The Singing Style of Layne Staley (Relaxed Aggression, A Study in Contrasts) NOT a REACTION! 

Feed not free 😉 Great video!

How to sing, "Yeah" like Layne Staley.

Man in the box is arguably his biggest show of power in his voice tbh. The way he screams Jesus Christ is otherworldly

You are one of the few ones that have no (ego) issue with showing the entire process of learning to sing something specific, you don't even hide some of the "embarrassing" or "imperfect" exercises, you got my respect, new subscriber.

It honestly looked like Layne was singing out of pure emotion, without any vocal training. I find a lot of singers like Ariana Grande might be fantastic vocalists, but they look like they're doing karaoke of their own songs with a ton of obvious vocal training. I'm sure Layne had lots of training but he was talented enough to make it seem like his singing came from his soul, like he was born to sing...

Layne will always be my favorite singer forever!

It's not called relaxed aggression it's called depression.

When ‘Dirt’ came out, it’s all I listened to for a month, studying Staley. He was genius at projecting spookiness and integrity and strength. Saw them live with my band at the time, and we were floored. The POWER of Layne with the power of the band was like nothing I’ve seen before or since.

I’m retired, in my 60s and have been working on my vocals for a few years. When I started getting into Alice Chains with the distortion and such, my wife and kids thought I’d lost my mind. Maybe I have, but I sure am having fun! Thanks for the help!

The GOAT imo. RIP Layne.

layne: the best singer of the 90's generation

The greatest rock singer of all time.

"if we go too far in the imitation realm, we're gonna sound...Like Scott Stapp" (creed)

My favorite vocalist of all time. I have spent many hours singing his songs. Really glad to see other folks appreciating what a huge talent he was. Back when he was alive it wasn't as common knowledge as it is today.

Man, he's the best. Just like you as a teacher! Thanks again.

Layne was one of a kind, he had such a beautiful voice. It’s so sad he couldn’t overcome his addictions, he would’ve released so much more golden music with AiC.

I recently discovered Alice in chains unplugged and it has sent me into this aic binge. I've always liked their songs, but damn i had no idea how brilliant they were... Here i am in 2022 wanting more.

I love his vocals, always have. You can also feel his emotions in his vocals, that was another essence. You gotta get in the groove of the music Like he did. His technique was never meant to be easy. They've even said if he wasn't concentrating on his vocals, he wouldn't ever be able to reach those octaves or notes. He couldn't sing when he wasn't concentrated. His vocals were very lazy, but very much skillful, and he was very mindful of his vocals and his words. They always said that they (any of his bands mates I'm meaning) that they could always hears his acoustic vocals louder than what you could hear on the monitors. It was like he was speaking to another realm, another dimension. Layne always said he felt like he was on a spiritual mission, not a rock 'n' roll mission.

Layne Staley is my number one favorite singer! So glad you did this video. Thanks Chris!

Laynes voice had a haunting echo that no one will ever be able to compare to him. The best voice in the grunge movement, and my favorite singer of all time. I agree with Jerry Cantrells interview where he said Layne was the best he ever heard period. RIP Layne.

You cannot but appreciate the fact that Chris does not shy away to show the process with every goofy sound you will make while practicing. That is very important to show the process not only the end result

My issue with layne is trying to stop trying to imitate him and Jerry at the same time because there voices just work together beautifully that it almost becomes one voice. Two phenomenal voices that work way to well together.

Layne is the best in the world. I love him.

just so naturally gifted. cant be replicated

It's "feed my eyes" not "free my eyes". I loved this video. Laynes voice in Nutshell is like butter. There's a lot of little notes and voice dips and scoops in every word he sings a lot of people don't catch. In the "ooooh" parts the second one bumps up where as the fourth one bumps down. I've never seen a cover of Nutshell where a vocalist gets that correct. I've analyzed that song far too deeply and for far too many years where I have every note memorized. The parts of the song where the bass plays which little filler lick, the timing of the kick drum, the specific changes in the rhythm guitar strumming pattern and at what point. Listen to the beginning of each verse the ring finger lifts opening the b string, every little muted scratch of the pick in the solo between the notes. Nutshell has almost become part of my DNA, I can't explain it without sounding like I'm exaggerating. That song swept me up like a tornado when I was young and it hasn't put me down. If there was anything I could take with me after I die it'd be that song.

Layne was genius...I love him. He can sing into your soul

He had all the tools to rival any singer. What puts him above anyone else is the honesty and emotion in his voice that reaches out to people and helps them relate and have closure.

