Brian's voice

[donutbandit]

Brain seems to have a unique ability to expand his natural range and buzz it like a falsetto. On his recent albums, that's what we have heard. He piles track after track on top of one another until we have an entire Beach Boys-like harmony bed, but it is all Brian, and none of it is falsetto.

The last time I heard him use his real falsetto was on Orange Crate Art.

Is this a natural ability, or a studio one? After recording with Brian, Jimmy Buffett mentioned the "Brian Wilson trick."

I don't know much about voices, or timbres, or studio tricks, but I know that Brian has a very unique voice.

[PMcC]

It's Natural. and I don't think that was the 'trick' Buffett was refering to.

[Jonas]

but in his albums, doesnt he have jeff foskett layered behind him?

are there any songs in particular? id like to have a clearer idea of what you mean.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I think the "trick" that Jimmy Buffett was referring to is Brian's "doubling" the lead vocal.

Brian's falsetto isn't natural anymore; it's forced. Has been that way since the mid 1970's. Although a lot of fans would still like to hear the falsetto, myself included, Brian might feel slightly self conscious using it. Not because of the feminine thing, but because there aren't many singers in their mid/late 60's using it.

Brian hasn't sung a complete song in his falsetto voice in a while, but he has used it for notes and phrase. Some of the stuff on BWPS, "A Friend Like You", "Joy To The World", and that famous note on "The First Noel" to name a few.

[Ron]

I would disagree that he never uses his falsetto anymore.  Off the top of my head, he used it on "Saturday Morning in the City" during the "boys and girls...." bridge.  Kind of comedic...  He drifts up into falsetto notes a lot in songs as a little highlight, like when he does it at the end of "The First Noel", just one note or so falsetto, it actually sounds really good.

I'm pretty sure he's singing alot of the falsetto on "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl", too.  It's of course not pure and beautiful like it used to be, but still sounds nice.  

I agree with you that he usually just sings in a high head voice that buzzes a little bit.  

[donutbandit]

but in his albums, doesnt he have jeff foskett layered behind him?

are there any songs in particular? id like to have a clearer idea of what you mean.

I can hear Jeff in "Midnight's Another Day" singing fills, but Brian's still singing the whole background bridge, with layers. A good example of what I meant by buzzing his natural range to sound like falsetto, but it isn't, is where he sings "until I find... midnight's another day..."

He has been doing this since at least 1985. The bridge in "I'm So Lonely" sounds like falsetto, but isn't. Brian has been using this technique of buzzing his voice, recording layer over layer to approximate his original sound for many years now.

Today, I listened way back in history, and it sounds like Brian has been using this trick since the mid 60s. The "Awake" demo features Brian singing in his real falsetto (but still doesn't sound like he's trying all that hard.) Then, I listened to "Let him Run Wild," and what I always thought was Brian's falsetto now sounds like him singing at the upper end of his natural range. I'm talking about the verses, of course - the "let him RUN!" fills are obviously falsetto.

I had a good friend back in the 70s who was a singer and a student of the art. His take on Brian was that he could move between his natural range and falsetto without any break in his voice whatsoever. So, maybe it's hard to tell when Brian is singing in falsetto, and when he isn't.

[Chris Brown]

I would disagree that he never uses his falsetto anymore.  Off the top of my head, he used it on "Saturday Morning in the City" during the "boys and girls...." bridge.  Kind of comedic...  He drifts up into falsetto notes a lot in songs as a little highlight, like when he does it at the end of "The First Noel", just one note or so falsetto, it actually sounds really good.

I'm pretty sure he's singing alot of the falsetto on "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl", too.  It's of course not pure and beautiful like it used to be, but still sounds nice.  

I agree with you that he usually just sings in a high head voice that buzzes a little bit.  

Yeah he sounded really good on "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl", it was nice hearing those high harmonies.

I think he definitely still has some form of a high voice...as you said, its probably more of a head voice than falsetto these days.  But for a 65 year old man, he can still, on occasion, hit notes with that same sweetness and purity that he used to.  It's just not as strong or effortless, and is pretty much confined to a studio setting where he can take the time to get it right.

[Chris Brown]

but in his albums, doesnt he have jeff foskett layered behind him?

are there any songs in particular? id like to have a clearer idea of what you mean.

I can hear Jeff in "Midnight's Another Day" singing fills, but Brian's still singing the whole background bridge, with layers. A good example of what I meant by buzzing his natural range to sound like falsetto, but it isn't, is where he sings "until I find... midnight's another day..."

He has been doing this since at least 1985. The bridge in "I'm So Lonely" sounds like falsetto, but isn't. Brian has been using this technique of buzzing his voice, recording layer over layer to approximate his original sound for many years now.

