The Vocal Range of James LaBrie: E♭2-B♭5(-B5)

[@EvilDragon666]

6:57 was fucking amazing! I think probably the best example of that segment he had ever pulled off live!

[@BukanIbuMu]

I can't believe EvilDragon is here

[@EdoSynysterfan]

5:40 HOLY CRAP

[@joao1328]

Overdubbed in studio

[@f4lc0n15]

João 13 so what if its overdubbed, it's LaBrie singing anyway. Also he's done the same thing live in other performances of that tour, so he can indeed do it.

[@KyleJPie10]

@@joao1328 you might want to listen to the full performance, too many natural mistakes for a studio recording. That was his real live voice back in the early 90s

[@manifestgtr]

What an absolute monster. Much like Lars (but for WAY different reasons), I’ll always defend James whenever some “metal” dick starts in on him. James has one of the most difficult jobs in all of rock. He may have calmed down a bit with age and he may be flat here and there but consider this. He’s out there every night, playing shows 2-3 hours long and working his way up to at least an E consistently. Never downtuning even a half step. Not only that but he’s continued to do so for over 20 years after a major vocal disaster that nearly ended his career. It takes someone who’s very powerfully gifted to handle that. Very few who read this comment could do so. Especially, ESPECIALLY with a speaking voice that’s solidly baritone.

[@elifarmer3815]

I'm curious about your argument for Lars

[@richardharris9708]

They did downtune him for certain tours, which is imo a great idea!

[@markobighead3173]

Lars is objectively a bad drummer, though. Labrie has worsened over time, again, objectively. There's no arguments to make.

[@kenheinrich8859]

He's the perfect singer for that band I love him

[@seroxturk]

What a fucking range. I mean all these years, two vocal injures he still slays many songs live. He is the BEST!

[@RBKluuzGH]

Can we all agree Images and Words is an absolute masterpiece?

[@asabovesobelow2299]

AWAKE!!

[@guadalupesigala4882]

Yes

[@guadalupesigala4882]

And scenes from a memory

[@TrueIronMaidenFan]

I just saw Dream Theatre (they opened for Iron Maiden) and James sounded fantastic. Better than I had ever heard him in his studio versions. He has lost no power at all!

[@alisherkawi]

Labrie sings the way he does now so that he doesn't hurt his vocal chords. Don't be a bunch of greedy bastards. He gave all he's got in 1992-1993 and it lead to a disaster.

[@CODMarioWarfare]

Giving it all he's got didn't have anything to do with the disaster.

[@jointz999]

He probably gave it all he had in the vomitting sense in '94 though. Trying to vomit on empty is a trying experience!!

[@nickmower3100]

Those years are arguably his best years as well. We can't deny that Labrie's vocals on "Images and Words" is probably the best album when it comes down to his vocals alone.

[@coda5934]

is strange, the accident was on 1994-1995 and he said that it took 8 years to recover, but just 5 years later i think that he had one of his best performances in live scenes from new york

[@lopolik]

+Pablu in live scenes from new york, he couldn't get the scream in learning to live right, like he did back in 1993... His best years are definitely 1992-1995, I think.

[@guitarboy4000000]

i just realized that excluding falsetto and vocal fry, james labrie has more range than freddi mercury... by one step.

[@TheFacilidade]

SO MUCH MORE DUDE !! JAMES LABRIE REACHES I HEAD N CHEST HIGHER NOTES OF TENORS !

[@DonHaka]

That passage from In too deep is insanely cool.

[@ChapelCollins]

I totally agree with the description, after seeing Labrie twice it makes me really sad to see people hating on him or saying he's lost his ability, because it's very obvious live that he hasn't. Just for some reason he seems to have taken a liking to some real breathy kinda cheesy style for some of DT's latest stuff. He can certainly sing with some major cajones too though, I wish more people knew.

[@markobighead3173]

He has objectively lost his abilities live, and this was true 10 years ago when the comment was made. Nowadays, he really shouldn't be fronting any band.

[@zorland876]

I'd like to see one perfrmance of him singing Metropolis or Take the Time or Scarred or Innocence Faded or Live Forever or Learning to Live like he did in '93. He's never stopped being able to belt out blistering high notes from time to time, that does not mean his voice "recovered".

