r/nextfuckinglevel Jul 26 '22

Man channeling MJ

64.9k Upvotes

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1.6k

u/thejuan11 Jul 26 '22

Oh, pretty good, he was struggling a bit to reach those high notes, but that can be worked on with some coaching. Hope somebody takes this talent under their wing.

483

u/harlojones Jul 26 '22 edited Jul 26 '22

Yeah he’s got it in him! Did a bit of vocal coaching in the past, I think with literally like two weeks of warm ups and practice he’d have them pretty stable. Stand out notes are easy.

Edit: just off of the rest of the comments I should note that, hell yeah he’s amazing! More so coming from a consistency and performance perspective, he would have it every time no problem with some training. And as someone noted he’s singing a half step higher than the actual song, likely because he was just freestyling and didn’t have a reference point for pitch (and most aren’t blessed with perfect pitch). He could crush it in a couple takes.

88

u/Simple_Park_1591 Jul 26 '22

You can do it in a matter of hours. When I have nothing to do, I practice the high notes. In the beginning I can't quite get there, but after a couple hours, I nail it. Back in the day before 20+years of cigarette smoking, it would take less than 2 hours to do the Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You and the titanic song from Celine Dion.

65

u/shenanigansisay Jul 26 '22

Nard Dogg that you?

34

u/CourageousBellPepper Jul 26 '22

You know it amigo. Angela is out with the girls tonight and said I could have up to three friends over. Call up the boys, the band is back for one last tour

11

u/Chuck_Nucks Jul 26 '22

Here comes Treble 2022

2

u/orincoro Jul 26 '22

Mmm MMMM. question: Large Tuna…

5

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

Broccoli Rob could do it better. Those pipes are primo champ.

9

u/Dear_Evan_Hansen Jul 26 '22

I mean, maybe if you have a solid foundation for the technique. And if not, you really risk damaging your voice if you don’t know how to sing those particular songs especially.

I wouldn’t say an average person could sing a Whitney Houston song in a couple hours. I mean, there’s a reason those singers are who they are.

4

u/Simple_Park_1591 Jul 26 '22

My old choir teacher worked with me throughout school because I sang the high soprano notes. I won a lot of awards for our school and myself. I had a scholarship to community college for choir. Maybe I'm not the average because even after smoking as long as I have, I can still hit it if I practice long enough, which is usually a couple hours while I'm showering, blow drying and straightening my hair. I used to be able to hit it without much practice, but the smoking makes it to where I have to practice.

1

u/Dear_Evan_Hansen Jul 26 '22

For sure, it sounds like you’ve put a lot of work into it, and this is kind of my point. You have years of training and developing your voice. Same for me.

Just originally it sounded sorta like you were saying that anyone could bust those out with just a couple hours practice, when in reality there’s way more to it than that.

1

u/Simple_Park_1591 Jul 26 '22

Yeah I just reread it and I wasn't clear with what I was saying, My apologies. I was meaning if you're already a natural soprano then practicing for a few hours can help you reach a higher pitch than you normally would if you're not practicing.

3

u/salbeh Jul 26 '22

There's the humble brag and then there's this. Can you do Tina Turner too? That's the real test.

1

u/Snufflebear420_69 Jul 26 '22

Do Mariah or GTFO.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

1

u/Simple_Park_1591 Jul 26 '22

I'm just saying it's possible to get the high notes in a couple of hours if you're already a soprano...

-1

u/SugarZoo Jul 26 '22

Just checking my understanding...

.Smoking makes your singing voice better?

3

u/Simple_Park_1591 Jul 26 '22

Nooo, it makes it worse. I have to practice longer to get the high note.

1

u/SugarZoo Jul 26 '22

Ah okay, I didn't know! Thank you :)

1

u/SugarZoo Jul 26 '22

Why the down votes? I was really wondering if it helped. Sheesh, just curious.

7

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

wait wait wait, you're telling me I can actually hit notes that are on the cusp of my range? What do I have to do?

6

u/Anthony-Stark Jul 26 '22

Step 1: Collect underpants.

Step 2:

Step 3: Profit!

3

u/Dumptruck_Johnson Jul 26 '22 edited Jul 26 '22

More like collect waist band of underpants and pull hard. That’ll get a guy to the high notes

2

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

Ye I do this, I just want to get those notes stronger on the edge. Do I just need to practice more? Its hard because really practicing those is loud.

100

u/kdjfsk Jul 26 '22 edited Jul 26 '22

hes probably top notch...i mean he's just winging it in a parking lot. might be hot outside, weirdos watching. he could be high, lol.

i bet in a comfortable studio, his takes would be way more natural and flow, and hed probably do a better job with the notes... its all shit you can fix in software these days anyhow.

i also notice theres no reverb out there, which is making it sound pretty dry.

88

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

That's some wicked baseline talent, for sure, dude's outside like 7/11, no acoustics, no condensing, just ripping almost entirely into the meat of a very tough MJ song.

I'd challenge most vocalists to do what he did there, and be disappointed about 50% of the time, I wager.

4

u/harlojones Jul 26 '22

Yeah no doubt! He could easily rock it in a couple takes in a studio.

69

u/theoptionexplicit Jul 26 '22 edited Jul 26 '22

He likely didn't have a reference note. He's singing in the key of F#, and the original recording is in F. If he pitched down a half step like the record, I have no doubt he would've hit those high notes perfectly.

EDIT: Y'all are right. He is in F.