Today, I listened way back in history, and it sounds like Brian has been using this trick since the mid 60s. The "Awake" demo features Brian singing in his real falsetto (but still doesn't sound like he's trying all that hard.) Then, I listened to "Let him Run Wild," and what I always thought was Brian's falsetto now sounds like him singing at the upper end of his natural range. I'm talking about the verses, of course - the "let him RUN!" fills are obviously falsetto.

I had a good friend back in the 70s who was a singer and a student of the art. His take on Brian was that he could move between his natural range and falsetto without any break in his voice whatsoever. So, maybe it's hard to tell when Brian is singing in falsetto, and when he isn't.

The thing with Brian's 60's voice is that, like your friend said, he didn't have any break in his voice.  Most singers have a very discernable break between their natural chest voice, head voice and falsetto.  But Brian was a freak of nature essentially...he could move all over the place without any noticeable difference.  "Don't Worry Baby" is a really good example of this.  Most male singers have to jump between chest voice and falsetto throughout the song, but when Brian sang it, there was no break.  Still blows my mind.  I tried recording it once and to this day I hate how it sounds because you can clearly hear where my voice breaks and I had to go into falsetto.  Brian's voice really was one of a kind, that's for sure.

You are right in that Brian has always liked to layer voices to gain a fuller sound.  He was doing this with the Beach Boys almost from the beginning with their group harmonies, as well as the leads.  Of course, his voice was a lot stronger back then, and still sounded great solo without overdubbing of any kind.  But the technique definitely works to his advantage today. 

[mikeyj]

Of course, his voice was a lot stronger back then, and still sounded great solo without overdubbing of any kind.

Yeah like "She Knows Me Too Well". I know I always mention that one, but that's just a great example of Brian's voice without any overdubs.

[the captain]

A couple of things.

1) I strongly doubt Buffett was referring to a double-tracked vocal as "the trick," considering it's been common practice in pop music for about 40+ years. There is nothing unusual about it whatsoever, and while I try as hard as I can to never, ever, ever hear any Jimmy Buffet music, I'm sure he's been doing it most of his career. I wouldn't be surprised if there actually was no "trick," to be honest--it sounds like the sort of thing you say to an interviewer that's B.S. "Hey, he even showed me his trick to making hits...but I can't tell you. It's a secret." Please...

2) Brian's lead on "She Knows Me Too Well" sounds double-tracked to me. In fact, I'd bet Jimmy Buffett's life on it. And so, sorry, mikeyj. it isn't "without any overdubs."

3) Yes, Brian definitely still uses falsetto. It just sounds about 100x worse than his youthful falsetto, with a grainy, almost hollow timbre (as is common in older people...sorry, but nature fucks us all eventually) and sketchier pitch. His pitch is shaky regardless, as any live boot or GIOMH will prove. But even when he's hitting notes in falsetto, it still isn't anywhere near his old tone. Part of the way he "solves" the problem is overdubbing the hell out of it. Instead of double-tracking, he's quadruple-tracking parts (according to himself, as far back as OCA) in order to make them sound fuller. Same concept as double-tracking, but adding more depth, and simple to do thanks to (no longer particularly modern) technology.

4) And yes, his studio albums feature a lot of tactful assistance from those members of his band who can still sing well consistently, especially on those higher parts.

5) Reminder: Jimmy Buffett is really, really bad.

[the captain]

Then, I listened to "Let him Run Wild," and what I always thought was Brian's falsetto now sounds like him singing at the upper end of his natural range. I'm talking about the verses, of course - the "let him RUN!" fills are obviously falsetto.

I think this is actually an example of him very smoothly switching between voices. "When I watched you walk with him" is falsetto, but I don't think the next phrase is. The pattern is repeated in the next line. It's amazing how easily he does it, but I'm pretty certain that's what he's doing. The last lines before the first refrain are the opposite: "And now before he tries it, I hope" is not falsetto, while "you realize it" is.

[Chris Brown]

Then, I listened to "Let him Run Wild," and what I always thought was Brian's falsetto now sounds like him singing at the upper end of his natural range. I'm talking about the verses, of course - the "let him RUN!" fills are obviously falsetto.

I think this is actually an example of him very smoothly switching between voices. "When I watched you walk with him" is falsetto, but I don't think the next phrase is. The pattern is repeated in the next line. It's amazing how easily he does it, but I'm pretty certain that's what he's doing. The last lines before the first refrain are the opposite: "And now before he tries it, I hope" is not falsetto, while "you realize it" is.

You're absolutely right Luther.  As I was saying before, this is what abosolutely blows me away about Brian's 60's voice.  He could switch from chest voice to falsetto so seamlessly that you almost can't even tell.  It all sounds like he's using the same voice, but he's not.  Unreal. 

As great a singer as Carl was, he couldn't do that.  With almost every singer I've ever heard, you can hear a clear difference between the different voices when they change.  Brian was an oddity really.

