Celine's Octave Range

[calmar]

Any person who knows a bit of music theory can ASSURE you that Celine doesn't have a 5 octaves range. It's more likely around 3, 3.5 octaves.

[maximalfrance]

Any person who knows a bit of music theory can ASSURE you that Celine doesn't have a 5 octaves range. It's more likely around 3, 3.5 octaves.

This man knows music very well, he's composer! Also he knows very well the opera and frequent Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman, then it seems to me highly qualified to define Celine's voice more than us. The video is somewhere on the net!

[Tyler1991]

She may have only shown 3.5 octaves, but for all we know she could be holding back. There were rumors about her hitting a whistle note in some interview once to prove she could...Idk if it's true or not.

[Claudette]

I've seen numerous articles and even heard some discussions on the radio in which they claimed that she has 5 octaves, so like Tyler said: she might just be holding back. In fact, in one of her biographies (I think it is ''The Authorised Biography'') Celine says that people always critisize her for singing songs that does not showcase her voice properly. What she means by that, I don't know. But I think we will never really know. Celine gets really uncomfortable when people ask her stuff about her voice and it is clear to me that she doesn't want to talk about it. Edited August 10, 2010 at 09:18 PM by Claudette

[Davey84]

frankly it's not about the range, but it's how a singer uses his or her voice, and delivering the emotion of the song IMO!

[Claudette]

And I think that is exactly why Celine doesn't want to talk about things like her range and stuff. She knows what is important is the emotion and feeling that you bring to the song.

[mawuar]

I agree..and that's exactly what she said in this interview with Denise Bombardier,I don't know if you guys have seen it..

 

I'm sorry about the the subtitles in spanish,I didn't find it translated to english..but this is pretty much what they said..

DB: Celine,let's talk about your voice now..do you love your voice?

CD: That's the worst question you can ask me..I think that with the instrument I have,I do things that normally I wouldn't be able to do..I've been to many doctors,they've seen with cameras my vocal chords,my tonsils,etc,and every time,with surprise,they've told me "the mechanism you have doesn't really show why you are able to do what you do,how do you do it inside? you shouldn't be able to sing the way you do"..and I always tell them "yes,but I don't sing with my vocal chords,I sing with my heart"..and I think that there are people that have a mechanism,an incredible physical force,exceptional vocal chords,but this doesn't happen to them..and,honestly,I don't think I have an exceptional instrument,or a formidable mechanism..I think that I'm able to do "abnormal" things with the instrument I've been given..

DB: You have to really want it..

CD: You have to really want it,you have to be tenacious,to want to win,to surpass yourself..it's to absolutely want to give the best of yourself..I've never been,and will never be,in competition with other people..because sometimes young people in the music business,want the first place,want to sing louder than the others,to hold a note longer than the others,"how many octaves do you have?"..who cares!who cares how many octaves!it's not about the quantity,it's about the quality..that's not something I made up,but that's the way it is..

 

and then they move on to another topic..but I just wanted to show you what she says about it..I'm really sorry if my english isn't great..

[QueenCeline]

I agree..and that's exactly what she said in this interview with Denise Bombardier,I don't know if you guys have seen it..

 

I'm sorry about the the subtitles in spanish,I didn't find it translated to english..but this is pretty much what they said..

DB: Celine,let's talk about your voice now..do you love your voice?

CD: That's the worst question you can ask me..I think that with the instrument I have,I do things that normally I wouldn't be able to do..I've been to many doctors,they've seen with cameras my vocal chords,my tonsils,etc,and every time,with surprise,they've told me "the mechanism you have doesn't really show why you are able to do what you do,how do you do it inside? you shouldn't be able to sing the way you do"..and I always tell them "yes,but I don't sing with my vocal chords,I sing with my heart"..and I think that there are people that have a mechanism,an incredible physical force,exceptional vocal chords,but this doesn't happen to them..and,honestly,I don't think I have an exceptional instrument,or a formidable mechanism..I think that I'm able to do "abnormal" things with the instrument I've been given..

DB: You have to really want it..

