what i notice about Gerard singing is that he is not just singing to hit notes, he is always telling a story and always acting with his voice in his songs. In some songs, he is a character in that song and in some, he is just a storyteller. Thats why his live performances are a joy watch cuz hes voice acting and singing live at the same time.
The live performances are literally just him exposing his hard on to his fans while he prances around in a dress looking like a fat idiot lol wym a joy
With Gerard's voice, I always assumed it was carried over from his punk influences. Punk singers may not always be the most technically complex, but the diversity in how each word is pronounced is so unique - it's something alot of singers could be learning from to make their songs sound instantly more dynamic.
@@finncallahan8994 I have always thought that Corgan was like Gerard Way's older (slightly) more chill brother...they even kinda look alike, and they definitely have similar voices. Just the actual instrument, not necessarily the way they use it.
God I'm glad someone else noticed a connection between Freddie Mercury and Gerard Way. I tend to get super into Queen and MCR around the same time because one always makes me crave the other but I'm not musically literate enough to articulate why they remind me of one another.
Ray Toro’s guitar playing is strongly inspired by Brian May’s too! Ray’s spoken a few times about working to try to replicate May’s tone with his gear and also his style of melody in his beautiful solos. You can really hear it in Not Okay and Black Parade; Ray’s solos sound super super Queen-y. If you haven’t seen it, when they headlined Reading and Brian May came out to play with them, you can actually see Ray’s soul leaving his body with excitement hahaha 😂
This is what happens when you believe in your message and write with intention. Your vocal ability skyrockets when you do that and it's the biggest gateway to your vocal identity imo
Miku Tobato and Saiki Atsumi of Band-Maid have that quality. Miku writes the majority of the group's lyrics often in colaboration with Saiki . Their songs are usually in a combination of English and Japanese, but mainly in Japanese. But even when the song is entirely in Japanese, each word, each note, is sung laden with meaning and the listener will believe they are understanding the song's meaning, even though they know not a word of Japanese.
I have always noticed this about Gerard Way. I love their songs. Not only because MCR fills me with adrenaline but there is so much emotion, agony, release, idk, There's something in Gerard's voice that gives off power. I love to sing but not in public. Barely even in my own bedroom. I just don't like anyone hearing me sing because I always get a look or comment that's not at all positive. Anyways, Just yesterday in my bedroom, I sang along to Helena by MCR, not so loud but not so low. At this point I have every note/melody engraved in my brain & as I sang I found myself making the same exact expressions as Gerard Way as seen in video. And it felt & sounded so good to my ears. I noticed how special Gerard's singing was in the song "I don't love you". With mcr, there's no trying to sound pretty. All you have to do is feel.
Agree, that's why The Black Parade is one of, if not my favorite album ever. So much agony, resentment, sorrow... No matter how much I listen to it, I always feel that catharsis. Going to their concert in 2022 and screaming the lyrics along with them was one of the best experiences I've had.
My mom really started liking MCR few years ago. Queen is one of her favourite bands, and she said that MCR truly sounded to her like it had many influences of Queen. Now I know why
The thing I love about Gerard and Freddie is how much emotion and feeling they puts into each lyric. You can feel the sorrow in Cancer or the fluctuation of feelings that happens throughout Bohemian Rhapsody, whereas a lot of other singers sort of just try to sound pretty. I feel the same way about the band The Amazing Devil. Both lead singers (Madelaine Hyland and Joey Batey) place such a wide range of feelings into their songs-- you can hear anger or sorrow or joy just dripping off their voices in everything they sing.
Excellent analysis. Imho, this is what made Johnny Cash so great. Every note may not be perfectly in tune, but every note IS drenched in genuine emotion.
I love to see this recognition for Gerard Ways voice. Not just mcr being a very big hit with emo culture, but that Gerard can sing in a way that many can't. His voice has always been incredible to me, and it wasn't just because of the way it sounded.
There's an old record of my grandpa singing You Are My Sunshine way back in the 1950s. It's hauntingly beautiful because it's outlived him. When I sing for videos I remind myself that that 3-5 minute performance will last forever. It may not get views or carry much significance to the world much like my grandpa's recording, but it's still part of my legacy, and his. So sometimes I strain myself, push too hard, or look stupid or crazy, but I want it to feel like what I'm expressing isn't mine to express, but something universal that I have to give back. Edit: one last thing that would be unfair to keep to myself. I remember the significance of music both in times of war and in the bleak winter or times of famine. Music isn't just entertainment, it's a universal language that connects people to their emotions and helps them through hard times.
I think about that often, too. I watched an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger about his performance in Conan the Barbarian, and he talks about getting cut up by rocks and bleeding, and after so many takes the director tells Arnold he doesn't have to do it anymore but Arnold says no, this pain is temporary but film is eternal. He wanted to get it just right because that film will always be there after he's long gone.
Man... Well said! I can relate to the 'grandpa recording'. My grandpa a few weeks before he died, started singing "You Are My Sunshine" at our (and his last) Thanksgiving dinner. He never sang earlier in his life... A war vet... Lived an incredible life... and one of the last things he shared with us was his new found singing voice... Talk about an emotional dinner!
@@chrisliepe amazing. It's incredible how many people take their voice to the grave without ever expressing it. I'm glad you got to hear it. It's been many years since I've heard my grandpa's old record, but I'm hoping to one day record a duet with him.
Yo, I tried to sing I'm not Okay very slowly, note by note, and putting the emotion and the character on every note. What an amazing experience! I instantly understood what you meant, I was able to feel every word and note and I improved a lot the way I used to sing this song. It's always a pleasure to learn something from your videos man, I'm super grateful to be suscribed to your channel. All the best!
as an avid mcr fan this was really insightful and something i didnt really notice. for example in “the ghost of you”, in the second verse, every word has so many small subtle melismas almost and i love it so much.
I’ve always heard a lot of musical theater in both of their voices. I’m not really sure if that’s their background, or if they just happened upon that sound. But there’s a definite theatricality to their vocal performance that sort of matches the theatricality of their entire stage presence.