[@Ashes2Ashes_Blush2Blush]

His voice is sexy amazing!

[@rtrooperw8115]

He is amazing, no doubt! Now mostly amazing in the studio. Love him!👍🏻❤️

[@danielmcmaniel1253]

I think on the chaos in motion live album/dvd, in Lines in the sand around the 11:25 mark he hits an F5 a few times

[@Lindy_Enalya]

7:26 gimme more plz

[@UnholyMessiah555]

Sweet, I was wondering what his bottom actually was - I've seen some put that In Too Deep note at E2, some as low as C#2. I'm actually more a fan of his lower vocals, but the dude's high notes are immense. He destroyed when I saw him at High Voltage, busted out the last chorus of Learning To Live as if it was 1993 again

[@FearTheBlades]

Am I the only person that knows labrie's voice was fully restored by 2002?!

[@DavaHerian]

4:12 sounds like double track vocals, D5 and E5 or Eb5 10:19 is G#5 to A5

[@zorland876]

I wouldn't think to hard about what that last part is XP

[@DavaHerian]

​@@zorland876 Oh, sorry. You're right. That's B5 from G#5 to B5

[@MazWilly]

during the live perfomance labrie did overtone sometimes. but still his voice is is so rocking

[@Trinity1629]

Labrie is the best!

[@dumithegreat3892]

HAHAHAHA, No...

[@MrPhilliesfan18]

Devonshire Pee Hahahahaha YES

[@dumithegreat3892]

Dan Mulcahy Hahahaha, Kyo Nishimura, Mike Patton, Freddie Mercury, Rody Walker, Devin Townsed, Axl Rose... all superior in versatility, technical skill, or both. James can't even position his fuckin tongue right, let alone do a quarter of the shit the aforementioned vocalists can. So hahahaha, no, opinions aside, these guys better.

[@MrPhilliesfan18]

Axl Rose? The man who ruined one of the best bands of the 90's? Really do some more research, Freddy Mercy and Axl Rose should never be in the same sentence

[@dumithegreat3892]

Dan Mulcahy On a technical level, Axl Rose's singing is extremely difficult to pull off correctly, regardless of what you think of his personality or sound of his voice. So yes, I will mention them in the same sentence, and maybe you should do your own research. Refer to Street of Dreams, for one of his most demanding passages ever; the F#s are incredibly well done. The notes also seem to lack the typically nasally tone of his mixed singing, which is a super plus, in my eyes. I personally wouldn't put him above Freddie Mercury in raw talent, but he is far more technically proficient than Mercury, this is a fact.

[@francheski]

yes he said that jaime vendera saved his voice nowadays he sound close to what he was...amazing!!

[@progfoxmusic]

He sings a lot of Labrie's parts at times? Like in A Change Of Seasons? "We can hope for the future but there may not be one~" Cus, James is still singing there. I'm pretty sure in regards to TTTSTA, it's Labrie that does it in the studio. I used to think it was Portnoy, but after listening to it god knows how many times, I'm pretty sure it's Labrie!

[@SeriousQuake]

:D:DDDD, First: I never said that, John Petrucci isn't the best (imo) for his technical but more 'cuz of his musical abilities, LaBrie is the best (again only imo) not only for his incredible range but he has a lot of techniques and singing styles that he uses that most singers dont have. Second: I listen to a lot of diffrent music, not only progressive metal.

[@jacobjohnson2603]

i keep forgetting what i'm listening to and keep getting shocked everytime the song is about to hit the crescendo but switches before it can

[@pierreandferb]

F#

[@Charsyndrome2]

@TheBarrelMan2 The C#6 at the end is a sample from a James Brown song, I'm pretty darn sure. It's not LaBrie. (Btw, LaBrie is freaking awesome.)

[@trymetal95]

WHAT was that at 7:35?

[@BenMichalowicz]

A G5 from the Killing Hand from DT's "Live at the Marquee"

[@trymetal95]

Ben M thank you.

[@Cubemaster]

No way! I've been wanting to make a video like this and now I don't have to!