CD: You have to really want it,you have to be tenacious,to want to win,to surpass yourself..it's to absolutely want to give the best of yourself..I've never been,and will never be,in competition with other people..because sometimes young people in the music business,want the first place,want to sing louder than the others,to hold a note longer than the others,"how many octaves do you have?"..who cares!who cares how many octaves!it's not about the quantity,it's about the quality..that's not something I made up,but that's the way it is..

 

and then they move on to another topic..but I just wanted to show you what she says about it..I'm really sorry if my english isn't great..

 

Thanks so much!! She even said it herself, it's not about the octaves

[adoreceline]

frankly it's not about the range, but it's how a singer uses his or her voice, and delivering the emotion of the song IMO!

 

Amen

[mcleblanc25]

5.555

 

The .555 if she does her chipmunk notes!

 

Mariah Scarey is able to do two octaves higher because she has dolphin genes. She likes to do soundcheck underwater.

 

't just can't stop laughing with this comment

[Ejion]

I've never seen this interview. It's from Finland? Is it the video desyncs a lot? You finally fixed it?

 

It's an interview from MuchMoreMusic in Toronto, Canada.

[wjd]

How I understand it is that Celine can hit notes in the fifth octave, but she can't glide effortlessly from octave one to octave five (i.e. Mariah Carey can, so she is credited with a 5 octave voice)

[Tyler1991]

Mariah Carey does not sing in octave one.

 

Mariah's range is from G#2-G#7 (live).

 

Celine's is Bb2-C#6. The Bb2 is studio, but she has done B2 live. She has also hit an E6, but that was exclamation.

[velkyprase]

5 octaves, because nobody does not exactly count the notes, but determined by in how many octaves you sing (second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth = 5 octaves)

 

Overview of Trinity

 

Chest/Mixed vocal range

 

Celine chest/mixed voice range is 3.2 octaves (Bb2-C6)

Mariah has 3 octaves range in chest/mixed voice (G#2-G#5)

Whitney has almost 3 octaves range in chest/mixed voice (A2-G#5)

 

Modal range (chest/mixed + head voice)

 

Celine Bb2-

) => 3.5 octaves

Mariah G#2-C#6 => 3.5 octaves (maybe less, her all 6th octave sound no heady, more like whistle)

Whitney A2-C#6 => 3.3 octaves

 

In most cases the modal range is taken as a vocal range (falsetto and whistles are not counted). On this basis, all three have 5 octaves vocal range. But as someone wrote. Range is not the main thing (it´s like one fourth of success).

[Angel2006]

I found this video of Celine singing high notes from the Taking Chances Tour and at part 3:10 and part 3:14 she hits some really high notes. I have never heard her sing that high before. Are these notes the highest Celine has ever sung?

Ive posted this question in the past, but since we are talking about this subject, i wanted to get other people's opinions on these two notes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtbdpgV5Bb8

[Tyler1991]

Mariah and Whitney don't mix, they are not really applicable....Each has gone to G#5 in chest.

 

Celine has a great A5 live. Whitney has an A5, but it sucks. Mariah only has a couple G5's. Her lambs will say she has G#5's, but they're lipped unless it's something I haven't heard.

 

Mariah has gone higher than Celine in head voice. Celine has gone to C#6. The Eb6 should not count as it was an exclamation. Mariah has also gone higher than just C#6 in headvoice. She has gone to at least Eb6, MAYBe F6...not sure. And of course she has whitles all the way to G#7.

 

EDIT: The quality of the video above makes it seem higher. It's hard saying, (due to the quality), but she most likely hit a G5. At best, an A5, which is still 4-6 semitones lower than her highest.

Edited February 6, 2011 at 03:07 AM by Tyler1991

[velkyprase]

Céline´s nice mixed Bb5

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiP-SkQR0zU

 

Her highest note Eb6 (not exclamation)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwa9A6X9Lic

 

to Tyler1991 - whole 5th octave is mixed ... mariah and whitney just use more chest undertone (can not mix properly). Celine uses more head undertone after F5. I seriously doubt about Mariah´s head voice

[Tyler1991]

I wouldn't say that Mariah and Whitney are unable to mix properly. It's just in their technique to use more chest.

 

One of the biggest criticisms Celine receives from all the critics is her mixes and how head driven they are and how many don't even sound like belts, but rather head notes. Sorry, but the Bb5 you posted is not a nice "belt." The best mix I've seen her do is the A5 in LCMM on Today show, and that is one semitone less than the Bb5 you posted, yet they sound nowhere near the same.