As good as he can still sound on record for a 65 year old, it really is tragic how much he's lost in 40 years time.

[Amy B.]

As good as he can still sound on record for a 65 year old, it really is tragic how much he's lost in 40 years time.

Yes, but Brian had a lot to lose, if you know what I mean. His tone was so pure that it really could only have belonged to a young man. I know he did damage to his voice, but it seems like even if he hadn't, he'd have lost a lot of it just by aging anyway. His tone wasn't even as pure in 1968 as it had been earlier. Someone with a rougher voice doesn't show the signs of aging as much.

It's kind of like how a "pretty" man, with delicate features, ages much worse than a more rugged-looking man. I mean, Sir Paul, anyone?

[Swamp Pirate]

Personally, I would have loved to hear a full-fledged collaboration between Brian and Jimmy Buffett.  South American is my favorite song from Imagination.

[the captain]

His tone was so pure that it really could only have belonged to a young man. I know he did damage to his voice, but it seems like even if he hadn't, he'd have lost a lot of it just by aging anyway. His tone wasn't even as pure in 1968 as it had been earlier. Someone with a rougher voice doesn't show the signs of aging as much.

It's kind of like how a "pretty" man, with delicate features, ages much worse than a more rugged-looking man. I mean, Sir Paul, anyone?

I think you're absolutely right about that. (The voice, not the attractiveness part. I can't say I have ever given much thought to how good-looking men's features age.) And your example of "the cute Beatle" is actually a good one vocally, too. I know people say he can still sing well, and he can...for a 64-year-old. Similar situation with Al Jardine. These guys who didn't ruin their voices have still lost a tremendous amount of their youthful vigor, so to speak. They can still belt 'em out, but there is just no realistic person with ears that function who could say they sound the same. It's nothing to be worried or offended about...just nature. They're old. We'll all (gods willing) get that way someday.

[Amy B.]

I shouldn't have used the example of guys' looks on a male-dominated board. And I probably shouldn't use this example either, but Tori Amos, who has always have a beautiful soprano but can also do some belting, is now in her 40s and starting to lose a bit of her vocal abilities--just a bit. And this is someone who never smoked, to my knowledge. In fact, she takes pains to preserve her voice, through an oil-rich diet and specially made teas. But she's also a road horse, and all that strain eventually catches up to a voice.

Yes, I agree that Paul doesn't sound the same...at all. Even when he did Tripping the Live Fantastic when he was in his late 40s, he sounded horrible trying to get up to those high notes. And these days, even his speaking voice seems to be kind of creaky. All in all, considering what he's done to it, I think Brian's voice is doing pretty well.

[the captain]

I shouldn't have used the example of guys' looks on a male-dominated board.

Nah, it's fine. We are secure enough in ourselves to admit who's attractive. I mean, what, am I going to step in and complain every time somebody mentions Dennis being hot? He was! As Elaine said to George on one Seinfeld episode, "You know, George, just admitting that another man is attractive doesn't actually make you gay."

[Amy B.]

As Elaine said to George on one Seinfeld episode, "You know, George, just admitting that another man is attractive doesn't actually make you gay."

Well, exactly. Women have no problem saying when other women are beautiful, but guys are different. "Oh, I don't notice those things." You don't have eyes?        

[Pretty Funky]

The subject of singers and their lost vocal range comes up now and then. Wonder if any studies have been done on whether anybody can lose range, not just singers, with the onset of age. After all, so many other parts of the body wear-out with age.
Of course smoking, drugs etc speed this up.

[the captain]

You mean do non-singers lose their vocal range? I'm 99.99999999999999% certain they do. I don't think the reason that singers lose range is from their singing; I just think we notice it because they sing.

[Chris Brown]

You mean do non-singers lose their vocal range? I'm 99.99999999999999% certain they do. I don't think the reason that singers lose range is from their singing; I just think we notice it because they sing.

That's very true.  As people age their speaking voices get lower in timbre, but you really don't think much of it.  It is much more noticeable in a singer, especially a singer who sang higher when he/she was young. 

Brian's speaking voice when he was young was quite high for a male, which is probably why he could easily sing so high.  Elton John is another good example.  He had a high speaking voice too, but really doesn't anymore (I'm sure the years of touring and throat sugery didn't help matters either).  It just happens unfortunately, no matter what you do to preserve your voice. 

[Pretty Funky]

Throat surgery? When was that?

[Chris Brown]

Throat surgery? When was that?

1987, after Elton's Austrailian tour.  After that his falsetto was gone forever.

[Pretty Funky]

Thanks. Didn't recall that. May have been in the BW/ Landy 'bio' but not noted.

What strikes me as strange is the way Carls voice got better despite smoking. Go figure!

[the captain]

To be sure you're clear here, we're talking about Elton John having throat surgery. Not BW.