You need to choose which Layne Staley voice to emulate........Facelift was arguably him at his absolute technical best. Young, energetic and full of clean vocals. Dirt was darker and more brooding with the energy of someone really being drawn down into a drug fueled madness.

Very good stuff again Chris! I like that you're interpreting what he is doing, using your own philosophy and technique to suit your voice and range. I'll leave couple of my own thoughts below that someone might find useful when trying to sing this stuff. - Layne had quite a bit of vocal training before/during early AiC - His voice and singing was described as extremely loud (Having a trebly tenor voice helps) - For the first album, they used announcer (strong mids and low mids) microphone to record his vox - He would use different types of distortion and mechanisms, some safer and some not so much. - During the recording of Dirt, he modified his singing technique and his higher notes become thinner, but more distorted. (Good example would be the held G#4 'Baaaack' from would, the sound isn't that huge, but the rasp makes it appear bigger than it is) - It could stylistic, but it's also easier than full out belting all of his high notes, like he used to do. - When his health started to deteriorate, it affected his voice and his breath support. His larynx is higher and his tone way more forward during the unplugged (Could also be stylistic change) - Man in the Box Bb4s are straight up chest voice using glottal compression. Especially noticeable when he used to sing it live. - Chris Cornell and Layne had very different techniques. Chris developed and used his mix for lot of his stuff. Using mix means you have to let go of some of the vocal fold mass and Layne's style was the opposite of that, carrying as much mass up as possible and compressing it as much as he could. There were few instances of Layne hitting upper 5th octave notes in some kind of mix, but it was pretty clear he hadn't really trained it a lot.

My dog started howling when you started singing rooster 🙉🙉🙉🙉

I guess you could call it a "choked" sounding vocal with a southern draw. Love Alice n chains. Great work bro

I was 19 in 1990 when I first heard AIC & I fell so hard in love w/them it wasn't funny, still all these yrs later, never had another vocalist make me feel what he did/still does, AIC dropped the mic on everybody before they even really blew up big & God dropped the mic on the world when he created that beautiful angel Layne Staley, God was like, "okay ppl somebody TRY & follow this!" haha 🥰❤️🤘🏼🙏🏻

So glad you mentioned the vocal mix. You really need to have developed ears to dissect this album. It's my favorite vocal "effect" ever concocted. They made him sound so huge yet practically unison in pitch. Lots of sections have 4+ voices, and they made such great decisions in terms of when Jerry Cantrell sings a harmony vs Layne. Down in a hole is another fave for me to sing, but the whole album is a vocal Showcase.

9:17 "how do we do that without being super high" Me: puts bong away.

Layne was SO talented that this came so easy to him compared to other singers covering his songs... Although this guy is pretty dam good ❤

William Duvall is an excelent example. He sings with the feeling of the song and never tries to imitate Layne. Love his performances of the old songs of Alice in chains

He was truthfully a blues singer that's where he got the soul of his voice

Damn, dude. You are just opening up my mind with vocal concepts I hadn't even considered before. Best vocal coach on youtube, hands down.

Layne Staley is king of the 90's rock era .. You won't change my mind .

Was literally praying you'd cover Layne!

Very true about his vibrato, i've basically developed mine trying to mimic Staley and don't really think about it when i'm doing it, of course while applying things i've learned from vocal lessons. It's also uncanny how some of his gritty high notes (WATCH WHERE YOU SPIT, We Die Young) are easy for me while others (Chorus in Would) i just still can't pull off.

For some reason I got a Cobain vibe when you talked about the “leads me to nowhere” section and opened it up. Goes back to that ‘lazy’ style that I feel both singers perfected in their own right.

Always knew layne was unique. I tried so much to sound like him but i couldn't. One of the greatest singer ever. What a voice man!

Confusing is how i would describe his singing, too. I’ve always tried to sing “We Die Young”, and I straight up just can’t. Or it’s to clean and doesn’t punch like the song deserves, or, it sounds too aggressive, “technical” and soulless. Being moderate and let yourself feel the sound and just “let it happen” is a great tip really. Good video mate!

Chris, honestly you keep surprising me with your work, keep it up! Really happy you put your time in trying to teach us in what you know about Layne, and so many others. You deserve every like and subscription you have!

This is my new favorite channel, thank you!!!!

I instantly clicked on the video as soon as I saw it was Layne. Thanks a lot Chris this made my day perfect!!!

How have I not found your channel sooner? Your videos are amazing, keep up the good work.

wouaou, your description of his vibrato is so interesting. I'm typically looking for such content of "not natural"-ish vibrato for my singing. And you give it to us just passing by, awesome...