I think this is why Meatloaf was so good too. He sang with so much passion and emoted everything so well. You really felt and believed every word he said.
Dude, you seriously have one of the best TH-cam channels out there. You don't hide your knowledge behind a paywall and your willingness to show yourself goofing off takes balls.
I was talking about this the other day! but with Brandon Flowers from the Killers. He doesn't necessarily hit all the notes, in fact he is sharp most of the time. but the way he sings with such power and desperation is what makes him such a great vocalist. thank you for making this video!
Dang, dude. This discovery of intentionality is mind blowing. Guitarists discuss this all the time when they try and explain how B.B. King vs Shredders. Obviously the shredders can play B.B.'s "easier" solos on a technical level. But he puts that same intensity, tone and weight in just one note like you explained with vocals. You win. You gained a new subscriber who is in awe of you
Freddie loved classical music and opera. When learning to play classical pieces as kids, they taught us about dynamics and timing. What words, syllables or notes do you emphasize or minimize? Also jazz, swing and blues play with those and bend pitches slightly sharp or flat to add tension or feel more relaxed. Pop producers today remove dynamics, add autotune and quantize the life out of performances.
Music heals the soul, and that’s where it should come from. The most spectacular performers are those that aren’t afraid to lay bare their souls and literally sing their hearts out.
This is one of the most important, if not the most important lesson you have taught us, Chris. No matter how advanced someone's technique is, nothing counts as much as emotion and feeling. Music is the representation of feelings, not the simple display of skills. It is art, not a sport!
Hardly anyone I know knows about The Juliana Theory. Love is such a masterpiece of music. One of my all-time favorites that I can listen to end to end and there's not a song I want to skip.
That's what all of the greatest singers do. Whitney Houston did that. George Michael, James Ingram, and countless others have done this. There are limitless ways and combinations that we can discover in order to create something each time we sing a note. It's not only the notes, but also the way they are linked to together. What is there and what isn't there. We also have a continuum of opposites to play with: soft to loud, dark to bright, legato to staccato, straight tone to vibrato, sliding to the note to starting it dead on the center of pitch, and the list goes on and on. Giving yourself permission to discover the endless possibilities is essential! It's a game-changer.
Hey Chris... "Music isn't just entertainment, it's a universal language that connects people to their emotions and helps them through hard times." Such words of wisdom, thank you Norman... This is exactly why I like to call Queen and Freddie the "Master Manipulators of Emotion"... they could make you laugh and cry all in one song... from mesmerizing piano playing to awesomely brilliant guitar riffs, they could do it all... blessings.
its not just Gerard and his vocal range its the fact they use poetic metaphorical lyric use and theatrics through out its full of it he made me love music through my teenage years. I hear Bowie as well as Gerard Way has always had a love for David Bowies voice R.I.P to the legendary reinventing himself can never be predicted its like they both came out of the same field. Nothing can explain this artistry its just pure creativity and art the end
Chris, have you ever listened to In My Defence the FM solo track. Dave Clark (from the Dave Clark 5) produced the track and said that FM recorded 3 takes and they ended up using the full 1st take as he couldnt better it (I believe it is a 1 take as 1st chorus is strong, 2nd a little weaker after some fatigue, 3rd chorus better after the guitar solo break). Anyway, the track was played to Sir Laurence Olivier (famous British actor) who was amazed and stated 'Now that is what you call an actor', referring to his delivery. I think this is exactly what you are getting at in this vid. Have a listen to it.
Bruh you read my mind. I’ve saying to my friend that Gerard and Freddie are examples of literally how they have the it factor that is more then just a good singer.. thank you for this video 🙏🏾
i think that has something to do with it too.... while listening to the explanation here, i kept thinking of Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. though he doesn't sound like Gerard & Freddy in a "rock" sense, I've always felt that he sang EVERY note "in it's own story". I've listened to the way Rob sings words specific words in some of his songs & thought "🤔 why did he sing it like that...idk many singers that would've pronounced that so uniquely, but it works" (like he was explaining here, playing with each part of every word). Then your comment tied it all together for me. Rob uses a lot of breaths inside words that change that word truly differently. so that makes sense. think: "Back To Good"...."hi was thi-hin-kin íf h-you hwer lo-anly" strange & beautiful.
This is why I'm so glad I started singing when I started to really get into MCR. Gerards delivery really sunk into my mind and that method of singing felt natural to me. And in no way do I sing like Gerard, but I knew what it meant to really feel every word. It's almost like, it's no longer singing. It's a verbal construction of sonic stories 😂
I love this video Chris. Thank you for sharing the secret to IT. Every singer should watch this video and take in deeply all that you are saying. It is also what you are saying in all your videos and courses. You have accomplished taking the IT of singing, and able to bring it out of your students. I am one who has experienced this because of you. Simply Amazing!!! Thank you Chris. You’re amazing!!! More than just a vocal coach.
It’s exactly what I find about Tori Amos in her first three albums. Each sound is so deliberate and so crafted, it’s completely hypnotising and it’s incredible how she was able to do that both in the studio and live. All of her album Boys for Pele is a good example. You end up greedily lapping up every single note and breath of hers, because it has so much colour to it.
🤮 ... Growing up in the 90s there was way too much Tori Amos being constantly played .... It seemed every girl's car had one of her tapes permanently installed into the tape deck and it got so old. Her interviews are hilarious too ... she's got an extremely soothing way of speaking but the stuff she says is so pretentious. Makes me glitch a little.
@@Fiveash-Art putting her personality and how much she was played in the 90s aside, I recommend listening to some of her vocals from particularly the third album, she is a highly skilled musician and her attention to details as well as a the ability to craft every note she sings is incredible.
@@FrootKat Met her at a restaurant in Amsterdam once. I just happened to sit a table next to her and my stepdad who worked there introduced us, and we ended up talking the entire dinner. Her personality was kinda like you describe her craft, really nice woman!
This is awesome - it's exactly how my mate and I approach singing... Sing what "feels" right for the words/sounds you are singing and the connection you have will drive the end result. Love it!!