[@147pablox]

Now you brought the one take element.. I think that can apply to every single "vocal range" which this video shows...

[@TheFacilidade]

AGREE DUDE . JAMES LAST YEAR N 2010 SURPRISED ME WITH A GIG OF 3:20:00 SINGIN' N NAILING ALL DA HIGH NOTES , DRIVES N GROWLS! LEGEND !

[@zorland876]

You were my inspiration :)

[@zorland876]

You should also know that there has never once been an occasion when Portnoy has sang Labrie's parts live, even as accompaniment. MP has done backing vocals on the albums since Awake and never backs up James's harmonies live.

[@brettsenzer5902]

He was one half step from reaching the 6th octave!

[@1vpvictor]

Could someone tell me what is the technique used to hit those chesty notes?

[@zorland876]

You ever heard Allen live? He tends to replicate performances almost perfectly. He hits Eb5s like crazy live.

[@SuperIdiotMan00]

Any concert footage focusing on MP clearly shows him singing into a mic whenever there's backing vocals.

[@FearTheBlades]

On December 29, 1994, LaBrie was struck with a severe case of food poisoning during which he ruptured his vocal cords. He saw 3 throat specialists who all said there was nothing to do except have him rest his voice. However, on January 12, 1995, against doctor's orders, he was on the Awake tour in Japan with his voice far from normal. LaBrie has said he did not feel vocally normal until at least 2002. After the Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence tour he discovered that his voice had fully returned.

[@mitsostim07]

dear uploader,labrie has made in fates waring some backing vocals.i think he sings higher than ever in those songs.plz check it

[@DTgirl83]

Dim Tim yes...life in still water!

[@TheBarrelMan2]

I can't entirely be certain, but I think the Milan bootlegs may be pitched up a half step. And is that scream in the "My Way" demo really James? I mean, it just doesn't sound like him. Perhaps it's some kind of sample? The B5 in "Under a Glass Moon" is hilarious, though. Gotta love the Captain.

[@themalsabor]

you know what happened to his voice right?

[@sobeto28]

You forgot to thank me for having found the C#6.

[@melrakan]

Yeah, Allen is just crazy, he is one of the elite in the world. LaBrie is one of the elites as well, though not in the same way Allen is; where Allen is stunningly accurate and breathtaking, LaBrie tends to swing between lower-par performance and some of the best performances in the world. Nowadays he's found a middle ground, though, and I personally think he's even better than he used to be back then. If I have to give a clear opinion IMO Allen is consistently better.

[@zorland876]

@hermygagala I can't tell you whether it was intentional or not, but the note was quite connected, like as if he tried going for the note but couldn't hold it. He also hits that note right before that too, "it WAS my choice"

[@TheArchimede]

whan you are that DT fan with perfect pitch, great work btw

[@HuguinhoPotter]

hmmm im dont get it... screams count like voice ''range''? I thought the question was about ''singing'' range

[@BenMichalowicz]

/watch?v=1Yogybuxyc4 found the link to the last music clip in this vid, where James pulls off the falsetto B5

[@Finnellaice2]

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he can go even higher than a b5 in falsetto. Or used to be able go higher than that before his vocal injury.

[@sobeto28]

@TheBarrelMan2 It was just a random intro screaming for never let me go.

[@gomozo80]

10:24 LOOOOOOL

[@zorland876]

@soldatojoker85 Just noting this, he hits a pretty big F#5 on "trusting in YOU", as opposed to the D5 in the original.

[@147pablox]

I meant in the studio version... MP did those vocals live.. and the last tour they just used backing track...

[@Finnellaice2]

Just a question from some of you vocalists out there. How do you distinguish like really high full voice notes and falsetto? Is full voice more of a chesty kind of sound?

[@Anonyomus]

Occasional voice breaks can be classified as part of the range nowadays? If that's the case that all sounds you can produce can be put into the spectrum of singing range, my range as baritone goes from guttural rumble of C1 to painful squeeling A6, but the usual singing range goes from G2 - C5 or at best D5 in full voice and with Falsetto/flageolet the rest of the scale. But the top and bottom end octaves are not something that sound pretty, but it should be considered as range, right? Right??? So does this mean I have 5-6 octaves of range? I don't think so myself.

