Friday 12 November 2010

Amy Winehouse- Vocal Profile/ Range

Amy Winehouse 

Vocal Type:  Contralto
Vocal Range: 3 Octaves and 1 semi tone D3-Eb6
Vocal Pluses:  Unique and thus instantly recognisable voice. Naturally adept singer with a great technique and brilliantly individual phrasing. Her voice is connected well through the registers and maintains its character throughout. Also has an emotive voice that communicates the songs subject exceptionally.
Vocal Negatives: Unique style may make it harder to adapt to different genres of music.


86 comments:

  1. I don't know about struggling to adapt to different genres. Did you know she used to be a rapper?! (when she was very young) I would love to find some footage of this!

    RIP Amy

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  2. wow, I didn't know that. Would love to see some footage of that too!

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  3. I can't believe this lady is gone. Her voice was timeless. It is truly a loss that we won't get to see her feature albums.
    Andrew

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  4. Erm s'a lil insulting that she is dead and you can't spell her second name right :S amy WINEHOUSE

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  5. Calm down, it was an honest mistake. 

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  6. In her cover version of Leon Russell hit "A Song For You", I thought she had hit C3 or B2 low note. I don't know what it was because I'm not a vocal coach.

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  7. Ah, Amy. Hard for me to give an unbiased opinion. I didn't get into her music until after she died, and it was an acquired taste. Her voice can sound harsh, but it grows on you. I haven't heard many runs, but the ones she did were passable.

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  8. I'm sure she sends notes below a D3! [AMAZING contralto] <3

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  9. Can't you give us more details about her voice characteristics?

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  10. Have a listen to 'Body & Soul' - I'm almost certain at some points she goes below a D3. These notes are mostly when she's singing at the same time as Tony, but I'm sure you'll be able to tell which note it is.

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  11. She will be missed

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  12. No questions asked HANDS DOWN Amy is THE VOICE!!

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  13. She has a C3 in a song for you.

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  14. Can't you give us more details about her voice, how she sings live, the highest notes she reached, etc.

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  15. Uhm I know practically nothing of the technical stuff but if the vocal range says D3-Eb6, isn't Eb6 the highest note sung?

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  16. yep, have to agree he does a c3!

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  17. I think her range is wider than people think. She was never the type to show off. She never really put much effort into her singing.

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  18. I am sure you didn't mean that the way it sounds? I think she put plenty of effort in. She just had the talent to make it seem like it was effortless.

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  19. Agreed. I think your comment needs a bit of re-wording though. Amy sang within a very fixed vocal range; she used the same 7-10 notes for most of her songs. I like to think of her as similar to Billy Holiday who was also known for emotiveness, and sang in a similar fixed range. As opie said, no matter the note or register Amy made it sound effortless. In particular when she hit the Eb6, there was no strain in her voice , which leads me to believe that she could go higher. Also, I'm pretty confident she could go a few notes lower (at least a C3 or B2), but I guess we'll never know. Either way, an extensive range doesn't make a good singer. Amy was known for her emotive voice and raw, personal lyrics and I appreciate her for that.

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  20. Her lowest note is a C3 in A Song For You.

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  21. Serendipity.-4 May 2013 at 04:32

    Gosh I miss Amy.
    I've had "Back To Black" (the album) on rotation for the past few days,
    what a talent.

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  22. I agree. Honestly. I'm actually surprised I liked her music. People who know me well knows I'm into radio-friendly mainstream music. Amy's isn't exactly both.

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  23. You are very right, i've heard her vocal exercise and also perform to the very highest of a B2 in the prime time of her years (2003-2005). In a few of her live covers the absolute highest she could hit without cracking was a B2 because she attempted to go a half step higher and her voice cracked. As far as her strong voice is concerned that is her limit. Now her falsetto is a whole different story ( Even though women don't technically have "falsetto") she can go quite high but not in the natural comfortable range she has. She's very impressive

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  24. She hits a C3 in "A Song for You". http://youtu.be/yVNcPfZxacc?t=28s

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  25. I'm in two minds about her classification. Her lower register definitely has that thick, deep and manly sound to it typical of a contralto but the higher she goes she definitely sounds more feminine and not like any true contralto I've ever heard which makes me wonder if she's actually a low lyric mezzo?

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  26. Another vocal negative is her tone is not to everyone's taste and in her higher notes she sounds a little shrill and screechy.

