One of my students was still wondering after 10 years of training what type of voice she was. Every teacher she went to told her something else. Some gave her multiple answers, changing them with time. Oh, the confusion, the self doubts and the time wasted… Here is the problem: it is very easy to get this wrong. Even for a voice teacher [...] continue to the article -> singwell.eu/find-your-voice-type
Hi, I’d love to see your reaction to Hexenlied by Katja Moslehner, I don’t know if you’ve heard it yet, but I'd like to know what do you think about her voice. th-cam.com/video/0EJYhpW0NGo/w-d-xo.html
Great article Linor! The guy who replaced Freddy and honour him, is Adam Lambert. A previous light operasinger on Broadway, tenor and also, a rock singer with Madonna's guitarist in a band together. Please react to him. Some say he is the most talented singer in the world. He is amazing with range and tone. m.th-cam.com/video/ab5YLPc7r-Q/w-d-xo.html
Another compelling breakdown Linor. It's so interesting hearing an expert's take on such a legend as Freddie. He is and always will be the best. Thankyou Linor. x
Could you analyze or just react to Freddie's live performance of 'You take my breath away'? It was still early in his career and I think it gives an interesting look into how his style and voice developed over the years
His natural voice was baritone but he could go down to a very high bass at times and yet he could also sing Tanner whereas Rodger Taylor with a countertenor and a tenor because he had these awesome falsettos, which he and Freddie bounced off of each other during concerts to help save Fred's voice. Most of the songs that Brian May wrote for Freddie to sing we're in the tenor range which were higher than Freddy's natural voice but Fred didn't have any problem singing them. Rodger Taylor could sing like an angel and in the earlier years around 73 they did a live show" lap of the Gods" and if you ever can look up Roger Taylor's Angelic voice for " lap of the Gods" you'll hear a tip of it and it is beautiful!! It is the most beautiful song I've ever heard sing live with Freddie a little bit of Brian, and quite a bit of Roger as well.
I feel the best is either Greg Lake (check out "In The Wake of The Poseidon" by King Crimson) or Roger Daltrey (check out "Love Reign O'er Me" by The Who)
We all know the greatness of Freddies voice but what's not talked about enough is the brilliance of his song writing and composing. Truly one of the greats that's very missed.
Exercises in Free Love shows his highest notes, late in his career. It’s a demo he did for Montserrat & he was singing her part. The demo eventually became the duet “Ensueno” (edited for typos)
Yes, that would be marvelous, it is such a WONDERFUL song. - I enjoy her reacts so much because of her own knowledge and experience in the world of voice. Let's hope she reads our comments soon!
Freddie's speaking voice may have been lower than his typical singing voice, but even then he clearly sounds like a tenor to me. The impression that he was a baritone may come from his having a very relaxed/soft way of speaking (wich would lead him to lean towards the lower part of his register) but a real baritone's speaking voice would be a lot deeper. Then, he had a range and depth that allowed him to still sound good in lower notes, or even make not-so-low notes sound very deep and rich (the Elvis-like singing in Crazy Little Thing Called Love, another Queen song that shows the beauty of his lower range while still being for the most part a tenor song).
His natural voice was supposed to be a baritone but he could go lower than that and he could go higher than that easily and Roger's countertenor was the best I've ever heard in my life. Fred can go easily from baritone to high tenor running up and down stairs and across the stage with no problem. Lmbo! If you haven't seen it and you want something to laugh about you must see the video with queen and that darned penguin that they put beside or in between rather Roger and Fred. 😂😂😂 I don't want to give anything away but it was the funniest video I've ever seen those four men do and it was from 1991
@Ken D Both Freddie and Roger had very good falsettos. Roger's falsetto was better in the 70's, but he lost his high falsetto in 1979. Freddie's falsetto was better in the 80's. In the 80's Freddie did all of the high falsetto notes.
How can you categorise Freddie's voice? lol. The man was an absolute freak of nature, his voice was so flexible and he pushed it wherever he wanted to take it. I've read so much conflicting information about what type of voice he had, from Montserrat Caballe saying that she wanted him to sing in more of his "natural baritone" when they were doing Barcelona, to listening to his earlier stuff (like "White Queen - As It Began" from 1976 at the Odeon) where he is positively ethereal, and then from Live Aid where he sang in spite of having some sort of throat infection (I think) so wouldn't have been anything like his normal voice. I agree with the other commenters who have said we should put Freddie's voice where it belongs in a category of its own, "MERCURY". I've been singing for almost 50 years and I've never heard another voice quite like his - his use of subharmonices and the false vocal cords is also inspiring and gives me chills to hear.
Ele era barítono. Poucas pessoas sabiam deste fato, mas ele também cantava ópera. Montserrat Caballé revelou essa informação em um documentário, inclusive os dois chegaram a cantar uma ária de ópera juntos, um dueto de La Traviata.
According to Montserrat he was a baritone th-cam.com/video/LiRHpdVI15w/w-d-xo.html He of course had both ranges, baritone and tenor; his timbre was very different from a "typical" baritone, I'd say.
Absolutely love your videos especially when you analyze Freddie he’s my all time favourite singer and performer. What he would have done with more time...so missed by many
Thanks for revisiting Queen. These 2 videoes 10 years apart and the effect of aids Of course effected his voice. Try listening to Freddie on the poor quality of AM radio back in the 70s and ,80s like us Queen first generation. Because this man's voice shone out through the radio interference, static and squelch of iffy radio reception. As far as his voice type: it was what he wanted when he wanted. I suggest this is as a new voice category: MERCURY
I think that in every possible way that people get into petty arguments over on the internet - voice type, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc, he deserves a class of his own. There's FREDDIE MERCURY, and then there's everybody else. (This logic most likely stands for David Bowie as well. Not as good a singer as Freddie, but a fucking genius in his own respective ways.)
Christie, I'll never forget the first time I heard Another One Bites The Dust. It was on pop radio, through a horribly cheap portable deck, and yes there was static. I don't know HOW it's possible, but it's as if they made music and played/sang for maximum impact through spotty reception. Brilliant
@@billbillbillbill9457 who else would you place in the Mercury category? I'm totally switching gears and putting Patsy Cline in that category. She was rooted in country music (she could yodel beyond compare) but she was also country musics first cross over artist according to Billboard. Don't judge her on "Crazy" alone, her catelogue of music is epic and no one can copy her though many have tried.
Your explanation is very clear even for a guy who doesn't know nothing about singing like me. Congratulations!!! Love Queen & Freddie since I was 3 years old! Freddie is the best...!
He sounds different in the 90s, 80s and 70s because in the 70s he was younger and his voice was still fresh and, well trained but not fully developed yet but he sang higher most of the time. In the 80s, he started smoking which makes the voive lower and more gravely but, his voice was becoming more developed and he still sang higher, it just sounded a but less clear. Btw, when I say higher, I mean like alto-soprano, not just tenor, thats how impressive he was lol. In the 90s his voice was thinning because of his illness, but he stopped smoking and started doing a lot of opera and things like that which made his voice very nice an strong. I think that was when he reached his peak. Imagine how impressive it would have been if his voice wasn't thinning tho! This is just my opinion. Not trying to contradict you!
In the nineties, he didn't stop smoking and "doing a lot of opera". He died in 1991. But he did record with Queen that year and his voice was extremely high and pristine because he had stopped smoking in 1989. A doctor told him before Christmas of 1989 that if he stopped smoking and drinking he might live longer. But he also told his housemates in secret that he probably wouldn't make it to Christmas. He stopped smoking and cut way down on vodka and lived two more years almost making it to Christmas of 1991. I do think his next goal would have been to take on opera because of his love of a big challenge and Tim Rice said that they had talked about doing a musical together. What a shame we'll never experience them.
You only have to look at the different comments on Mercury's voice to see he was almost classless..his range was incredible and his voice was just something else, it's no wonder he is and always will be held with the highest regard..simply the best
Something to take into consideration is that Freddie's voice changed a lot over the years. Ironically his voice at its best before he died, around 1987-1991. Most of those studio recordings were only done in 3 takes. He didn't have the energy for countless takes. His voice became deeper and more powerful over time.
@@zelsha 100% not. There's not a hint of baritone in his instrument. If you wanna hear a real baritone listen to Ed Ames in pop or Cornell Macneil in opera...
