When, How, and Why did Ed's Voice Change? Options

[LiveForNow]

Most people here would agree that Ed's voice has changed over for the years. I agree, and unfortunately I think it changed for the worst (but not as bad as most people would say).

I don't speak music lingo, nor was I a fan of the band until 2008, so all I have to go off of are concert recordings, but to those who have seen the change and know a thing or two about vocals, what exactly happened? Why did it happen? When did it start to change, in what ways, and how has it continued to change?

Please be as unbiased as you can be and keep your theories scientific. Comments like "Because Ed's ego got in the way" doesn't really answer the how or even the what for that matter.

This post has been edited by LiveForNow: Nov 18 2016, 4:07 pm

[Fool_By_The_River]

Most people here would agree that Ed's voiced has changed over for the years. I agree, and unfortunately I think it changed for the worst (but not as bad as most people believe).

I don't speak music lingo, nor was I a fan of the band until 2008, so all I have to go off of are concert recordings, but to those who have seen the change and know a thing or two about vocals, what exactly happened? Why did it happen? When did it start to change, in what ways, and how has it continued to change?

His voice did change, but it seemed to change on every record. It is definetly not as good as it used to be, but the LIVE sound is still with him and he can still belt the songs. I don't know what changed, but i think he always tried to tweak his voice, maybe a little too much sometimes.

[alexou]

Most people here would agree that Ed's voice has changed over for the years. I agree, and unfortunately I think it changed for the worst (but not as bad as most people would say).

I don't speak music lingo, nor was I a fan of the band until 2008, so all I have to go off of are concert recordings, but to those who have seen the change and know a thing or two about vocals, what exactly happened? Why did it happen? When did it start to change, in what ways, and how has it continued to change?

Please be as unbiased as you can be and keep your theories scientific. Comments like "Because Ed's ego got in the way" doesn't really answer the how or even the what for that matter.

Missing the raw edge of his voice somewhere at the end of SS era. He performed the hits like mainstream pop songs. Exagerated falseto, trying to prove he has a wide wide range but failed often. I mean, he still has something good in his voice when he stays in the song, not overpowering it. Example: the cover of radioactive that was reposted about 10 days ago. Great cover. No extra, just a good solid performance where he can showcase his lower range.

[LiveForNow]

Missing the raw edge of his voice somewhere at the end of SS era. He performed the hits like mainstream pop songs. Exagerated falseto, trying to prove he has a wide wide range but failed often. I mean, he still has something good in his voice when he stays in the song, not overpowering it. Example: the cover of radioactive that was reposted about 10 days ago. Great cover. No extra, just a good solid performance where he can showcase his lower range.

Why did he get rid of the raw edge? Did his vocal cords give out or was it personal preference? What, in musical terms, is signing with raw edge? I know what you mean, I'm just looking for a music instructor to define it for me and give some insight as to what signing like that physically entails.

[Unsheathed]

A very non-expert point of view:

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I don't really think Ed's voice was inherently remarkable at any point. It was always how he used it. His patterns of intonation were unlike anything I've ever really experienced, and the marriage of those patterns with some amazing lyrics and extremely well-crafted music from the guys surrounding him ultimately are what made Live such a uniquely powerful experience for me.

Studio recording has been VERY kind to Ed. After listening to countless live performances and listening to him live, it is clear to me that Ed was given MANY takes in the studio, and a lot of it was cleaned up with editing tools. Compare his attempted falsetto on Turn My Head on Churchbox with the final version on Secret Semadhi, as an example.

I really don't feel like his voice changed all that much, just how he used it. He started using falsetto in the studio circa SS and the finished product sounded good, so they ran with that. It sounded good on TDTH, so they ran with that. Then V came out, and then BOP, and then SFBM....

[vivapokey]

I think it's gone through stages, even in the 90s there were subtle changes. The first biggest change I think came in 1999. After TDTH was released and they went on tour, that's when I first notice a softening and a less angsty, gruffness to it. It was still what I'd call a voice that belonged on alternative radio but you could see the beginning of where it was going. He was moving away from sounding deeper to trying more falsetto and to be higher in pitch. Neither of which I think suit him well. Even though they're very different songs, you can see it in the way he approached interpretations of covers. Dusted, Love My Way..they were deeper, less "showy", not every note he reached to make sound high and pretty. Then you look at Imagine in 1999 and that was the "prettiest" cover done to date. His voice was clean.

V was a clusterfuck. I mean he was trying to rap at points so. Yeah.

BOP was strange. It was a mix where it was like he desperately wanted to get on to his SFBM type material, but the backlash of V was so severe that he knew people wanted another TC, so instead we got this weird mix. He would occasionally flip between the two. There's some recordings from the BOP era where he is really close to 90s Ed again and others where he is dreaming of pop superstardom.

So I think the most significant shift came post BOP/pre SFBM when he abandoned his old style entirely and went for a voice which lent itself to the pop sensibilities of SFBM. But it was a disaster and I don't think he's ever really recovered from it. If he manages to somehow turn it around it would be an incredible achievement.

So long answer short, I think it's gone in stages. It's also hard to pin point for a lot of us because we have followed along so closely that you sort of just see everything as a slow morph as opposed to a line in the sand.