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  27. I don't want to sound like I'm speaking ill of the dead because she was a talented woman with good songs, but I think as a singer she was overrated.

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  28. She may have been able to hit some of those high notes... doesn't mean it sounded good. My opinion there.. it's better when singers stay within their comfortable range, because going outside it too much will ruin a good voice.

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  29. Opie is referring to Frank Sinatra, a male. Sinatra was also given the moniker as "The Voice". Before Miss Houston as well.

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  30. Where the hell have you been hiding PrinceAzulon if you don't know enough when you hear " Sinatra" ???? ;-D

    His moniker was in fact The Voice of the century and his career amply backs up how deserved that was.

    I looked it up for you and Frank, during his at least 5 decades career, received loads of awards. Amongst them....11 Grammies, Kennedy center Medal of honor,presidential medal of freedom,congressional gold medal, oscars, Bafta's , nominated for Emmies, three stars on the Hollywood walk of fame, had an asteroid named after him and .....each year on his birthday the effing Empire State Building lights up in blue lights in reference to his nick name " old Blue Eyes" .

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSPbwXUq9vM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNpLRxIEC8

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  31. Never patti is the voice :)

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  32. Ricky Yong Chin Yuan25 June 2013 at 03:51

    I guess we'll never know... It could be as easy as abc for her to add the emotive touch to her song too, no?

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  33. Wasn't talking about taste but who originally received the moniker.
    If you mean Patti labelle...I personally cannot stand her.

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  34. The original comment didn't go to emotive ability Ricky. It was about range and the poster seemed to equate not showing off with not putting in effort. I'd say that is quite insulting as I got from her interviews that Amy took her singing quite seriously.

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  35. Ricky Yong Chin Yuan25 June 2013 at 04:00

    Ah, sorry. I forgot about the poster's one. Yes, that is really offensive. But I think he didn't really mean it like that considering how he said she wasn't the type to show-off.

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  36. Oh I'm sure he didn't mean it insulting at all. Quite the opposite...hence my original reply. :-)

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  37. Oh I thought bing crosby was the first. And I was like that but now I love her

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  38. I can find no mention of Bing ever having the moniker " the voice". I do know he for sure was never called " The voice of the century".
    But Bing and Frank were " competitors" for a while. Frank in all seriousness named Bing as an influence though.

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  39. You know what I think I was thinking of his Cd the voice of christmas. Sorry ;). And yeah patti is a belter like whitney though she sustained better through the years.

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  40. To my ears she shouts rather than belts. As always with such matters...a matter of differing tastes I guess. :-)

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  41. Yeah as usual we have differing tastes on most besides Barbra and Shirley bassey, though are you talking about the higher belts or mid belts? Because some of her higher belts now that she has aged sound a bit like that but love the rest of her belting range.

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  42. All belts, in fact I find her voice has that " shouty" tone when she isn't even belting occasionally.
    Didn't mean us with "as usual" but generally speaking. I think "shouty" is much like nasal in that some people experience something as nasal when others won't and some experience something as too nasal when others would call it slightly nasal.

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  43. Oh and very true

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  44. thanks for the info

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  45. LOL Maybe you should also look into the info I gave below? That way not only will you know that I was referring to Frank Sinatra...you will also learn who Frank Sinatra actually was. ;-)

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  46. I'm from North America, Michigan. Yeah, thanks for the info I'll try listening to HIM (LOL I CALLED HIM A HER AND A WOMAN) XD

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  47. For real...I am shocked! Michigan educators need to get their act together! LOL
    Well, anyway...now you do know who Frank Sinatra is. :-)

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  48. LOL, you sound like you come from Texas or Louisiana. For real, I have never heard his name spoken before or even knew about him until now.

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  49. LOL I believe you haven't heard of him. I am just saying that is a sad state of affairs. Since we are talking about a man with his accomplishments. Like I said...the Empire State Building changes it's lights every year on his birthday! That's an iconic thing! And Sinatra is a cultural icon. Not just a well known singer.

    Why would I sound like I am from Texas or Louisiana? If you haven't heard from Frank, I bet loads of people in those states haven't either.



    Actually just FYI I am from The Netherlands. That's so different from Texas and Louisiana, you can't even imagine how different. ;-)

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  50. Really? Your're from the Netherlands? The way you write your sentences and how much character it has is just so Texas and Louisiana like.


