Neil Young similarities

[OntheBorder74]

I only recently started listening Neil Young and realised him and Glenn have such a similar strong nasal singing voice; both can so softer songs and harder songs..of course I can always tell the difference but it's only just hit me how similar they sound. Thoughts?

[UndertheWire]

I don't hear it. For me, there are two big differences. The first is that Neil Young often sounds strained whereas Glenn tends to sound relaxed. The second is that Young is often pitchy.

[OntheBorder74]

I don't hear it. For me, there are two big differences. The first is that Neil Young often sounds strained whereas Glenn tends to sound relaxed. The second is that Young is often pitchy.

Yeah I agree with those two points also Glenn's voice sounds fuller to me alittle less thin and whiny. Not putting down Neil's voice I quite like it. It remids me of how people thought Dewey Bunnell of America sounded like Neil on Horse with No Name, I couldn't hear it myself thought it was a stretch but now realise Glenn and Neil's phrasing can be quite similar

[Pippinwhite]

As Glenn got a little older and his voice matured (and I'm betting he worked with a voice coach -- most professional singers do), the nasal started fading out. What happened, in all likelihood, is he started using what singers call "chest voice" as opposed to "head voice" which is where the nasal sound comes from. Most professional singers in any genre know their best shot at maintaining their voices (besides quitting smoking and drugging) is to develop their chest voice, which is really a lot about breathing. It's easier on the vocal cords.

Of course, that flat Michigan accent was going to peek through occasionally. I think you get the same "feel" from Neil Young's voice because his speaking accent isn't too different. Yeah, it's Canadian, but the feel is similar. It's in the same dialect family.

O.K. Now that I've geeked out, I'll step away. LOL.

[FreyFollower]

I think it's all in the accent. Most people from the Great Lakes area have that nasal tonality. Neil Young is from Ontario--bingo! I think it comes originally from so many of the immigrants there being from Norway, Sweden, etc, and their manner of speaking.

[groupie2686]

I don't think Glenn and Neil Young sound similar at all...IMO.

It's funny about Glenn's accent, I lived in Rochester, NY for 3 years and people there talked like Glenn. I worked with a lot of people from Buffalo and the accent is the same, the Great Lakes accent.

Pippinwhite, I think Glenn's voice actually sounded more nasal as he got older. If you listen to him when he was older and then listen to him young right after that, you can hear the difference - especially if it's the same song, like a song from HFO and then the original.

Sorry for getting off topic here...

[NightMistBlue]

I don't hear it. For me, there are two big differences. The first is that Neil Young often sounds strained whereas Glenn tends to sound relaxed. The second is that Young is often pitchy.

Agreed on all points. Neil Young would not be able to do an album of standards like Glenn did (without inflicting pain on the world).

[scottside]

I love Neil Young's music dearly, especially the earlier stuff, but I can't even begin to compare him vocally with Glenn. I fail to see any similarity whatsoever. Glenn has always had a smooth voice, full bodied. Neil's vocals seem pinched, strained and often whiny. He's a great songwriter and he certainly does his best songs justice in the vocal department, but I think the comparison between the two is baseless.

[Freypower]

I love Neil Young's music dearly, especially the earlier stuff, but I can't even begin to compare him vocally with Glenn. I fail to see any similarity whatsoever. Glenn has always had a smooth voice, full bodied. Neil's vocals seem pinched, strained and often whiny. He's a great songwriter and he certainly does his best songs justice in the vocal department, but I think the comparison between the two is baseless.

I wouldn't say baseless. Listen to an early song like Outlaw Man & you can hear a bit of Neil. But later on, nothing. It should be pointed out however that on a song lilke Harvest Moon, Neil is a lot less nasal than he was in younger years.

[New Kid In Town]

I like Neil Young but I have to say I do not think Glenn sounds like him at all. I think Glenn's voice is so much smoother.