Vocal Tips For K pop Fans #3: Vocal Registers

Vocal Tips For K-pop Fans, , , , ,

Quick Post here guys. This is my new video webseries called “Vocal Tips For K-Pop Fans”, where I’ll be posting vocal tips for you guys weekly. Please leave a comment, subscribe and share it with others. Let me know if you have any questions and please give suggestions for future videos!

Advertisement

85 thoughts on “Vocal Tips For K pop Fans #3: Vocal Registers”

  1. Off topic question. LOL

    Are you familiar with Lorde? I know she’s a bad vocalist but I want to know her voice type? Is she an alto or a mezzo? Wikipedia says she’s a contralto but I doubt that since she sounds like mezzo in majority of her hits (Royals, Team, Tennis Court) and darker soprano in “No Better” yet her voice in “Yellow Flicker Beat” and “Glory and Gore” sounds so dark for mezzo.

    Here’s the link of the songs I mentioned in case you haven’t heard those:

    Like

    Reply

    1. I’m not sure, she could be a mezzo but I don’t believe she’s a contralto at all. She is definitely either a soprano or a mezzo but it’s hard to tell when her voice is underdeveloped.

      Like

      Reply

      1. As expected. I’ve actually seen lots of vocal analyses blogs which claim Lorde is contralto when obviously she’s not. Well, her speaking voice is manly, though. LOL. Also, some claimed Taylor Swift is an alto. I find that funny. She’s obviously a soubrette soprano. Same with Britney Spears. =_=

        Like

      2. Britney Spears may be a mezzo according to some, I can see how it could be haha but yeah soubrette makes more sense.

        Like

      3. Have you actually heard Britney perform without lip-syncing or record a song without (abusive use of) autotune? I wonder how does she sound. (To be honest, I never like her songs.)

        Like

      4. She used to sound nice and yknow with support and pitch, now pitch is a problem and so is everything in her singing, sadly. I’ve heard acapellas from earlier in her career that were nice.

        Like

      5. So, Britney can actually sing? :O Wow. I thought she’s like Kesha. LOL.

        Well, I used to enjoy Kesha’s music but after hearing her live vocals, I was turned off. =_= Some people say she had improved, though, but I don’t know since the last time I watch her live performance, it is lip-synced.

        Like

      7. Just a continuation of my question about Lorde’s vocal ability.

        I have seen a vocal range video of hers. It states that her range is G#2-G#5, which i actually doubted since most notes doesn’t sound correct (especially notes below F3)

        Based on this video, what could be her supported range? o.O

        Like

      8. Her C#3’s, I heard. Maybe F3/F#3 is supported? It’s hard to tell for sure for some reason, maybe I’m tired. lol A4/Bb4 dont sound bad, she seems to have a lower voice but her style is so vocally unchallenging and more harmony-based that I cant tell

        Like

    3. And in addition to that, how about Taylor?

      *Some notes don’t sound correct, too. Besides, most of her belts sound like screamed, particularly in “Shake it Off”

      Like

      Reply

      1. C3 ~ G3, none of that was properly supported. A4/Bb4 seem okay. C5 is not okay and above is not okay, the rest has tension and it’s pretty throaty. Apparently she has pretty bad pitch too live, I’ve heard her live and she seems weak to average vocally speaking.

        Like

      2. Wait. You mean, Taylor has no supported notes at all? :O I’m shocked. I thought her G3 is not decent. So, that means she didn’t improve at all. >_<

        Like

  2. Here is the video I’m talking about. You don’t have to watch the whole thing unless you want to watch bad dancing, rapping, being weird and me crying. Yes I cried in this video… I also sang and I forgot the lyrics so that was bad but I want you to watch these parts. 5:51-7:20 and 16:16-17:51. You can watch the whole thing if you want.

    Oh btw nice video! The important message is sad but I think you need to know it. So I think I would start it sometime and try to finish in that week

    Like

    Reply

    1. WAIT PLEASE WATCH 8:02-16:13! Espically 13:07-16:13!!! I you watch before that like at 8:02 it would make more sense.I forgot how important that was because I want to announce that message at 14:42-16:10. People have to realize that! It makes me cry that I live in this generation and how most people and things are! It’s horrible! So how did I do on my singing? I know I failed that G3 LIKE CRAZY!!! So what do you think about the important message? Sorry throughout this video I didn’t talk well, I didn’t use the proper speech because it was so hard for me to talk about that. But I’m here to help and love people and that’s what I do and love. I’m probably going to a video on how to stop depression and eating disorders. I have a subscriber that has the same problem. I really want her to get bettter!

      Like

      Reply

  3. Thanks for doing these videos. I’m still not sure I understand the difference between head voice and falsetto, though. Is the key difference for a listener more about how “airy” the sound is?

