Is Steve Augeri tone deaf?

[daytrpr]

Don't mean to be a jerk - I actually much prefer Augeri's vocal qualities to Arnel's, but the whole tape-gate thing and recent videos of him singling live are a bit shocking. He actually can't sing on key. I love the sound and texture of his voice, but wow, he's way off key all of the time. Makes me wonder how long they were playing to tapes live. I remember thinking he was "so-so" during the first tour, but when I saw them on the next one (with Frampton opening), they sounded f-in fantastic. Were they taping that early on? Pitch corrected, he's awesome...Arrival is a much better album than Revelation, but wow, I'm shocked at how off key he is live.

Here's a recent video. Dude, you're not on key!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtjOdfogKZY

[Jana]

Don't mean to be a jerk - I actually much prefer Augeri's vocal qualities to Arnel's, but the whole tape-gate thing and recent videos of him singling live are a bit shocking. He actually can't sing on key. I love the sound and texture of his voice, but wow, he's way off key all of the time. Makes me wonder how long they were playing to tapes live. I remember thinking he was "so-so" during the first tour, but when I saw them on the next one (with Frampton opening), they sounded f-in fantastic. Were they taping that early on? Pitch corrected, he's awesome...Arrival is a much better album than Revelation, but wow, I'm shocked at how off key he is live.

Here's a recent video. Dude, you're not on key!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtjOdfogKZY

Sounds on key to me on that link. Maybe to a musician or singer it sounds different, but, to me, just an average listener, he sounds great.

[swataz]

No, you're not being a jerk, he sounds very, very pitchy. Ouch.

[annie89509]

Hey, it's a live performance, and I thought he sounded good. But, what do I know? I can't tell the difference between tone and pitch .

[StephenWJ]

Is Steve Augeri tone deaf?

...No.

[slucero]

yep he's pitchy there.. I did notice he ducked a high note.. and flatted it.. only piano accompaniment.. so I'm sure he can hear himself...

I feel for him.. cause blowing out yer voice SUCKS... coming back yer always gun-shy...

[ScarabGator]

maybe pitchy at times but definetly not tone deaf....Steve is the real deal. A great talent and the savior of Journey.

[swataz]

I have the utmost respect for Steve Augieri. He has a great voice, and let's face it, the guy stepped into size 40 shoes when he joined Journey and was ridden into the ground from all accounts.

[ScarabGator]

I have the utmost respect for Steve Augieri. He has a great voice, and let's face it, the guy stepped into size 40 shoes when he joined Journey and was ridden into the ground from all accounts.

agree x100!!!!

[Abitaman]

I have the utmost respect for Steve Augieri. He has a great voice, and let's face it, the guy stepped into size 40 shoes when he joined Journey and was ridden into the ground from all accounts.

agree x100!!!!

agree x 100 more!!!!

[Ehwmatt]

Pretty sure this was his first performance back after blowing out his voice, correct me if I'm wrong. So take that for what it's worth.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

Pretty sure this was his first performance back after blowing out his voice, correct me if I'm wrong. So take that for what it's worth.

No, this is his most recent performance from this year's Glen Burtnik Christmas show. He did sing The Christmas Song at the Glen Burtnik Christmas show a few years ago after he left Journey, and that performance was almost hard to watch. I really felt bad for the guy after seeing that one.

But this one is from just a few weeks ago.

[marco17]

Pretty sure this was his first performance back after blowing out his voice, correct me if I'm wrong. So take that for what it's worth.

Nah, he's done some other live stuff. He did a little more traditional version of this at the same event a couple years ago. I'm a big fan of Augeri's. Today, anyone can sound good live, with all the computer applications, they can correct it live, like they can in the studio, if they want to use that stuff. As someone else said... he filled shoes that were almost impossible to fill, did it well and for as long as he was physically able, kept the Journey machine going for a long time, and took a lot of sh*t along the way...some deserved, a lot not. Personally, I've always felt that if you want to hear perfection, listen to the album. If it's genuinely live, these things happen...

[Abitaman]

Personally, I've always felt that if you want to hear perfection, listen to the album. If it's genuinely live, these things happen...

Have to agree with that. My wife will alot of times say that doesn't sound like the cd, no it doesn't, cause it is live. One of the things I like about live, the mistakes, the changes, etc..keeps it different.

[maverick218]

He's pitchy in places, but to his defense, if the monitors aren't set up right, you can't hear yourself properly (I don't know in this case- I'll give him the benefit of the doubt).

[mmberry301]

He doesn't sound too bad...but he is realllllllly struggling with any high notes.

That's not a put down. Just feel the years of touring shredded his higher vocal register.

I do admire the guy for stepping in SP's shoes in 98'

[brywool]

THANK GOD someone else said this. I've been saying it for years.
Love Augeri's RECORDED work. But Live, the guy's sense of pitch was the worst. The only thing I can think of was that he had his in ears up way too loud (which can actually cause your pitch to be off).

Thin-ness is one thing. Power is one thing- and sometimes you can't make up for those.
But PITCH???

