From the lowest of rumbles to ear-piercing whistles, vocal range essentially refers to the span of pitches a particular voice can produce without sounding like a screeching tyre. This range is measured in octaves, which in simple terms, are notes that you hear as ‘the same’, just in a higher or lower pitch. The passionate team at School of Popular Music, which offers singing lessons and music tuition in Guernsey, discusses a few of the female living vocalists with the broadest vocal range:

1. Mariah Carey

With her 5-octave vocal range and her ability to reach notes in the 7th octave vocal range as well just go back, it should come as no surprise that Mariah is the top. She hits the highest, most ear-piercing note of all time, making anyone in the vicinity’s hair stand on end. This is known as whistle register. Do not try it at home.

2. Christina Aguilera

Known for her powerful belting, Christina’s vocal range spans four octaves. Yet what is even more impressive is her voice dexterity, allowing her to jump between the different parts of her range with ease. Listening to her light, feminine speaking voice and breathy low register, one would not expect it to take on the thick and weighty tone with a nasal sound, that is so characteristic of the singer’s style.

3. Hayley Williams (Paramore)

Both Hayley and her voice are known for their versatility. With her 4-octave range and a voice that possesses a beautiful mix of edginess and girly smoothness, it is hard not to love this singer. Her voice is well connected throughout all registers, with lower notes that are dark and well controlled, however, her strongest vocal asset can be heard as she ascends to her characteristic roaring, ear-splitting high notes. Hayley’s sharp tone as well as her excellent breath control – allowing her to head bang and both hold high notes for long – makes her one of today’s top live performers.

4. Celine Dion

You are certainly no stranger to Celine Dion’s sharp voice with the nasally quality that is distinctly hers. Her 5-octave vocal range and ability to even reach an E6, paired with the skill of projecting her voice in all registers, thus allowing it to pierce through the heaviest of instrumentations, has earned her a multitude of awards and sold out shows worldwide.

5. Beyoncé

The technical, trained singer has a 4-octave vocal range, which is one of the strongest in the music industry. Although unlike Mariah Carey, she doesn’t have the whistle register, her incredible vocal flexibility and dexterity more than make up for it. In addition, Beyoncé’s exceptional breath and core support means she can hold notes long and dance with little decline in vocal quality, which is a rare but great quality for live performances.

Whether you love or loathe their musical styles, there’s no denying these ladies’ talent. Hum your way to School of Popular Music for the best singing lessons Guernsey has to offer and contact us today! We also provide music tuition, including; guitar, violin, piano and drum lessons in Guernsey.

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