    Like

    Reply

    1. Airiness is a way to hear it, but also it’s how disconnected it sounds. So if it sounds like the singer’s voice, it’s most likely head voice, if it sounds like a generic voice, it’s falsetto. If you pay attention to male using falsetto, it will just sound like a voice, if you listen to males using head voice, the tone present in their chest voice and mixed voice will still be present in their head voice, like Onew’s head voice, occasionally Jonghyun’s head voice, Ryeowook’s head voice and Daesung’s head voice.

      Like

      Reply

    1. It wasn’t an even healthy vibrato, it was slightly shaky and unsteady. Your voice can shake with falsetto, since hers wasn’t too breathy, a wobble could be produced. ^ ^

      Like

      Reply

      1. Seems like many people disagree with some of the classification, especially the exercise at the end. Can you give us the correct answer from your view? 😛

        Like

      2. Oh I forgot to mention that head voices can produce resonance, while falsetto can’t. Anyway let me see.
        Oh the answer? Let me see if I can get them all right haha 1. Head voice 2. Head voice that may have become falsetto in the last note 3. head voice 4. falsetto? 5. head voice 6. falsetto 7. falsetto 8. head voice (some people might call it falsetto because it’s produced by a man though) 9. falsetto 10. head voice 11. I think falsetto 12. falsetto
        I’m not entirely sure haha because some of them just sound weird and nasal, like Celine.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Sometimes someone would hit a high note, without any of the vibrato and it sounds like sharp *not as in off tone but as in piercing* but I don’t really know if that’s a head voice because everytime I go to my head voice it’s always had the operatic vibrato in it. Like I don’t know how to do a head voice without the vibration. Is there a way?

        Like

      4. Yes there is! You can 100% control vibrato actually, it’s doable. Well piercing can be just a pushed falsetto too, at times.

        Like

      7. Majority of that was actually mixed voice! ^ ^ 2:15 was more falsetto-like, after that I’d say it was kinda like a light mix or an airy-like head voice.

        Like

    2. Hmmm… since you mentioned vibrato here, let me state my case:

      I really don’t know why but I can sometimes produce high notes with vibrato. I’m sure it’s falsetto, though, because it’s more girlish than my usual singing voice, so I guess it’s an artificial vibrato. I don’t know how I do that, though. Can you explain this?

      Like

      Reply

      1. I would have to hear it but vibrato can be produced with the tongue (don’t know how but I’ve seen people do it), larynx, diaphragm, jaw and so on. It depends how well steady and controlled it is too.

        Like

      3. It sounds mixed! A bit closed and nasal, sometimes we can get nasal on B’s for some reason, you did here on “little BIT” but no that bad!

        Like

      4. Wait, WHAT?! It’s really mixed voice? O_O Wow, I never thought I can do that :O

        By the way, is it chesty-mixed or balance one? LOL. I’m quite overwhelmed that I can now mixed my voice, even though it is strained. My hard work is starting to show up ❤

        PS: I realized I got my lyrics wrong. It's "I still get jealous", not "I'm little bit jealous" XD

        Like

      5. It was kind of balanced to heady, I believe. I’m not entirely sure due to your placement, but everything before the C5 was mixed voice I believe.

        Like

    1. I heard Eb3, E3 and C#3, didn’t even sound like fry, it sounded just like unstable chest voice, it wasn’t bad at all! There was a bit of fry on the C#3 maybe.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Thanks for that! I’ll work on it. I am mostly classified as a soprano, though I have my doubts.
        Any tips on making the “wonderful” word there more stable/rich? Or I Just have to keep doing it until it’s better?

        Like

      2. Well you’re not lowering your larynx, so for now your vocal cords need more strength, then you can work on placing the sound more forward. It really isn’t bad though.

        Like

  7. Ahmin..can u make a video on how to expand lower notes? Coz many people want to sing higher but i think low notes are also important. How to expand to the 2nd octave..hehe

    Like

    Reply

    1. Are you a tenor or a baritone? Yes I can totally make a low range video! ^ ^ 2nd octave though? Mhmm I’ll try to see if I can help.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Im a girl actually. A soprano even. Just want to extend it down to the second octave if i can. My teacher, shes a soprano but she can extend it to until bass range. I’ve heard shes sung an E2 before. She said its not her natural voice but she learned and practiced until it extends to the 2nd octave. Shes very busy though so i dont meet her often 😦

        Like

    2. I also need this one. LOL. My lowest consistent supported note is F3 which is quite high for a man. =_= Bb2 is my lowest, though, but it has lost its tone and is very airy.