[@zorland876]

It was a joke, chill

[@Anonyomus]

Rodney Razorshorts Ah!

[@147pablox]

In The Test that Stumped them All he achieved an incredible diversity in the "chorus": "...The boy is simply crazy, suffering from delusions..."

[@zorland876]

Ah, yunno I wanted to man, both the original and live versions, but didn't want to get bogged down in E5s. It's one of his best performances though, along with Take the Time and Killing Hand.

[@dumithegreat3892]

So, how is his voice working. I hear a lot of mix in his clean high notes, more akin to Kyo's style of high singing. Any thoughts, because I'm a bit dumbfounded on his approach to high notes.

[@deathpill100]

Devonshire Pee definitely a lot of mix. and a lot of mask/nasal resonance

[@dumithegreat3892]

deathpill100 that's what I thought.

[@jamiemacmillan4056]

+deathpill100 he was asked about his high notes following images and words and he said he uses mask resonance a lot

[@QcatDoesGames]

@Sutherlinite Just terrible? He has an INCREDIBLE range, creative vocal melody lines and phrasing, and a clear and solid tone. He went through an awful vocal injury, but still does his best and puts on a hell of a performance each night. To reduce all of his experience, hard work and dedication to singing to being terrible because you think his style is "cheesy" is incredibly ignorant. You don't have to like the guy's singing, but at least give credit where credit is due.

[@Downdark]

esta mal porque la primera nota que hace labrie que se supone que es la mas baja esta en la escala mas alta, en la 3 no en la 2 como sale aqui

[@zorland876]

Michael Luppi is one of the masters of showy range for the sake of it. He has an extensive whistle register which he uses to hit most of those 6th octave notes. Labrie's C6 was partially an adlibbed joke anyway. You seem to be arguing in the opposite direction for needless range masturbation. Also, this is a *vocal range* video, why do you seemed so shocked at the emphasis on range?

[@147pablox]

Yeah, at live, but I was referring to the studio version..

[@hermygagala]

@zorland876 Thanks for the explanation it is very appreciated. I am not arguing but again in comparison to some other vocalist falsetto notes that sound full this doesn't sound like a full voice note to me in comparison. But Again I guess you are the expert.

[@SeriousQuake]

now its restored!

[@zorland876]

@hermygagala Feel free to disagree, distinguishing between modal and nonmodal at those levels is difficult and somewhat subjective. Even us folks who helps with pitching disagree quite often.

[@zorland876]

I've given plenty of reasons that lead us to believe that it is Portnoy, including the fact that *it sounds exactly like him when he sings it live as in the studio*. You're only point is that LaBrie is the lead vocalist I assume, somehow indicating that he does all the vocals.

[@CODMarioWarfare]

We don't know that it's him and I don't think that it was performed in one take.

[@legvalmont]

Maybe we should update James' wikipedia page and state that his youtube username is zorland876. Or maybe not, the guy would probably think he's James himself.

[@SuperIdiotMan00]

I think it's MP in studio too. JLB's falsetto usually sounds richer.

[@147pablox]

Who is it? I'm pretty much lost already... If it's you, then reveal them: a page where it says that was Mike P. who sung those lines, a quote, a picture, something .. Maybe we are discussing all this, when actually the two of them (JLB and MP) are singing it..

[@147pablox]

Where did you get that? To me it's definitely LaBrie...

[@UnholyMessiah555]

@UnholyMessiah555 (also In Too Deep always sounded like a D2 to me, but I'm no expert and differentiating between semitones is very difficult in a spoken passage that low)

[@hermygagala]

Not to be rude but the B#5 full voice note did not sound full to me at all. And it kind of sounded more like a vocal crack than intensional. I don't mean to be rude, I guess you're the expert. Just really didn't sound like that impressive of a full voice note if it was indeed full. Don't get me wrong he is an amazing vocalist just that B#5 didn't sound so impressive to me.

[@zorland876]

Nah, that actually is a sourced quote, it's apparently just really misleading.

[@HectrCheivzHy]

could you link the last note at 10:31 please? where was?