I feel this way about Max Bemis of Say Anything. I feel like what all three singers have in common is the NEED to just "go for it"- embrace awkwardness, tap into the emotion of the lyric, and pull out the theater and drama within them. This is a great analysis!
I believe it’s the passion and emotion they out into their songs, music, storytelling, lyrics and facial expression. Don’t be afraid to go all out when singing. If you ever watch Gerard way recording songs in the studio, live or even in his music videos as he sings you can see him moving his body and having vigorous facial expressions. Even the other band members are full of passion, Which I think is truly the secret and truly amazing. ✨ I aspire to be like this. ✨
Great advice! Freddie Mercury was the master of expression, every word he sang often had some type of expression. You can sing with perfect technique, but singing is suppose to be an expression of the music. This is also exactly what opera singer Montserrat Caballe' said about Freddie Mercury's singing. Even in opera singing is about expression and emotion, opera singers spent years on learning perfect technique, but the best opera performances are about expression and not technique. They receive masterclasses in expression alone. People can actually learn a lot of from opera in this regard. It is not so much about hitting notes perfectly, it is about expressing the correct emotion within the music. Music is art, and emotional. I suggest everyone should check out Franco Corelli, one of the best tenors of all time, with an incredible voice and great expression. This is what Montserrat Caballe said about Freddie Mercury: "His technique was astonishing. No problem of tempo, he sang with an incisive sense of rhythm, his vocal placement was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from a register to another. He also had a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or energetic and slamming. He was able to find the right colouring or expressive nuance for each word." Opera singers understand the value of expression.
Excellent video! On Gerard Way: The way he moves within and bends a note, how he embraces dissonance and inflections for different characters within the narrative, etc. is irregular, unpredictable and incredibly satisfying, always bringing an image of cracked leather to mind. I had never thought of him as an accomplished singer (Though I adore his music.) until I started to see accomplished singers cover him on TH-cam. They usually strike me as soulless, unnecessary covers...because they don't have *that thing* you explain so well here. I think that the "Morrissey in a Metal Band" esthetic of My Chem (And Juliana Theory) was most common in the post-hardcore scene of the late 90's/early 00's - with wildly ranging degrees of success. Gerard's vision, vulnerability and extra-vocal artistry rendered him in entirely his own class.
When I first watched this video, I was like, "Duh that just makes sense." That being said it stuck with me, and I started paying more attention and found I was "slacking" on some syllables. I paid attention and applied the logic, and while I'm still not much of a singer, I noticed the difference and improvement. It turned out to be great advice. I had to go through my history to make sure I thanked you for this. Thank you for this. ;)
I always thought this!!! For so long. It’s so nice to hear it put into words. When I look at some of my favorite singers they have this ability. Also I notice Robert Plant does this as well too. I think singing this way creates an overall better impact and adds more emotion to the song. The song than feels like more complete and has more purpose/intention.
Wow,thanks a lot.i did not know what people heard in my older recordings , it was not just jounger .i will investigate/feel it out.but you definitively have something here.
Bruce Dickinson is another singer who has amazing dynamics of tone and delivery within phrases. I've been bingeing Maiden and Robert Plant's solo career the past month or two. I appreciate Plant more and more and more all the time.
@@etcwhatever Freddie Mercury is my all-time favorite but Bruce is awful darn close. Easily one of the most impressive voices of our time. And he does it year after year, tour after tour.
You are correct. I'm deaf. My type of deafness is neurological and was a progressive loss. They knew I was going to be deaf. I started to memorize music the best I could. When I would go to the grocery store with my family, or just go; I would read the music magazines. Gerard listed Queen as influence. 🥰🤟🙌💃 I still "hear" by vibration and I LOVE music! 💃💃💃💃
This is a brilliant and simple breakdown of what we can do with our voices. How to add fire and excitement as well as emotion when singing is so vital.
Great video, as a singer and music lover of pretty much all genres, the delivery of the lyrics that send waves of emotion straight into your head and heard cannot be overemphasized. Two of my faves, Chris Cornell's voice in " Like a Stone " beckons sensuously from the first note to the heart wrenching last word. Takes you on a mysterious musical journey. "Cold" by Chris Stapleton..live, just raw and painfully beautiful. I hope one day to bring just a tiny piece of that feeling out in my voice ‼ You have to be wide open and unafraid to get to that place.
@@chrisliepe it's an amazing album and to see and hear what he's doing now. INCREDIBLE. I know you're into the harsher vocals, have you ever heard his more metal screams? If you haven't heard of them check out the band Zao. Brett was with them in the early days before TJT and did some harsh vocals as well.
Non-judgemental experimentation is definitely where it's at. I've used to do this "one note challenge" with my guitar when I was trying to figure out how these minimalistic and yet so expressive blues solos work. Time to do it all over again with my voice. xd I live in an apartment building, so I just have to bite the bullet and live with the fact that yeah, people hear me when I do shit xd I am practicing during times when it's acceptable to perform renovations so I'm not noise polluting, but it sure heckin' feels like it lmao
I feel like a lot of those expressive and almost "performative" vocal choices may come to life after touring extensively. It's instant feedback. You find out what you can REALLY do when tested on stage in front of a crowd for 30 minutes or an hour+. Your stamina and range get tested like crazy. And these two legends were/are showmen in the greatest sense, so they became who and what they became.
All your videos have super helpful for me. But this one was the most transformative for me. I take this approach and apply it to when I'm listening to music. Instead of singing along with the song( like I usually do) listen and then every few lines I fuck around with putting more/less emotion and volume etc. Into.
Chris, YES! This is what I have always aimed for. Though I am, at best,a social, recreational singer for myself and family/friends. Every song I sing,even in the car, every note, every expression, every inhale and exhale, they ALL matter! THIS is the pinnacle! THANK YOU! What you do, your open mindedness, and your ability to put yourself there first and then discuss, this is invaluable to your audience! Those of us who are interested and also strive. You are a motivator, and mentor my friend. Keep it up! As they say in the Canadian Navy, Bravo-Zulu! P.S. The two singers that I have always admired most and whose expression(s) I try to emulate in all I sing: Ronnie Van Zant (Skynard); Freddie Mercury; and Brent Smith (Shinedown). Cheers!
