Kanye West (12,693 views)

[clem]

Kanye Omari West (Legally Ye since 2021) (8th June 1977 - Present)
Associated Acts: Kids See Ghosts
Vocal Range: D2 - D6

SPOILER: Click to show

{Google Answer Box Bait}What is Kanye West's vocal range? Kanye West's vocal range, in theory at least, is four octaves; it spans D2-D6, though much of his upper register is reserved for ad-libs and other experimental vocalisations.
What voice type is Kanye West? Is he a tenor, baritone or bass? Kanye West has some baritone and tenor qualities, although on balance his timbre is most-consistent with that of a tenor.
Is Kanye West a good singer? Can Kanye West actually sing? Kanye West's singing quality has been flawed and inconsistent across his career, but there have been standout vocal takes and performances, such as "Runaway" and "Come to Life".
Does Kanye West use autotune? Kanye West has been known to often use autotune, particularly on the "808s & Heartbreak album", but he has also recorded songs and performed live without autotune.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Album Ranges}The College Dropout (2004): D2 - G2 - E♭4 - B♭4 - G5 clem
Late Registration (2005): G♯2 - C5 - E5 clem
Graduation (2006): C3 - C4 - E4 - F♯5 clem
808s & Heartbreak (2008): G2 - C♯6 clem
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010): G♯2 - B2 - G♯4 - E♭5 clem
Yeezus (2013): A2 - C♯5 - C♯6 clem
The Life of Pablo (2016): G2 - B♭4 - F♯5 clem
Ye (2018): C3 - G4 - D6 clem
Jesus is King (2019): G♯2 - G♯4 - A5 - B♭5 clem
Donda (2021): G2 - B♭4 clem
Donda 2 (2022):

With Jay-Z
Watch the Throne (2011):

With Kids See Ghosts
Kids See Ghosts (2018): F♯2 - B♭4 - C♯6 clem

Significant High Notes:
D6 ("I Thought About Killing You")
C♯6 ("Coldest Winter" Music Video Version, "Feel the Love", "I Am a God", "Love Lockdown", "Yikes")  
B5 ("Coldest Winter" Music Video Version, "I Am a God", "Love Lockdown")
B♭5 ("God Is")
A5 ("Blood on the Leaves" Live on Later with Jools Holland 2013, "Follow God")
G♯5 ("God Is")
G5 ("Feel the Love", "Never Let Me Down" "Touch the Sky")
F♯5 ("Barry Bonds", "Closed on Sunday", "Dark Fantasy" Live VEVOPowerstation 2010, "Famous", "Feedback", "Freestyle 4", "Pt. 2")
F5 ("Black Skinhead", "I'm in It")
E5 ("Feedback", "Hey Mama")
E♭5 ("Power", "Send It Up")
D5 ("Black Skinhead", "Blood on the Leaves" Live on Later with Jools Holland 2013, "Dark Fantasy")
C♯5 ("New Slaves")
C5 ("Diamonds from Sierra Leone", "Last Call")
B4 ("Diamonds from Sierra Leone", "New Slaves", "Runaway" Live "Yeezus Tour Movie")
B♭4 ("Blood on the Leaves" Live on Later with Jools Holland 2013, "Bohemian Rhapsody" Live at Glastonbury 2015, "Come to Life", "Feel the Love", "FML", "Heaven and Hell", "Last Call", "See You in My Nightmares", "Welcome to Heartbreak")
A4 ("Bad News", "Blood on the Leaves", "Celebration", "Coldest Winter", "FML", "Freestyle 4", "Late", "Runaway" Live "Yeezus Tour Movie")
G♯4 ("Blame Game", "Bohemian Rhapsody" Live at Glastonbury 2015, "Feel the Love", "Freeee (Ghost Town, Pt. 2)", "God Is", "Jail", "Lord I Need You", "Love Lockdown", "New Again", "Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live from Singapore)", "Pt. 2", "Runaway", "Say You Will")
G4 ("Bad News", "Coldest Winter", "Come to Life", "Facts (Charlie Heat Version)", "Feel the Love", "Ghost Town", "Heaven and Hell", "Lost in the World", "New Slaves", "See You in My Nightmares", "Touch the Sky", "Ultralight Beam", "Welcome to Heartbreak")
F♯4 ("Bad News", "Closed on Sunday", "Heartless", "New Again", "Wolves")
F4 ("24", "All of the Lights", "Blame Game", "Blood on the Leaves", "Bohemian Rhapsody" Live at Glastonbury 2015, "Come to Life", "Dark Fantasy", "Donda", "Heaven and Hell", "Ghost Town", "Heartless", "Late", "I Love Kanye", "Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live from Singapore)", "RoboCop", "Selah")
E4 ("Blood on the Leaves", "Facts (Charlie Heat Version)", "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1", "Feedback", "FML", "Guilt Trip", "Highlights", "I Am a God", "I Wonder", "Love Lockdown", "New Again", "Yikes")
E♭4 ("24", "Addiction", "Amazing", "Barry Bonds", "Bound 2", "Come to Life", "Devil in a New Dress", "Facts (Charlie Heat Version)", "Heaven and Hell", "Hell of a Life", "Hold My Liquor", "New Slaves", "No Child Left Behind", "No Mistakes", "Off the Grid", "Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live from Singapore)", "Power", "Pt. 2", "Remote Control", "RoboCop", "Spaceship", "Use This Gospel", "Wolves")
D4 ("Believe What I Say", "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1", "Fire", "Guilt Trip", "Hey Mama", "Highlights", "I'm in It", "I Thought About Killing You", "Jesus Is Lord", "Junya", "New Slaves", "The New Workout Plan", "No More Parties in LA", "Off the Grid", "On God", "Pure Souls", "Waves", "We Don't Care", "Welcome to Heartbreak")

