What do U think of Ayu's High pitched 'I''s ?
 

I think that it's super-awesome. However there are many people who don't like the high pitched I 's from ayu. D: I wonder why those people dislike that.

Example:

Virgin Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPTaP...feature=fvwrel
at 0:03, 0:05 (konna watashi no koto wo ai shi)

Sometimes I do believe that ayu chooses to pick words that have the "I" part in them, so she can show off how awesome she pulls that off. Most of her songs (in the chorus) have those words, while she could have chosen other words that could match the song (the meaning) better.

edit:

Sometimes her vibrato sounds really off too. When I found a perfect example, I'll send a link on here!

It's fine when she works it out live (like Virgin Road in Rock&Roll Circus tour) but sometimes it hurts a little bit when she isn't at her best moment and it sounds flat and hollow (like Pride in CDL09-10 TV Ver.).

When it comes to studio versions, I like them, they sound gentle and it's listeneable (Fated) although I have to admit that in the past I used to hate some old songs because of her "I"'s, they gave me headache.

Yes, I actually got an headache because of the high pitched "I" too. It's so weird that one's voice can hurt you. D:

I never really paid any attention to it.

omg they're my favorite most of the time when they're in her studio recorded songs, but sometimes they sound bad live. It just depends on the live, really.
CAROLS, Pride, & End of the world are some of my favorite ayu songs just because of the long 'I''s in them. :)

CAROLS' used to hurt my ears haha. But now I'm so used to them xD I have no ill feelings towards her use of the high pitched "i" sound, or, though not related, her use of vibrato haha.

Oh yes, but I find that to be relaxing ,somehow (the I's in CAROLS) :D and about her vibrato, I LOVE HER VIBRATO :D

For My Dear... is notorious for high pitched "I"s especially the chorus
Dang! it hurts my ear! xD

I love her high pitched anything. There's nothing like karaoke at supersonic pitches.

I love Ayu's high pitched notes, but when I listen to forgiveness full blast on my iPod it hurts my ears! XD

It challenges me!hahaha.

But yeah, I also agree that Ayu can hit the highest notes with "i".

Sometimes it's annoying (For My Dear..., CAROLS) but sometimes I don't mind it (can't think of any examples LOL! I like the "I"s in End of the World though).

I don't like them. Hurts my ears every time I turn up the volume. :(

The "I's" in Trust was getting on my nerves when i first heard it

Sometimes I love it, but sometimes she overdoes it live X_X

i usually love her Is!! it's a very gentle sound in my ears..but associated to vibrato..sometimes doesn't rock at all

i donno why i always love her "I..." part haha..
it's liked her specialty hihi~

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title. "Must be about 'For My Dear...'" lol.

i thought i'm the only one who dislike it .haha.

Since Japanese words only end in 6 sounds, I guess it makes sense that a lot of the time it's "i"!

High pitched "i"s get abit annoying during her early debut days HAHAHA.
Try listening to TO BE from her concert tour 2000. I almost fainted XD

The ones in End of the World are immense.

her i's sound fine, i do have trouble singing to her songs when it ends with "e" though, specially with vibrato XD it is so hard for me to sing eEeEeEeEeE without going nasal LOL

Lol, I like it sometimes (like in Still alone) but sometimes it can make your ears bleed.. lol

I can totally relate! I have no trouble singing with vibrato but when it comes to the "e"'s wow! Mine goes like this : eEeEEEEeEeeEeEeEiEieeEiE hahahalol

I love them. Sometimes it makes it go chills down my spine. I remember a dearest live she did... I think it's 19 December 2001 [Acoustic piano version] (130 Million People Choose Best Artist) dearest performance, her IIIIs are incredibly sharp but also so emotional. I couldn't find it on youtube, it's a wonderful performance if you like her Is especially.

Actually, it's common in western singing technique to make the "I" sound rounded to soften it, (like german ü).

Her vibrato is epic. I love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tztIr...eature=related

oh yeah I noticed that too!!
Ayu has really a high pitched voice during her early debut days which For My Dear... song really hurt my ears. but now I'm so used to her songs already I think it's a quality of Ayu to sing with a high pitch using 'i'. and she really writes her lyrics well using that 'i' sound for it. =)

Her "I's" were intolerable back in the day, it was definitely something you had to get use to. I think they're fine now though.

