Mastering the "Demon of Screamin'"
Released on Aerosmith's 1993 album Get a Grip, "Crazy" is a masterclass in dynamic vocal control. Steven Tyler weaves between a low, sultry blues voice and piercing, high-altitude screams. It won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and for good reason.
To sing this successfully, you need more than just range; you need "attitude." The song relies heavily on stylistic choices—bends, slides, and controlled rasp—to convey the emotional desperation of the lyrics.
AI Coach Tip: Safe Distortion
Do not just scream to get the grit. Use "fry" distortion by gently compressing air, not by tightening your throat muscles. If you feel a tickle or pain, stop immediately and reset your breath support.
Phase 1: The Bluesy Verses (0:00 - 1:15)
The song starts in A Major. The opening lines, "Come here baby," sit in a lower, speaking range (A2-A3). The challenge here is tone. It shouldn't be too clean.
The Trap: Many singers lose energy in the low notes. Keep your breath support active even when singing quietly to maintain that sultry, "in-your-ear" quality without going flat.
Phase 2: The Chorus Belt (1:15 - 2:05)
The energy lifts as you enter the chorus: "I go crazy, crazy, baby, I go crazy." The melody jumps to an A4. This is the transition point (passaggio) for many male singers.
- Vowel Modification: On the word "Crazy," modify the "Ay" sound slightly towards "Eh." This opens the throat and makes the high note easier to sustain in chest voice.
- Placement: Direct the sound into the "mask" (the front of your face/nose area) to get the piercing quality needed to cut through the mix.
Phase 3: The High Note Finale (4:30 - End)
The outro is legendary. Tyler unleashes a sustained high note run that peaks at E5. This is well above the standard tenor high C.
To hit the E5, you must use a "reinforced head voice" or a very heady mix. Do not try to pull your pure chest voice up this high, or you will strain. Think of the sound as being small and laser-focused rather than wide and heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest sustained note in the main vocal line is an E5 during the outro. There are ad-libbed falsetto flourishes that touch F#5.
It is very challenging for a Baritone due to the sustained high tessitura. However, using the Singing Coach AI app, you can transpose the track down -2 or -3 semitones to make the belts more accessible.
Cracking usually happens when you carry too much "weight" from your chest voice up to the A4. Try lightening the sound and mixing in more head resonance as you ascend.
