Welcome to the Jungle. Who’s got vocal range?

So here’s one for the shower chanteuse or car crooner in all of us:

Of the most popular singers of the last 50 years or so, who has the greatest vocal range?

The answer is here.

Surprised?

No doubt, this list will provoke controversy with fans.  Some will debate whether you should count a male singer’s falsetto or a diva’s whistle register – this list seems to have included both.  Others will note the list looks at notes produced in the studio, rather than sung live.  And there are some notable omissions – Harry NilssonChris Cornell and Patti LaBelle appear to have been snubbed, for example.

The more fundamental question is whether, beyond a functional singing range of around 2 1/2 octaves, range really matters.  For some of the world’s greatest singers of all time – think Sinatra, Armstrong or Holiday – range really had little to do with their vocal brilliance.

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Images: http://tinyurl.com/kzj6kla, http://tinyurl.com/kr3qsrf and http://tinyurl.com/lqa4hnd

 

Man with glasses standing in front of a bookcase

Hi there, I’m David Kinnane.

Principal Speech Pathologist, Banter Speech & Language

Our talented team of certified practising speech pathologists provide unhurried, personalised and evidence-based speech pathology care to children and adults in the Inner West of Sydney and beyond, both in our clinic and via telehealth.

David Kinnane
Speech-Language Pathologist. Lawyer. Father. Reader. Writer. Speaker.

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