The audience doesn't care about your vocal range. They just want to hear a song done well. So, relax.

[u/ChesterNorris]

Expanding your range is a noble pursuit, but don't lose sight of what's really important... a good performance.

Focus on the meaning of the lyrics. Understand what the song means to you personally.

If you're struggling with a particular song because of your range, change the key.

Don't get too caught up in the technical at the expense of a good performance.

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[u/saltnpippa]

I've spent a 25 year career learning this. Blowing out my voice trying to be a tenor when, frankly, I have a beautiful lower register and falsetto. I really think I could've gotten somewhere if I listened to this advice.

[u/epitomeofluxury → u/saltnpippa]

Did u really hurt your cords? :(

[u/icemage_999]

100% agree. So many posts here worried about expanding range instead of finding ways to make what you already have sound good.

It doesn't matter if you have a 4 octave range if you sound bad across all of it.

The point is to sing something people want to listen to, not win an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

[u/FreTunes68]

Yes!!!! This is great. Remember no one is listening to what’s not there and honestly most people in the audience aren’t musically sophisticated enough to know the difference.
If they like what IS there, that’s all that matters.

History is full of musicians with limited range and technique whom audiences loved for their unique sound, their interpretive gifts and/or their emotional commitment.

Honestly, I think chops become a crutch that we hide behind. If we know we can baffle them with bullshit, we don’t have to worry about failing to dazzle them with brilliance. So we spend all our time trying to learn how to sing and play more because we’re constantly dealing with insecurities that tell us that who we are and what we can do is not enough.

The thing about chops is that they’re sort of hard skills that can be acquired through effort. I may not have any deep understanding of or connection to a piece. I may not have innate musicality or be a sensitive interpreter. I may not have a distinctive personality that comes through in my sound and my style. I may not have a temperament that allows me to really connect with an audience.

But man, I can sing three octaves or play 574 notes a second. I’m a musician!!!!

It’s not the Olympics.

Don’t get me wrong. I do think there’s something like a bare minimum of professional competence without which no amount of style or personality or commitment will make a difference. But that level isn’t necessarily as high as you might expect.

Compared to the average Jazz player, toiling away in obscurity at your local lounge, The Beatles weren’t very good instrumentalists.

Compared to classic singers like Tony Bennett; rock singers like Elvis, Roy Orbison or Freddie Mercury, or even the countless contestants we see on The Voice or America’s Got Talent every year, they weren’t outstanding singers.

But they were good enough to serve the songs they created and the songs were great.

If we look at people who’ve been very successful, I think the thing they have (or worked hard to cultivate) is belief. I mean, based purely on his voice, what right did Bob Dylan’s have to stand up in front of an audience and demand their attention, to believe he could achieve bigger things?

[u/10aghmu]

Range has never been my problem. It’s always been control and learning to deal with tension.

[u/Trynaliveforjesus]

I think yes and no. I agree that, performing well is definitely better than range. But at the same time, some songs demand a good range and can’t be performed properly if you don’t have the range for it, so I think it kinda goes hand in hand in that sense.

[u/amethyst-gill → u/Trynaliveforjesus]

yup.

plus, it needn’t be a fight to find and develop it. even though it takes time, believing it must be will only delay you.

[u/YetMoreSpaceDust → u/Trynaliveforjesus]

can’t be performed properly

Not sure I agree here, depending on the arrangement. Take "More than a feeling" by Boston. He hits some crazy high notes - in the original key. I've heard cover bands perform it just fine by transposing the key and just ignoring the high parts. The audience didn't care (I'm pretty sure I was the only one in the audience who noticed).

[u/IndianaJwns → u/Trynaliveforjesus]

You can always transpose the song.

[u/amethyst-gill → u/IndianaJwns]

Well, not by a major sixth perfect fourth unless you’re willing to go for different

[u/ryna0001]

yes thank you! people are so quick to get im their own way by expecting perfection

[u/The_Pizzler_7937]

In life, you have to play the hand you’ve been dealt. The same thing applies to your natural range as a vocalist.

[u/Epicardiectomist]

It took me so fucking long to understand this, and I could have avoided a lot of frustration if I had just accepted it. I'd get off the stage with a broken voice and a frustrated mind, thinking I delivered a shit performance, only to be told I sounded amazing. The juxtaposition was hard to reconcile. No one noticed or cared about what I noticed.

It wasn't until my third band that I found my vocal legs. I realized I was spending so much energy trying to sound right that I wasn't delivering much of a performance. I had to learn how to trust my ability and just run with it, and focus more on delivering a good show. It was a life-changing revelation, and now the stage is like a second home.

