For how much longer will LaBrie be able to hit the F#?

[scoutmasterdave]

That's amazing, I didn't know they had much of a following over in the States. I got to see them at the Royal Albert Hall a couple of years ago, they were fantastic. I think they released a live album of that show actually.

They didn't sell out the 1500-seat Ikeda Theater, but it was damn close.

[cyberdrummer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLXwPVqZKjY

[hefdaddy42]

the f# sounds terrible anyway.

A note sounds terrible?

[manticore999]

Could he ever really hit it?  Consistently?  When he sings in his range he has an ok voice but, unfortunately, a lot of their songs stretch him way past his capabilities and he has to scream - very cringe-inducing.  I won't buy live albums anymore because he really needs studio help to sound good.  I think, for the most part, if he sounds good on a live recording it's because his voice was 'fixed' in the studio prior to release. 

[Adami]

Could he ever really hit it?  Consistently?  When he sings in his range he has an ok voice but, unfortunately, a lot of their songs stretch him way past his capabilities and he has to scream - very cringe-inducing.  I won't buy live albums anymore because he really needs studio help to sound good.  I think, for the most part, if he sounds good on a live recording it's because his voice was 'fixed' in the studio prior to release. 

Just click on Cyberdrummers link, he hits it fine there. How can you avoid listening to him live and then say he can't do it live?

[TAC]

How high did he go on Take Your Fingers From My Hair? Was that higher than an F#?

[hefdaddy42]

Could he ever really hit it?  Consistently?  When he sings in his range he has an ok voice but, unfortunately, a lot of their songs stretch him way past his capabilities and he has to scream - very cringe-inducing.  I won't buy live albums anymore because he really needs studio help to sound good.  I think, for the most part, if he sounds good on a live recording it's because his voice was 'fixed' in the studio prior to release. 

Yes, he could and can hit it consistently.  If he sounds good on a live recording, it's because he sang good that night. 

Sheesh.

[SnakeEyes]

I believe a lot of LaBrie's problems are partly the faullt of DT.  I think they are an extremely loud band and he struggles to keep up with them (or, used to) and I think that they make him sing parts in the studio that they know he won't always be able to reproduce perfectly live.  The part in Voices that they have removed from live shows ("Sex is Death") and the Take the Time part are great examples. 

[bosk1]

A lot of bands do things in the studio that they know full well cannot be duplicated live.  I think with TTT, as with the increcibly awkward phrasing in OAMOT, it was just immature songwriting and not really thinking about whether or not it could be duplicated live.  But for the life of me, I still can't figure out what the issue is with Voices.  That song is WAY easier than a lot of stuff James pulls off just fine in a live setting. 

[Perpetual Change]

I've seen Voices both times and each time I actually didn't realize they cut out the 2nd verse. The song is honestly just as good without it.

[SnakeEyes]

bosk, that part in Voices seems like it would be really tiring on someone's voice.  It doesn't sound like a natural way to sing, but rather like it needs to be forced.  It sounds, to me, like it was physically difficult (as in, it HURT him) to sing that part.  What do you think?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

bosk, that part in Voices seems like it would be really tiring on someone's voice.  It doesn't sound like a natural way to sing, but rather like it needs to be forced.  It sounds, to me, like it was physically difficult (as in, it HURT him) to sing that part.  What do you think?

Yeah thats what I was thinking. He does put a lot of power into it. Maybe they figured it wouldn't be the same without that kind of power and thought it'd be best to leave it out?

[kirbywelch92]

The thing about the screaming tone of the F# is really what makes it so impressive. Even I can hit that note falsetto, what makes it amazing is to channel enough air to sing it full blast and still sustain the note. In full voice on a very very very good day, I can hit a B4, which is pretty good. If you count the keys on a piano, the F# is 7 piano keys about a B4, which may not sound like a lot but in the vocal world that is insane.

[scoutmasterdave]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLXwPVqZKjY

Damn, that's cool.

The thing about the screaming tone of the F# is really what makes it so impressive. Even I can hit that note falsetto, what makes it amazing is to channel enough air to sing it full blast and still sustain the note. In full voice on a very very very good day, I can hit a B4, which is pretty good. If you count the keys on a piano, the F# is 7 piano keys about a B4, which may not sound like a lot but in the vocal world that is insane.

Agreed.  It's pretty insane.  I'm not sure I've ever even heard another male of our species sing an F#5 full voice.  As I mentioned before, countertenors do it in falsetto all the time, but full voice is an entirely different story.

[tjanuranus]

i have to say i've seen DT on every tour since 1997 and the last 4 times i saw him he was on point. PN09 (x2), Worcester, and MSG. He seems to have really worked hard and gotten better than in 07. They played the Mirror and lie at the Worcester show and it was sick live!

[Aniland]

I hope they keep the missing Take the Time verse out.  That part is ridiculous to begin with.  It seems like one of those parts that was made up by instrumentalists rather than singers, if you know what I mean.  It just doesn't flow at all.  I never really cared for it and I think LaBrie sings it like crap, although I don't think it's his fault. 

As for hitting high notes at his age, opera singers still hit high notes well into their 60's and 70's because they are trained and know how to take care of their voices.  LaBrie seems to understand this, judging by his interviews. 

You mean the best part of the song?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

I can't even do falsetto. It's pretty sad.

