Female 4 octave range?

#1

Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:34pm

My voice is capable of just over 3 octaves, and I start very low, so I'm a little confused on this.

To all the ladies on the board with 4 octave ranges, is it that your voices go ridiculously high or ridiculously low?
Like, what are the approxiamate notes going on here?

Also, I remember reading once that Julie Andrews had 4, and Mariah Carey had 5.
How on Earth can someone have 5 octaves?
I don't understand how it's physically possible.

Anyway, if you have any answers, please let me know.
My head is spinning.

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#2

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:37pm

I'm a coloratura and I only have a 3-octave....
I have from an F3 to a G#6, so I guess it's a little over 3 (f3-f4, f4-f5, f5-f6 + G#). I can't imagine a four octave range!

#3

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:38pm

I have 4 octives, but I'm a guy. Falsetto is cool.

#4

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:47pm

I thought Mariah Carey had 4-octave range (which is plenty.) 5-octave range is...a lot. Especially in a woman.

#5

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:47pm

Okay, I just checked myself on a piano.
I'm not warmed up at the moment, but I got from B3 to B6.
(I only count notes that sound decent)
That is EXACTLY 3 octaves right there.
(I know that I can do A3 to C6 on a good day)
And frankly, I think that 3 octaves is a pretty darn good range.

I do NOT understand how people are doing 4.
Are they squeaking on high notes and calling it singing?
Are they forcing gravelled pitches and calling it singing?
Or are they just way more gifted than my mind can comprehend?

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#6

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:48pm

wait, which number is your middle C?

#7

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:48pm

Well, I've heard of "whistle tones," which I think are something like female falsetto.

#8

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:53pm

i have a 4 octave range on good days. it's usually 3 octaves and 6-7 notes on most days.
it's from a C below middle C to a C above what Christine in POTO sings in "Phantom of the Opera" at the end on "ah".

whistle range is, i believe, a female's "falsetto-like" tones.

#9

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:54pm

According to this, not even Whitney Houston or Christina Aguilera has 4 octaves.
http://popdirt.com/article31997.html

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I starred in a short film called Magnetic Personality. Check it out!

Updated On: 10/18/04 at 05:54 PM

#10

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:54pm

Middle C is 4C.
Yes?
Or am I doing it wrong?

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I starred in a short film called Magnetic Personality. Check it out!

#11

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:12pm

My old voice teacher had a little over six octaves. She performed with all six octaves, too...so, it is possible. Some people have it, and some don't. It's a physiological thing for some people who are blessed with large ranges. I feel like three octaves and a few more notes usually allows you to sing just about anything that's out there to be sung for your voice type (save the poor coloraturas, who must have unending ranges).

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"Fundamentalism means never having to say 'I'm wrong.'" -- unknown

#12

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:18pm

This is pathetic, but I really can't read music...so, I always fake. But, my voice teacher said that I had
"Low F to High A". But, I dont know what that means! Ugh, ignorance is NOT bliss.

#13

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:23pm

i have no idea either. sounds like you're all grading each other-high C, low F....

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#14

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:47pm

SIX OCTIVES??? That's a little insane.

#15

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:49pm

Ok, I know I read somewhere that 4 octaves is all that's healthfully possible in a woman...and yeah, it would have to be both insanely low and insanely high. I have about 3 octaves and 5 notes, but I'm 15 and have never really been trained so...yeah.

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"A little humility wouldn't hurt." --Ellie, Constantine-Hellblazer, "Dangerous Habits"

#16

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:21pm

There's a big difference between RANGE and NOTES YOU CAN HIT.
I can hit a C3. I would never sing a C3 in a performance.
I can hit a C7. I would never sing (screech) a C7 in performance.
Your range is what sounds good, and what flows almost effortlessly out of you. No screeching or growling.

#17

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:32pm

A six octave range is impossibe. You would have to be able to hit the lowest note of a basso profundo range - the C two octaves below middle C, to the C four ocaves above middle C - an octave above "high C".

#18

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:37pm

thank you Jon :)

#19

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:47pm

hence the insanity.

#20

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:52pm

I know Cyndi Lauper has 4 octaves, and i'm pretty sure Mariah Carey has darm close to 6 (or she did back when she was in top form). Heck, if i could have a one-octave range i'd be happy, but I can't sing =P

#21

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:52pm

I know Cyndi Lauper has 4 octaves, and i'm pretty sure Mariah Carey has darm close to 6 (or she did back when she was in top form). Heck, if i could have a one-octave range i'd be happy, but I can't sing =P

#22

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:54pm

I have a 4 octave range, and I'm only 15. My voice teacher is amazed. I go pretty high but not that high. I go pretty low too, but not that low. I don't know. He told me my range but I forgot.

#23

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:56pm

Just really, wow..... C'mon guys. Five or six octaves??

Good grief.

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Sueleen Gay: "Here you go, Bitch, now go make some fukcing lemonade." 10/28/10

#24

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:59pm

not to rain on your parade, but to have a four octave range you would have to go insanely high and insanely low. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I have a three octave performance range. I can hit four octaves but I wouldn't call it my "range". I study opera and sing coloratura the best but I've done a few mezzo and alto arias well. Contralto is totally out of the question......but still, that's 3 octaves.

#25

re: Female 4 octave range?

Posted: 10/18/04 at 10:04pm

"I have a 4 octave range, and I'm only 15. My voice teacher is amazed. I go pretty high but not that high. I go pretty low too, but not that low. I don't know. He told me my range but I forgot."

Honey, to have a four octave range, you would have to go both pretty low AND pretty high. I suspect you might be mistaken about the four octave part...

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Sueleen Gay: "Here you go, Bitch, now go make some fukcing lemonade." 10/28/10