Thanks! I love how you are breaking this lesson down verses other coaches technique. Rocknroll brotha!

Gracias Chris por tu tiempo y dedicación. Love your sessions

Could you do Scott Weiland please?

How have I missed this?!?! Thank you Chris!!!

Layne Staley is the greatest singer! Chris, thanks for thoughts of his voice.

It reminds me my own random attempts to go for that Bb during the day.

Wow, thank you so much for this video. I've been longing to sing Alice In Chains properly and didn't think such an incredibly precise "tutorial" of sorts would be out there. Great content

This is such a helpful, detailed video on one of my all time favorite singers. Thank you!

I love these videos!!! It’s amazing how you’re able to notice all the details in the voices you analyze. I might be wrong, but it feels like that relaxed aggression is easier to get for tenors, since baritones have that heaviness in their voices.

It takes a lot of confidence to try and break down the singing style of Layne, much easier said than done but you did much better than I could have imagined. Good job bro.

Should cover Angry Chair - Layne stacks 16 different vocals for the harmonies!

I love this video! I love Layne, he was a voice of my childhood and I was always a big aic fan! But this video is amazing because sometimes it can be difficult to experiment with your own voice even when you’re alone because it can sound a little “silly”. But I love that you are showing here that it’s a welcomed and beneficial thing no matter how silly it could potentially feel. You can really hone your voice and the different things you can do with it by doing it! I love taking amazing male singers and songs and sing it as a female without changing it much and it is a challenge. Thank you!!

Thanks for this. Layne is my vocal inspiration and im happy this was in my suggested videos

Dude....all the people whom I’ve tried getting the essence out of, you’ve shown me how to do. Gratz, I really do appreciate it.

Love this Chris, you have such amazing content

Great video! Really enjoyed watching /listening to you work!

U and your channel are amazing, keep up!

Thanks for this. I literally just hit the high note on 'once MY WAAAAY' for the first time with ease and controlled. A cool moment 🤘

Glad to hear my voice isn't the only one that cracks when working with different pitches and grits. lol

12:51 makes me laugh every time

thank you for doing this video! I love Alice in Chains

Great video, amazing analyse of Layne’s voice..

Man, you made my day, a tru fan I see rock on!!!

I've learned so much from you Chris. Thank you for all you do 🙏🙏 Layne was a powerhouse and vocal deity.

Thanks for the vid. You're awesome 🤘

Layne seriously had such a unique vocal style, seriously one of the greatest vocalists of all time.

Fascinating analysis, thank you!

What a god damn legend

Wow, great GREAT insights on Layne's voice, totally changed my mind on how to get some of his techniques! Ty

Thank you for this! Excellent work!

I love all your videos! This is an incredible breakdown

somebody gotta make an out of context / compilation video of you just screaming😂

Been sining since I could remember and took vocal lessons growing up, bit holy crap, a lot of things came together in this video. Still working on the vibrato, but even that's happening more than I remember in the past. So thanks man!

Good insrction and loved the way you told about the studio trick of doubling

Yes awesome. Thank you very much Chris this is the one I wanted to see

Great video, I love Lane Staley. Really useful analysis

Your “raspy” screams sound so funny 🤣 but love these videos

Layne.. Finally! Let's watch! )

Dude I love the way you teach thank you

Incredibly good. Thank you so much!!!

You've explained everything that comes natural. Thanks. I love "science of things". Crazy how people have to pick apart things so much.

I am so glad you did this one! I sing in a Alice In Chains tribute, and I do what I can to sound like him,not an easy feat, lol. I also sing in a Black Sabbath tribute, and I have to say Ozzy is easier to do but I love Staley's voice more 'cuz it is such a challenge.

You are an amazing teacher!!!

Wondering why you didn’t go with the second chorus for ‘Would?’. Love Layne’s vocal style choices. I guess I’d say the same for ‘down in a hole’ and ‘man in the box’. Wonderful phrasing choices. Layne is high level greatness. Unmatched.

So true, more delicate than you’d think.

This is great man. I don't even try to attempt Alice songs seriously at the huge risk of sounding kooky. You did an awesome job getting Staley's style down. I'm comfortable covering "Killer is Me" but I still have problems with that one. Anyways great video, you got a new subscriber here.

I was told years ago that Ann and Nacy Wilson sand the intro and outro Harmonies...Now they are the only ones I can hear singing those parts.

“Would” gives me chills every time

his micro cent flats rite before a root is EPIC

Great stuff man

Both informative and hilarious!