[MykeHavoc]

James has a strongly developed head voice, but that doesn't change the fact that most novice vocalists have an understanding of switching from one register to the next. Smoothing out the transitions takes some time, but its a pretty easy concept for anyone who, say, impersonates cartoon character voices. The F# being a difficult note to hit is strange to me because I've been using upper register singing for a little over 5 years now and can hit an A#5 fairly comfortably...and I'm a baritone when speaking.

[scoutmasterdave]

James has a strongly developed head voice, but that doesn't change the fact that most novice vocalists have an understanding of switching from one register to the next. Smoothing out the transitions takes some time, but its a pretty easy concept for anyone who, say, impersonates cartoon character voices. The F# being a difficult note to hit is strange to me because I've been using upper register singing for a little over 5 years now and can hit an A#5 fairly comfortably...and I'm a baritone when speaking.

That's your falsetto.  James' F#5 is his head voice - very different.

[MykeHavoc]

I don't sing in falsetto. I use all head voice

[simba]

the few times ive heard it mentioned in DVD commentaries it has sounded attrocious. im not even 100% positive what song its in, although i think its under a glass moon and learning to live. nonetheless i dont go hunting dream theaters catalogue for an F#.

its kinda like john petruccis shred solos. we get it he can play fast, but if theres nothing to hold on to, i could care less. whereas his beautiful solos catch me immediately, having nothing to do with the fact that he is a guitar god, just coz theyre good solos. if labrie sings something nice, i catch it, if he sings an F# and all the fanboys say its good coz its rare in male singers, doesnt change the fact that it sounds poo.

[simba]

not to mention as soon as he starts going high in any shape or form, all diction is lost.

(which may be a good thing, coz he may very well be singing about dragons and vampires )

[Ħ]

LaBrie is getting it back...I say he'll be able to keep it up until DT splits (which is hopefully not going to be anytime soon).

[Implode]

I, for one, think that high notes sound amazing. There's so much power and epicness. I understand they aren't for everybody. After all, I'm a trumpet player.   

[Mladen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qd250N-oBc&feature=related

This is probably one of the most recent F# videos, and James kicks some serious ass here. I think he'll be able to keep up with the good work for at least 5 more years - at least I seriously hope so, he sounded incredible on Black clouds tour.

[cyberdrummer]

Wow, that's an incredible video. Really nailed it.

[Arch Benemy]

the f# sounds terrible anyway.

I spent the last ~40 mins looking for the one picture where the guy is smiling and then smiling and throws his computer in the second panel but I failed.

FTFY

[jonny108]

How high did he go on Take Your Fingers From My Hair? Was that higher than an F#?

No that sounded around a C5 (Same as "I think it's time for a chaaaaaaaaaaange" note or was that a C#5...my memory is going already, Im only 19  )  I think the "Starshine, moonshine, you're the light that shines upon me baby" bit you talking about?? I think it's around there, haven't listened to it for a while.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

the f# sounds terrible anyway.

I spent the last ~40 mins looking for the one picture where the guy is smiling and then smiling and throws his computer in the second panel but I failed.

FTFY

Hey, that's my progarchives sig.

[rumborak]

He can sing it pretty consistently and well, but I never understood people's obsession with that note. If anything, it kinda dates that section of the song.

rumborak

[ReaPsTA]

He can sing it pretty consistently and well, but I never understood people's obsession with that note. If anything, it kinda dates that section of the song.

rumborak

Because the F# is a moment.  Especially live I'm sure people freak out knowing that it's gonna happen.

[j]

He can sing it pretty consistently and well, but I never understood people's obsession with that note. If anything, it kinda dates that section of the song.

rumborak

Because the F# is a moment.  Especially live I'm sure people freak out knowing that it's gonna happen.

Yeah, you're probably right, but I'm with rumbo.  The guitar solo and ensuing instrumental stuff that follows is way more noteworthy than the F#.  Not that I doubt its difficulty or the skill required to nail it, it just doesn't do much for me beyond that.

-J

[rumborak]

He can sing it pretty consistently and well, but I never understood people's obsession with that note. If anything, it kinda dates that section of the song.

rumborak

Because the F# is a moment.  Especially live I'm sure people freak out knowing that it's gonna happen.

In my personal opinion, the F# moment is the ultimate prog snob moment. "OMG, the singer of the band I love is able to hit the note most singers can't. Clearly this is an objective indicator that my favorite band is superior to the others."

rumborak

[Implode]

In my personal opinion, the F# moment is the ultimate prog snob moment. "OMG, the singer of the band I love is able to hit the note most singers can't. Clearly this is an objective indicator that my favorite band is superior to the others."

I don't really agree with that. At least for me, of course I find it impressive, but I don't think less of other bands because their singer doesn't hit F#5's. It's a great and powerful thing that James LaBrie does, and that's all. It's not comparative of other bands...just a great thing.

I agree with this:

Because the F# is a moment.  Especially live I'm sure people freak out knowing that it's gonna happen.

But also, to each his own.

[ReaPsTA]

In my personal opinion, the F# moment is the ultimate prog snob moment. "OMG, the singer of the band I love is able to hit the note most singers can't. Clearly this is an objective indicator that my favorite band is superior to the others."

rumborak

I'm not speaking for the rest of the board, but I don't feel quite that way.  Yeah it's technically impressive.  But for me it's more about the emotion and the place in the song.  You have this instrumental build up that gets more intense.  And then it moves toward something big to cap off the section, and then JLB comes out of the instruments and makes it really soar, which transitions perfectly into the epic guitar solo.