Would be (and real) vocalists out there, a question

[Stevolives]

For anyone who has ever tried singing along to a VH song, or anyone that sings for a living, a question please. How on earth does Sammy get up there? I've heard him interviewed enough to know that his speaking voice isn't high pitched. Most good rock singers can do this. But a song like Don't Tell me what love can do, how does he do it? And he still does. I noticed some of the REAL old (think zero demoes) that DLR even used to sing quite high. My guess is he can't anymore due to hard living and or technique, (no, I'm not making a blanket statement that he's terrible either)
Even Billy Joel for example can't get up there anymore. How does Sammy do it?? Its not falsetto... Curious peoples thoughts and if anyone here is able to sing that high. Another one is Amsterdam... If you look at it, alot of VH with Sammy is out of this world high...

[NoBrownM&M's]

For anyone who has ever tried singing along to a VH song, or anyone that sings for a living, a question please. How on earth does Sammy get up there? I've heard him interviewed enough to know that his speaking voice isn't high pitched. Most good rock singers can do this. But a song like Don't Tell me what love can do, how does he do it? And he still does. I noticed some of the REAL old (think zero demoes) that DLR even used to sing quite high. My guess is he can't anymore due to hard living and or technique, (no, I'm not making a blanket statement that he's terrible either)
Even Billy Joel for example can't get up there anymore. How does Sammy do it?? Its not falsetto... Curious peoples thoughts and if anyone here is able to sing that high. Another one is Amsterdam... If you look at it, alot of VH with Sammy is out of this world high...

It's a physical gift. You have to be born with the pipes to do it. I sing the same way. Don't have a clue why, just do, and it has NOTHING to do with me being a hard worker at it. So I get no credit whatsoever.

[NoBrownM&M's]

For anyone who has ever tried singing along to a VH song, or anyone that sings for a living, a question please. How on earth does Sammy get up there? I've heard him interviewed enough to know that his speaking voice isn't high pitched. Most good rock singers can do this. But a song like Don't Tell me what love can do, how does he do it? And he still does. I noticed some of the REAL old (think zero demoes) that DLR even used to sing quite high. My guess is he can't anymore due to hard living and or technique, (no, I'm not making a blanket statement that he's terrible either)
Even Billy Joel for example can't get up there anymore. How does Sammy do it?? Its not falsetto... Curious peoples thoughts and if anyone here is able to sing that high. Another one is Amsterdam... If you look at it, alot of VH with Sammy is out of this world high...

Oh, and Sammy said the key to keeping your range is singing EVERYDAY. Use it or lose it.

[Double Down]

For anyone who has ever tried singing along to a VH song, or anyone that sings for a living, a question please. How on earth does Sammy get up there? I've heard him interviewed enough to know that his speaking voice isn't high pitched. Most good rock singers can do this. But a song like Don't Tell me what love can do, how does he do it? And he still does. I noticed some of the REAL old (think zero demoes) that DLR even used to sing quite high. My guess is he can't anymore due to hard living and or technique, (no, I'm not making a blanket statement that he's terrible either)
Even Billy Joel for example can't get up there anymore. How does Sammy do it?? Its not falsetto... Curious peoples thoughts and if anyone here is able to sing that high. Another one is Amsterdam... If you look at it, alot of VH with Sammy is out of this world high...

You used Don't Tell Me as your example but Dreams has to be the best example of his range. DLR would suffer a stroke if he tried to sing Dreams.

[NoBrownM&M's]

You used Don't Tell Me as your example but Dreams has to be the best example of his range. DLR would suffer a stroke if he tried to sing Dreams.

And when you listen to the YouTube of Dreams Live, he hits all notes. Very impressive.

I hate it when you go to see a band and they fail to hit the highs. Makes you imagine that it took 100 takes to get it right in the studio.

I'm not a Sammy fan, but the dude can sing like nobody's business.

[charlesresta]

Saw Sammy on 6/16 and we were all thinking the same question on how this bastard continues to hit the high notes. Seriously, he sounds better now than 2,5, even 10 years ago. At almost 58 years old, this is some feat!! Just hurry up and get in the studio with the "brothers" and cut a damn album.

[Stevolives]

yeah man, i've tried to sing along and its a joke. sounds terrible. agree with no brown m and m's. some kind of gift, although voice teachers will tell you they can get you there, i don't see it.......... yes live, amazing. i was in shock when i saw them in phx last May. sounded so good and high... crazy stuff. there is a way to pinch your vocal chords and do it but very few people can.... especially at his age... amazing.

[Stevolives]

Saw Sammy on 6/16 and we were all thinking the same question on how this bastard continues to hit the high notes. Seriously, he sounds better now than 2,5, even 10 years ago. At almost 58 years old, this is some feat!! Just hurry up and get in the studio with the "brothers" and cut a damn album.

good point, seems like he is BETTER now. i don't get it. i think it was OU812 tour when he was having lots of vocal problems, maybe balance, i don't remember but anyway, seems like he worked them out somehow... doesn't make sense since billy joel and the likes can't but hey...

