When Was Robert's Range At Its Highest?

[Julian]

I've been debating this for so long, and after seeing literally loads of bootlegs from every year they played (68,69,70,71,72,73,75,77,79,80) I must say that even though the time of his greatest range was 68-72, I just want to know your opinion on a specific year. I think that 70-72 were his highest years. I just think that the shrill from Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, and trade-offs in You Shook Me, are nothing compared to the effortless highs in Travelling Riverside Blues, The Ocean, Four Sticks, and the live performances of Out On The Tiles, Since I've Been Loving You, Immigrant Song, Rock & Roll etc. Oh, and is it just me or does Robert's natural pitch get higher from 68-72/73?

[zero]

i'm not a vocal coach or expert. my guess is his natural voice was at highest natural octave and widest range late 60's through '72. i was listening from a show from '72 the other day and he was either suffering a cold or the straw was getting ready to break the camel's back. it seems he decided to develop a more dominate falsetto style in '73. singers have a rough go around as it is, guitarist can throw a new set of strings on daily, drummers can get new skins etc.. naturally the voice is not supposed to be an instrument , at least not used to the extent that a touring singer uses it. it needs special care and resting periods. lots of water , minimal smoke and drink. he probablly developed nodules as was advised by a throat doctor to change his singing habits or risk permanent damage. or maybe he just decided to do it on his own . i don't know. he still sounded good. but there seemed to be at least a change in approach at that point for whatever reason. with all the robert vocal debates that go on, people should still remember the songs in the evening and whole lotta love contain some of the same octave

range/notes.

Edited December 5, 2007 by zero

[zepenita]

before 1972

my preference is 71

[Trashbag]

He could go high and mighty without his voice cracking in 1971. He sounded really shrill in 1972 and his voice cracked like cheap paint at times.

[greenman]

He had the power from the very start but I'd say Plants range was at its very highest from around mid 70 to early 71.

[eternal light]

I think it started with Led Zeppelin I.

You Shook Me - Led Zeppelin I

[NickZepp]

I think it probably was at it's best in 69-70. The way he sang started to take a toll as early as 71 but that's when Zeppelin started to change things in their show. Made a bit longer acoustic set and made it to where he can show a range and not do just the loud shows that they had most of the first two years. It also complimented the areas he was using his higher voice in.

I do think Plant got a bit of his higher voice back by 1980.

[Pieter]

April 1969.

September 1970.

Although my favourite vocals (qua highness) are from OTHAFA from Los Angeles 25/06/1972.

[SilverVishnu]

Live, I think that Robert used his range to its full extent best from 1970-06 up until 1971-08. Some of the early '71 dates and late '70 dates are stunning. From 1971-09 to 1972-06 he still regained 90% of his powerful high notes. After the mid-1972 US tour though it's speculated he had an operation on his throat (vocal nodes?) and from then his voice never was the same.

Before 1970-06 he was still a fantastic singer, but the power of his voice comes across more than the high notes at this time.

[PIPPIN]

I've been debating this for so long, and after seeing literally loads of bootlegs from every year they played (68,69,70,71,72,73,75,77,79,80) I must say that even though the time of his greatest range was 68-72, I just want to know your opinion on a specific year. I think that 70-72 were his highest years. I just think that the shrill from Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, and trade-offs in You Shook Me, are nothing compared to the effortless highs in Travelling Riverside Blues, The Ocean, Four Sticks, and the live performances of Out On The Tiles, Since I've Been Loving You, Immigrant Song, Rock & Roll etc. Oh, and is it just me or does Robert's natural pitch get higher from 68-72/73?

I agree about his 'highest years' being 70 - 72. I think on stage the 'hardest' songs to sing (those with the most vocal upper register lyrics in a row) that he sang were undoubtedly Out On the Tiles, Stairway to Heaven (last verse) and Over the Hills and Far Away.

Out On the Tiles (Sept 70), Stairway to Heaven (May '71 - the only recording I have which he reaches the end with ease! - Copenhagen) Over the Hills and Far Away (June 72).

I think that gig in May 71 in Copenhagen was a landmark for his voice (Immigrant/Stairway/ Four Sticks/Misty Mountain Hop). Even though he handled Over the Hills in June 72, his singing of Stairway at that time was no match for earlier times.

To me his singing style from 68-70 was mainly raw blues. In 70-72 it changed to a more refined 'pronounced' style, less low blues 'grunt' more high pitched. From 72 - 73 the lower register of his voice, to me his 'Elvis' style singing was creeping in to keep up with the high demands of touring. From 75 onwards his style mellowed as his high register went, and there was much more delay/ doubling/harmoniser effects employed to thicken parts needing an extra kick - eg 'Ten Years Gone' in 77.