Dude, this guy started trying to find “his voice” by BEAUTIFULLY singing one line in a thousand different ways better than I ever could. If the guy sounds even better than that now he must sound like a damn angel.
IT is the nuance in an interesting vocalists performance. As a guitarist it’s the difference between playing a note straight and sliding into it, hammering on, or providing a swell for emphasis. The same applies to every instrument. Knowing when you should or shouldn’t is also very important. You can go out and melt people’s faces but if you lack nuance or become too nuanced people won’t stay as engaged. The ear wants repetition and something it can identify as normal or familiar; but that gets really boring really fast. Nuance subverts that expectation and draws the listener back in. On the flip side, if all you do is nuanced then the expectation becomes that; so your best bet is to pull back for emphasis. Having IT is finding that sweet spot between redundancy and subverting expectations; as well as judiciously utilizing all of the skills you have to keep people engaged.
This makes so much sense now. Freddie (Queen) was may favorite band/artist growing up until my chem happened and they’ve been my favorite band/artist for the past 20 years. Crazy. Those two are my favorite singers hands down.
Sounds like my House.....Freddie Mercury is my daughters (20 yrs old) favourite singer and Gerard is loved by my son (27 yrs)...... I am not complaining! I Adore The pixies, Sonic Youth, Joy division & Muse ....They all have the same singing techniques ....Thanks for this....Makes total sense ❤️🇬🇧❤️
This is an amazing outlook on this. It deals so much more with one's mind, mental state, intention, all of these massively powerful ideas. Never mind just for singing, but in life in general. Thanks for this video Chris
delivering with intention, feeling, depth. all of the yes. i dont even sing but this makes me delighted to see someone notice this and put some words and playful discovery to it to share.
Great Thumbnail,... because I clicked! Better Yet,... GREAT VIDEO! Ugh,... you got love when someone points out something that's been staring you in the face for your entire life and you just now realize it. I am so glad you pointed this out,... I probably would have gone the rest of my life never pining it down as well as you did. It is a secret! Wow! you've got a voice,... I'm going to deep dive the channel even though I don't sing,... Thanks for posting and completely blowing up my holiday... I'll be listening vocals differently from here on out for sure... and be whispering under my breath yea but, they don't know the secret. LOL... Thanks again,!
So happy to find this video. An honestly incredible and true comparison between these two vocalists. Upon becoming a vocalist when I grew up, and as a kid listening, I was always amazed with the vocal phrasing of Gerard way. I genuinely feel that he's one the best to ever do it. And characteristically very similar to the legend of Freddie Mercury. Super informative video.
what i notice about Gerard singing is that he is not just singing to hit notes, he is always telling a story and always acting with his voice in his songs. In some songs, he is a character in that song and in some, he is just a storyteller. Thats why his live performances are a joy watch cuz hes voice acting and singing live at the same time.
Ugh yes. I am soo here for all this Gerard love.
Perfectly said, and one of the reasons he is my favorite vocalist. 💕
YES!
It's how I feel about Chester Bennington too. He bled for us in his songs.
YESYESYESYESYES
The live performances are literally just him exposing his hard on to his fans while he prances around in a dress looking like a fat idiot lol wym a joy
With Gerard's voice, I always assumed it was carried over from his punk influences. Punk singers may not always be the most technically complex, but the diversity in how each word is pronounced is so unique - it's something alot of singers could be learning from to make their songs sound instantly more dynamic.
YESSSS
Listening to his big influences like the misfits and smashing pumpkins really makes sense of a lot of his vocal techniques and pronunciations.
@@finncallahan8994 It really is like if you mashed together Danzig and Corgan, then made them more playful / less uptight
@@finncallahan8994 I have always thought that Corgan was like Gerard Way's older (slightly) more chill brother...they even kinda look alike, and they definitely have similar voices. Just the actual instrument, not necessarily the way they use it.
Makes total sense. Punk’s urge to pass on a message with every song, sentence and even word could definitely explain Gerard’s intentionality.
Its so amazing to see someone on this platform who emphasizes just how talented Gerard Way is. That guy will always be my favorite singer!
I remember seeing “The I’m not Okay” video and was like gobsmacked the whole times.
@@kellymcphaul2793 Right! I first saw the Helena video at the House of Blues when they were the artist of the month. So good!
I was also hooked, but he does struggle live
God I'm glad someone else noticed a connection between Freddie Mercury and Gerard Way. I tend to get super into Queen and MCR around the same time because one always makes me crave the other but I'm not musically literate enough to articulate why they remind me of one another.
ME TOO
ME THREE
Ray Toro’s guitar playing is strongly inspired by Brian May’s too! Ray’s spoken a few times about working to try to replicate May’s tone with his gear and also his style of melody in his beautiful solos. You can really hear it in Not Okay and Black Parade; Ray’s solos sound super super Queen-y. If you haven’t seen it, when they headlined Reading and Brian May came out to play with them, you can actually see Ray’s soul leaving his body with excitement hahaha 😂
@@bree8762 Absolutely, love the performance with MCR & Dr. Brian May doing We Will Rock You!!
Well both Queen and MCR have epic, melodic music and both bands had very theatrical frontmen.
This is what happens when you believe in your message and write with intention. Your vocal ability skyrockets when you do that and it's the biggest gateway to your vocal identity imo
Miku Tobato and Saiki Atsumi of Band-Maid have that quality. Miku writes the majority of the group's lyrics often in colaboration with Saiki . Their songs are usually in a combination of English and Japanese, but mainly in Japanese. But even when the song is entirely in Japanese, each word, each note, is sung laden with meaning and the listener will believe they are understanding the song's meaning, even though they know not a word of Japanese.
Examples: Band-Maid's "About Us", "Page", "Wonderland" or "Daydreaming".
Maybe gerards just gay
THIS!!!!!