[NoBrownM&M's]

good point, seems like he is BETTER now. i don't get it. i think it was OU812 tour when he was having lots of vocal problems

For me, the problems start when my monitor-mix is out of whack. You do your sound-check and everythings good, but somehow after the opening act, your mix is whacked. It's really hard to sing when the band mix is too loud or too quiet in your monitors. You start to sing from your throat instead of your gut and that's when the straining of the voice starts.

When you have a good mix, you push air from the right places, everything's clickin' there no better feeling in the world.

I wonder if Sammy was getting a bad mix on that tour.

[Little Dreamer]

I disagree. If u listen to Sam's early stuff, the Montrose records, 9 on a 10 scale, he wasn't singing as high in the early days. His voice was more bluesy, in the mid range. He developed his upper range over time.

[NoBrownM&M's]

he wasn't singing as high in the early days.

A likely directive from the producer and Montrose. I've never heard of anyone developing a higher register, it's usually discovered over time if they don't know that they already have the gift.

Think you can develop it? Go ahead and try and let us know how it goes.

[Stevolives]

Think you can develop it? Go ahead and try and let us know how it goes.

I have been trying for 18 months... have gotten 1 additional note higher sometimes... usually exact same as always though. i think doing it 5 years might be better measuring stick

the thing about singing, aside from the naturals that the first note they sing GREAT for some reason (back to the gift) is that it will take time. its like most things but it isn't in that its YOU. you think, if i am motivated and practice like hell, i can learn to sing in 3 months, 6 months, 2 years?? Thats true. Anyone can sing, but most of us sound bad. The reason people say they can't is that the first period of trying to learn, the sound is SO BAD that family/girlfriends/wives say stop that you suck its horrible.. If you can forge ahead you can improve. BUT, i think if you start out TERRIBLE, you won't get too good, if you start out not too bad, you might get kinda good, but to get great you need to start that way or be pretty good out of the gate. from my perspective though, if you're having fun and not torturing those around you too bad, its all fun..

[F'nRockstar]

Dude just keeps rockin out. Nobody else in the VH camp has done more shows, made more albums, written more songs. He is the hardest working man in the VH camp, present or past.

[MikeL]

A likely directive from the producer and Montrose. I've never heard of anyone developing a higher register, it's usually discovered over time if they don't know that they already have the gift.

In interviews, Sam gives Mick Jones credit for really pushing him into new registers on 5150. He said he hadn't known he could do that.

[INfiniteChronos]

... an incredible voice, in every aspect, prevails with annunciation, presentation ( delivery, clarity of ) with an empathic persona and articulate demeanor. Persons with this gift are what sustantiate a natural vocalist. Some persons provide this in a speaking voice which, im sure many of you have heard sometime in your life, somebody whos talk, in an instant, almost mesmerizes or captivates you. This adhers to your inner light within, however, this is very rare and with vocalists it is ever more rare, almost extinct in todays music. This gift is just the begining of becoming a vocalist- it is not learned, something like a southern drawl in speach, an eastern accent, or your country inflection is learned.

A good start is to learn how the vocal cords and larynx work, and, how to breathe. Then see the actual vocal cords and larynx working- your own as well as others, learn how the different notes are achieved in the larynx. Seeing another persons larynx work of those whom have a different vocal range is quite benifical also. Breathing- can you say the abc's in one breath, how many times can you say it in one breath. Did you annunciate each letter, dot the I's cross the T's, lower case and upper case letters.

Developing strength is key also, as in key to those high notes. If one hasnt been singing consistanty the vocal cords get weak, like when you go to a concert or sporting event when you are screaming the entire time and the next day your voice is shot, or even loss of voice from coughing when you get a cold. Moreover, to maintain the range and its consistancy is to keep singing and keep hitting the notes and trying to achieve even more vocally. Most people have a distinct and certain range, which is also part of ones charcacter, and limits them vocally (and identifies them) which is why some persons whom speak incredibly cant sing and vice versa. Rare, however yet it exists, is a persons vocal range that which is somewhere beyond reality for most to understand has such range at both ends of the sprectrum has a speaking voice which is almost monotone and lack of color and expression because it is a median area and in a position where there is almost no movement in the range of or motion of the larynx preserving its delicate and intricate element. The negitive to this- is that the persons own distinct vocal character and element has such diversity is that the factor that says this is me is almost non-existant and may seem like imitating anothers sound.

Now im no doctor, singer, or vocal specialist and maybe what i just said is meaningless and insignificant, however, if i were to start singing it would be the avenue and direction where i would start, and most important how to LISTEN to the vocals of those that are and are not good and learn ... to me, the vocals are a key factor to the music, the instrumentation could be the best in the world, but the instant a shitty vocal starts i change the station or turn it off, i become uninterested, it becomes unattractive, almost like a fine ass hot chick (guy) with bad teeth and a cigarette in their mouth.