Trying "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin

[Olem]

Hello, singing folks!

I finally got some time for singing again. I always wanted to try this classic song but the high notes in the end has made me avoid it up until now. I think i should have avoided it this time too but anyway, here it is. Let me know what you think about it. Thanx in advance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7tYw8-yI3A

[IronZeppelin]

Pretty good, I enjoyed it, never heard a metal voice sing this before.

Some pitch issues, timing was a bit off during the ending when the song picked up, and the words that had to be carried seemed to be troubling you. These are all easy things you can fix with some practice of course.

Regardless, it was entertaining!:cool:

[ronws]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7tYw8-yI3A

[ronws]

I agree with Iron. Definitely a metal voice on this take and quite tasty. And here's the funny part, the pitchy spots I heard were not the high notes but stuff in the lower range. For me, I have found, if I get closer to clean italian vowels, most of that clears. It was not debilitating in this performance. But I think you should definitely keep this song in your "set list." You can do and did this song well.

Trust me, been there, done that. I have gone pitchy with low notes. And not so long ago, either.

[Olem]

Pretty good, I enjoyed it, never heard a metal voice sing this before.

Some pitch issues, timing was a bit off during the ending when the song picked up, and the words that had to be carried seemed to be troubling you. These are all easy things you can fix with some practice of course.

Regardless, it was entertaining!:cool:

Hi, IronZeppelin, thanx for listening. I am not exactly sure what you mean by "the words that had to be carried seemed to be troubling you" - are you referring to the high pitched phrases "There walks a Lady we all know, who shines white light and wants to show"? Could you give an example of a phrase were i was way off pitch?

[Olem]

I agree with Iron. Definitely a metal voice on this take and quite tasty. And here's the funny part, the pitchy spots I heard were not the high notes but stuff in the lower range. For me, I have found, if I get closer to clean italian vowels, most of that clears. It was not debilitating in this performance. But I think you should definitely keep this song in your "set list." You can do and did this song well.

Trust me, been there, done that. I have gone pitchy with low notes. And not so long ago, either.

Hi, Ron, thanx for listening. I don´t know so much about clean italian vowels but will check it up. I haven´t practised my lower range so much and maybe that is revealed here.

[ronws]

As far as pitchiness, it could be an illusion. I have an old computer and playing videos has a certain hesitation to it, not quite as noticable with embeds. And just as easily, it could be your jazzy slides.

See, everyone has heard the album version. And, being a Led Zep fan, I have read a few bios and memoirs. Most of this song was recorded as one take. There were overdubs for the guitar solo. And I think the drums were separately recorded. But both the vocal line and the guitar solo were recorded in one day. That's how Robert felt like singing that day, how Jimmy played that day. Live, Jimmy never plays it the same way, twice. Plant certainly never sang it exactly like that, each and every time. But, that is what people expect.

[ronws]

Also, this is just about the first song where Plant came up with lyrics and melody and was considered to have brought full contribution. When Jimmy would hear Robert working through the lines, he knew this song would be special. Destiny, standing on the verge of greatness. Boy, howdy!

It's an iconic song and most of it is in a range that others can get to. The dreaded part is the ending verses, hovering around the A4, with a few acrobatic leaps to C5 or E5, depending on how you feel.

Here's another secret that may help with phrasing, for singers in general. The actual tempo does not change. It sounds like double time because of how the chords are played, the increased intensity of the drums. But actually, the meter is clicking along at the same pace as before. And I think you captured that feel, Olem. That is, you did not get in too much of a hurry, and shouldn't. It's easy to feel like hurrying because the vocal feels more intense.

[IronZeppelin]

Hi, IronZeppelin, thanx for listening. I am not exactly sure what you mean by "the words that had to be carried seemed to be troubling you" - are you referring to the high pitched phrases "There walks a Lady we all know, who shines white light and wants to show"? Could you give an example of a phrase were i was way off pitch?

Ignore that statement by me, i originally listen to the song with my old crappy speakers and sometimes I get a weird humming noise and I though it was you. But the line I was referring to was "...Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?"

[ronws]

^

I heard that part and it sounds like a deliberate variation of the original vocal line. Nothing wrong with that. I am always saying, make the song your own and I have certainly modified vocal lines on songs to suit myself.

[MDEW]

Good job Olem, I couldn't really tell a difference in singing styles on the lower verses but when you started on the High part yeah, Total difference in singing style between you and Plant. Your version and sound fits with this song even if it does sound a little different from Plant.

The thing that people seem to forget is that in the old days every time you heard a band live the band would change things a little to be fresh every time. The album version was just what happened that day, also if there was a bum note, that was part of the magic of the song.

Anyway I think you did a good job of this and it is worth keeping in your song list.

[Olem]

Thanx for listening, MDEW. Yes, i wanted to do this song in my own style - i love metal songs with singing variation, calm parts varied with fierce ones, i am a big fan of progressive metal and one favourite band of mine - Opeth, often uses this kind of mix. The singer in that band sings in an even more extreme style than i do here.