An old voice teacher once said to me "as for pitch, an approximation is an abomination". So true. Don't mean to be hard on Steve, but there are singers that sound great live and singers that sound great on record. Augeri was in the latter category. Perry had SUPERB live pitch. There are MANY videos and recordings (even in his good years) where his pitch was horrendous. Watch the morning show stuff he did. Watch the Bocca Rotan (sp?) videos. Wow.

Freddie Mercury also had sketchy live pitch, by the way. You can find many videos of Queen live where he's horrendously sharp or flat.

[swataz]

Freddie Mercury also had sketchy live pitch, by the way. You can find many videos of Queen live where he's horrendously sharp or flat.

Same could be said for Judas Priest's Rob Halford, who actually owned up to some horrible performances and said that in the old days before he wore ear monitors (and before they were in widespread use), it was impossible to even hear himself. Freddie was also from that era.

I can tell you from singing in many a shitty studio jam that if you can't hear yourself, you are going to be pitchy as hell.

[Its Me]

maybe pitchy at times but definetly not tone deaf....Steve is the real deal. A great talent and the savior of Journey.

Well said Gator!!!! I agree 100%!!

[JeremyP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxiSXWjACxo

[The_Noble_Cause]

I think Steve sounds great here.
For most of the song he hews to a low-key soulful delivery, and when he finally bursts into that Journey upper register at the end, it's as clear as a bell.
I sometimes wonder if American Idol has unrealistically raised audience expectations for live performances (Sanjaya notwithstanding).
In fact, this thread brings to mind Randy Jackson, and his constant catchphrase, "a bit pitchy, dawg."
SA, like most singers, has a few issues, but it's no biggie.
The guy was never a vocal technician like Perry.

[Jana]

yep he's pitchy there.. I did notice he ducked a high note.. and flatted it.. only piano accompaniment.. so I'm sure he can hear himself...

I feel for him.. cause blowing out yer voice SUCKS... coming back yer always gun-shy...

Ducking a high note can have more to do with age. than blowing out your voice He's in his fifties.

[daytrpr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxiSXWjACxo

Not pitch perfect there, but definitely much better.

I'll just assume the sound set up wasn't great at the Xmas show and Steve's voice just isn't going to be what it was prior to the injury.

[Michigan Girl]

I think Steve sounds great here.
For most of the song he hews to a low-key soulful delivery, and when he finally bursts into that Journey upper register at the end, it's as clear as a bell.
I sometimes wonder if American Idol has unrealistically raised audience expectations for live performances (Sanjaya notwithstanding).
In fact, this thread brings to mind Randy Jackson, and his constant catchphrase, "a bit pitchy, dawg."
SA, like most singers, has a few issues, but it's no biggie.
The guy was never a vocal technician like Perry.

THIS^^^^^...

[brywool]

I think Steve sounds great here.
For most of the song he hews to a low-key soulful delivery, and when he finally bursts into that Journey upper register at the end, it's as clear as a bell.
I sometimes wonder if American Idol has unrealistically raised audience expectations for live performances (Sanjaya notwithstanding).
In fact, this thread brings to mind Randy Jackson, and his constant catchphrase, "a bit pitchy, dawg."
SA, like most singers, has a few issues, but it's no biggie.
The guy was never a vocal technician like Perry.

"Pitchy" is one thing. To completely be off the mark is another. You can be 'pitchy' just by walking on stage while singing, not to mention running around. There were times I heard SA that I just couldn't believe that he got the gig. I always qualify my remarks with how much I like Augeri as a guy, as a singer, just not a live one. Regarding the statements about 'singers from a certain era'- MANY singers were from those eras. Some had routine pitch problems, some did not. Styx was also of that era. They all had great pitch live as well. The Beatles, in an age without monitors AND the LOUDEST audience ever had great live pitch- At least, while they still cared about live performance. Toward the end of their touring John and George didn't seem to care as much and their pitch could get funky. But their early tours were amazing. How could they hear themselves think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z74Q-L2sjjQ&feature=related - keep in mind, this isn't mixed that great, but the harmonies are spot on.

One thing that I think is never taken into account is that IN THE STUDIO through effects or just multiple takes, it's possible to get something down on tape (or bits!) that you couldn't do live. That's why Perry was so amazing. I think a lot of folks (Cain said as much) thought "Wow, great records, no way he can do that live". Perry proved him wrong. With Augeri, you could get stuff out of him in the studio, but for him to be able to do it live (night after night after night... or 'on and on and on' for Journey fans) was tough. "Journey was always a tough gig for Steve"- this from a mutual voice teacher.

Still, I LOVE the Auger albums. Yes, that one too!

[Deb]

Tone deaf? Hell no! Dude knows a great voice when he hears one. Maria's (MCC620) sig says it all.

[brywool]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxiSXWjACxo

I hear him struggling in Anyway You Want it for sure.

[Michigan Girl]

Tone deaf? Hell no! Dude knows a great voice when he hears one. Maria's (MCC620) sig says it all.

lol...
had to look that up!!

[Since 78]

Sounded Great to me. I wouldn't pass up a chance to see him live again.

[marco17]

I think we're just a picky bunch. There are a lot of musicians who are on the boards. Most of the average fans like me don't notice all this stuff and are happy with what we hear.