Kaji, I think you didn't get that I was referring to what Montserrat was saying. Beside that : *Baryton Martin* I'm what we call a *baryton martin* the same as Freddie. There are different kinds of Baryton(subtypes) and you probably mixing it up with vocal range or/and Baryton's subtype. Freddie used to have a very good range who can misslead people. Also Freddie himself said he preferred singing in the tenor's range because this is what his fans were used to. Singing in another vocal doesn't mean you ARE that type of voice. *baryton Martin* is light and tenorish but not as deeper like the depper and more powerfull Heldenbariton. *Different type of Baryton* You referred Ed Ames right? My voice is higher but I'm NOT a tenor (IRL singing teachers and musicians as reference). I can sing that low but lower will be difficult for me. Freddie's lowest note was what, an F2 on record without losing his voice quality. The same for me. Thing like this can be trained, but Tessitura is still Tessitura. *Tessitura* You need to listen to his talking voice, then find his low and high voice without losing the quality of his normal voice(no falsetto) to understand that. This has nothing to do with range. What Raz63 was referring to was the fact that Montserrat spend a lot of time with Freddie and they ended up as very close friends. Singing together all night using the piano, she realized he WAS Baritone. They even made an Album together. Kaji, I can see you're trying to help. Just be careful about sharing fake information as this can mislead people. Ed Ames is a great example for a Baryton. But Baryton type is very diverse and common male voice. Freddie and Ed are Baryton example, just not the same subtype. I'm curious, what made you said : There's not a hint of baritone in his instrument?
@@zelsha fake information? It is fake information to call him a baritone based on a fallacy of appealing to a false authority: montserrat caballe. She was an operatic soprano who was not PEDAGOGICALLY educated, she has produced zero baritone singers. Not to mention she was confused because Freddie was a rock singer. Freddie was most certainly a tenor, there is no "baryton martin", that is a specific construction that came from the FRENCH school and was simply made of mostly tenors or some baritones singing in a lighter, brighter tone. But in the italian school, this was not a real thing. freddie's speaking voice was high. The only people that think he had a low speaking voice are people with high speakign voices. I am a baritone and a teacher and his speaking voice was high, period. If he was trained operatically he would be around a spinto tenor. Stop appealing to a false authority like Caballe's opinion, it means nothing. If you knew anything about baritones in opera you'd know the greatest operatic baritones were mostly taught by actual baritone teachers, like Antonio Cotogni. Again, caballe was just a famous opera singer but she was a soprano and NOT a teacher.
Freddie to me was a Baryton Martin with a great range who was training by himself using singers like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, etc. Then, he started looking for other singing style to perfect himself. People often mix Baryton Martin with low tenor but you can hear it in the quality of the voice (low, mid, high). That guy was incredible no matter what.
4 ปีที่แล้ว +20
Fred did a full album with Monserrat Caballe, it is a master album.
When Monsarrat Caballet started working with Freddie she was surprised to hear his speaking voice. She was only familiar with his Queen recofrdings. As they worked together she got him to use his baritone voice more. She said that if he'd trained for opera he'd have been one of the best baritones ever.. She should know!.On their album Barcelona, he sings so beautifully. I especially enjoy How Can I Go On? , Guide Me Home and Ensueno. It's all lovely. There are also a great interview of them together in Spain and interviews with her talking about him and their friendship. They wanted to do Phantom of the Opera together, but weren't able to due to his declining health. She recorded a song from it and played it to him over the phone..
For me he's a Tenor he sings in the Tenor range Comfortably he even hits sixth octaves notes not something you would expect from a baritone. He does have good control on his lower notes and his speaking voice is low so maybe that helps. Either way he has a crazy range something like four octaves F2-F6 apparently.
I was watching and noticed that Freddie made a vocal distinction between 2 words, "spine" @12:18-19 and "all" @12:20-21 and how they are vocalized differently for emphasis. Notice that @12;28-29, his voice quivers, in pitch, and slightly, on the word ""spine" (making me think of a "quivering spine," somewhat like in the cartoons) to show how shivers make a sick person "shake" via his use of vocal vibrato, then @12:20-12, the next vocal line, when the word "all" is sung non-vibrato but is smoothly streeeeeeetched beginning about @12:20 and forward to stress that it is everyone, no variation, no exception, but alllllllll = no vibrato -- no quivering - that is left behind Genius.
Truly thankful for your take on the matter of voice classification. I worked in opera and artsong for a while, but I eventually abandoned it as a career because of what I perceived to be intense hang-ups on voice classification. I simply didn't fit into any of the neat boxes that casters in that world have to put singers into, and this is common for lots of singers to encounter. It's of course completely obvious that everyone sounds different, even from others considered to have the same voice type. And there are preconceived notions of what certain opera roles (for instance) should sound like because of some classic recording or well known singer whose performance of that role was loved. Unfortunately this seems to lead to hearing undifferentiated performances of various works that seem to get stale as the years pass.
I have just discovered your channel. I love it already. I am not a good singer but my daughter is. I have shown her some of your vids and she really enjoyed them and took something useful from each. I was trying to work out if you were Italian or Spanish but now I know you are not either, and that we share a heritage. Best wishes to you and yours.
Nice to see you back in the react seat, I very much enjoy your videos, your knowledge and experience that you impart to us makes us appreciate Freddie even more. Now we know that there are five male voice ranges: bass, baritone, tenor, contra-tenor, and Mercury. Freddie took no formal singing lessons, he was self-taught and was able to discover his capabilities on his own, like a brilliant piano who plays by ear, You probably know that he had many throat troubles throughout his career, including polyps, but kept on going, not wanting to disappoint us, his fans. I love the live singing most, I find his little voice breaks and quirks endearing. They are part of what makes him so special. And I don't mind when you stop the video, because you are explaining things to us.
Mercury was phenomeno,for example if u listen one of his earliest recordings in 1969 he sounds like a girl so soft, light, high pitched voice,but then on the other hand in harmonizing vocals in bohrhap and somebody to love where he sings lower register he sounds like not even baritone,he sounds like some bass-baritone, i was so amazed with that lower register
Thank you so much. I’m literally listen queen for hole my live and thanks to you I know how special Freddie was. I mean I know that but I look differently and see more thanks to you. Please more queen 😍
I don't normally watch reaction videos, but I find yours excellent because they're based on insight. As a musician, I appreciate the passion and knowledge you bring to your videos. You're obviously a highly skilled musician yourself, and it's great that you share your knowledge and love of music. It's infectious. I have a feeling that you might find Eva Cassidy's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow very interesting. Thank you for sharing your love of music!
I agree with every word you said. It’s very common for people to claim he was a barato ne who often sang out of that range, but I agree. I think he’s more of a tenor who also had a nice smooth resonance in lower notes.
In his earlier performances his voice was much sweeter? flexible and to my uneducated ear higher. Not to say he didn’t manipulated it. Three examples are White Queen , You Take My Breath Away and Melancholy Blues. All three I believe are from a concert at the Odeon Hammersmith. The first two are outstanding & will make u cry. For your own pleasure and/or analysis I’d recommend you listen to them. This is very young Freddie in the beginning of Queen’s journey.
Agreed, he was more of dramatic tenor. Dramatic tenors can sing a few lower notes as well. Most tenors in popular music are more lyric tenors with very light voices. Dramatic tenors have more powerful voices. The only other more dramatic tenors I can think of in popular music, is Ronnie James Dio and Tom Jones. I think that is part of the reason why normal tenors who tend to do Queen covers often don't sound good in the middle ranges of the songs.
**Zenobia** I’m a tenor though I can go as low as a C2 and as high as a D6 in falsetto. To go as low as that though it’s a bit of a strain to hold it comfortably but it’s possible. Freddie was said to be a baritone but was able to push notes at the higher registers with lots of control, he was an incredible talent
@@KajiVocals Yes, both Roger Taylor and Brian May were tenors as well. Out of the three Freddie's voice was the best in the lower ranges. That is why he often did the low harmonies, when they harmonized. Freddie didn't often use his lower register in songs directly. There are some better examples on the Barcelona album. But that is part of the reason why he was probably a tenor and not a baritone. People only get confused because he could sing the lower notes with good resonance. These are better examples of Freddie singing in a more lower register: th-cam.com/video/fqC0hyRrYNI/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/2XFq9KtsVb4/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/DOySL4GYaDY/w-d-xo.html (Although with the last one I would say that Freddie is still singing in the tenor range, it is just the lower end of the tenor range. He also sings in a operatic fashion which sounds heavier and more full.
