Just HOW on earth does Cornell do this?!

[Stan]

I've been practicing the song Beyond The Wheel for the past 2 days...and let me tell ya, I could actually hit all those high notes...the problem is...they don't sound as powerful and intense as Cornell's...definitely not as aggressive. Is he belting in this song? Is his technique spot on? What exactly is he doing...(internally, anyway)?

[VideoHere]

I've been practicing the song Beyond The Wheel for the past 2 days...and let me tell ya, I could actually hit all those high notes...the problem is...they don't sound as powerful and intense as Cornell's...definitely not as aggressive. Is he belting in this song? Is his technique spot on? What exactly is he doing...(internally, anyway)?

like lou gramm, cornell is another vocal god...one seriously skilled rock singer

intense twang in his seriously-developed head voice

his command of breath support (he's known for that)

knows all too well how to resonate

open throat

"going for it"

[Stan]

To me, when I hear it, it sounds like he's just screaming the crap out of the words and using his diaphragm to the absolute max. But I really wouldn't know if what he's doing is safe and healthy.

[VideoHere]

To me, when I hear it, it sounds like he's just screaming the crap out of the words and using his diaphragm to the absolute max. But I really wouldn't know if what he's doing is safe and healthy.

he's a screamer yes, but as he evolved, he became more skilled at doing it safely and correctly. he has said that in interviews. i've seen him live 4th row and he is amazing but not as "anything goes" as he used to be.

you get to a point where you realize that if you don't learn to do this right, your career won't last.

[Douglas]

Hi Stan,

I too am learning so I am commenting for three reasons, first, it is possible that my comments might help second, I may learn to be a more helpful analyst if people better at it than I correct me; and finally maybe if I get it wrong an expert will jump in and respond Also I am a Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) student so this is the CVT version of what is going on.

In regard to his powerful high notes, it sounds like most of them are in a mode of vocal production called “edge” this is characterized by lots of volume and lots of twang. In the high part of the voice the vowels I, EH, A and OE are the easiest to sing in edge. It sounds to me that Chris is singing some of the high notes with vowels like OH in another mode called Metal-like neutral. Which is a mode that is typically fairly soft but can be loud in the high part of the voice and, if it has a fair amount of twang added can sound fairly metallic. It is not as limited in terms of vowels as some of the other modes.

Edge in CVT has overlap with what the Estill Voice practitioners call “belt”. And I would guess that they would call the high powerful notes in this song belt but I would be happy to defer to greater expertise.

I hope that this comment is helpful and that if any more experienced people have some improvements to make in my assessment please feels free to share them.

Thanks so much.

Doug

[joshual]

Chance for the analysis, Cvt seems really too much intellectual for me LOL. Of course it really great ans robust method but how can you think about all of those things ans sing tour heart out at the same time...

[Snax]

To me, when I hear it, it sounds like he's just screaming the crap out of the words and using his diaphragm to the absolute max. But I really wouldn't know if what he's doing is safe and healthy.

Hi Stan,

Believe it or not he's not just screaming his balls off although the effect does sound that way. The same technique he uses is similar to Brian Johnson from AC/DC. It's reinforced falsetto type vocal production with excellent breath support. It's probably not as loud as you'd think either but that tone is so ear piercing that it sounds loud as hell. He has unbelievable ability to "sing" in his screaming voice! I'm a huge fan for sure. :)

[akarawd]

I don't reckon that's edge. It sounds like MLN (so there's a lot of twang) with a bit of rasp (creaking ?) to me.

I'll agree on the support but you "don't think about these things and sing your heart out" - you've either practiced

long enough or you're a natural born singer like cornell. Is there anybody who could claim it's curbing ?

Big fan of his.

[Exhale]

I think this is mixed vocal that consists of 1. twang and 2. head voice, also with huge amount of rasp... That's all...

[akarawd]

I think this is mixed vocal that consists of 1. twang and 2. head voice, also with huge amount of rasp... That's all...

Sure, the thing is we're trying to identify the mode and kind of noise.

[jonpall]

I think I agree with akarawd and Snax - MLN with creaking. Basically, thin vocal folds with lots of twang and so much resonation (but little air) in the soft palate that the sound starts to distort slightly.

And even if it ISN'T MLN with creaking, I still think it makes most sense to sing this that way ;)

[Martin H]

Hey all,

It's MLN.