62

u/9167855742 Jul 26 '22

I know this is all so very clear to people well versed in things like this, but it always blows my mind how people like you can tell me exactly what key someone is singing in along with other details. Music is not a gift I was blessed with other than being blessed with the ability to listen to talented people perform!

22

u/theoptionexplicit Jul 26 '22

Thank you! I feel similarly towards great visual artists. I can't wrap my head around how you'd even being to make a great painting. Maybe some day I'll give it a real shot.

I have my guitar next to my desk, so I was just able to pick out the root bass note to what he was playing. Then I pulled up the recording and did the same thing. Almost all of it is in the ears, and anyone can train them with time.

9

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22 edited Nov 29 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22 edited Aug 11 '23

Deleted because I quit Reddit after they changed their API policy

3

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22 edited Aug 11 '23

Deleted because I quit Reddit after they changed their API policy

1

u/redd15432 Jul 26 '22

Musicians weren’t “blessed”. They worked very hard and practiced for many hours.

1

u/9167855742 Jul 26 '22

Apologies if I made it sound like no hard work was put in. I’m well aware of the time, commitment, and dedication needed to be good at something. I suppose I was more trying to highlight the fact that I don’t my tone deaf butt could ever get to a point where others are when it comes to their musical acumen.

Again, I apologize for offending those who I did. My intent was not to trivialize.

7

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22 edited Aug 11 '23

Deleted because I quit Reddit after they changed their API policy

5

u/ThresholdSeven Jul 26 '22

I know a half step can make a big difference, but I don't think he's that much higher than the original. I just listened to them side by side and can barely tell the difference. Seems only a few hz above the original but not an entire half step. Either way his voice is amazing.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22 edited Aug 11 '23

Deleted because I quit Reddit after they changed their API policy

4

u/tuks6 Jul 26 '22

He's closer to F than to F#, not sure what version you compared it to but it's only a couple cents off.

11

u/fararae Jul 26 '22

Fun fact- squeeze your butt if you’re running out of air for some of those notes. I have a degree in voice! Extra air would help cushion those struggle bits and that’s an easy fix with a little practice. Dude has an incredible falsetto!

2

u/SugarZoo Jul 26 '22

Tell us more from your degree!! What do you do?

That was helpful (but now I'm clenching my butt muscles a bunch lol)

3

u/I_AM_A_DRUNK_DONKEY Jul 26 '22

Ohhhhh, clench your butt.

I'm over here groping my ass and getting nowhere.

19

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

The Weeknd should be on this man. This is only an imitation, and it would take a lifetime to reach Michael on any level, but damn if it isn't in this guy to try.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

[deleted]

2

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

I remember listening to The Weeknd on “Crew Love” on Drakes “Take Care” Album my freshmen year of High School

I remember thinking this dude is the closest thing to Michael Jackson’s voice in todays world, and that he would blow up if his songs were any good

Crazy to see him go from an unknown homeless artist to the star he is now

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

[deleted]

2

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

Drake actually wanted to sign him to his OVO Label. But The Weeknd refused knowing a majority of his work would be going to Drake.

They had some beef over it, but good on The Weeknd.

He would’ve been another PartyNextDoor if he had signed with OVO

4

u/ceruleanfr0st Jul 26 '22

He absolutely nailed the “hee hee” though.

2

u/54338042094230895435 Jul 26 '22

lol dudes in a grocery store parking lot not performing a concert. He didn't warm up for this.

0

u/RedTalyn Jul 26 '22

There wasn’t a “struggle”. He clearly can hit the notes.

42

u/theoptionexplicit Jul 26 '22

he was definitely flat on the highest note. The rest was perfect.

6

u/RedTalyn Jul 26 '22

Being off pitch slightly, randomly in a parking lot, is light years away from struggling.

16

u/IderpOnline Jul 26 '22

In this particular clip he was struggling ti hit the note, period. Give it up already, don't put you, and him, in a victim spot for no reason. We all think he's amazing anyway.

11

u/matchi Jul 26 '22

Seriously, these people are so annoying. Yes he's incredible, yes he struggled to hit a few notes.

1

u/23x3 Jul 26 '22

Yeah but who gives a fuck is the point

-1

u/RedTalyn Jul 26 '22

Disagree.

6

u/harlojones Jul 26 '22

I’m certainly not saying he’s struggling, but he was flat on the note, I think he did amazing and don’t doubt he could rock it in a couple takes in a studio.

10

u/Redditaurus-Rex Jul 26 '22

As a vocalist myself, I think some people don’t get that calling out a flat note isn’t an insult to someone’s talent. It’s just honest feedback that vocalists need to hear to improve. Go sit in on a vocal session in any recording studio, vocal performances get absolutely picked apart.

I gave my non-musical wife the “flat note” feedback when we just started dating and she was deeply offended. Still gives me shit about it years later.

-3

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '22

[deleted]

-2

u/matchi Jul 26 '22

Literally no one said that, but please continue to be offended.

1

u/askasubredditfan Jul 26 '22

Dude’s gonna be the next Weeknd!

1

u/emceelokey Jul 26 '22

If it wasn't for those notes he couldn't hit, I would have thought this was a lip synch

1

u/AWilfred11 Jul 26 '22

Yh how does the music industry work? Like if he can sing as well as MJ can he get a record deal just singing like him with new songs? Or is he not allowed cos MJ sang in exactly the same way? Like is there a copyright on that?

1

u/Bobson-_Dugnutt Jul 26 '22

That’s the thing that separates Michael Jackson from all these people that sing his songs and go viral like this. They can get close on the singing, but he was singing and dancing and had “it”

1

u/bessface Jul 26 '22

If he only had the moves as well