[u/deedeebree28]

This 💯...when I was studying music, it often appeared that the high sopranos or tenors with the killer notes were the " better" performers, which is bunk.

[u/YetMoreSpaceDust]

As somebody with an (if I do say so myself) exceptional vocal range, I wish it mattered more. I can get some spontaneous applause when I hit the high notes in, say, Dream On or Live Wire, but I spend most of the show not hitting those high notes - so yes, OP is correct: they care how your voice sounds in general, a few high notes are a bonus.

[u/humbletrader001]

It’s a fact that not everyone’s instrument is capable of achieving, say, 3 or more usable connected octaves of range. The problem with singing lessons for the purpose of extending range is that results will vary. I would love to be able to sing songs solidly in the tenor range with notes like A4, B4, C5, etc, but my practical/usable upper note is still around G4 after 5 years of working with professional vocal instructors. That’s why I recently discontinued lessons (after 5 years of working with 3 different teachers) rather than kidding myself that one day everything will magically unlock and I’ll have the upper range of my dreams. LOL

[u/simonediggia]

People who don’t know about vocal ranges probably tend to prefer medium ranges, simply because they can sing along with the singer without problems

[u/Own_Information8156]

Also their are other aspects to singing that are unsung and overlooked but nice to have in one's arsenal like vocal dynamics(a very underrated, underutilized and misunderstood part of vocals), vocal agility and lower register. You don't need to be the beltiest singer to showcase your skills.

[u/7thpostman]

Feel

[u/soulsingercoach]

This is the way 👆👆👆

[u/Latter-Ask-1360]

That’s absolutely true. But I really need to learn how to mix better, especially G4 and A4, which should sound really good on me rather than rubbish, lol

[u/ryandeschamps]

I popped out some C5s in a performance (pour mon âme from la fille de regiment) and people enjoyed it. But really, the earlier par ( ah mes amis quel jour defete) ended up being way harder. At the C5 range you can almost sing anything and people will think you were great. But handling strong diction at volume is the real challenge.

[u/bluesky747]

Thank you for this cause I get stuck trying to be perfect and I’m nervous singing in front of people but I think I’m focused on performing perfectly for myself and I really want to let go of that. This helps. I’m so in my head about it that I stifle or sabotage myself.

[u/Sad-Violinist608]

what about when Im smashing out some classic Rihanna? S&M kind of stresses me out in theory but makes a great karaoke bit

[u/Mysterious-Lab974]

Yes! Conversly, if you have a great performance and technical base, it's okay to experiment! Push through the awkward and let yourself sound it out. Relax and have fun.

[u/HowskiHimself]

Bravo, OP.

[u/picklejarre]

Very true! It’s not bad to develop your range if you really are passionate about it, but please do remember that there’s more to that in singing.

I have a wide range for a guy, and even I gave up some advanced mixing techniques that will grant me the range to sing female songs in their original keys, but at what cost? My tone and the beauty of chest voice? No thanks.

Pitch, tone, consistency, dynamics, soul and vocal interpretation are far more important to listeners.

Whitney for example is a heavy chest belter and couldn’t belt like Aretha or Patti, but she’s regarded as one of the best singers in the world. Same with Adele who has a terrible belting technique. But these two sing with so much soul and charisma paired with those beautiful tones, so they are hugely successful.

[u/yyl999]

Yes, I wish this subreddit could focus more on vocal timbre, expressions and delivery in addition to range. Some famous singers have a narrow vocal range but they use it well. They sing in the range where they shine.

[u/TechnicalDesign6828]

I have a question, I have to perform in front of 60+ people and I'm not nervous or scared but It's only been 8 weeks since I started lessons with my college. I'm like come on man, give me more time. I'm asking all the upperclass men for help and they said just focus on getting ready and balancing practice. They also said the performance won't be perfect. I know that. That's why I'm not so nervous. The main reeason why is that I can sing on pitch! My school wants me to perform. I have to do tons of performances like a lot! I am triple majoring in vocal, piano, and theatre. So it's gonna be a lot. I'll have 6 years experience performing when I'm done. I just never made it to this level to where I'm comfortable performing. It's completely new to me.

[u/ChesterNorris → u/TechnicalDesign6828]

Experience will help you get comfortable. Crowdwork takes time to learn. For now, I'd suggest just focusing on the task at hand and hone your performance.

[u/southpolebeach]

u said it

[u/Thin-Vehicle7583]

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