    Yeah, I guess so. Seeing that I have never heard of Sinatra before, it seems that most Michiganians have never heard of him before either. Thanks for the info, and I have not been hiding anywhere just looking up things on Pokejungle and other websites. XD

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  51. That is funny to think about because he is extremly adored over almost all of amarica especially in northern states.

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  52. Ah didn't know he was big outside of the US he gives Elvis a run for his money as king here

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  53. Though I like Elvis, for my money Frank was the better singer. But yeah, both are musical and cultural icons. Known all over the world really. ( if not by many teens. ;-) )

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  54. I agree about Frank being better singer but I think youngElvis was the better entertainer. And us teen miss the best things its slightly sad

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  55. I have to disagree. I think young Frank was equal as an entertainer. :-)

    Nah, not really sad. It'll come later. It's good to still have things left to discover.:-)

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  56. That was meant to be a compliment as your writing or posts are so fun to read especially when you add some side jokes. I think I'm crazy for not knowing who Sinatra was earlier, my bad. Thanks a ton for telling me about him and giving info. XD

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  57. Not crazy and now you do know. We all have to hear something for the first time sometime somewhere after all. Nobody is born with the knowledge of who Sinatra is. :-)


    Thanks for the compliment. I wasn't sure since many people like to use anything related to southern states as an insult.

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  58. I can't wait to discover new and old music :). Elvis seemed to start a larger revolution a movement that changed rock and country

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  59. He was one of those who did yes.
    And I agree, it's always great to discover new music even if it actually is already old. :-)

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  60. you sound like ur like 16 or 17 XD

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  61. LOL Now that is not a compliment. To look 16 or 17, that would be good in my book. At my age to sound like that...not so much. :-)


    But I dare say some will wholeheartedly agree with you and not in a loving way hahaha

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  62. I'm Intruding in the conversation but i think you should hear this too...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8uNRxSktlc

    And this one =D



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snlSiVofVik

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  63. So glad you intruded! Loved those! :-)

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  64. =) Everytime someone says Frank Sinatra the words that cross my mind are 'The Voice' and then Bossa Nova. Makes me really sad the new generation has little thought for these geniuses that sang with really passion and emotion. They weren't a produt, like most singers today.


    Makes me feel old. ._.''

    Ps: It's a funny thing that a lot of people doesn't know that Amy Winehouse's album ''Frank'' was named after Frank Sinatra.

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  65. WOW That performance was AMAZING. Where did music go? How come we don't have talented artists like these today?

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  66. I didn't know that either about Amy's album. But in my defense, the thought DID pass my mind it might be.

    and yes, I agree. It is sad. I find it especially sad because I hear people compare Connick jr and Bubble and the likes be compared to a Frank Sinatra and that obviously is because they compare them to a vague memory of Frank. Rather than the actual vocals of Sinatra. because really...those guys aren't even close to his league imo.

    Same with Streisand. Most remember People and The Way We Were...vaguely. But seriously, who cannot be blown away by these, un electronically altered, un autotuned vocals????

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TA6LQmP0ec

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y12S8JByzhg

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  67. Really beautiful, one of the greatest Divas. I think people (media especially) compare Connick jr and Bubble to Sinatra because they claim being inspired by him (I would say they copy...) the same case comparing Lea Michele to Barbra Streisand.

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  68. Oh yes, that Leah-Streisand comparison..hilarious if you see vids like those.

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  69. I don't know why, but i don't like her D3. it sounds weird. but i think she's awesome.

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  70. Her voice is so full of character. I love it. Stronger than me, you sent me flying, You know i'm no good, Valerie and her cover of Someone to watch over me are fantastic.

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  71. Documentary on Amy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqn766xL-_Q

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  72. You can say anyone's tone is not to everyone's taste lol.

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  73. sounding masculine isnt characteristic of contralto, they are weight,thickness,rich deeps and super bright highs, no androgyny, some contraltos also possess it, but its not requirment.

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  74. this is bullshit, every human has falsetto, no matter if your male or female.

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  75. Vocal Negatives: Unique style may make it harder to adapt to different genres of music.



    How exactly is that a "Vocal Negative"? Seriously.


    A Voice is a Voice and some Voices are unique and only adept at being used within specific genre's/styles/settings of music. How on earth can a lack of vocal diversity/versatility be a "Negative"?

    Mariah Carey is a highly gifted, technical- Pop/Contemporary R&B singer but... Would her voice fare well in a Traditional- 'Soul/Jazz/Blues/Gospel' setting? NO. Could she emote the way Billie Holliday did?