[World Dreamer]

Most people here would agree that Ed's voice has changed over for the years. I agree, and unfortunately I think it changed for the worst (but not as bad as most people would say).

I don't speak music lingo, nor was I a fan of the band until 2008, so all I have to go off of are concert recordings, but to those who have seen the change and know a thing or two about vocals, what exactly happened? Why did it happen? When did it start to change, in what ways, and how has it continued to change?

Please be as unbiased as you can be and keep your theories scientific. Comments like "Because Ed's ego got in the way" doesn't really answer the how or even the what for that matter.

A lot goes into an answer to this question.

You mentioned you became a fan in 2008. I wish you could have seen Ed early on. Differing opinions aside, 90's Live is why everyone is still following this band. They were that good. They were so good that after 20 years of wetting the bed they still have fans. Not many, but here we are.

Back in the day Live toured a lot and Ed gave everything he had. He was intense and passionate (which is why I feel like Shinn was great - he had amazing passion at shows) and he sang his heart out. It takes a toll. Think of a Chris Cornell. He can't do near what he used to. Still sounds good but has been almost forced into a more acoustic, mellow sound. Our good friend Kevin Martin is the same way. When he sings mellow and slow his voice is pure and sounds like it always has (which Ed does now if he does acoustic shows) but when he gets loose and loud it is much different than 15 years ago.

If you compare Eddie Vedder now to how he sounded during Ten it is a huge difference.

It comes with the territory of singing "abrasive" songs.

Also, I know at one point Ed did have vocal surgery. I do not know the specifics but one has to assume it changed things.

Hell, I spoke in another thread about Shinn bringing back the grit and angst of early Live but if he had to do that for 4 albums and the tours that go with it I bet his voice would suffer as well.

I mean Ed has been singing since he was 14? 15? Even Michael Jordan got slow towards the end of his career.

If I didn't like hearing myself type then I would have given you the short answer...Father Time.

[Voodoo Lady]

I'm not a vocal coach, but it is a fact that your voice box/cord tissues are a muscle. Muscle tissue changes as you age; you lose muscle mass. And then on top of that, singers wear out and damage their vocal chords faster than just aging because of the repetitive use/strain.

It could be wrong, but I once read that Ed had surgery back in the day (maybe between SS and TDTH?) for a vocal chord nodule? Anyway, I think Ed's voice has held up great over the years. And I agree with the previous comments that he has sounded different on different albums. That was both vocal maturity and style choices. We all know that Ed's voice is unique and identifiable, which makes him stand apart from the rest.

Many singers have destroyed their voices over the years. I like to use Jeff Keith from Tesla as an example. He sounds like Cartman from South Park nowadays. But I don't care... I'm going to see Tesla March 3 and I know I'll have a great time. Unlike some, I don't get my panties all in a bunch if a singer doesn't sound exactly like he did in his prime or he doesn't sound like he does on the album live. (Of course they aren't going to, right?)

Interestingly, Ian Astbury's shot voice sounds better to me now than it did in the 80's. It worked to his advantage, giving him a deeper, mature sound & I like it. --But many Cult fans complain. Same you know what, different day.

[World Dreamer]

It could be wrong, but I once read that Ed had surgery back in the day

You did read that. In my excellent post just above yours.

[FishOutaWater]

I think Ed started trying to fine tune his craft and use his voice as a good singer, instead of a rough and tumble alternative rock singer with angst. I think I really heard it first on TDTH. But I think that the change was intentional, not that his voice changed or that he couldn't so it anymore. The evolution of Ed's voice was (in my opinion) when Ed started trying to sound good, like a good singer. He started using more vibrato and trying to deliver a prettier sound on ballads. He was singing Imagine and Overcome and Turn My Head and Dance With You and stuff like that, and he started varying the album versions fo the hits to throw in some vocal runs. But I think that Ed could still deliver a great vocal performance on Lakini's Juice and White Discussion right up until the end of their run. I saw some great shows at Hershey and Atlantic City right near the end. I didn't walk away from those shows thinking there was anything wrong with Ed's vocals. I loved his early acoustic solo performances. I think Ed's voice still has plenty in the tank and can sound great.

[Voodoo Lady]

You did read that. In my excellent post just above yours.

I was writing my excellent post at the same time you were writing your not-as-excellent post.
And no, I was referring to another time I read that here, years ago.

[vivapokey]

Much also must come down to when Ed sings with his eyes closed

[World Dreamer]

I was referring to another time I read that here, years ago.

Probably also a post by me.

[Voodoo Lady]

Much also must come down to when Ed sings with his eyes closed

Yea, keep trying to be an ass.
Ed very rarely sang with eyes closed. Ed's crazy eyes and his I'm-gonna-look-right-into-this-camera-while-I'm-singing-with-my-eyes-buggin',-looking-straight-into-your-soul, made him one of the coolest motherfuckers to ever front a band on this planet!
You can keep your eyes closed Chris Shinn.

[vivapokey]

Sorry it was just honestly one of the dumbest things I've heard on this forum, it's going to get a lot of mileage