The main Q is can you describe it??

Personally as Harlepolis-I CAN'T . Its just amazing when you take a listen 2 [4 U+Prince] Lps and say "Wow, this brotha know how to pull a Smocky Robinson-esque, a silky smooth mellow yet FUNKY/GROOVY kinda voice" but when you listen at 'PR' 'I love you in me' and 'UTCM' you'll be like 'HHHOOOooold UP! thats not the same guy I listened to, sure they both have the same name ' which is PRINCE' but they sho nuff have different voices, I mean unlike that this person have a REAL deep voice'

The BEST examples about his [Multi-layered voice] are 'Adore+Pink Cashmere' and if you go back to you CDs and take a listen you'd know why . I'll go back and ask again, can you lable or describe his voice???

???

I for one can't stand his multi-layered effects...Its soo outdated now and I much prefer when he uses is singular dynamic voice to convey an emotion. It worked wonderfully on Adore...but everything since sorta pales compared to it...


IMHO!!!

i certainly can't label his voice...all i can say is when he layers on all those voices on one track...whew!...that's just one of the reasons Lovesexy is my favorite album, all the layers (and not just vocal layers, either). It's like a choir of Princes...now that's wonderful!

Harlepolis said:

The wonders of the Les Paul-invented multi-tracking technique.

SkletonKee said:

Sometimes YES. I'm just AMAZED at how he could do that, I mean when you compare 'Sexy Dancer' 2 'Somthin in the water' or 'Baby' 2 'UTCM' you wonder 'How could he do that??'. I know a lot of artists who try to sing deep or light but they sho nuff can't FLIP their voices into different ranges if you know what I'm saying??

imnotsayinthisjust2bnasty said:

Thank U. Thats what I'm trying 2 say!

Harlepolis said:[quote]

SkletonKee said:

ahhh...so your talking about his vocal range...i thought u were refering to his annoying habit of layering his vocals... now i get it...


oopsies..

SkletonKee said:[quote]

Harlepolis said:

Is 'layering' a technique?? I'm not talking about Camille/Erotic City and the rest of these songs tho,,,

its called harmony...he basically lays down a melody then goes back and keeps recording more vocals over top of it without listening to the previous take until he has several distinct layers and several different melodies/harmonies. i love it.

hell d'angelo formatted his entire career on that same technique. too bad he cant quite pull it off.

djdredd said:

I didn't mean that. I ment his different ranges in his songs(Light, deep, raw, etc etc etc etc)

Prince's vocal range and his ability to go any and everywhere even in the course of one song is one of the many features that makes him one-of-a-kind. It is amazing.

Prince layering his music is another story. It's not a bad thing. It does make his sound unique, however, he doesn't need to use it as much as he does. Sometimes it leaves his sound over-produced, which takes the edge off.

Nothinbutjoy said:

and as a fellow vocalist, let me add my take-
I think Prince is the ultimate example of a VOCALIST, not a SINGER.
His instrument is 'the throat' I feel that U don't have 2 make words when U sing, just make sounds and 'play' your voice. This is what Prince does 2 perfection. Not only does he improvise and/or 'scat' effortlessly, but his little nuances and transitions from normal to falsetto and back R flawless.
Also, think about this way...he has SO much control over his vocal chords and shaping his mouth and breathing, he can create different tones and textures, much like putting your guitar thru effects processors. Its like dialing up different sounds.
I bet U he is a great impressionist/impersonator!

I got a thread 4 the singers here...check it out ok?

Just another example: "I love U in me".

You know the part in which he sings

(with U honey I'm the richest in the world)(so rich) don't need money cuz you're my girl.

Go and listen to it immediately ! It's worth it!

Never heard of a "multi-layered voice". You're listening to tracks that have been
recorded with Prince singing in different octaves, usually it's off-key, on the mastered
and engineered recording. While this is great for Prince's idiosyncratic style, it sounds
a bit shrill and annoying.

PFunkjazz said:

When has Prince been off-key?

feltbluish said:

I agree with you because I am also a singer and I am always trying to tell people how intricate what he does is. And the notes he chooses are intelligent just as if you hear Louis Armstrong play his horn. Also when Prince began layering his vocals in the studio it became more than just harmonies, it became his signature. Soon you would hear it and say "That's Prince" or someone trying to sound like him. Listen to Bilal's album also and he does it.

?
[This message was edited Wed Feb 26 3:00:49 PST 2003 by IstenSzek]

Harlepolis said:

oh ok.