I always enjoy your technical analysis and passion you put always into them. I always leave your videos learning something new. Queen and Freddie are one of my favourite band/singer ever so I am really grateful for this. I just listened to Ulisse from Aida G. and Dimash, hope you break it down soon cause it`s gorgeous.
his high notes are really well shown in the demo of ‘Exercises in Free Love’ - where he sang Montserrat’s soprano parts -, Impromptu live at Wembley, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (not live), My Fairy King, if you’d want to listen to those. and would you consider reacting to roger’s and Brian’s voices?
Hello Linor - Have you heard Freddie sing The Golden Boy with Monserrat Caballe? Montserrat felt Freddie was a baritone and asked him to sing one of their songs in his “natural voice”. What are your thoughts on that?
Hi Linor! First if all amazing video! Secondly, I just wanted to tell you there’s a TH-cam channel called Marc Ajax, he analyzes (mostly) Queen/Freddie music, voices etc, and there are a few videos where he names one of the best times Freddie sang live or when Freddie hits the notes live exactly like the recorded version! I just though maybe you could check them out and maybe you can analyze some of the less common shows, which are very underrated 😊❤️
Linor: So that's why you shouldn't rush to classify your voice type. Me: Oh hey, looks like I'm a bass-baritone after all - thanks for the tip. -- Seriously though: I spent like 15 years trying to be the lowest low bass, then I woke up a bit and I've spent the subsequent 5 years exploring the bass-baritone hypothesis. Do still sing bass rep for fun though, and I'm finally starting to put some work into my countertenor range.
I loved the way how you did (or could 😀) not stop the song but just when Brian finished the Bohemian Rhapsody guitarsolo...By the way I really enjoyed your analysis of Freddy's amazing voice and the whole video!! Thank you!
Gosh it was funny that right after that you actually say it how some of us complain about you stopping it sometimes while he 's doing solos...haha I would not have complained though but I do respect that You let it fly till the end.👍🏼
You are a voice coach and I am not a singer so I respect your advanced knowledge on the subject. Coming from my perspective I see things differently than you. (1) You say Freddie's voice couldn't do something so he sang it this way or that way. I would never assume it was because he couldn't do something especially with HIS voice. I see it as he chose for the sound to be the way he chose. I think the fluctuation or unexpected note made the music more interesting and provided depth. (2) his speaking voice being different than his singing voice.... singing - it's by design .... speaking - I think it changed based on his energy at any given moment. I feel he was deep when he was calm and relaxed and the more excited about a topic or speed in which the conversation was progressing the higher it would go - so for me he probably had a natural deep register yet so often he naturally spoke softly starting higher so he was just all over the place not wanting to be pegged down hahaha (3) other pieces that would be interesting to study for determining his register and capabilities ... three come to mind with one honorable mention. 1st Cool Cat is so high compared to I'm Going Slightly Mad it takes me a moment to remember it's the same person singing. 2nd White Queen (from live at the Odeon) I just love how he empties his lungs and uses his reserve to push out the 'Ohh' (after 'she cannot see'). 3rd the haunting sound he makes as he sings the line 'be not gone' in Teo Torriatte (OMG) and that honorable mention the studio recording of LIAR when he sings liar three times that last one so high so soft (in live performances he chooses to go guttural and growly) love both styles. UPDATE = also his most powerful is Who Wants to Live Forever live at Wembly in 86 Friday night's performance (he lifts up on his toes at one point) it's the one where Brian is the freeze frame image on TH-cam. It's not the most correctly sung performance but it IS the most PASSIONATE and I've never seen him open his mouth any wider or use his lip muscles in singing so significantly (while his mouth is open so wide) and then shortly after that he uses his vibrato like no other person can do like Freddie did. I've also noticed his voice sounds different as he aged. For instance, 'Somebody to Love' in the studio (used for the official video with him in the pink/green/black floral print shirt) his voice sounds YOUNGER than it does when he sings it in 81 and later in live performances. I found that VERY INTERESTING. Can young/old be descriptive variables in a study of a person's singing voice?
Hi , If you want to hear Freddie's voice in baritone register you must to hear song called "Ensueño" is from Barcelona Album (with Montserrat Caballe (and also that song is in Spanish) so is a new experience x2
Thank you Linor, really interesting video! Could IT Be possible to hear your reaction to Freddies Exercises in Free Love? Piece is about his classical style of singing. I just love IT:)!
From my point of view, Freddie was a very powerful and colorful baritono. With that much talent that he could sound very comfortable in a tenor voice. I've always noticed that so called low voices such as baritone or bass singers would often have the cleanest falsetto. Freddies falsetto was exactly like that. Listen to the one he nails in the live versions of Somebody to love, and in the studio version of insueño. Look at the russian bass voices, including the oktavists, they can actually reach better falsettos than the male tenor voices. I think (its my own theory so im just basing on singing experience) that they got such a high control of the air, and such raw power that they can have both powerful and controlled falsettos. Freddie had it, and added to that a nearly non existent break between his chest and head voice. While most of the people would praise him for his tenor rock n roll gravel voice, i would definitely insist on his absolutely wonderful speaking voice, and his amazing ability to control his head voice. In late songs such as Dont Try So Hard, you just cant tell what voice he is using when he goes up. He never failed one low note. Nor a head voice note. Thats a good start to be an amazing singer.
If you can sing Bohemian Rhapsody in B-flat, sing notes like G4/A-flat4 and B-flat4 and still sound so low in your voice compared to a tenor (which sounds about a quarter higher), then the answer is simple: he was a baritone. BUT, he had a great technique.
Or he was more of a dramatic tenor. Dramatic tenors have more weight to their voices and they can usually sing with weight in the lower register as well. That being said, it is true, his voice could often still sound very low on high notes.
Love watching your videos about Freddie's voice, really love many of your reactions after hearing some great moments during a song! I'm a fan of Queen but I wonder what your opinion is on George Michael's voice overall but more on Geoge Michael singing Queen's Somebody to love during The Freddie Mercury Tribute 1992. I loved Geoge Michael's version and thought he was the greatest act of that night! Would love to see and hear your opinion on that if it's possible..........someday. Thank you for your great videos on Freddie's voice!
He definitely had a full bodied voice like the piano forte he played he could put icing on the cake when he wanted to. From what I remember Roger had the highest voice in the band but was somewhat more strained. Freddie was in control and whenever he had a limitation he adapted in such a way no one would ever question his intent. He was singing in such a great group too which I think pushed him as well as he pushing the others.
The song is from Queen's 14 th Studio Album Innuendo released in March 1991 Nine months later Freddie died Even in his last days his voice was so powerful and melodius
It has been said that Freddie’s voice, though untrained, had a range of almost four octaves, which is pretty special. You can get a sense of what he could do with such a wonderful instrument from the recording of the live show at Wembley, in 1986, where he challenges the audience to follow him through one of his vocal exercises. Even then, it is worth remembering that he limited his range during tours, to save his voice. It’s also worth listening to the last thing he ever recorded, where the quality of his voice shines through, even though he was only weeks away from the end of his life.
He was a natural baritone, but was very comfortable in the tenor range. He also had a nearly 4 octave range. As a singer his range increased over his career. Many of his earlier tracks he sang higher notes in falsetto, but by the late '70s he was singing his upper range in full voice, with full power. His technique had improved immensely. Too, when you listen to tracks from the Innuendo album, like Don't Try So Hard, his voice though somewhat thinner, still has incredible range and power.
It's not like biology only has 3 types of voices for men. (It's a spectrum, and no, not THAT spectrum.) There are men whose voices are in a lower range, others in higher ranges. The fact that some singers span more octaves than others can tell you even more. Splitting people into just 3-4 groups would suggest that all baritones span the very same range and all tenors span the very same higher range. That's simply not the case. You can either call him a baritone with an extension into the tenor range or a tenor with an extension into the baritone range. Doesn't really matter. His comfortable speaking voice was probably a tad high for a baritone and a little low for a tenor. Problem solved. (The real problem is that the categorisation into 3 types for men is artificial per se.) So if you have difficulty to place your own or some other person's voice into one of the existing categories: Great! It mostly means the person doesn't exactly fit the artificial system. And nothing else.