Significant Low Notes:
D3 ("Bad News", "Blood on the Leaves", "Coldest Winter", "Dark Fantasy", "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1", "Flashing Lights", "FML", "God Breathed", "Gone", "Good Night", "Hey Mama", "I Love Kanye", "I Thought About Killing You", "Jesus Is Lord", "Monster", "Never Let Me Down", "New Slaves", "The New Workout Plan", "We Don't Care")
C♯3 ("Addiction", "Breathe in Breathe Out", "Drunk and Hot Girls", "Famous", "The Glory", "Good Life", "Gorgeous", "Hands On", "Hell of a Life", "Jesus Lord", "Jesus Walks", "Late", "Lost in the World", "Love Lockdown", "Paranoid", "Pt. 2", "Runaway")
C3 ("Amazing", "Believe What I Say", "Blame Game", "Can't Tell Me Nothing", "Celebration", "Everything I Am", "Family Business", "Get Em High", "Hey Mama", "Ghost Town", "I Am a God", "I'm in It", "Keep My Spirit Alive", "The New Workout Plan", "Power", "Pure Souls", "RoboCop", "Say You Will", "School Spirit", "Spaceship", "Through the Wire", "Use This Gospel")
B2 ("30 Hours", "Bad News", "Breathe in Breathe Out", "Bring Me Down", "Bound 2", "Closed on Sunday", "Coldest Winter", "Cudi Montage", "Diamonds from Sierra Leone", "I Love Kanye", "Monster", "Never Let Me Down", "The New Workout Plan", "Remote Control", "So Appalled", "Wolves")
B♭2 ("FML", "Gold Digger", "Heartless", "Hell of a Life", "Jesus Walks", "Late", "Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live from Singapore)", ​​"Touch the Sky", "Ultralight Beam", "Use This Gospel")
A2 ("Celebration", "Dark Fantasy", "Family Business", "Feedback", "Get Em High", "Guilt Trip", "I Am a God", "Jonah", "Love Lockdown", "No More Parties in LA", "School Spirit", "Slow Jamz", "Skit No. 1", "We Don't Care", "We Major")
G♯2 ("Addiction", "Blame Game", "Drive Slow", "Gold Digger", "Hands On", "Heartless", "Last Call", "Love Lockdown", "Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live from Singapore)", "Runaway", "Street Lights")
G2 ("30 Hours", "Amazing", "Donda", "Last Call", "The New Workout Plan")
F♯2 ("Cudi Montage")
F2 ("School Spirit", "Slow Jamz")
D2 ("The New Workout Plan", "Slow Jamz") 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}G6 ("Amazing" [5])
C♯6 ("Waves" [2])
C6 ("4th Dimension" [2])
B♭5 ("Facts (Charlie Heat Version) [1][3]", "The New Workout Plan" [1][3])
A5 ("Kids See Ghosts" [1][3])
F♯5 ("Jesus Walks" [2])
F5 ("Hell of a Life" [2], "The New Workout Plan" [1][3])
E♭5 ("Get Em High" [1][3], "Last Call" [1][3])
C♯5 ("Yikes" [1][3])
B4 ("All Mine" [2])
A4 ("Never Let Me Down" [2])
F♯4 ("Jesus Walks" [2])

G♯2 ("Spaceship" [1][3])
F2 ("Hell of a Life" [1])
E♭2 ("Late" [3])

.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.