      Like

      Reply

      2. Yup. I think I’m a light lyric tenor with super light timbre that I sound like a girl as I ascend to the middle extension >_<

        I really wish there's a way to make my voice sound mature without straining or putting too much pressure on my chest register.

        Like

      6. Really? o.O But my friends are always telling me that my singing voice sounds so young. Also, whenever they speak to me through a telephone, I was often mistaken for a girl. >_<

        Like

  8. Just curious, but when we speak, do we naturally switch registers as we change pitch, or are registers only really relevant when singing? Like if we say/exclaim something like woo hoo!, or wow!, or pretend to be a little girl or something, in a range somewhat higher than our speaking voice, do we naturally mix and change registers?

    Like

    Reply

    1. We do switch registers when we speak. If you speak high, you can speak in your mix or in your head voice actually.

      Like

      Reply

  9. can falsetto and head voice not go till a same note? I mean I can hit Mariah’s whistle in ‘oh holy night’ (at last ‘oh night divine~’ part, what note is that btw? 😛 ) with falsetto but I can’t hit it with head voice 😀

    Like

    Reply

    1. They can go about the same note. It just depends how you do it, although I think it’s a whistle I don’t know what pitch. Maybe B6?

      Like

      Reply

      1. Yes, it seemed low to me too, so I was worried. I don’t really speak in that voice either, so I was a little confused. It makes other things make a lot more sense now though, thanks!

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Hi! I have a question. When you go higher in your range, is it possible to use only chest voice, or is it always a mix of chest and head? Is chest voice only for your lower range?

    Like

    Reply

    1. It has to be mixed at some point, even if just a little bit. Even then, if you’re trying to bring too much chest, it will cause your voice to be strained since there’s a limit to how high you can pull your chest voice naturally.

      Like

      Reply

  12. Hey I found the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard in vocal terms. What is this? Literally what is this? Does this come from any register? All I know it creeps me out so much and I get nightmares from whatever the hell this singer is doing. I never knew that singing can be really creepy. I hope you don’t get nightmares

    18:52-19:44 If you tell what that is then you are a genius. Ohh that is so creepy!

    Like

    Reply

    1. She’s creating a really rapid movement in her vocal cords by inhaling air and stretching them in a similar manner that someone would create a whistle register, but instead with more creak in it. It’s I guess some kind of stylistic technique, never heard people doing it in songs lol

      Like

      Reply

      1. Wow your a genius! I tried doing it but the only thing I can do is when she says “all alone” really creepy. Also that did not sound like when I was getting in my whistle register. I just sounded like a mouse on helium. I never heard it before either. This singer is very different, you thought that Lady Gaga is weird then look at Bjork! I saw her on this vocal blog and I looked her up and wow…

        Liked by 1 person

  13. I always like your analysis blog. I always wondering what category this or that kpop singer *lol

    Aaaah i see a comment above about Taylor Swift, so she’s weak to average? Yeah although i kinda like her music i know she’s not that good with technique and live performance and at time sounds off key/pitch.

    Can i ask you something? How about Katy Perry? In my opinion, she’s average because she’s kinda off keys too and strain in some note and live performance. Am i right?

    How about Lady Gaga? In my opinion, she’s above average to competent or competent. People said she’s underdevelope for falsetto or head voice and likes to use her real voice to reach really high notes that make it sound like sceam and strain. am i right? You can find some of the vocal range analysis in youtube.

    Sorry if it’s not kpop thing. I’m kpop fans but i like taylor swift and lady gaga too. I hope you answer or explain this abit. Thank you ahmin 😀

    Like

    Reply

    1. Yeah categories here are our own criteria anyway and we value things differently depending on the judge of course. I feel like Taylor swift is at best average, at least weak yes, I’m not too familiar with her but she sings with a lot of throat and tongue tension, even in studio like her new song Bad Blood, the B4’s in the “Just like that” before the chorus come is, all tongue and tension. Katy Perry average the least, above average at best but I don’t think she’s that good. For Lady Gaga, she’s at least good yknow. She has a very solid lower range down to at least E3, good musicality, good pitch, good control of her voice, good resonance even as high as D5, she’s a mezzo so that’s quite an achievement. I heard her singing with a connected head voice as well.

      Like

      Reply

      1. WHAT!!! Really, Lady Gaga can be called “Good” singer? Cool!!! I know she’s a good singer that know her voice and has control of it, but i don’t know if she can get that categories *lol Thank you by the way hehehe XD

        Like

  15. What does it mean when you don’t have a whistle register? like you can’t even make a sound? Does that mean anything about the larynx?

    Like

    Reply

    1. It just means that you can’t access it, you may be able to access it if you try hard to find your own but the whistle register isn’t as natural to a human as the modal register, so finding it can be difficult.