Patrick Armbruster I agree. There are so many singers that span various ranges. I am a female alto but in choir, I was able to sing with the tenors as well to “fill in” where there were not enough men to compete with all those sopranos, lol. I loved singing with that much range. I also sing a falsetto soprano when necessary. There really is no categorization that all can fall into.
Just wrote this on the official video of the song: "I cannot believe I've never heard this song before!! Actually intro'd to me by Linor, on her voice teacher videos! Best 4.31 minutes of the last year!!
Hello dear, you really need to watch Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - How Can I Go On. His voice here is so beautiful and very powerful. It was Freddie's last live performance and he performed it perfectly. ❤ I would like to see your opinion.
It wasn't really a live performance (just like the "live" videos for "Barcelona". Yes he stood there, but it's quite clearly the studio recording you hear. Sorry to break that to you. And yes, it's a beautiful recording.
That wasn't a live performance, Freddie was sick at the time. His truly last live performance is from 1988, It's In Everyone Of Us, a duet with Cliff Richards: th-cam.com/video/_tv1MIWRW2Y/w-d-xo.html He did sound very good in his last live performance.
I know he didn't sing it live. But it was the last time he performed. His last concert. Montserrat said it in an interview. She said that when he grabbed her hands at the end, she looked at him and saw him cry. She said it was emotional for him, because he knew it was his last time.
Linor I love seeing you do anything with Freddie, u like all of us are in awe of this magnificent human...we appreciate ur analysis and love your girly blushing and your hmmmms..love it all
As an opera singer you may have heard of the band Haggard. In case you haven't imagine a metal lover bangs head to a classic voice and check out one of their live performances like: th-cam.com/video/Zei_x_s5cSA/w-d-xo.html Their combination of metal elements and a soprano "opera singer like" voice is just amazing I think.
This man was dying in the beginning footage you have of him singing. He dies not long after the studio video was made, you really cant judge Freddie's voice @ this part of his life nor compare his voice to earlier footage before he was diagnosed with Aids.
To be fair, if I'm correct, it was recorded back in mid to late 89, so he he still had a somewhat normal body shape/weight. He is very skinny in the video though.
@@ZENOBlAmusic Was that a typo? You must have meant 79 to 81. You know he passed away in 91. His voice was always great but his last couple years 89-91 you definitely hear how much his voice had changed that he didn't have the ability to bellow and use that commanding voice we all knew him for. You can see how AIDS was actually taking a toll on him.I would have to disagree 89-91 was absolutely not his best voice no where near.
@@jasontod5860 I guess it depends on what you would value as being a good voice. Freddie’s voice was good between 1979 - 1982, and he was very good on The Magic tour as well. But he actually sang his highest chest notes notes on the Innuendo album. He really just generally sang higher in the end then he used to sing before. But at the same time, singing high notes alone does not necessarily mean you are singing well. It also partly depends on what you value within someone’s voice. For me personally, I actually prefer Freddie’s voice at it’s most powerful and that is somewhere between 1986 - 1989. Freddie’s voice did lose power near the end.
I know this was 4 years ago. But look for a guy names Michael Spyres, he is an Opera singer, and his voice type is called a Bari-Tenor. He is naturally a Baritone but trained his voice to become a tenor. Maybe this is what Freddie was? Being that he had the capability to sing both baritone and high tenor music. Baritenor or Baritonore is an actual voice type that used to be known in Opera, but as orchestras got bigger the Fach system was created, people used to sing both baritone and tenor pieces of music and do it effortlessly, we have lost that due to this label system we have now.
I'd say in this particular case, it is even more difficult. Mercury's range was pretty extensive if I remember right (almost 4 octaves?). Not unlike Michael Crawford, who also is known for quite a range - but his voice, if I were to place it, would be more baritone.
Montserrat Caballe also daid he was a baritone, but freddie replied that his fans vere accustomed to.hearing him in the tenor range so he had to go.there alot. But its.was hard on his ruined voice in the 80s. 78-81 was his vocal prime, and add 1990 to that. A bit of 87 too.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 87 วันนี้!! คู่เอก "ก้องชัย vs โชคปรีชา"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YN6e7HVnekw/mqdefault.jpg)
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
One of my students was still wondering after 10 years of training what type of voice she was. Every teacher she went to told her something else. Some gave her multiple answers, changing them with time. Oh, the confusion, the self doubts and the time wasted… Here is the problem: it is very easy to get this wrong. Even for a voice teacher [...] continue to the article -> singwell.eu/find-your-voice-type
Hi, I’d love to see your reaction to Hexenlied by Katja Moslehner, I don’t know if you’ve heard it yet, but I'd like to know what do you think about her voice.
th-cam.com/video/0EJYhpW0NGo/w-d-xo.html
Great article Linor! The guy who replaced Freddy and honour him, is Adam Lambert. A previous light operasinger on Broadway, tenor and also, a rock singer with Madonna's guitarist in a band together. Please react to him. Some say he is the most talented singer in the world. He is amazing with range and tone. m.th-cam.com/video/ab5YLPc7r-Q/w-d-xo.html
Another compelling breakdown Linor. It's so interesting hearing an expert's take on such a legend as Freddie. He is and always will be the best.
Thankyou Linor. x
Could you analyze or just react to Freddie's live performance of 'You take my breath away'? It was still early in his career and I think it gives an interesting look into how his style and voice developed over the years
Hi Linor!! I really hope you will react to Ensueno by Freddie and Montserrat. I was amazed by the voice of Freddie. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
What type of voice did Freddie have ? It,s easy to answer darling : The best .
His natural voice was baritone but he could go down to a very high bass at times and yet he could also sing Tanner whereas Rodger Taylor with a countertenor and a tenor because he had these awesome falsettos, which he and Freddie bounced off of each other during concerts to help save Fred's voice.
Most of the songs that Brian May wrote for Freddie to sing we're in the tenor range which were higher than Freddy's natural voice but Fred didn't have any problem singing them. Rodger Taylor could sing like an angel and in the earlier years around 73 they did a live show" lap of the Gods" and if you ever can look up Roger Taylor's Angelic voice for " lap of the Gods" you'll hear a tip of it and it is beautiful!! It is the most beautiful song I've ever heard sing live with Freddie a little bit of Brian, and quite a bit of Roger as well.
@@montrelouisebohon-harris7023 "Rodger"
@@igorrodrigues7382
*_Freddie's voice type ....How many types ?? Heinze. 57 varieties.._*
So f...Ing true!!!!
@@atanasbatakliev7666
That's Freddie's trade mark ...never the same ..never boaring
Freddie would have been brilliant in Phantom of the Opera.
Yes! Broadway would've forever been thought of as Mercury Way.
That really would’ve been awesome!
Yeah. He had a part on the Time play in 1987, im sure he would have been working in West End or Broadway if still alive...
I would have loved to hear him sing Phantom of the Opera with Monserrat singing Christine's part. She was Freddie's angel of music.
Freddie would have been brilliant singing the phone book.
Freddie Mercury the best voice of the world
Wrong
@@jacobcunningham6771 stfu he is right he is the GOAT
I feel the best is either Greg Lake (check out "In The Wake of The Poseidon" by King Crimson) or Roger Daltrey (check out "Love Reign O'er Me" by The Who)
@@Beantbeantbeant?
@@Beantbeantbeant everyone to they're own taste but they aren't a patch on Freddie Mercury's voice..nowhere near
We all know the greatness of Freddies voice but what's not talked about enough is the brilliance of his song writing and composing. Truly one of the greats that's very missed.
Freddie is a musical genius. A legend. His voice gives me goosebumps. Love him so much ❤️
Exercises in Free Love shows his highest notes, late in his career. It’s a demo he did for Montserrat & he was singing her part.
The demo eventually became the duet “Ensueno” (edited for typos)
Yes, and this is the most beautiful song I have EVER heard.
Impromptu is better to see his incredible voice
I Hope Linor will react to Ensueno by Freddie and Montserrat 🙏🙏
Yes, that would be marvelous, it is such a WONDERFUL song. - I enjoy her reacts so much because of her own knowledge and experience in the world of voice. Let's hope she reads our comments soon!