@@joedwyer3297😂
I have always noticed this about Gerard Way. I love their songs. Not only because MCR fills me with adrenaline but there is so much emotion, agony, release, idk, There's something in Gerard's voice that gives off power. I love to sing but not in public. Barely even in my own bedroom. I just don't like anyone hearing me sing because I always get a look or comment that's not at all positive. Anyways, Just yesterday in my bedroom, I sang along to Helena by MCR, not so loud but not so low. At this point I have every note/melody engraved in my brain & as I sang I found myself making the same exact expressions as Gerard Way as seen in video. And it felt & sounded so good to my ears. I noticed how special Gerard's singing was in the song "I don't love you". With mcr, there's no trying to sound pretty. All you have to do is feel.
Agree, that's why The Black Parade is one of, if not my favorite album ever. So much agony, resentment, sorrow... No matter how much I listen to it, I always feel that catharsis. Going to their concert in 2022 and screaming the lyrics along with them was one of the best experiences I've had.
Freddy pored everything he had into his songs. Every word was pure emotion.
My mom really started liking MCR few years ago. Queen is one of her favourite bands, and she said that MCR truly sounded to her like it had many influences of Queen. Now I know why
Same with my mother. She loves both revenge and bp albums
Makes sense, the guitar solo in Im not okay reminded me of the one in Bohemian Rhapsody
The thing I love about Gerard and Freddie is how much emotion and feeling they puts into each lyric. You can feel the sorrow in Cancer or the fluctuation of feelings that happens throughout Bohemian Rhapsody, whereas a lot of other singers sort of just try to sound pretty. I feel the same way about the band The Amazing Devil. Both lead singers (Madelaine Hyland and Joey Batey) place such a wide range of feelings into their songs-- you can hear anger or sorrow or joy just dripping off their voices in everything they sing.
The amazing devil never heard of that band? What kind of music is it?
Excellent analysis.
Imho, this is what made Johnny Cash so great. Every note may not be perfectly in tune, but every note IS drenched in genuine emotion.
I totally agree! 🖤 Love Johnny Cash
I'd definitely include singers like Serj Tankian and Julian Casablancas into this conversation. So much character with all of these singers!
I started thinking of Serj right when I stumbled upon your comment. I don’t like SOAD that much but I absolutely agree
My four favourite singers of all time lol
@@bassguitartemis_987 Same!
Chino Moreno?
@@jim9301 Him too for sure! Very distinct voice.
I love to see this recognition for Gerard Ways voice. Not just mcr being a very big hit with emo culture, but that Gerard can sing in a way that many can't. His voice has always been incredible to me, and it wasn't just because of the way it sounded.
There's an old record of my grandpa singing You Are My Sunshine way back in the 1950s. It's hauntingly beautiful because it's outlived him. When I sing for videos I remind myself that that 3-5 minute performance will last forever. It may not get views or carry much significance to the world much like my grandpa's recording, but it's still part of my legacy, and his. So sometimes I strain myself, push too hard, or look stupid or crazy, but I want it to feel like what I'm expressing isn't mine to express, but something universal that I have to give back.
Edit: one last thing that would be unfair to keep to myself. I remember the significance of music both in times of war and in the bleak winter or times of famine. Music isn't just entertainment, it's a universal language that connects people to their emotions and helps them through hard times.
I think about that often, too. I watched an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger about his performance in Conan the Barbarian, and he talks about getting cut up by rocks and bleeding, and after so many takes the director tells Arnold he doesn't have to do it anymore but Arnold says no, this pain is temporary but film is eternal. He wanted to get it just right because that film will always be there after he's long gone.
Man... Well said! I can relate to the 'grandpa recording'. My grandpa a few weeks before he died, started singing "You Are My Sunshine" at our (and his last) Thanksgiving dinner. He never sang earlier in his life... A war vet... Lived an incredible life... and one of the last things he shared with us was his new found singing voice... Talk about an emotional dinner!
@@chrisliepe amazing. It's incredible how many people take their voice to the grave without ever expressing it. I'm glad you got to hear it. It's been many years since I've heard my grandpa's old record, but I'm hoping to one day record a duet with him.
Beautifully said
Beautiful comment, allow it to flow through you and be the messenger 🙏🏻
Yo, I tried to sing I'm not Okay very slowly, note by note, and putting the emotion and the character on every note. What an amazing experience! I instantly understood what you meant, I was able to feel every word and note and I improved a lot the way I used to sing this song. It's always a pleasure to learn something from your videos man, I'm super grateful to be suscribed to your channel. All the best!
Awesome to hear that you got to experience this... It was amazing for me the first time I sang this way too!!
as an avid mcr fan this was really insightful and something i didnt really notice. for example in “the ghost of you”, in the second verse, every word has so many small subtle melismas almost and i love it so much.
Two talents that express emotions with their vocals .. Freddie being The Greatest!! Love My Chemical Romance .. Gerard is amazing!!
I’ve always heard a lot of musical theater in both of their voices. I’m not really sure if that’s their background, or if they just happened upon that sound. But there’s a definite theatricality to their vocal performance that sort of matches the theatricality of their entire stage presence.
I think this is why Meatloaf was so good too. He sang with so much passion and emoted everything so well. You really felt and believed every word he said.
Duuuude, You are absolutely right!!! This three guys have something. Some kind of theatrical demons inside..
Dude, you seriously have one of the best TH-cam channels out there. You don't hide your knowledge behind a paywall and your willingness to show yourself goofing off takes balls.
I've always associated MCR and Queen. Wasn't sure why, but this does make sense to me
I was talking about this the other day! but with Brandon Flowers from the Killers. He doesn't necessarily hit all the notes, in fact he is sharp most of the time. but the way he sings with such power and desperation is what makes him such a great vocalist. thank you for making this video!
Dang, dude. This discovery of intentionality is mind blowing. Guitarists discuss this all the time when they try and explain how B.B. King vs Shredders. Obviously the shredders can play B.B.'s "easier" solos on a technical level. But he puts that same intensity, tone and weight in just one note like you explained with vocals. You win. You gained a new subscriber who is in awe of you
Thanks for the sub! I’m glad you enjoyed the video as much as I enjoyed making it!!
