How low can you go?

[ronws]

I've been battling allergies for a week, now. So thick, at times, I can't get my highest notes. At least until I hack up some phlegm. Anyway,. so, I ran through a short set. And got my folds loosened up. And decided to see how low I can go, at least in full voice. I might get a smidge lower with a growl.

So, this is from "Jesus Christ, Superstar." The Sanhedrin is conspiring to rid themselves of Jesus Christ. I am probably singing it a little too high.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8750209/jesus.mp3

So, anyone here care to share their lowest notes?

[gno]

That's pretty low. Sounds real good - I haven't heard that song for many years.

[akarawd]

This sounds great Ron, your voice sounds really full and warm in this range - must be one of your best so far.

In fact I hear a good deal of "acting" in it, which I appreciate a lot. Have you ever tried any Trans Siberian Orchestra stuff,

like "Who is this Child ?" ? It might suit this side of your voice - just an idea.

[ronws]

True, there is acting in it. Both in timbre and in phrasing. I need to find the music (I did this one from memory) to see if I am in the right range. But also, it lends itself easily to acting, being what I would call a theater piece.

I have listened, now and then, to TSO, I just haven't tried performing to their music.

Doing this little piece is still a stretch for me, containing some of the lowest notes I can make in a full voice, without effects, such as growling. That is, any note in here is as well adducted as I can make it, resonated as best I can, from lightest volume to lowest volume, which I evened out with compression in the mix. And I used the RIAA pre-set eq. And some amplification on the track. One take, one time.

I like this piece because the singer in the movie has a such a dark tone in his voice during these passages, which is actually a chorus with him, Caiaphas, and one other. And usually, I will sing all three parts, just to have continuity of libretto. The other voices were baritone and tenor, which are equally accessible to me. But I thought I would concentrate on low ranges in this thread and perhaps give some of the lower ranged singers a chance to show their stuff.

The image in my mind is taken from the movie. The singer's outfit. His displayed emotions of both menace of power and fear of destruction from Rome if they are to be associated with another jew who is uprising. Frustration with his fellow members.

And the lyrics speak to the deception on his part. It is true that the Sanhedrin and others sought to paint Jesus as a threat to Rome, all by himself. Even though the hebrews did have their own laws for execution. However, they were occupied by Rome and Rome wouldn't have taken to kindly to them making too many of their own decisions. So getting Rome to deal with it solved a political problem, in more ways than one.

But even the low range is a technical challenge. To resonate, have some vibrato, some tone that gives meat to what the subject is. To have correct air pressure. I found as many challenges to breath support at the low end as I do at the high ends. And I find that a dropped jaw helps.

[mvrasseli]

I tough you are tenor

greats!

[ronws]

I tough you are tenor

greats!

I am a tenor. But I can do some low notes, too. Especially right now. My voice is freaky, I think, because of allergies. I think I have some inflammation going on. An histamic reaction to mountain cedar and cottonwood and probably some ragweed, too. Everyone around here has been suffering and my wife missed a day of work because of it, too.

[Martin H]

Well,

This is how low I can go without going into vocalfry (creak) :

http://www.box.net/shared/itnkpt59oq

:)

[gno]

Martin - that sounds pretty good down there. It sounds like overdrive - is it? I can get down there with neutral but not overdrive yet (unless I've got a throat infection or something)

[ronws]

Dang, Martin, that's way better than I could do.

[joshual]

Damn Martin, i can't even go that low with vocal fry lol. Love your tone down there!

[Snax]

Here's my contribution from this morning.... https://files.me.com/muskysnax/tv72zf.mp3

[jonpall]

Nice, Snax. I especially liked the ending. I'm gonna beat y'all with this low voice thing however, because the other day I had a cold and my voice put Darth Vader to shame, so I recorded it on my mobile phone but then I lost the phone... I'm looking for it like crazy now. Mostly because of the clip...

[Snax]

We should add our dimensions to give some perspective. I'm 5'5" tall and weight between 165 and 175lbs. I assume taller people might "generally" have deeper vocal ranges due to the longer vocal tract?

[analog]

Snax,

cool post. I've thought about this before because it seems like MOST(not all obviously) rock tenors are vertically challenged . I think a big challenge for taller people is feeling the connection from support(being that the muscles are such a long way from vocal folds(relatively speaking.) Maybe you can start a new post on this? I'd be interested to hear Steven or other experts' take on this.

I'm 6 ft and 175-180 lbs btw.

[jonpall]

I'm 5'9'' (180 cm) tall and weigh 177 pounds (80 kgs). My hobbies include walks on the beach, hanging out with friends and world peace.