Yes, I would love to have her do that. This version of Ensueno is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful. I hope she sees our hints here!
Freddie's speaking voice may have been lower than his typical singing voice, but even then he clearly sounds like a tenor to me. The impression that he was a baritone may come from his having a very relaxed/soft way of speaking (wich would lead him to lean towards the lower part of his register) but a real baritone's speaking voice would be a lot deeper. Then, he had a range and depth that allowed him to still sound good in lower notes, or even make not-so-low notes sound very deep and rich (the Elvis-like singing in Crazy Little Thing Called Love, another Queen song that shows the beauty of his lower range while still being for the most part a tenor song).
And there are lot of differences in Freddie's interview voice and speaking voice. In videos that shouldn't go on TV he was used to speak more sharply
His natural voice was supposed to be a baritone but he could go lower than that and he could go higher than that easily and Roger's countertenor was the best I've ever heard in my life. Fred can go easily from baritone to high tenor running up and down stairs and across the stage with no problem.
Lmbo! If you haven't seen it and you want something to laugh about you must see the video with queen and that darned penguin that they put beside or in between rather Roger and Fred. 😂😂😂 I don't want to give anything away but it was the funniest video I've ever seen those four men do and it was from 1991
@Ken D Both Freddie and Roger had very good falsettos. Roger's falsetto was better in the 70's, but he lost his high falsetto in 1979. Freddie's falsetto was better in the 80's. In the 80's Freddie did all of the high falsetto notes.
@Ken D Yes. You're right. 🙂
The color, the force, the range, the brightness, clean voice, the throat voice , his voice has everything. THE BEST.
Best comment !!!
@@dianecourtney2724 Thank´s!!!
How can you categorise Freddie's voice? lol. The man was an absolute freak of nature, his voice was so flexible and he pushed it wherever he wanted to take it. I've read so much conflicting information about what type of voice he had, from Montserrat Caballe saying that she wanted him to sing in more of his "natural baritone" when they were doing Barcelona, to listening to his earlier stuff (like "White Queen - As It Began" from 1976 at the Odeon) where he is positively ethereal, and then from Live Aid where he sang in spite of having some sort of throat infection (I think) so wouldn't have been anything like his normal voice. I agree with the other commenters who have said we should put Freddie's voice where it belongs in a category of its own, "MERCURY". I've been singing for almost 50 years and I've never heard another voice quite like his - his use of subharmonices and the false vocal cords is also inspiring and gives me chills to hear.
.
................ *FredsGotWings codeX 🦅* .........
I'm with you on Freddie's voice. He had a 4 octave range
He is a baritone
Category Mercury
Freddie's voice started off as a lyric tenor, he evolved into a spinto tenor. Spinto tenors have baritonal qualities in their voices.
Ele era barítono. Poucas pessoas sabiam deste fato, mas ele também cantava ópera. Montserrat Caballé revelou essa informação em um documentário, inclusive os dois chegaram a cantar uma ária de ópera juntos, um dueto de La Traviata.
@@cleytondemelo6451 era Tenor.
I've watched your video and I AGREE. Everything you've said makes sense. It's easy to mistake him for a Baritone.
He's most likely a leggero tenor. Leggero tenors are often times mistaken for baritones but can go up suuupperr high like he could
According to Montserrat he was a baritone th-cam.com/video/LiRHpdVI15w/w-d-xo.html
He of course had both ranges, baritone and tenor; his timbre was very different from a "typical" baritone, I'd say.
Absolutely love your videos especially when you analyze Freddie he’s my all time favourite singer and performer. What he would have done with more time...so missed by many
Differently missed
Thanks for revisiting Queen.
These 2 videoes 10 years apart and the effect of aids
Of course effected his voice.
Try listening to Freddie on the poor quality of AM radio back in the 70s and ,80s like us Queen first generation. Because this man's voice shone out through the radio interference, static and squelch of iffy radio reception.
As far as his voice type: it was what he wanted when he wanted.
I suggest this is as a new voice category: MERCURY
I think that in every possible way that people get into petty arguments over on the internet - voice type, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc, he deserves a class of his own. There's FREDDIE MERCURY, and then there's everybody else. (This logic most likely stands for David Bowie as well. Not as good a singer as Freddie, but a fucking genius in his own respective ways.)
Exactly
Christie, I'll never forget the first time I heard Another One Bites The Dust. It was on pop radio, through a horribly cheap portable deck, and yes there was static.
I don't know HOW it's possible, but it's as if they made music and played/sang for maximum impact through spotty reception. Brilliant
@@billbillbillbill9457 who else would you place in the Mercury category?
I'm totally switching gears and putting Patsy Cline in that category. She was rooted in country music (she could yodel beyond compare) but she was also country musics first cross over artist according to Billboard. Don't judge her on "Crazy" alone, her catelogue of music is epic and no one can copy her though many have tried.
Freddie’s voice type? Beautiful. Next question
Your explanation is very clear even for a guy who doesn't know nothing about singing like me. Congratulations!!! Love Queen & Freddie since I was 3 years old! Freddie is the best...!
Freddie was so ill here and I’m just grateful to see him 🥰
He sounds different in the 90s, 80s and 70s because in the 70s he was younger and his voice was still fresh and, well trained but not fully developed yet but he sang higher most of the time. In the 80s, he started smoking which makes the voive lower and more gravely but, his voice was becoming more developed and he still sang higher, it just sounded a but less clear. Btw, when I say higher, I mean like alto-soprano, not just tenor, thats how impressive he was lol. In the 90s his voice was thinning because of his illness, but he stopped smoking and started doing a lot of opera and things like that which made his voice very nice an strong. I think that was when he reached his peak. Imagine how impressive it would have been if his voice wasn't thinning tho! This is just my opinion. Not trying to contradict you!
In the nineties, he didn't stop smoking and "doing a lot of opera". He died in 1991. But he did record with Queen that year and his voice was extremely high and pristine because he had stopped smoking in 1989. A doctor told him before Christmas of 1989 that if he stopped smoking and drinking he might live longer. But he also told his housemates in secret that he probably wouldn't make it to Christmas. He stopped smoking and cut way down on vodka and lived two more years almost making it to Christmas of 1991. I do think his next goal would have been to take on opera because of his love of a big challenge and Tim Rice said that they had talked about doing a musical together. What a shame we'll never experience them.
You only have to look at the different comments on Mercury's voice to see he was almost classless..his range was incredible and his voice was just something else, it's no wonder he is and always will be held with the highest regard..simply the best
Freddie is great, but me here because of your incredible eyes !
Something to take into consideration is that Freddie's voice changed a lot over the years. Ironically his voice at its best before he died, around 1987-1991. Most of those studio recordings were only done in 3 takes. He didn't have the energy for countless takes. His voice became deeper and more powerful over time.
montserrat said in a documentary that he was something between a tenor and bariton closer to bariton
100% true
@@zelsha 100% not. There's not a hint of baritone in his instrument. If you wanna hear a real baritone listen to Ed Ames in pop or Cornell Macneil in opera...
Kaji, I think you didn't get that I was referring to what Montserrat was saying.
Beside that :
*Baryton Martin*
I'm what we call a *baryton martin* the same as Freddie. There are different kinds of Baryton(subtypes) and you probably mixing it up with vocal range or/and Baryton's subtype. Freddie used to have a very good range who can misslead people. Also Freddie himself said he preferred singing in the tenor's range because this is what his fans were used to. Singing in another vocal doesn't mean you ARE that type of voice. *baryton Martin* is light and tenorish but not as deeper like the depper and more powerfull Heldenbariton.
*Different type of Baryton*
You referred Ed Ames right? My voice is higher but I'm NOT a tenor (IRL singing teachers and musicians as reference). I can sing that low but lower will be difficult for me. Freddie's lowest note was what, an F2 on record without losing his voice quality. The same for me. Thing like this can be trained, but Tessitura is still Tessitura.
*Tessitura*
You need to listen to his talking voice, then find his low and high voice without losing the quality of his normal voice(no falsetto) to understand that. This has nothing to do with range. What Raz63 was referring to was the fact that Montserrat spend a lot of time with Freddie and they ended up as very close friends. Singing together all night using the piano, she realized he WAS Baritone. They even made an Album together.