Good comparison sir
Freddie loved classical music and opera. When learning to play classical pieces as kids, they taught us about dynamics and timing. What words, syllables or notes do you emphasize or minimize? Also jazz, swing and blues play with those and bend pitches slightly sharp or flat to add tension or feel more relaxed. Pop producers today remove dynamics, add autotune and quantize the life out of performances.
Music heals the soul, and that’s where it should come from. The most spectacular performers are those that aren’t afraid to lay bare their souls and literally sing their hearts out.
Yes! That makes me think of the Doobie Brothers song "Music is the Doctor" 💃💃💃💃🥰🤟🙌
This is one of the most important, if not the most important lesson you have taught us, Chris. No matter how advanced someone's technique is, nothing counts as much as emotion and feeling. Music is the representation of feelings, not the simple display of skills. It is art, not a sport!
This comment needs to be pinned.
Hardly anyone I know knows about The Juliana Theory. Love is such a masterpiece of music. One of my all-time favorites that I can listen to end to end and there's not a song I want to skip.
I seriously still listen to LOVE all the time. Fantastic album.
It’s encouraging to be in the company of other “Love” lovers !
That's what all of the greatest singers do. Whitney Houston did that. George Michael, James Ingram, and countless others have done this. There are limitless ways and combinations that we can discover in order to create something each time we sing a note. It's not only the notes, but also the way they are linked to together. What is there and what isn't there. We also have a continuum of opposites to play with: soft to loud, dark to bright, legato to staccato, straight tone to vibrato, sliding to the note to starting it dead on the center of pitch, and the list goes on and on. Giving yourself permission to discover the endless possibilities is essential! It's a game-changer.
Snoop Dog has a beautiful voice. Can't rap for shit -- but he can say "one two three to the four" and the crowd will literally die, myself included.
Hey Chris...
"Music isn't just entertainment, it's a universal language that connects people to their emotions and helps them through hard times." Such words of wisdom, thank you Norman...
This is exactly why I like to call Queen and Freddie the "Master Manipulators of Emotion"... they could make you laugh and cry all in one song... from mesmerizing piano playing to awesomely brilliant guitar riffs, they could do it all... blessings.
its not just Gerard and his vocal range its the fact they use poetic metaphorical lyric use and theatrics through out its full of it he made me love music through my teenage years. I hear Bowie as well as Gerard Way has always had a love for David Bowies voice R.I.P to the legendary reinventing himself can never be predicted its like they both came out of the same field.
Nothing can explain this artistry its just pure creativity and art
the end
I’ve always thought this! And just so happens that Freddie and Gerard my two favorite pop/rock singers of all time.
Chris, have you ever listened to In My Defence the FM solo track. Dave Clark (from the Dave Clark 5) produced the track and said that FM recorded 3 takes and they ended up using the full 1st take as he couldnt better it (I believe it is a 1 take as 1st chorus is strong, 2nd a little weaker after some fatigue, 3rd chorus better after the guitar solo break). Anyway, the track was played to Sir Laurence Olivier (famous British actor) who was amazed and stated 'Now that is what you call an actor', referring to his delivery. I think this is exactly what you are getting at in this vid. Have a listen to it.
Bruh you read my mind. I’ve saying to my friend that Gerard and Freddie are examples of literally how they have the it factor that is more then just a good singer.. thank you for this video 🙏🏾
You're so very welcome!
Thank you. Bohemian Rhapsody and Black Parade are intrinsically linked in my head.
i think its hearing the inhales of the vocals, its very expressive and has such a human quality to it
i think that has something to do with it too....
while listening to the explanation here, i kept thinking of Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. though he doesn't sound like Gerard & Freddy in a "rock" sense, I've always felt that he sang EVERY note "in it's own story". I've listened to the way Rob sings words specific words in some of his songs & thought "🤔 why did he sing it like that...idk many singers that would've pronounced that so uniquely, but it works" (like he was explaining here, playing with each part of every word). Then your comment tied it all together for me. Rob uses a lot of breaths inside words that change that word truly differently. so that makes sense.
think: "Back To Good"...."hi was thi-hin-kin íf h-you hwer lo-anly" strange & beautiful.
I think this is why my dad, a Queen fan, really liked My Chem's music, particularly The Black Parade album
This is why I'm so glad I started singing when I started to really get into MCR. Gerards delivery really sunk into my mind and that method of singing felt natural to me. And in no way do I sing like Gerard, but I knew what it meant to really feel every word. It's almost like, it's no longer singing. It's a verbal construction of sonic stories 😂
They didn't have fear. They didn't care if they sounded funny. They were not self conscious. They had that freedom!
Time and time again it goes to show that the little things are what matter the most
I love this video Chris. Thank you for sharing the secret to IT. Every singer should watch this video and take in deeply all that you are saying. It is also what you are saying in all your videos and courses. You have accomplished taking the IT of singing, and able to bring it out of your students. I am one who has experienced this because of you. Simply Amazing!!! Thank you Chris. You’re amazing!!! More than just a vocal coach.
It’s exactly what I find about Tori Amos in her first three albums. Each sound is so deliberate and so crafted, it’s completely hypnotising and it’s incredible how she was able to do that both in the studio and live. All of her album Boys for Pele is a good example. You end up greedily lapping up every single note and breath of hers, because it has so much colour to it.
🤮 ... Growing up in the 90s there was way too much Tori Amos being constantly played .... It seemed every girl's car had one of her tapes permanently installed into the tape deck and it got so old. Her interviews are hilarious too ... she's got an extremely soothing way of speaking but the stuff she says is so pretentious. Makes me glitch a little.
@@Fiveash-Art putting her personality and how much she was played in the 90s aside, I recommend listening to some of her vocals from particularly the third album, she is a highly skilled musician and her attention to details as well as a the ability to craft every note she sings is incredible.
@@FrootKat I've heard plenty of her music and I know she's 'highly skilled' .. she's still annoying ... Easy on the eyes though.
@@FrootKat Met her at a restaurant in Amsterdam once. I just happened to sit a table next to her and my stepdad who worked there introduced us, and we ended up talking the entire dinner. Her personality was kinda like you describe her craft, really nice woman!