[Snax]

I'm 5'9'' (180 cm) tall and weigh 177 pounds (80 kgs). My hobbies include walks on the beach, hanging out with friends and world peace.

LMAO!!! I KNEW someone would say something like that! :lol:

[Snax]

Snax,

cool post. I've thought about this before because it seems like MOST(not all obviously) rock tenors are vertically challenged . I think a big challenge for taller people is feeling the connection from support(being that the muscles are such a long way from vocal folds(relatively speaking.) Maybe you can start a new post on this? I'd be interested to hear Steven or other experts' take on this.

I'm 6 ft and 175-180 lbs btw.

I always thought that Ronnie James Dio was my height but I heard his wife in an interview saying he was only 5'3"!!! What a HUGE voice from such a diminutive man!

By the way, how would you guys classify my voice? Am I a tenor or whatnot?

[joshual]

your a basrytonor amazing how low you can go! i'm 6' tall (185cm) and barely hit a low G....

[analog]

My idol, Van Morrison, is maybe 5'5. I researched this awhile back...found this list(no idea how accurate it is.)

Plant and Cornell gave me hope that I wasn't damned by my height.

Rock:

Brandon Flowers 5'9

Scott Weiland 5'10

Julian Casablancas 6'2

Thom Yorke 5'5

Damon Albarn 5'11

Liam Gallagher 5'10

Noel Gallagher 5'8

Billy Joe Armstrong 5'7

Kurt Cobain 5'9

Chris Cornell 6'2

Eddie Vedder 5'7

Billy Corgan 6'3

Layne Staley 6'0

Jerry Cantrell 6'1

Axl Rose 5'8

Slash 5'9

Izzy Stradlin 5'11

James Hetfield 6'1

Michael Stipe 5'9

Rick Ocasek 6'4

Rob Halford 5'11

Brian Johnson 5'5

Angus Young 5'2

Malcolm Young 5'3

Bruce Dickenson 5'6

David Lee Roth 6'0

Eddie Van Halen 5'8

Bono 5'7

The Edge 5'10

Sting 6'0

Elvis Costello 5'10

David Byrne 6'0

Joe Strummer 5'8

Mick Jones 5'10

John Lydon-Rotten 5'8

Joey Ramone 6'3

Johnny Ramone 5'9

Dee Dee Ramone 6'0

Roger Waters 6'3

David Gilmour 5'11

Steven Tyler 5'10

Joe Perry 5'9

Bruce Springsteen 5'10

David Bowie 5'10

Iggy Pop 5'7

Lou Reed 5'5

Tony Iommi 6'2

Ozzy Osbourne 5'10

Robbie Robertson 6'1

Neil Young 6'0

Jimmy Page 5'11

Robert Plant 6'1

David Crosby 5'10

Rod Stewart 5'10

Keith Richards 5'8

Mick Jagger 5'10

Roger Daltrey 5'7

Pete Townshend 6'0

Paul McCartney 5'10

John Lennon 5'10

Elvis was about 6'0

[Snax]

I'm the same height as Brian Johnson! :D

[ronws]

I've got everyone beat. I am 6' 6" (2 m) tall and 215 lbs (97 kg).

Duff McKagan, bassist for Guns and Roses is around 6' 4" or 6' 5" and he towered over everyone else in the band, especially Axl.

[gno]

I'm a little over 6' and 190 lbs, but my low range isn't that great. I can get down to about an E or Eb in neutral.

Snax that was a great recording especially at the end with the siren up to the scream!

[Snax]

Snax that was a great recording especially at the end with the siren up to the scream!

Thanks! I felt inspired from all the Judas Priest I've been doing lately!

[ronws]

I, too, was inspired by your ascending siren, Mike. I've been wanting to do that but something has been wrong with my voice, lately. I'm not sure if it's inflammation of the folds or the muscles that control them. It's like partial laryngitis at certain notes and volumes. I had one clear day last Saturday, which is when I recorded the latest version of "Highway to Hell." Since then, I've been suffering from that thing, again. And in the mornings, I almost have no voice. Right now, I can sing really low and most of tenor at full volume and I've got a bright twang going on, but I can't do falsetto right now, for example. I thought it was allergies but who knows, I have might have some infection. Sometimes, when I clear my throat, I can sing a few good notes. So, I try stuff for mucus control but it's performance is spotty. But, when I can, I plan to do something like what you did.

I really enjoyed it. It gives the listener a relative comparison.

[Snax]

I actually noticed that I hit a rough spot during the siren so I need to work on certain places along my passagio area. Glad you guys got a kick out of it though.