition as of now, to the stage in which he can complete an entire show without sounding extremely strained or his vocals breaking, unlike Elevation. However there was something about '01, where because he himself knew his voice wasn't in the best condition, that whatever he lost with regards to power and consistency, he made up for with this incredible raw passion, where he was almost fighting his voice into gear, which resulted in a raspy, raw yet likeable tone. His voice still had an edge, despite all the obvious flaws.

Now, it's as if because he can sing so effortlessly clean, that the extra 10% passion is no longer there. At least not often enough. Questioning his passion is a maybe a tad strong, and that extra 10% maybe only have occurred from, as I said, a personal fight with his vocal capabilities of that era. But it's becoming more and more rare in this era, that his voice excites me...
 
I've been reading some of my old posts lately. I joined in 2001, so I was 19 at that time, and some of my posts were absolutely cringeworthy. The general consensus around 2001 was that Bono didn't have many more years left as a singer. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I'd even be seeing U2 in 2015, let alone having Bono sound better now than he did back then. Popmart and Elevation, while still GREAT shows, were a low point for Bono.

It's also funny to read some people freaking out prior to the Vertigo Tour, especially at the idea of them going into stadiums. "I don't think the tour will be very successful, unless a miracle happens and the album is a hit". Little did we know...

Plus I used to start threads asking people to help me with my girl problems. Ugh, what a loser I was!
 
i still think leeds popmart tour is one of my favourite complete vocal performances from bono!

new years day is insane (say its trueeeeee!)
and his falsetto is amazing in please and so powerful in all the heavy songs
 
Just listend to that version, sadly it was very offkey :( If you want a powerful version from Popmart try the original audio version of Mexico, Bonos voice sounds clearer and it is one of the best "say its true" ever
 
mirrorballman said:
I can still hear him shout "the goal is soul" and boy, soul he did have. I loved his voice in 2001.
Click to expand...

This.

The difference in passion from the early 2000's performances of Beautiful Day compared to now is like chalk and cheese. Especially the final third of the song. That Slane Castle version still gives me goosebumps.
 
Peterrrrr said:
Just listend to that version, sadly it was very offkey :( If you want a powerful version from Popmart try the original audio version of Mexico, Bonos voice sounds clearer and it is one of the best "say its true" ever
Click to expand...


sounds more off key here to me than the leeds version :shrug: (the actual 'true' high B note)
 
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