Two words: No earplugs.

I really love her high pitched I's, but damn, it can be hurtfull for the ears xD

To be quite honest I've always liked her high pitched 'I''s :yes. It's part of what made me like her voice in the first place...I'm kind of a sucker for high notes...I love the way they sound.

Ok now if I had to choose one song where Ayu's voice got abnormally shrill it would be that one...It's a beautiful song but sometimes towards the end I start to flinch a little. I remember I tried to sing that song a couple times and not only did my voice crack but it hurt my throat lol.

I think she overdid it with her vibrato in that video.

edit: I love what she did at 1:45 though. That "i" with the added vibrato :D
edit2: I HATE what she did at 2:29 with her vibrato.

anyway, her voice sounds really off in this performance, maybe she was experimenting or something ?

I like them I guess.

I like them most in remixes when they extend her iiiiiiiii

don't like here high pitch iiis give me headache don't like the way she sings this sorry not good.

It depends on the song.

I love it, especially in HAPPY ENDING.

I thought the way she did it in About you (or was it rainy day... cant remember) in rock n roll circus was epic... she did really good with that "i"

Wow, I thought I was the only one thinking about this!

I love it very much; usually I try to find "i" sounds in her songs and be amazed at how she pulled them off. I mean really; who else sings like that?

This is one of the things that attract me to Ayu: her high pitched "i"s, her forceful voice and her unique vibrato.

Love 'em.

It gives me the most beautiful headache.

She did that on Now way to say and i liked it too ^^

I don't feel that bothered with Ayu's high "I"s. For some reason I have never found myself feeling they're that bothering. To me it's kinda cool that she can reach so high notes. I really like them. <3

Hurts my ears sometimes, but doesn't really bother me. On some songs, I like it. But yeah, my other friends tell me she has a loud high pitch voice. And I'm not one to deal with it either. lol

I think "i" is the most difficult word to sing high pitched, and ayu makes them quite good

i actually like it I love it in Surreal, it makes you alive, somehow :D

The I's in her early songs gave me headaches, but I think they sound awesome in her recent ones.

I really like the I~~~ part in rainy day =))

I love all her high notes. "i" sound or not. Her high note in "Like a Doll" is like my favorite part of the song and it's the reason why it's one of my favorites on the album. Another one is November. :)

Her classics with high notes like A Song for XX and M also have great high sounds. Seriously, she's the only singer I will accept these kinds of notes from. I don't listen to anyone else with a voice like that (during Ayu's earlier days). I prefer huskier female singers normally but Ayu's squeaky voice was unbeatable.

I also love her voice now. There's just a beautiful quality about it that's uniquely hers, and no fan can mistake it. Her high notes now are just as beautiful as they were before. :) Really emotional and tugs at your heart strings! The same way A Song for XX's finale from the A BEST and A BALLADS version still does that every time I listen!

Ayu's "iiii" had became her signature and that's how a lot of pple identify her so I think it's special ^^ and I <3 it~ especially her "iii" in Jewel ^^

Its like an ayu trademark through out her music

I agree, I can't imagine Ayu without the "iiii"s.

The earlier songs is where I have problem with them, especially songs like TO BE and For my dear... I swear I had my stereo on one day and TO BE came on and blew the speakers out whenever she hit that note during the chorus.

One of my first times listening to Pride, I completely forgot about that part where she goes "Kasoku shite shimau sono mae niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" and I thought I was going to go deaf. Haha. I love it but I just have to be careful of some of the songs when i'm listening to them. Some I have to turn down a little, others I blast. hahaha. I have sensitive ears though --- so that could be a problem on my own. Truthfully though, in either case. I think its almost a signature -- you're not sure its Ayu singing? Listen for the Vibrato and the "ii" :D

Exactly what I did, ;D

I've always liked them. Even in songs like POWDER SNOW, where they're really high-pitched, I've always liked them. It's pretty unique to her, and besides the insane vibrato, is one of the most recognizable features of her voice.