Chance for the analysis, Cvt seems really too much intellectual for me LOL. Of course it really great ans robust method but how can you think about all of those things ans sing tour heart out at the same time...

Well really you don't. In the beginning yes, when learning you HAVE to know and be aware of what you are doing until it becomes second nature (get's into your muscle memory). Then you can "sing your heart out" without thinking about technique - it's like riding a bike - first you have to know what to do with your legs, arms, how to keep balance etc. and in the end you just ride the bike. :)

[Stan]

I don't know anything about CVT, unfortunately, but what is MLN? :)

[joshual]

@Martin,

thanxs for reminder lol. I thought CVT was more of "pick what you want' instead of "practice everything". I'm going to buy it as soon as the french version will be released. ;-)

[Douglas]

...

It's MLN.

....

Hi Martin and everyone,

I certainly am willing to bow to superior expertise in regard to Chris' sining but I do have a question. Do you or anyone else have a clip of Chris' singing that is edge that you could point out so I can hear the difference?

Thanks so much for your help and for correcting me so I didn't lead Stan astray.

Doug

[Douglas]

I don't know anything about CVT, unfortunately, but what is MLN?

Hi Stan,

I am gonna take a swing at this question too but be prepared for a correction if I get this wrong as well.

In CVT there are four vocal modes, neutral, curbing, overdrive and edge, and they have a variety of distingishing features. One is how "metalic" the voice is.

In this scheme there is one non-metalic mode, neutral, one half-metalic mode, curbing, and two full-metalic modes, overdrive and edge.

So neutral is a non-metalic mode, it also extends through all parts of the voice in terms of pitch, vowels and color. It tends to be softer than the modes with more metallic contributions.

The confusing thing is there is even a part of this mode that sounds as if it has a metallic component. This part of the neutral mode is called "metal-like neutral."

Metal-like neutral is sometimes called "fake edge" and is distinguished from other parts of neutral by a greater degree of twang and a light sound color. It is said by CVT to be useful in the upper part of the voice if you want a metallic sound but less volume and engergy than using a more metallic voice would require.

I hope this is helpful, and of course, I hope that if I got it wrong, someone will correct me.

Thanks so much.

Doug

[Snorth]

I could give some MLN examples in that range tomorrow, not sure if I can nail cornells tone fully though. His singing sounds so freaking intense!

[joshual]

okay so i guess it MLN here too: and Martin I want you to answer lol ;-)

(high notes starting at 0:32), it's not Chris Cornell, it's Richie Kotzen (we all have our idols lol) but they both share the same kind of tone...

the volume didn't seem to be loud, the color sound light to me, with some rasp in it, but it's giving the impression of power without engaging too much energy.

[VideoHere]

okay so i guess it MLN here too: and Martin I want you to answer lol ;-)

(high notes starting at 0:32), it's not Chris Cornell, it's Richie Kotzen (we all have our idols lol) but they both share the same kind of tone...

the volume didn't seem to be loud, the color sound light to me, with some rasp in it, but it's giving the impression of power without engaging too much energy.

joshual,

(from a non-cvt person)

to me (he's friggin' great b.t.w.) i hear him singing with a lot of energy and breath support.

not volume, but plenty of energy and control.

a lot of resonance too. i can get his sound by really supporting the tone and driving the sound up. i hear nicely tuned vowels too. i glad you turned me on to him.

hope this helped.

[ronws]

Cornell was using twang. This song was in the same vein as other stuff during the days of "Loud Love." It was funny reading the comments on youtube. And some of them thought Soundgarden was grunge when actually, they were considered almost heavy metal and certainly hard rock, at first.

[Snorth]

I could give some MLN examples in that range tomorrow, not sure if I can nail cornells tone fully though. His singing sounds so freaking intense!

A generous friend of mine gave me a quite bad disease yesterday and I'm feeling like shit today so I'm afraid there won't be any sample from me today. :P

[Snax]

...So you're hung over then? lol

[ronws]

Speaking of "Loud Love", a song similar to "Beyond the Wheel," I saw a youtube video of Cornell with Audioslave doing a later rendition of that song. They played it much quieter and Cornell sang it much quieter. I wasn't sure if it was due to a change in how he sings or if it was a stylistic preference, like Coverdale doing an acoustic version of "Here I Go Again."