Kaji, I can see you're trying to help. Just be careful about sharing fake information as this can mislead people. Ed Ames is a great example for a Baryton. But Baryton type is very diverse and common male voice. Freddie and Ed are Baryton example, just not the same subtype.
I'm curious, what made you said : There's not a hint of baritone in his instrument?
@@zelsha fake information? It is fake information to call him a baritone based on a fallacy of appealing to a false authority: montserrat caballe. She was an operatic soprano who was not PEDAGOGICALLY educated, she has produced zero baritone singers. Not to mention she was confused because Freddie was a rock singer. Freddie was most certainly a tenor, there is no "baryton martin", that is a specific construction that came from the FRENCH school and was simply made of mostly tenors or some baritones singing in a lighter, brighter tone. But in the italian school, this was not a real thing.
freddie's speaking voice was high. The only people that think he had a low speaking voice are people with high speakign voices. I am a baritone and a teacher and his speaking voice was high, period. If he was trained operatically he would be around a spinto tenor. Stop appealing to a false authority like Caballe's opinion, it means nothing. If you knew anything about baritones in opera you'd know the greatest operatic baritones were mostly taught by actual baritone teachers, like Antonio Cotogni. Again, caballe was just a famous opera singer but she was a soprano and NOT a teacher.
@@youngornitier I did hear you POV and I still do not agree. Good day, sir.
Listen to the demo for "Love is the hero" by Billy Squire, Freddie's range blows it out of the park, the power he had was/is amazing
Probably the best B4 of his career. Otherworldly
Freddies voice type is the GREAT voice type ...
Freddie to me was a Baryton Martin with a great range who was training by himself using singers like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, etc. Then, he started looking for other singing style to perfect himself.
People often mix Baryton Martin with low tenor but you can hear it in the quality of the voice (low, mid, high).
That guy was incredible no matter what.
Fred did a full album with Monserrat Caballe, it is a master album.
When Monsarrat Caballet started working with Freddie she was surprised to hear his speaking voice. She was only familiar with his Queen recofrdings. As they worked together she got him to use his baritone voice more. She said that if he'd trained for opera he'd have been one of the best baritones ever.. She should know!.On their album Barcelona, he sings so beautifully. I especially enjoy How Can I Go On? , Guide Me Home and Ensueno. It's all lovely. There are also a great interview of them together in Spain and interviews with her talking about him and their friendship. They wanted to do Phantom of the Opera together, but weren't able to due to his declining health. She recorded a song from it and played it to him over the phone..
I think by this point he had stopped smoking and his voice "cleared up" but it makes me so sad to see the end times of Freddie xxx
For me he's a Tenor he sings in the Tenor range Comfortably he even hits sixth octaves notes not something you would expect from a baritone. He does have good control on his lower notes and his speaking voice is low so maybe that helps. Either way he has a crazy range something like four octaves F2-F6 apparently.
Daniel Smith The F6 to be truthful Was more of A Screech rather than singing.
@@johnfitzgeraldkennedy4465 agreed
Typing is always problematic since we are all unique! Great job.
Also thanks for your videos. I've been in the best sort of tears whilst watching some of them.
I could listen to Freddie all day, and listen to his vocal talent explained!! Thank you!!
beautiful teacher
The best kind of voice type 😁🙌
In the song Bohemian Rhapsody he sings a part in five different registers and records them together. The drummer Roger also sang beautifully.
Enjoyed watching this! Freddie is a legend!
I was watching and noticed that Freddie made a vocal distinction between 2 words, "spine" @12:18-19 and "all" @12:20-21 and how they are vocalized differently for emphasis. Notice that @12;28-29, his voice quivers, in pitch, and slightly, on the word ""spine" (making me think of a "quivering spine," somewhat like in the cartoons) to show how shivers make a sick person "shake" via his use of vocal vibrato, then @12:20-12, the next vocal line, when the word "all" is sung non-vibrato but is smoothly streeeeeeetched beginning about @12:20 and forward to stress that it is everyone, no variation, no exception, but alllllllll = no vibrato -- no quivering - that is left behind Genius.
Nice reaction. Another voice analyst said watch his mouth he really does alot of manipulation there
Truly thankful for your take on the matter of voice classification. I worked in opera and artsong for a while, but I eventually abandoned it as a career because of what I perceived to be intense hang-ups on voice classification. I simply didn't fit into any of the neat boxes that casters in that world have to put singers into, and this is common for lots of singers to encounter. It's of course completely obvious that everyone sounds different, even from others considered to have the same voice type. And there are preconceived notions of what certain opera roles (for instance) should sound like because of some classic recording or well known singer whose performance of that role was loved. Unfortunately this seems to lead to hearing undifferentiated performances of various works that seem to get stale as the years pass.
I have just discovered your channel. I love it already. I am not a good singer but my daughter is. I have shown her some of your vids and she really enjoyed them and took something useful from each. I was trying to work out if you were Italian or Spanish but now I know you are not either, and that we share a heritage. Best wishes to you and yours.
Nice to see you back in the react seat, I very much enjoy your videos, your knowledge and experience that you impart to us makes us appreciate Freddie even more. Now we know that there are five male voice ranges: bass, baritone, tenor, contra-tenor, and Mercury. Freddie took no formal singing lessons, he was self-taught and was able to discover his capabilities on his own, like a brilliant piano who plays by ear, You probably know that he had many throat troubles throughout his career, including polyps, but kept on going, not wanting to disappoint us, his fans. I love the live singing most, I find his little voice breaks and quirks endearing. They are part of what makes him so special. And I don't mind when you stop the video, because you are explaining things to us.
Mercury was phenomeno,for example if u listen one of his earliest recordings in 1969 he sounds like a girl so soft, light, high pitched voice,but then on the other hand in harmonizing vocals in bohrhap and somebody to love where he sings lower register he sounds like not even baritone,he sounds like some bass-baritone, i was so amazed with that lower register
Thank you so much. I’m literally listen queen for hole my live and thanks to you I know how special Freddie was. I mean I know that but I look differently and see more thanks to you. Please more queen 😍
Man and how sick was Freddie here. Such a pro.
When he recorded that he knew he didn't have a lot of time left.
thepayne78: Yes and it's amazing how physical he was in this video when in pain. It's been said he downed a vodka before takes to get through it.
@@mercurymaiden2389 his clothes were fur lined because it hurt him to wear them.
J Williams: Where did you hear that?
@@mercurymaiden2389 it was in an interview with the person who made them.
I don't normally watch reaction videos, but I find yours excellent because they're based on insight. As a musician, I appreciate the passion and knowledge you bring to your videos. You're obviously a highly skilled musician yourself, and it's great that you share your knowledge and love of music. It's infectious. I have a feeling that you might find Eva Cassidy's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow very interesting. Thank you for sharing your love of music!
I agree with every word you said. It’s very common for people to claim he was a barato ne who often sang out of that range, but I agree. I think he’s more of a tenor who also had a nice smooth resonance in lower notes.
Freddie said that smoking enhanced his singing, it gave it a distinctive tone, that's why he smoked, well that was his excuse anyway
... "when you're feeling down and your resistance is low... light another cigarette and let yourself go..." :)
@@GinMae when your feeling down, and your resistance is low..
Light another ciggerette and hit them high notes. 🤭
I am going to start to smoke then. Cuz I want to enhance my singing as well. LOL.
@@ricardocastrodelgado3588 It's also going to enhance the chance of lung cancer.,LOL.
@@coppereddie4199 exactly
Make several sequels of this video!!! I don't understand singing language but I've learned a little new! Make several videos like this please
In his earlier performances his voice was much sweeter? flexible and to my uneducated ear higher. Not to say he didn’t manipulated it. Three examples are White Queen , You Take My Breath Away and Melancholy Blues. All three I believe are from a concert at the Odeon Hammersmith. The first two are outstanding & will make u cry. For your own pleasure and/or analysis I’d recommend you listen to them. This is very young Freddie in the beginning of Queen’s journey.
As an aside- The gorilla in "I'm Going Slightly Mad" is played by Elton John
Adam Harris really?? I didn’t know that!
It wasn't Elton John!
No, no, it was Prince Charles!
It was Harambe.
No, it wasn't, just a stage hand.
For me, Freddie was a dramatic tenor. No baritone can sing an E flat in full voice.
He was a smaller type of tenor. Search him singing Wreckage.
