Best vocal blend

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

Which lineup had/has the best vocal blend? gotta go with the classic lineup:

Leadon, Frey, Henley and Meisner

hard to match that harmony...

[sodascouts]

Man, I'm not sure I can answer this question. Each one has its own sound that works for it - they're not the same yet they aren't necessary inferior or superior to each other.

[GlennLover]

I agree with you there, Soda. I listen to the original lin eup& think "Wow, they're good". Then I listen to songs like No More Walks In The Woods & think "Wow, they're good". LOL! I rest my case.

[Freypower]

Perhaps this could be moved to the 'Eagles' forum as it relates to the entire band.

I love it when the current four members sing together. Unfortunately on most occasions it is very hard to hear Joe. So in terms of the distinctiveness of the sound perhaps the original four is in fact the best vocal blend.

[bernie's bender]

Then I listen to songs like No More Walks In The Woods & think "Wow, they're good". LOL! I rest my case.

and I say "somebody is using melodyne!"

[Scarlet Sun]

Where did Felder fit in?

[Freypower]

I honestly could not tell you which parts, if any, Felder sings on the studio albums. I couldn't even tell you which parts are him on HFO. But I assume he does lower parts.

[sodascouts]

and I say "somebody is using melodyne! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aKkAGpWCSw&feature=related)"

Well, they can reproduce it live pretty well, so I don't think they relied on software too heavily.

Re: Felder and Joe - I can't discern their voices in harmonies on the albums at all.

[Freypower]

I think I can hear Joe in Hole In The World (especially because I think Henley says 'sing it Joe' near the end).

[bernie's bender]

Well, they can reproduce it live pretty well, so I don't think they relied on software too heavily.

Re: Felder and Joe - I can't discern their voices in harmonies on the albums at all.

oh, it works live too! you'd be amazed at all the antares stuff in folks racks for live performance... I'm sure the Eagles don't use it (maybe) but, I'd guarantee you the last album had either antares or melodyne on it... fo sho!

here Billy has some whistlers (when you are WAAAAYYY off) you can hear the artifacts...

pitch correction!

I've used a tc helicon model when I have a headcold live... nobody seems to know or care...

[Prettymaid]

I love it when the current four members sing together. Unfortunately on most occasions it is very hard to hear Joe. So in terms of the distinctiveness of the sound perhaps the original four is in fact the best vocal blend.

And I thought it was just me! Joe has such a distinctive vocal, you would think that you would be able to pick it out of a harmony!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Okay - I wouldn't be able to answer this question either. I don't think any of the Eagles line ups is any better than the other - they are different, but not better, IMO. I agree that it is often hard to hear Joe's distinct voice in most of the Eagle's harmonies, but I also think that was true with some of Bernie's vocals in the early years. I guess some voices have to be more understated and are used to blend in for achieving the sound that the band wants to achieve, but I'm sure not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.

I also wonder about how much the band uses any type of digital voice technology to achieve their sound. Of course, I have no idea, but it seems to me that they are rather "old school" in their approach to these things. There is no question that they utilize some technology because they have stated as much in interviews. However, the fact of the matter is that they always have been a band with superb vocalists, so I wonder how much 'tinkering' around is necessary or acceptable to them.

[MikeA]

Joe has commented before how if you wanted to be in a band, learn to sing like David Crosby. You can't really hear him in the mix, but take him out and you'll sure be able to tell something isn't "right". I think Joe was talking about David finding a vocal groove a 5th above the melody line.

[GlennLover]

Yes Mike, I think that it's the mark of a great band when you can't pick out the individual voices, nice tight harmonies.

[Prettymaid]

Yes Mike, I think that it's the mark of a great band when you can't pick out the individual voices, nice tight harmonies.


:sigh: This is true.

[chaim]

No knowledge to back this up, but just a thought. Maybe one of the reasons Joe voice can't be recognized in the harmonies is, that he may sing lower parts in the harmonies, that what we're used to hearing in his solo vocals. People tend to have a bit different tone in the higher and lower register, I think.

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

I totally agree about not being able to pick out Joe easily on record. I think one of the reasons why Joe wanted to join the Eagles was because he loved singing harmony. And Tim really supplemented the sound after Randy left and is a master harmonizer who can nail those high notes. Both his work with Poco and the Eagles are both exceptional.

And Bernie's harmonizing is sublime and probably the most under appreciated in that classic sound. The first couple of albums especially, he really shines. Interesting to watch who sings what on this classic (lot of Bernie and Randy, but not a lot of Henley):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrc8XOlJsm0

[Brooke]

:ack: :thud:

Quite a country twang there!

[Prettymaid]

Thanks GTLO. NIce harmonies by Bernie and Randy, and it's nice to see some vocal improv from Glenn.

And here's a reaction to the video you probably can't appreciate GTLO...:thud:Glenn looks drop dead gorgeous there!

[Prettymaid]

Brooke I swear I didn't see your thud smiley post before I posted mine! Glenn just has that effect in that video! :hilarious:

[Brooke]

He most certainly does! Great minds!

[Scarlet Sun]

Well, Joe replaced Bernie, so he is definitely singing lower harmonies. I just wonder what they had Felder do, because there are only 3 or 4 notes in a chord. Is he singing bass on Seven Bridges Road?

That BBC show is great in terms of observing Eagles harmony. It answers questions and raises more. For example, what is Bernie singing on Saturday Night? Is he singing a bass part or is he doubling Glenn? It's a question because at other times during that show, we see Glenn mostly silent on Train Leaves Here This Morning and Don quiet on Peaceful Easy Feeling except when three-part "oohs" are needed. PEF is interesting in that Bernie sings the 3rd above Glenn's lead - something no else but Henley would do thereafter . . .

In CSN, Crosby would usually sing the next interval above the lead, and occasionally a lower part, sometimes both(Helplessly Hoping, for example). You can't really hear him because Nash's tone singing the highest part always overhwhelms Crosby's.

[MikeA]

Well, it is very obvious why Bernie Leadon could never hang with the Eagles after they went more contemporary. He wears his guitar up too high!

If you're gonna be a Rock Star, you have to have a long strap with the ax down below your waist! Everbody knows that!

[Freypower]

What I find interesting now is that Glenn does such low harmonies on LROOE when he's known for his reasonably high (although not as high as Tim's) tenor. I love picking him out when I can. He isn't all that easy to hear in WITW until they get towards the end. My favourite line in NMWITW is 'when branches were the sky' where his voice is most dominant.