.......................................................
Blue marks falsetto or whistle notes.
Underlines mark notes that are obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person's vocal capabilities.

[Macca]

your missing
Yeezus
The Life of Pablo
Ye
Jesus Is King and
Donda
edit: Also, the Eb2 and F2 are in the wrong order also I don't think the B5 and C#6 from the coldest winter video are him

[clem]

Jan 26, 2022 18:10:19 GMT Macca said:

your missing
Yeezus
The Life of Pablo
Ye
Jesus Is King and
Donda

I haven't notewatched them yet.

[Macca]

also the late A4 is double quotation marked

[clem]

Jan 26, 2022 18:14:15 GMT Macca said:

also the late A4 is double quotation marked

Good catch  :thumb:

[Macca]

the Eb2 and F2 are in the wrong spot and i don't think the B5 and C#6 in the coldest weather video is him

[IhateMana]

lol jesus christ kid, it's a work-in-progress thread, why you gotta sweat him like this?

[SailorBlue]

Both the B5s and the C♯6s sound like the exact same sample. I'd just list the "Coldest Winter" one personally, as that one is more audible.

[clem]

Jan 26, 2022 20:34:09 GMT Macca said:

the Eb2 and F2 are in the wrong spot and i don't the the B5 and C#6 in the coldest weather video is him

I think they are. He does those kind of vocal ad-libs often enough, and if they were going to be included on a track, he'd most likely do them himself rather than have a guest do them. The guest features usually are there for quite a specific part. It's a bit hard to tell with all the autotune, but I can't think of another vocalist credited that it's more likely to be.

[galaxyseal]

B2s, D3s, D4s, F♯4s and A4s in "FourFiveSeconds"

[clem]

Jan 26, 2022 21:03:15 GMT SailorBlue said:

Both the B5s and the C♯6s sound like the exact same sample. I'd just list the "Coldest Winter" one personally, as that one is more audible.

Yeah, I think you're right. I'll drop a footnote as to why I'm removing the other so I can keep it the album range.

[fallenalien]

Nice. Always been hoping to see a Kanye thread here. Are you planning to write a vocal summary on him?

Your vocal summaries are usually pretty great, imo.

[clem]

Jan 28, 2022 14:18:39 GMT fallenalien said:

Nice. Always been hoping to see a Kanye thread here. Are you planning to write a vocal summary on him?

Your vocal summaries are usually pretty great, imo.

Thanks :) and yes, when I finish the thread I will include a vocal summary

[Rodney Blazershorts]

I'm more perplexed by the D2 honestly. That's such a massive, natural sound, does that really sound like Kanye?

[clem]

Jan 29, 2022 16:52:54 GMT Rodney Blazershorts said:

I'm more perplexed by the D2 honestly. That's such a massive, natural sound, does that really sound like Kanye?

It's beefier than his lead vocal sound, but it sounds pretty similar in tone to his backing vocals in "School Spirit", which I'm 99% sure is him. Might just be a case of recording backing vocals in the morning and a generous bass boost.

['S]

Jan 29, 2022 21:47:21 GMT clem said:

It's beefier than his lead vocal sound, but it sounds pretty similar in tone to his backing vocals in "School Spirit", which I'm 99% sure is him. Might just be a case of recording backing vocals in the morning and a generous bass boost.

Must be some serious compression there too, considering how low his actual volume is down there

[cmen]

My guy, where is the strong AF, sung, interview E2 from my old thread? Also, where are the good ass voice types??

And I'd like to get a timestamp on that Slow Jamz D2, if you don't mind.