Agreed, he was more of dramatic tenor. Dramatic tenors can sing a few lower notes as well. Most tenors in popular music are more lyric tenors with very light voices. Dramatic tenors have more powerful voices. The only other more dramatic tenors I can think of in popular music, is Ronnie James Dio and Tom Jones. I think that is part of the reason why normal tenors who tend to do Queen covers often don't sound good in the middle ranges of the songs.
@@ZENOBlAmusic Freddie didn't have much of a lower range actually. Most of his lower notes were all in harmonies.
**Zenobia** I’m a tenor though I can go as low as a C2 and as high as a D6 in falsetto. To go as low as that though it’s a bit of a strain to hold it comfortably but it’s possible. Freddie was said to be a baritone but was able to push notes at the higher registers with lots of control, he was an incredible talent
@@KajiVocals Yes, both Roger Taylor and Brian May were tenors as well. Out of the three Freddie's voice was the best in the lower ranges. That is why he often did the low harmonies, when they harmonized. Freddie didn't often use his lower register in songs directly. There are some better examples on the Barcelona album. But that is part of the reason why he was probably a tenor and not a baritone. People only get confused because he could sing the lower notes with good resonance.
These are better examples of Freddie singing in a more lower register:
th-cam.com/video/fqC0hyRrYNI/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/2XFq9KtsVb4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/DOySL4GYaDY/w-d-xo.html
(Although with the last one I would say that Freddie is still singing in the tenor range, it is just the lower end of the tenor range. He also sings in a operatic fashion which sounds heavier and more full.
I can tell you exactly what kind of voice he had bloody amazing
Love you Freddie ♡
Freddie's voice type was "Farenheit" darling.
I always enjoy your technical analysis and passion you put always into them. I always leave your videos learning something new. Queen and Freddie are one of my favourite band/singer ever so I am really grateful for this. I just listened to Ulisse from Aida G. and Dimash, hope you break it down soon cause it`s gorgeous.
-What is Freddie Mercury's voice type?
-yes
his high notes are really well shown in the demo of ‘Exercises in Free Love’ - where he sang Montserrat’s soprano parts -, Impromptu live at Wembley, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (not live), My Fairy King, if you’d want to listen to those.
and would you consider reacting to roger’s and Brian’s voices?
He’s a Spinto tenor similar to George Michael, Elton John, Ronnie James Dio and Joseph Williams
He does sound a lot like a Spinto tenor when he sings in a more opera voice. Elton John was a more of a lyric baritone.
Why is my voice lower in the morning, or when I’m exhausted?
Todd Hensley that’s because your vocal folds and muscles are more relaxed when tired or in the morning!
Poor Freddie was so sick during this song and video. He never quit.
Beautiful !
Hello Linor - Have you heard Freddie sing The Golden Boy with Monserrat Caballe? Montserrat felt Freddie was a baritone and asked him to sing one of their songs in his “natural voice”. What are your thoughts on that?
Diane Costanza But I wouldn’t wanna Confuse My Fans now would I dear.
Hi Linor! First if all amazing video! Secondly, I just wanted to tell you there’s a TH-cam channel called Marc Ajax, he analyzes (mostly) Queen/Freddie music, voices etc, and there are a few videos where he names one of the best times Freddie sang live or when Freddie hits the notes live exactly like the recorded version! I just though maybe you could check them out and maybe you can analyze some of the less common shows, which are very underrated 😊❤️
Linor: So that's why you shouldn't rush to classify your voice type.
Me: Oh hey, looks like I'm a bass-baritone after all - thanks for the tip.
--
Seriously though: I spent like 15 years trying to be the lowest low bass, then I woke up a bit and I've spent the subsequent 5 years exploring the bass-baritone hypothesis. Do still sing bass rep for fun though, and I'm finally starting to put some work into my countertenor range.
Basses and baritones tends to have better falsettos, a lot of counter tenors are baritones.
I loved the way how you did (or could 😀) not stop the song but just when Brian finished the Bohemian Rhapsody guitarsolo...By the way I really enjoyed your analysis of Freddy's amazing voice and the whole video!! Thank you!
Gosh it was funny that right after that you actually say it how some of us complain about you stopping it sometimes while he 's doing solos...haha I would not have complained though but I do respect that You let it fly till the end.👍🏼
Good vídeo! Grettings from Uruguay!🇺🇾
You are a voice coach and I am not a singer so I respect your advanced knowledge on the subject. Coming from my perspective I see things differently than you. (1) You say Freddie's voice couldn't do something so he sang it this way or that way. I would never assume it was because he couldn't do something especially with HIS voice. I see it as he chose for the sound to be the way he chose. I think the fluctuation or unexpected note made the music more interesting and provided depth. (2) his speaking voice being different than his singing voice.... singing - it's by design .... speaking - I think it changed based on his energy at any given moment. I feel he was deep when he was calm and relaxed and the more excited about a topic or speed in which the conversation was progressing the higher it would go - so for me he probably had a natural deep register yet so often he naturally spoke softly starting higher so he was just all over the place not wanting to be pegged down hahaha (3) other pieces that would be interesting to study for determining his register and capabilities ... three come to mind with one honorable mention. 1st Cool Cat is so high compared to I'm Going Slightly Mad it takes me a moment to remember it's the same person singing. 2nd White Queen (from live at the Odeon) I just love how he empties his lungs and uses his reserve to push out the 'Ohh' (after 'she cannot see'). 3rd the haunting sound he makes as he sings the line 'be not gone' in Teo Torriatte (OMG) and that honorable mention the studio recording of LIAR when he sings liar three times that last one so high so soft (in live performances he chooses to go guttural and growly) love both styles.
UPDATE = also his most powerful is Who Wants to Live Forever live at Wembly in 86 Friday night's performance (he lifts up on his toes at one point) it's the one where Brian is the freeze frame image on TH-cam. It's not the most correctly sung performance but it IS the most PASSIONATE and I've never seen him open his mouth any wider or use his lip muscles in singing so significantly (while his mouth is open so wide) and then shortly after that he uses his vibrato like no other person can do like Freddie did.
I've also noticed his voice sounds different as he aged. For instance, 'Somebody to Love' in the studio (used for the official video with him in the pink/green/black floral print shirt) his voice sounds YOUNGER than it does when he sings it in 81 and later in live performances. I found that VERY INTERESTING. Can young/old be descriptive variables in a study of a person's singing voice?
This was incredibly helpful, thanks!
This woman is in love with Freddie. Her videos are great
Aren’t we all 🥰
@@dianecourtney2724 good looking charismatic man for sure
Hi , If you want to hear Freddie's voice in baritone register you must to hear song called "Ensueño" is from Barcelona Album (with Montserrat Caballe (and also that song is in Spanish) so is a new experience x2
Hi Linor - just found you. Wondering if you would like to comment on the vocal difference between Bowie and Freddie in their duet ? Cheers.
Thank you Linor, really interesting video! Could IT Be possible to hear your reaction to Freddies Exercises in Free Love? Piece is about his classical style of singing. I just love IT:)!
You need to listen to Freddie doing ‘exercises in free love’ - would be a great follow up to this video
From my point of view, Freddie was a very powerful and colorful baritono. With that much talent that he could sound very comfortable in a tenor voice. I've always noticed that so called low voices such as baritone or bass singers would often have the cleanest falsetto. Freddies falsetto was exactly like that. Listen to the one he nails in the live versions of Somebody to love, and in the studio version of insueño. Look at the russian bass voices, including the oktavists, they can actually reach better falsettos than the male tenor voices. I think (its my own theory so im just basing on singing experience) that they got such a high control of the air, and such raw power that they can have both powerful and controlled falsettos. Freddie had it, and added to that a nearly non existent break between his chest and head voice. While most of the people would praise him for his tenor rock n roll gravel voice, i would definitely insist on his absolutely wonderful speaking voice, and his amazing ability to control his head voice. In late songs such as Dont Try So Hard, you just cant tell what voice he is using when he goes up. He never failed one low note. Nor a head voice note. Thats a good start to be an amazing singer.
You are explaining perfectly. I’m interested to see if you listen to Golden Boy or Barcelona. And Freddie’s octave range. ❤️
Voice types: Baritone,-Tenor,- Counter Tenor-...and, "Freddie".
