NYrD'83
05-24-2014, 06:48 PM
Hello everybody,
Here is something I have always faced with playing, or rather singing, U2 songs. It may be common but I have a different vocal range than Bono. So this leads to a "problem"...
...If I want to play any U2 song and sing it (at least with the same type of effort or effect vocally) then I need to change the key of the song. Obviously this would mean changing the finger/chord position, relationship of open vs. fretted strings, harmonics, etc.
Now my particular voice is about a 4th - 5th lower than Bono's; meaning when he hits the C (above middle C) then I hit the F that is 5 steps lower (if my terminology is correct). This is why I hope to get a baritone guitar someday (both acoustic & electric). They are usually tuned a 4th below standard tuning, but I think you could tune it down a 5th as well. Using a baritone guitar I could keep the same finger position and string relationship and everything, which seems a particularly important thing in The Edge's guitar playing. It would just be lower sounding, but hopefully not poor sounding. I have found that when you change it up on a standard-tuned guitar things can be interesting; the song may become very hard to play, but it also could be easier...it may sound very wrong or it may sound very cool. I am probably familiar with most baritone guitar models around, not by actually playing them but by researching it. I wish there were more choices and they were more accessible.
Anyway...has anyone else changed the key of U2 songs to fit someone's voice? Has anybody owned/played a baritone guitar? Or tuned a standard guitar down more than a half-step? Do we all have problems singing U2 songs?
I'd love to hear,
Mark
Here is something I have always faced with playing, or rather singing, U2 songs. It may be common but I have a different vocal range than Bono. So this leads to a "problem"...
...If I want to play any U2 song and sing it (at least with the same type of effort or effect vocally) then I need to change the key of the song. Obviously this would mean changing the finger/chord position, relationship of open vs. fretted strings, harmonics, etc.
Now my particular voice is about a 4th - 5th lower than Bono's; meaning when he hits the C (above middle C) then I hit the F that is 5 steps lower (if my terminology is correct). This is why I hope to get a baritone guitar someday (both acoustic & electric). They are usually tuned a 4th below standard tuning, but I think you could tune it down a 5th as well. Using a baritone guitar I could keep the same finger position and string relationship and everything, which seems a particularly important thing in The Edge's guitar playing. It would just be lower sounding, but hopefully not poor sounding. I have found that when you change it up on a standard-tuned guitar things can be interesting; the song may become very hard to play, but it also could be easier...it may sound very wrong or it may sound very cool. I am probably familiar with most baritone guitar models around, not by actually playing them but by researching it. I wish there were more choices and they were more accessible.
Anyway...has anyone else changed the key of U2 songs to fit someone's voice? Has anybody owned/played a baritone guitar? Or tuned a standard guitar down more than a half-step? Do we all have problems singing U2 songs?
I'd love to hear,
Mark