@@genjimm whooa, that’s very cool! I’d love to meet her one day and just pick her brain 😃
my two favorite singers of all time. you truly put it into words why i’ve always found their voices, as you put it, so “interesting”
Yes! So happy to see Juliana Theory Love mentioned. It’s one of my favorite albums of all time.
Mine too!
What’s not to love about “Love”?
This is awesome - it's exactly how my mate and I approach singing... Sing what "feels" right for the words/sounds you are singing and the connection you have will drive the end result. Love it!!
I feel this way about Max Bemis of Say Anything. I feel like what all three singers have in common is the NEED to just "go for it"- embrace awkwardness, tap into the emotion of the lyric, and pull out the theater and drama within them. This is a great analysis!
Chris Liepe always inspires us to improve our singing and to believe in our own voice. Thank you, sir 🙏
I believe it’s the passion and emotion they out into their songs, music, storytelling, lyrics and facial expression. Don’t be afraid to go all out when singing. If you ever watch Gerard way recording songs in the studio, live or even in his music videos as he sings you can see him moving his body and having vigorous facial expressions. Even the other band members are full of passion, Which I think is truly the secret and truly amazing. ✨ I aspire to be like this. ✨
Great advice! Freddie Mercury was the master of expression, every word he sang often had some type of expression. You can sing with perfect technique, but singing is suppose to be an expression of the music. This is also exactly what opera singer Montserrat Caballe' said about Freddie Mercury's singing. Even in opera singing is about expression and emotion, opera singers spent years on learning perfect technique, but the best opera performances are about expression and not technique. They receive masterclasses in expression alone. People can actually learn a lot of from opera in this regard. It is not so much about hitting notes perfectly, it is about expressing the correct emotion within the music. Music is art, and emotional. I suggest everyone should check out Franco Corelli, one of the best tenors of all time, with an incredible voice and great expression. This is what Montserrat Caballe said about Freddie Mercury: "His technique was astonishing. No problem of tempo, he sang with an incisive sense of rhythm, his vocal placement was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from a register to another. He also had a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or energetic and slamming. He was able to find the right colouring or expressive nuance for each word."
Opera singers understand the value of expression.
So cool to hear you talk about some of these Emo bands, especially Julianna Theory...
Lots of my youth spent feeling it all to those albums.
I was never really into emo, but “Love” was a stand out.
Excellent video!
On Gerard Way: The way he moves within and bends a note, how he embraces dissonance and inflections for different characters within the narrative, etc. is irregular, unpredictable and incredibly satisfying, always bringing an image of cracked leather to mind. I had never thought of him as an accomplished singer (Though I adore his music.) until I started to see accomplished singers cover him on TH-cam. They usually strike me as soulless, unnecessary covers...because they don't have *that thing* you explain so well here.
I think that the "Morrissey in a Metal Band" esthetic of My Chem (And Juliana Theory) was most common in the post-hardcore scene of the late 90's/early 00's - with wildly ranging degrees of success. Gerard's vision, vulnerability and extra-vocal artistry rendered him in entirely his own class.
When I first watched this video, I was like, "Duh that just makes sense." That being said it stuck with me, and I started paying more attention and found I was "slacking" on some syllables. I paid attention and applied the logic, and while I'm still not much of a singer, I noticed the difference and improvement. It turned out to be great advice. I had to go through my history to make sure I thanked you for this. Thank you for this. ;)
I always thought this!!! For so long. It’s so nice to hear it put into words. When I look at some of my favorite singers they have this ability. Also I notice Robert Plant does this as well too. I think singing this way creates an overall better impact and adds more emotion to the song. The song than feels like more complete and has more purpose/intention.
I hear this in Devin Townsends voice too, has always reminded me of Freddie Mercury, doesn’t sound like him, just the vibe
I was thinking the same thing about Devin Townsend.
Wow,thanks a lot.i did not know what people heard in my older recordings , it was not just jounger
.i will investigate/feel it out.but you definitively have something here.
This is the best singing advice I've ever heard. For real.
Nobody's voice has as much charm as Freddie's does I don't care what anyone says
Bruce Dickinson is another singer who has amazing dynamics of tone and delivery within phrases. I've been bingeing Maiden and Robert Plant's solo career the past month or two. I appreciate Plant more and more and more all the time.
Bruce is my favorite
@@etcwhatever Freddie Mercury is my all-time favorite but Bruce is awful darn close. Easily one of the most impressive voices of our time. And he does it year after year, tour after tour.
Your voice Chris is unbelievable.
Thank you!!
You are correct. I'm deaf. My type of deafness is neurological and was a progressive loss. They knew I was going to be deaf. I started to memorize music the best I could. When I would go to the grocery store with my family, or just go; I would read the music magazines. Gerard listed Queen as influence. 🥰🤟🙌💃 I still "hear" by vibration and I LOVE music! 💃💃💃💃
This is a brilliant and simple breakdown of what we can do with our voices. How to add fire and excitement as well as emotion when singing is so vital.
Great video, as a singer and music lover of pretty much all genres, the delivery of the lyrics that send waves of emotion straight into your head and heard cannot be overemphasized. Two of my faves, Chris Cornell's voice in " Like a Stone " beckons sensuously from the first note to the heart wrenching last word. Takes you on a mysterious musical journey. "Cold" by Chris Stapleton..live, just raw and painfully beautiful. I hope one day to bring just a tiny piece of that feeling out in my voice ‼ You have to be wide open and unafraid to get to that place.
Ohhhhh The Juliana Theory!!!! Brings back sooooo many wonderful memories
That's what I hear when I listen to Jeff Buckley.
Every note he sings is an entire universe.
It really is mesmerizing !
Pat Benatar has the same ability, to create the whole Universes around the notes.
I love how you are not afraid to post this stuff , it's informative but also funny lol takes courage which is awesome
Great video!! Digging that PRS Single cut with those soap bar pups in it also! 🤘🤘🤘
You’re good at teaching and keeping my attention.
As a long time fan of The Julianna Theory. I can't believe you brought them up.