[@zorland876]

It's from a Winter Rose rarity; it was mistaken for Labrie, but it's a sample from a James Brown song I believe.

[@HectrCheivzHy]

isn't LaBrie?

[@zorland876]

Nope.

[@Samsungdreameternity]

C#6 full note

[@ekinarabul1319]

I don't think he has feminine tenor voice. He just sings with lots of air and makes him sound feminine. I think he is actually pretty dark tenor.

[@samuelezanieri6613]

E Arabul even not a tenor

[@prefernoto4788]

Maskong but could be leggero

[@Finnellaice2]

Wait never mind the last one is a C6?!! Thats crazy! Is it real?

[@147pablox]

How can you say "never"? Do you have been to all their concerts? I know what I know, and I remain firm in my posture.. To get me out of it, show me evidences..

[@glfsadh]

Some olympic records in up in here. XDXDXDXDXD

[@guitarboy4000000]

i pissed myself at 7:27

[@SuperControlRoom]

Does anyone know the song at 10:06?

[@zorland876]

The Killing Hand, it's in the description.

[@azularriola6552]

+SuperControlRoom The Killing Hand ♥

[@SirComSize]

For his own amusement in Under a Glass Moon? His voice cracked. That was one of the worst things I've ever heard.

[@Charsyndrome2]

I seriously doubt it.

[@zorland876]

@Charsyndrome2 It's Labrie.

[@zorland876]

@soldatojoker85 Nope, not full. Just very powerful.

[@izzymignot]

you know there's no falsetto scream in his songs, right? I think that's score for him.

[@TheFacilidade]

DUDE, U SHOULD STUDY SOME VOCAL TECHNIQUES . LISTEN THE NEW ALBUM . IN PARTICULAR ILLUMINATION THEORY. 11:10 UNTIL THE END SHOWS THAT JAMES TENOR LABIRE IS STILL A GOD WITH 50 YO. I WROTE 50YO DON'T FORGET ABOUT IT N THE TROUBLE HE HAD IN HIS THROAT ! THIS GUY IS A LEGEND !

[@HiveBeresrker]

7:46 made me think of Jackyl.

[@DanielFernandoVargasClavijo]

I beg you to watch Score and then you'll realise Portnoy did the falsetto in the test that stumped them all.... and besides, Portnoy did lots of chorus.... its kinda curious... :)

[@zorland876]

rofl how do you think I was able to make this video?

[@sonyman1995]

No Another day????

[@zorland876]

I can.

[@DianaRinGore]

Actually it's Mike Portnoy.

[@zorland876]

Because Portnoy sings it live and also it sounds like his voice

[@zorland876]

Yes but only one of ours has any evidence to it.

[@florrmat8925]

That B5 was the most laughable thing ever.

[@zorland876]

I serioy have no clue what you are talking about, and severely doubt you do. His voice was not "restored" at any point, and I haven't the slightest why'd you think so. He's never stopped doing his big screams, but that does not a voice make. Try backing up your claims.

[@Junebu99ie]

Am I the only one that thinks he sorta sounds like Chris Cornell when he starts singing the high notes?

[@maninblack9850]

Yes, you're the only one. He sounds nothing like Cornell. Cornell had power and soul and balls behind his high notes. Labrie sounds like a castrated teenage boy.

[@ljpalorcruz1147]

F#6 on Octavarium Studio version, you forgot it. That was insanely high.

[@zorland876]

I don't know what you're talking about because there is no such note.

[@ljpalorcruz1147]

@@zorland876 hmmm. His scream "Trapped inside this Octavarium" in studio version. I really feel that's an F# in 6th octave. (Higher than what he did in Score)

[@zorland876]

@@ljpalorcruz1147It's a G5 in the studio version, lower than the Score one

[@ljpalorcruz1147]

@@zorland876 no. It's F#6. Just listen carefully. At first we had a same thoughts that Studip just hava a G5.

[@zorland876]

@@ljpalorcruz1147You screaming and overtones are throwing you off by an octave. But the two notes side by side and it's not even a close call which one is higher.

[@147pablox]

Yeah, in concerts, but I mean the studio version.. That's James..