      Like

      Reply

  16. This may sound really dumb, but why do I get this feeling when i read vocal analyses (not only from this site, but some others too) that the mix register, are kinda’ the most important register out of the three. Like, even if you have a very well developed head voice that is constantly resonant or a very well developed chest register but with an average mix register, they would still be rated lower than some other singers that have a decent mix voice that can some carry resonance. Or other example are if a soprano (for example) can support and resonate her head voice constantly up to C6, and they can also support her mixed voice with good resonance till D5, her mixed voice is regarded as her best register. Is it because of the ‘size’ of the resonance? Or something to do with placement? I honestly don’t know. So can you explain a bit for me hehehehe. Thanks in advance~~~

    Like

    Reply

    1. I would say a soprano with C6 and D5 has a better head than her mix. I mean both Shannon and Ailee both have better head voices than mixed voices and I feel it’s because of the gente they sing so the mix is kind of highly regarded. In classical music head voice would be more important.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Well, thats kind of what I thought too, but in this analysis I read it was stated that her mixed voice takes on with a large resonance and good projection. While the explanation of the head voice starts with, “typically opting for head voice…” so maybe because its kinda under utilised or something, or maybe theres another issues. I mean, I’m not blaming the author of that analysis as he/she explain and analyse the vocalist pretty well, but i’m just curious with why i felt like mix register are the most important register after reading some vocal analyses (maybe because in the contemporary music its the most used register?? idk).

        Liked by 1 person

  17. Hi there! I have some questions about register and other stuff…not sure if this is the right post to ask though lol

    1. When you use the term “mix”, it can either mean the voice register “mixed voice”, or the technique to “mix” chest voice and head voice, right? Or are they the same thing??? I’m super confused.

    2.I read a vocal analysis of a non-kpop male singer(who I believe is a tenor), the fans say this singer is very good at belting around A4, while at the same time he doesn’t use head voice very often. Is it even possible to have a good belt without using head voice?

    3. I’ve done some researches on jpop vocal technique, they use the terms “jigoe” and “uragoe”, and I think Korean also use them (진성 and 가성). According to the studies I’ve read, they are different from chest voice and head voice(or falsetto). Have you heard of these terms and do you agree with that?

    4. What do you think of “pharyngeal singing”? Is it a false concept?

    Sorry this is a lot and sorry for my horrible grammar lol

    If you can give me a reply when you have time that’d we wonderful!!

    Like

    Reply

    1. It works here lol

      1. They’re the same thing.
      2. Yes since although it’s a mix, the muscles responsible aren’t always the same.
      3. 진성 means mixed voice sort of, and 가성 means falsetto. 두성 means head voice, 흉성 means chest voice.
      4. Im not very familiar with it.

      Like

      Reply

  18. 1. Out of everyone that’s been analyzed on this blog, who would you say has the darkest mix and who has the brightest mix?
    2. Also who would you say has the most developed mix?
    (I know Lee Haeri for example being one vocalist who has a particularly good mix)

    Like

    Reply

  19. 1. Also why do some singers struggle with having either an overly bright mix and/or an overly dark/chesty mix rather than consistently having a balanced mix? Is it a placement issue? (Beyonce for example only because I can’t think of a Korean vocalist)

    2. “Bright” and “Heady” are not mutually exclusive right? I mean can a singer’s mix can be very bright without necessarily being heady? But if a singer’s mix is heady it’s a given it’s bright?

    3. Same thing with “dark” and “chesty” mixes are they exclusive terms?

    Like

    Reply

    1. When you say bright or dark mix, you mean heady and chesty? I can’t say I remember well enough, Eunji is heady and Solar, Ailee, Mamamoo in general.. are quite chesty. But I’m remembering off of the more developed mixed registers, ChoA is pretty chesty from what I recall too. See it wouldn’t be a placement issue as it is a mixing problem. And consistently having a balanced isn’t better than a dark or heady mix. It’s fine to choose whatever suits the music you’re singing, but most of it is habits. You’ve been singing the same way for years. It’s hard to just suddenly change that, especially if you’re unaware.

      2. Okay so you’re asking a more specific question now and I can better understand what you mean. Balanced is in the spectrum of chesty and heady, which is why your question confused. Dark and bright are more related to placement, whereas light and heavy is basically heady and chesty. You can be chesty but still bright, for example Sandeul. You could be heady but still dark as I’d say at times Yeonji can be. Or Park Hyoshin was at times.

      Like

      Reply

      1. if chesty and heady is light and heavy? what are the things that makes it dark and bright?

        Like

      2. Like I said, placement. Heady and chesty have to do with the actual muscles in the vocals cords responsible for mixing.

        Like

Leave a Reply to Sapientia Cancel reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s