    Whitney Houston is a highly gifted, both raw and technical- Contemporary R&B/Soul singer but... Would her voice fare well in an 'Opera/Classical' musical setting? NO. Could she sing a lyric the way Yma Sumac did?


    Celine Dion is a highly gifted, technical- Pop/Operatic-Pop singer? Would her voice fare well in a Hard-Rock/Heavy-Metal musical setting? NO. Could she shout/scream a phrase the way Janis Joplin did?

    It is all subjective.

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  76. voice of ou generation

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  77. I totally agree.


    "Styles of Singing" are subjective.

    There are those in the world who consider 'Shouter-Vocalists' such as: 'Janis Joplin' to be the worst singers on the earth. They criticise their poor vocal technique and lack of true vocal musicality and are generally fans of 'Pure Singers' ala. Barbra Streisand.

    On the other hand, there are those in the world who consider 'Pure Singers' to be the singers who exude the least bit of soul and raw emotion in their songs. You may never catch a 1960's/70's/80's/90's/00's- Rock fans listening to the sounds of Celine Dion, for instance.


    Amy didn't need to "adapt". She was good at what she sang and she sang quite f*****g well.

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  78. Actually...I like Rock/heavy metal and Celine. :-)

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  79. Well, when you say 'like' both 'Rock/Heavy-Metal' & 'Celine Dion', what exactly do you mean? Do you like Celine Dion's 'Voice' or her 'Music' because I believe that they are two completely different things.


    You cannot tell me that you like, or are a fan of, "Led Zeppelin, AC-DC, & Aerosmith's" 'music' whilst liking Celine Dion's 'music' in the same exact breath.

    I adore Celine Dion's voice - she is a remarkably gifted singer - but her musicality is, more or less, horrifying. (Albeit, that is just my personal opinion).
    Her songs are far too dull, inspid, maudlin and characterless for my grittier and heavier tastes - her voice is the only thing that brought her songs to life and, even then, by and large, she could only do so much.



    Have you heard her "Heart - Alone" cover? Terrible. She may be able to hit all of the notes, from a technical standpoint, but Ann Wilson's voice was far more gruff, gritty, soulful and emotive and that she turned that song into a TRUE POWER BALLAD.


    Nonetheless, I understand what you are trying to say Bro. ;-)

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  80. And yet that is exactly what I am saying. I love Celine's voice. I love especially her album D'eux.
    I also think Led Zeppelin were pure brilliance.
    I think Rammstein are great to listen to and I think Alison Krauss is a genius in what she does.
    I think Louis Armstrong was an awesome musician, I think Anouk is amongst the best I ever heard.

    I think janis Joplin was too. And I think Streisand is unsurpassed.
    I think Amy was genius and I love Benny Goodman.
    I think Nicky Minaj is a wordsmith par excellence and Jerry Douglas is the best Dobro player ever.
    I think Kate bush is another genius and so is Tom Waits.
    I also LOVE Beethoven and Handel and Vivaldi.

    I think when you say you "may never catch" a Rock fan listening to Dion you really are only speaking for yourself. :-)

    I am not a dude btw. ;-)

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  81. "I am not a Dude btw"...

    Oh, I apologise for that, Ma'am. : - D


    But yes, I am in awe of your list above; you're musical tastes are fantastic. Also, I agree with you towards a certain extent; I much prefer to watch/listen to Celine Dion's live performances, if anything, because I seldom listen to any of her studio recordings. However, in saying that, "Because You Loved Me & " is one of her only songs that, over time, has truly resonated with me and particularly because that was my Father's favourite song.

    Nevertheless, generally speaking, I am more a pure fan of "Rock Music": 1960's/70's- Rock, Soul, Blues, Rock & Roll and Rhythm & Blues, 1980's- Arena-Rock and 1990's- Indie/Alternative-Rock. I also have a huge appreciation for Folk/Country and Roots- oriented, Rock music as well as that of various Funk/Reggae stylings; Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight and Linda Ronstadt are, most probably, my all time favourite female 'balladeers' and Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse & Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) are three of my my most favourite female, 21st Century, mainstream vocal talents thus far.


    I am, largely, indifferent towards that of the 2000's musical scope although there were/are many things that have come out during this period in which I have enjoyed.

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  82. Totally with you on Brittany Howard!

    Thanks for the compliment and no problem. Just corrected you on that "bro" for the sake of clarity. I had no problem with it in itself.

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