He is so good that he is a BARI-TENOR haha
Freddie ❤❤❤
Cornelius Antonius Freddie is Love
Cornelius Antonius Freddie *
@@supersaiyajin3969 corrected.
If you can sing Bohemian Rhapsody in B-flat, sing notes like G4/A-flat4 and B-flat4 and still sound so low in your voice compared to a tenor (which sounds about a quarter higher), then the answer is simple: he was a baritone. BUT, he had a great technique.
Or he was more of a dramatic tenor. Dramatic tenors have more weight to their voices and they can usually sing with weight in the lower register as well. That being said, it is true, his voice could often still sound very low on high notes.
Love watching your videos about Freddie's voice, really love many of your reactions after hearing some great moments during a song!
I'm a fan of Queen but I wonder what your opinion is on George Michael's voice overall but more on Geoge Michael singing Queen's Somebody to love during The Freddie Mercury Tribute 1992.
I loved Geoge Michael's version and thought he was the greatest act of that night!
Would love to see and hear your opinion on that if it's possible..........someday.
Thank you for your great videos on Freddie's voice!
He definitely had a full bodied voice like the piano forte he played he could put icing on the cake when he wanted to. From what I remember Roger had the highest voice in the band but was somewhat more strained. Freddie was in control and whenever he had a limitation he adapted in such a way no one would ever question his intent. He was singing in such a great group too which I think pushed him as well as he pushing the others.
I forgot to mention someone on TH-cam put together a duet of Pavarotti and Freddie Mercury doing Nessum Dorma
The song is from Queen's 14 th Studio Album Innuendo released in March 1991 Nine months later Freddie died Even in his last days his voice was so powerful and melodius
It has been said that Freddie’s voice, though untrained, had a range of almost four octaves, which is pretty special. You can get a sense of what he could do with such a wonderful instrument from the recording of the live show at Wembley, in 1986, where he challenges the audience to follow him through one of his vocal exercises. Even then, it is worth remembering that he limited his range during tours, to save his voice.
It’s also worth listening to the last thing he ever recorded, where the quality of his voice shines through, even though he was only weeks away from the end of his life.
He was clearly tenor. No way he was baritone. Likes many untrained tenors his voice lowered with age
He was a natural baritone, but was very comfortable in the tenor range. He also had a nearly 4 octave range. As a singer his range increased over his career. Many of his earlier tracks he sang higher notes in falsetto, but by the late '70s he was singing his upper range in full voice, with full power. His technique had improved immensely. Too, when you listen to tracks from the Innuendo album, like Don't Try So Hard, his voice though somewhat thinner, still has incredible range and power.
It's not like biology only has 3 types of voices for men. (It's a spectrum, and no, not THAT spectrum.) There are men whose voices are in a lower range, others in higher ranges. The fact that some singers span more octaves than others can tell you even more. Splitting people into just 3-4 groups would suggest that all baritones span the very same range and all tenors span the very same higher range. That's simply not the case. You can either call him a baritone with an extension into the tenor range or a tenor with an extension into the baritone range. Doesn't really matter. His comfortable speaking voice was probably a tad high for a baritone and a little low for a tenor. Problem solved. (The real problem is that the categorisation into 3 types for men is artificial per se.) So if you have difficulty to place your own or some other person's voice into one of the existing categories: Great! It mostly means the person doesn't exactly fit the artificial system. And nothing else.
Patrick Armbruster I agree. There are so many singers that span various ranges. I am a female alto but in choir, I was able to sing with the tenors as well to “fill in” where there were not enough men to compete with all those sopranos, lol. I loved singing with that much range. I also sing a falsetto soprano when necessary. There really is no categorization that all can fall into.
Just wrote this on the official video of the song: "I cannot believe I've never heard this song before!! Actually intro'd to me by Linor, on her voice teacher videos! Best 4.31 minutes of the last year!!
type of voice? I would say timeless. Queen's music never gets old.
after 1987, Freddie stopped to drink and smoke (cause the illness), so his voice was more smooth and deeper :)
Hello dear, you really need to watch Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - How Can I Go On. His voice here is so beautiful and very powerful. It was Freddie's last live performance and he performed it perfectly. ❤ I would like to see your opinion.
It wasn't really a live performance (just like the "live" videos for "Barcelona". Yes he stood there, but it's quite clearly the studio recording you hear. Sorry to break that to you. And yes, it's a beautiful recording.
@@fryke you are right, Freddie decided at the last minute to mime as he was not up to singing live, well that's the story I heard
That wasn't a live performance, Freddie was sick at the time. His truly last live performance is from 1988, It's In Everyone Of Us, a duet with Cliff Richards: th-cam.com/video/_tv1MIWRW2Y/w-d-xo.html
He did sound very good in his last live performance.
I know he didn't sing it live. But it was the last time he performed. His last concert. Montserrat said it in an interview. She said that when he grabbed her hands at the end, she looked at him and saw him cry. She said it was emotional for him, because he knew it was his last time.
React of "Queen - Save Me"
Especially the Montreal version.....perfect.
@@stevengartside7257 Absolutely fantastic version
Linor I love seeing you do anything with Freddie, u like all of us are in awe of this magnificent human...we appreciate ur analysis and love your girly blushing and your hmmmms..love it all
As an opera singer you may have heard of the band Haggard. In case you haven't imagine a metal lover bangs head to a classic voice and check out one of their live performances like: th-cam.com/video/Zei_x_s5cSA/w-d-xo.html
Their combination of metal elements and a soprano "opera singer like" voice is just amazing I think.
This man was dying in the beginning footage you have of him singing. He dies not long after the studio video was made, you really cant judge Freddie's voice @ this part of his life nor compare his voice to earlier footage before he was diagnosed with Aids.
To be fair, if I'm correct, it was recorded back in mid to late 89, so he he still had a somewhat normal body shape/weight. He is very skinny in the video though.
His voice was at its best during that time, from 1989-1991. His high notes were effortless and he still did good in the lower notes as well.
@@ZENOBlAmusic Was that a typo? You must have meant 79 to 81. You know he passed away in 91. His voice was always great but his last couple years 89-91 you definitely hear how much his voice had changed that he didn't have the ability to bellow and use that commanding voice we all knew him for. You can see how AIDS was actually taking a toll on him.I would have to disagree 89-91 was absolutely not his best voice no where near.
@@jasontod5860 I guess it depends on what you would value as being a good voice. Freddie’s voice was good between 1979 - 1982, and he was very good on The Magic tour as well. But he actually sang his highest chest notes notes on the Innuendo album. He really just generally sang higher in the end then he used to sing before. But at the same time, singing high notes alone does not necessarily mean you are singing well. It also partly depends on what you value within someone’s voice. For me personally, I actually prefer Freddie’s voice at it’s most powerful and that is somewhere between 1986 - 1989. Freddie’s voice did lose power near the end.
@@ZENOBlAmusic Well I suppose we can agree on one thing he is and always will be a legend.
Us: Fred what type is your voice?
Freddie: yes
On this topic throw in a wild card and listen to pain is so close to pleasure from a kind of magic album in fact awesome tracks on there...
I know this was 4 years ago. But look for a guy names Michael Spyres, he is an Opera singer, and his voice type is called a Bari-Tenor. He is naturally a Baritone but trained his voice to become a tenor. Maybe this is what Freddie was? Being that he had the capability to sing both baritone and high tenor music. Baritenor or Baritonore is an actual voice type that used to be known in Opera, but as orchestras got bigger the Fach system was created, people used to sing both baritone and tenor pieces of music and do it effortlessly, we have lost that due to this label system we have now.
I'd say in this particular case, it is even more difficult. Mercury's range was pretty extensive if I remember right (almost 4 octaves?). Not unlike Michael Crawford, who also is known for quite a range - but his voice, if I were to place it, would be more baritone.
can you check out jimmy barnes from cold chisel Australia. big and loved band from Australia.
I’d love to see you do a reaction video to Sarah Vaughn. She’s one of my all-time favorite singers. My favorite song of hers was "Star Eyes".
Montserrat Caballe also daid he was a baritone, but freddie replied that his fans vere accustomed to.hearing him in the tenor range so he had to go.there alot. But its.was hard on his ruined voice in the 80s. 78-81 was his vocal prime, and add 1990 to that. A bit of 87 too.