As far as vocal summaries go, Timi's is still GOATed, so I see no reason not to use his. Other than that, nice thread, keep on being a nice individual and have an awesome day

Gimme a heads up if you want the old mixtapes as well, I think I still have them lying around


Not gonna lie, the thread's not as wild as when I did it, but I trust that it's in good hands. If I don't see that Bohemian Rhapsody note bolded though, I'll fucking riot

[clem]

Jan 30, 2022 3:53:16 GMT cmen said:

My guy, where is the strong AF, sung, interview E2 from my old thread? Also, where are the good ass voice types??
And I'd like to get a timestamp on that Slow Jamz D2, if you don't mind.

As far as vocal summaries go, Timi's is still GOATed, so I see no reason not to use his.

Other than that, nice thread, keep on being a nice individual and have an awesome day

I'll add the assorted curiosity notes in due course   I don't usually put voice types in my threads any more. But I will write a bit about it in the summary at the end. I will definitely take Timi's write-up for guidance, but I'm going to add some more detail, since Ye's singing style has changed quite a bit over the years. 

I'm hearing the backing vocals get down to D2 here "definitely set this party off right". Sounds more like Ye than Jamie to me.
youtu.be/raWSH1KrgFI?t=98

[fallenalien]

Jan 30, 2022 3:53:16 GMT cmen said:

My guy, where is the strong AF, sung, interview E2 from my old thread? Also, where are the good ass voice types??
And I'd like to get a timestamp on that Slow Jamz D2, if you don't mind.

As far as vocal summaries go, Timi's is still GOATed, so I see no reason not to use his.

Other than that, nice thread, keep on being a nice individual and have an awesome day

Can the old page still be viewed on the Wayback Machine or somewhere else?

Also, it's funny how many rappers, who mostly aren't considered "serious singers", have a four octave or close to four octave range.

Kanye, Machine Gun Kelly, M&M, MC Ride, Lil Nas X (not sure if he's viewed as a rapper or singer, seems to do both)

I wonder if this is the result of them being more "experimental" in their sound and less inhibited by the desire to make sounds that are necessarily pleasant and melodic, than the average "singer".

[clem]

Jan 30, 2022 12:02:38 GMT fallenalien said:

Also, it's funny how many rappers, who mostly aren't considered "serious singers", have a four octave or close to four octave range.

Kanye, Machine Gun Kelly, M&M, MC Ride, Lil Nas X (not sure if he's viewed as a rapper or singer, seems to do both)

I wonder if this is the result of them being more "experimental" in their sound and less inhibited by the desire to make sounds that are necessarily pleasant and melodic, than the average "singer".

It's a big part of the reason, for sure. Most of Kanye's stuff above Bb4/B4 sounds kinda random, and that's probably the case for a lot of others too. I expect rappers are a lot more spontaneous when it comes to recording additional vocals, until they've got a track that fits the vibe they want.

[glo]

Eminem seriously has some vocal chops though. He has at least three and a half octaves of proper singing.

[fallenalien]

Jan 30, 2022 12:30:51 GMT clem said:

Jan 30, 2022 12:02:38 GMT fallenalien said:

Also, it's funny how many rappers, who mostly aren't considered "serious singers", have a four octave or close to four octave range.

Kanye, Machine Gun Kelly, M&M, MC Ride, Lil Nas X (not sure if he's viewed as a rapper or singer, seems to do both)

I wonder if this is the result of them being more "experimental" in their sound and less inhibited by the desire to make sounds that are necessarily pleasant and melodic, than the average "singer".

It's a big part of the reason, for sure. Most of Kanye's stuff above Bb4/B4 sounds kinda random, and that's probably the case for a lot of others too. I expect rappers are a lot more spontaneous when it comes to recording additional vocals, until they've got a track that fits the vibe they want.

In my teens, one time my younger sister was with me as I was listening to "The College Dropout" and when she heard Kanye's G5 in "Never Let Me Down", she was like: "Wtf was that sound?" 

[luxiouskorsay]

Jan 30, 2022 4:02:17 GMT cmen said:

Not gonna lie, not as wild as when I did it, but I trust that it's in good hands.


If I don't see that Bohemian Rhapsody note bolded though, I'll fucking riot

same

[Tetra]

My favorite president

[Macca]

why is almost all the Questionable section In Bold? Also Why I Think The D6 In I Thought About Killing You Is Just A Sound Effect