LOVE is still one of my favorite albums. One of those projects where so many amazing sounds and performances came together!!
@@chrisliepe it's an amazing album and to see and hear what he's doing now. INCREDIBLE. I know you're into the harsher vocals, have you ever heard his more metal screams? If you haven't heard of them check out the band Zao. Brett was with them in the early days before TJT and did some harsh vocals as well.
@@lyndonchamberlin I never made the connection between Brett and Zao. I’ll need to go back and give them another listen now.
YES!! GERARD HAS IT! WHY DON’T PEOPLE APPRECIATE GERARD FOR BE SUCH A GOOD SINGER! HE’S SO AMAZING
Non-judgemental experimentation is definitely where it's at. I've used to do this "one note challenge" with my guitar when I was trying to figure out how these minimalistic and yet so expressive blues solos work. Time to do it all over again with my voice. xd
I live in an apartment building, so I just have to bite the bullet and live with the fact that yeah, people hear me when I do shit xd
I am practicing during times when it's acceptable to perform renovations so I'm not noise polluting, but it sure heckin' feels like it lmao
Its like you level up, knowing this concept alone cool vid! :D
Beautifully put !
I feel like a lot of those expressive and almost "performative" vocal choices may come to life after touring extensively. It's instant feedback. You find out what you can REALLY do when tested on stage in front of a crowd for 30 minutes or an hour+. Your stamina and range get tested like crazy. And these two legends were/are showmen in the greatest sense, so they became who and what they became.
Huge Juliana Theory fan from way back. Thanks for giving some exposure to an underappreciated band!!
One of the most under appreciated
Great to see all the Juliana Theory fans representing here !
All your videos have super helpful for me. But this one was the most transformative for me. I take this approach and apply it to when I'm listening to music. Instead of singing along with the song( like I usually do) listen and then every few lines I fuck around with putting more/less emotion and volume etc. Into.
I watched this whole video with my jaw DROPPED
Chris, YES! This is what I have always aimed for. Though I am, at best,a social, recreational singer for myself and family/friends. Every song I sing,even in the car, every note, every expression, every inhale and exhale, they ALL matter! THIS is the pinnacle!
THANK YOU! What you do, your open mindedness, and your ability to put yourself there first and then discuss, this is invaluable to your audience! Those of us who are interested and also strive. You are a motivator, and mentor my friend. Keep it up!
As they say in the Canadian Navy, Bravo-Zulu!
P.S. The two singers that I have always admired most and whose expression(s) I try to emulate in all I sing: Ronnie Van Zant (Skynard); Freddie Mercury; and Brent Smith (Shinedown).
Cheers!
That was some powerful wisdom right there!
Omgosh yes! You totally articulated this perfectly!
Dude, this guy started trying to find “his voice” by BEAUTIFULLY singing one line in a thousand different ways better than I ever could. If the guy sounds even better than that now he must sound like a damn angel.
We need a blooper reel video of all of your outtakes and funniest vocal moments!
They are out there. Haha. People have compiled them and put them out in their channels :)
IT is the nuance in an interesting vocalists performance.
As a guitarist it’s the difference between playing a note straight and sliding into it, hammering on, or providing a swell for emphasis.
The same applies to every instrument.
Knowing when you should or shouldn’t is also very important. You can go out and melt people’s faces but if you lack nuance or become too nuanced people won’t stay as engaged. The ear wants repetition and something it can identify as normal or familiar; but that gets really boring really fast. Nuance subverts that expectation and draws the listener back in. On the flip side, if all you do is nuanced then the expectation becomes that; so your best bet is to pull back for emphasis.
Having IT is finding that sweet spot between redundancy and subverting expectations; as well as judiciously utilizing all of the skills you have to keep people engaged.
This makes so much sense now. Freddie (Queen) was may favorite band/artist growing up until my chem happened and they’ve been my favorite band/artist for the past 20 years. Crazy. Those two are my favorite singers hands down.
Sounds like my House.....Freddie Mercury is my daughters (20 yrs old) favourite singer and Gerard is loved by my son (27 yrs)...... I am not complaining! I Adore The pixies, Sonic Youth, Joy division & Muse ....They all have the same singing techniques ....Thanks for this....Makes total sense ❤️🇬🇧❤️
Excellent video!
This is an amazing outlook on this. It deals so much more with one's mind, mental state, intention, all of these massively powerful ideas. Never mind just for singing, but in life in general. Thanks for this video Chris
Wow, thanks. This is really cool!
delivering with intention, feeling, depth. all of the yes. i dont even sing but this makes me delighted to see someone notice this and put some words and playful discovery to it to share.
Always solid content from you Chris! Thanks for doing what you do!
Great Thumbnail,... because I clicked! Better Yet,... GREAT VIDEO! Ugh,... you got love when someone points out something that's been staring you in the face for your entire life and you just now realize it. I am so glad you pointed this out,... I probably would have gone the rest of my life never pining it down as well as you did. It is a secret! Wow! you've got a voice,... I'm going to deep dive the channel even though I don't sing,... Thanks for posting and completely blowing up my holiday... I'll be listening vocals differently from here on out for sure... and be whispering under my breath yea but, they don't know the secret. LOL... Thanks again,!
Charisma, authenticity in passion, and talent goes a long way.
Woah, glad i watched this, its actually really cool! What a great observation
Great insight sir which captures a massive image
2 of my favorite singers, excellent video, it suprised me that someone made a video about these two
So happy to find this video. An honestly incredible and true comparison between these two vocalists.
Upon becoming a vocalist when I grew up, and as a kid listening, I was always amazed with the vocal phrasing of Gerard way. I genuinely feel that he's one the best to ever do it. And characteristically very similar to the legend of Freddie Mercury.
Super informative video.
thank you so much! impressive idea for a vocal
Dude… how long has this little gem been hidden away!? Sensible, …i can really use this.. i think many of us can!
video is only a couple days old :) Glad you liked it and found it useful!
This man is insane and I love it
This mindset applies to playing musical instruments too. (Not just singing) It was described to me many years ago as the "love every note" principle.
Apart from vocal technique, the way you present what you have to say is so amazing