Post by Seb on Nov 8, 2023 23:43:20 GMT
So, if you've been on this forum for a little minute by now (or even if you haven't), you should probably know that vocal range is relatively insignificant for assessing whether a vocalist is "good" or not (or their type of voice). For instance, you may only hear opera singers, some of the most technically competent and skilled vocalists in highly demanding performances, use about 2 octaves of range (at most) throughout their repertoire. Meanwhile, you could probably mess about, shriek high enough in performances and end up classified with maybe 4 or 5 octaves of vocal range. Who knows? A vocalist's range is merely the overall sum of musical notes, from highest to lowest, that they have performed (objectively well enough) with their voices. It's not meant to be a metric for classifying the "best" or "worst" vocalists, as it completely disregards tone, cadence, diction, etc. For me, at the very least, it's mostly just interesting statistics and ways to analyze and look at a vocalist's performances (as well as a tool I personally utilized to gain a better sense of pitch). And really, there's no better way to prove that than by sharing threads for vocalists covered on the forum whose vocal ranges are, as listed on their threads, the same, while having different styles, vocal characteristics, and being either less or more proficient at the notes they hit.
TL;DR: present two (or more) vocalists whose overall vocal ranges are the same but sound different or are differently skilled at hitting those same notes. Actually, you could even disregard that part if you'd like.
TL;DR TL;DR: just provide vocalists whose ranges are the same.
Some examples:
Alan Vega and Brendon Urie (D2 - F♯6)
If anything, both of these vocalists seem to have made a conscious push towards using the highest extremes of their voice, particularly through many added upper 5th/lower 6th octave head voice notes in live performances. Asides from that...well, what even needs to be said? They're almost polar opposites as singers; just comparing them feels ridiculous. Brendon has made extended and consistent use of lower to middle 5th octave belting, with a given significant high note threshold of G♯4, whereas Alan's somewhat consistent shouting/belting register, coated in hoarse grit, basically ended after that note. Those Viva Las Vengeance songs did have some of Brendon's live performances sounding about as hoarse as Alan did, but all things considered, very prominent tenor/mezzo register singing with a bold, clean tone. Alan, however, would fight his way across the entire 5th and lower 6th octave by means of many high-pitched screams and loose falsetto yelps. Also worth mentioning is Alan's more frequent and comfortable use of lower notes, perhaps due to his somewhat deeper placement, although Brendon could rival him in strength while hitting middle to lower 2nd octave notes.
Peter Murphy and Sting (C2 - A5)
Could be quite a head-turner for those tuning in to TRP for the first time, honestly. Peter Murphy, gothic icon known for his strong lower register and (relatively middle placed) baritone voice, and Sting, eclectic popular music icon known his strong upper register and high placed wailing vocals (mostly from before the turn of the century), both have the same vocal range. Basically, this can be attributed to the occasional 5th octave yelp or shout from Peter during Bauhaus' peak and 2 records in the 2000's in which Sting did some dramatic low (sing-?)speaking, in one case coming in at the bottom the 2nd octave. All things considered, Sting was definitely much more comfortable hitting higher notes than Peter, though his routine upper 4th/lower 5th octave notes have become less prevalent over time, and Peter definitely has more comfort and weight hitting middle-to-lower 2nd octave notes.
Adam Lambert (E2 - B5) and Billy Corgan (E2 - C6)
Yes, they're a note apart, but I'm making a point here and you can just do the same thing yourself, who cares. Anyhow, yes, it seems like Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, with his untechnical, usually strained vocals and admitted inability to properly belt above G♯4, as of this writing, has a larger displayed vocal range (exactly one semitone higher) than the highly revered, American Idol caliber singer Adam Lambert, with his consistent use of powerful 5th octave notes. All because of that one time Billy screamed at the Budokan in the year 2000. That's all it takes, folks.
yeah don't take the vocal ranges that seriously at face value
TL;DR: present two (or more) vocalists whose overall vocal ranges are the same but sound different or are differently skilled at hitting those same notes. Actually, you could even disregard that part if you'd like.
TL;DR TL;DR: just provide vocalists whose ranges are the same.
Some examples:
Alan Vega and Brendon Urie (D2 - F♯6)
If anything, both of these vocalists seem to have made a conscious push towards using the highest extremes of their voice, particularly through many added upper 5th/lower 6th octave head voice notes in live performances. Asides from that...well, what even needs to be said? They're almost polar opposites as singers; just comparing them feels ridiculous. Brendon has made extended and consistent use of lower to middle 5th octave belting, with a given significant high note threshold of G♯4, whereas Alan's somewhat consistent shouting/belting register, coated in hoarse grit, basically ended after that note. Those Viva Las Vengeance songs did have some of Brendon's live performances sounding about as hoarse as Alan did, but all things considered, very prominent tenor/mezzo register singing with a bold, clean tone. Alan, however, would fight his way across the entire 5th and lower 6th octave by means of many high-pitched screams and loose falsetto yelps. Also worth mentioning is Alan's more frequent and comfortable use of lower notes, perhaps due to his somewhat deeper placement, although Brendon could rival him in strength while hitting middle to lower 2nd octave notes.
Peter Murphy and Sting (C2 - A5)
Could be quite a head-turner for those tuning in to TRP for the first time, honestly. Peter Murphy, gothic icon known for his strong lower register and (relatively middle placed) baritone voice, and Sting, eclectic popular music icon known his strong upper register and high placed wailing vocals (mostly from before the turn of the century), both have the same vocal range. Basically, this can be attributed to the occasional 5th octave yelp or shout from Peter during Bauhaus' peak and 2 records in the 2000's in which Sting did some dramatic low (sing-?)speaking, in one case coming in at the bottom the 2nd octave. All things considered, Sting was definitely much more comfortable hitting higher notes than Peter, though his routine upper 4th/lower 5th octave notes have become less prevalent over time, and Peter definitely has more comfort and weight hitting middle-to-lower 2nd octave notes.
Adam Lambert (E2 - B5) and Billy Corgan (E2 - C6)
Yes, they're a note apart, but I'm making a point here and you can just do the same thing yourself, who cares. Anyhow, yes, it seems like Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, with his untechnical, usually strained vocals and admitted inability to properly belt above G♯4, as of this writing, has a larger displayed vocal range (exactly one semitone higher) than the highly revered, American Idol caliber singer Adam Lambert, with his consistent use of powerful 5th octave notes. All because of that one time Billy screamed at the Budokan in the year 2000. That's all it takes, folks.
yeah don't take the vocal ranges that seriously at face value
. Neil Finn has the higher placement: I don't think he's ever done mixed voice like Neil Cicierega has. Then again Neil Cicierega carries more weight into his lower range than Neil Finn does. Neil Finn kinda peaces out after like F#2 and the rest of his lower stuff is pretty breathy or more spoken. Except Magic Piano... that E2's pretty good. If you listen to any of Neil Cicierega's demos for Spirit Phone his high notes sound pretty... forced? I guess? at 1:52 in the 2014 demo for Soft Fuzzy Man is a great example of this. 