[velkyprase]

Maybe it does not sound chesty, but better than to destroy the voice (like Mariah and Whitney). Belting is very destructive and I'm glad Céline mix (a lot).

[jessx]

Guys, after reading what you all said; who was better Mariah or Celine, I had the weirdest dream. That mariah kidnapped Celine to test her voice in the house over from mine and I puched MC in the face. I woke up, like 'WTF' LOL!

 

On the topic though, personally, I can stand to listen to maybe one or two Mariah songs, at the asbsolute most. I don't know much about notes and stuff (it does say in for keeps that the note in 'naked' is really high). I don't care how high Mariah can screach; she doesn't come close to the genuine emotion that Celine delivers in her songs. I think both Mariah and Whitney have lost it. Celine has been around for 30 years, and her voice has changed, ie, maturing and such, but is still flawless, imo. I did read that Celine had five octaves though.

 

That's just what I think though. Like I said, I don't know much about octaves and stuff

Edited February 6, 2011 at 12:11 PM by jessx

[celinemaniacaik]

i DONT CARE WHAT OCTAVES SHE CAN SING BUT BSHE HAS AN OOOOOOOOOOWESOME VOICE AND I LOOOOVE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it wud be nice 2 know de exact range

[GoldenLeaf]

I wouldn't say that Mariah and Whitney are unable to mix properly. It's just in their technique to use more chest.

 

One of the biggest criticisms Celine receives from all the critics is her mixes and how head driven they are and how many don't even sound like belts, but rather head notes. Sorry, but the Bb5 you posted is not a nice "belt." The best mix I've seen her do is the A5 in LCMM on Today show, and that is one semitone less than the Bb5 you posted, yet they sound nowhere near the same.

Really? Who? Those moronic Mariah/Whitney bigoted fanatics from youtube? LOL

 

Personally, I never heard professional critics in the vocal pedagogy field criticizing in a negative way Celine's technique.

Edited February 6, 2011 at 07:02 PM by Calypso

[Tyler1991]

Yes, all your favorites! LOL.

[velkyprase]

Guys, after reading what you all said; who was better Mariah or Celine, I had the weirdest dream. That mariah kidnapped Celine to test her voice in the house over from mine and I puched MC in the face. I woke up, like 'WTF' LOL!

 

On the topic though, personally, I can stand to listen to maybe one or two Mariah songs, at the asbsolute most. I don't know much about notes and stuff (it does say in for keeps that the note in 'naked' is really high). I don't care how high Mariah can screach; she doesn't come close to the genuine emotion that Celine delivers in her songs. I think both Mariah and Whitney have lost it. Celine has been around for 30 years, and her voice has changed, ie, maturing and such, but is still flawless, imo. I did read that Celine had five octaves though.

 

That's just what I think though. Like I said, I don't know much about octaves and stuff

You have interesting dreams . The difference between Mariah and Celine are mainly in their native pitched voice. Mariah is alto. Celine is a mezzo-soprano (can be a soprano). Mariah enjoys singing outside her range . Therefore, after singing about 20 live concerts (1996), her voice began to fade away. Celine is cleverly done, when she needs so mixes registers (reaching higher notes without effort).

 

With regard to the vocal range, so they are similar. Those wailing sounds, which produce Mariah not included in the range (but sometimes it counts, especially lambs).

[justinecoria]

Well, no matter what JJG says, we'll have to assume that Celine has a 3.2 octave range. He's not God after all, he can be wrong and the only thing that counts is what she shows us.

Anyway, range isn't everything. Celine used to be such a musician with her voice, so smooth, so pure, and the way she used to hit high notes was unique. She had that purity sound in her voice, that maybe only Whitney had sometimes (the sound she had when she just hits one note at a time).

And her high notes, as I said, were unique. Going with her whole voice, with such power and purity.

 

This live of MHWGO is just one of those perfect examples :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMU6MtBqJy0.

Smoothness, perfection, bliss at the beginning; raw power, precision, emotion in the end. No useless effect on the voice to hit high or low notes. Just what's needed.

If we take this song note by note, lots of singers can sing them. Yet, noone has ever come close to that level of Celine.

 

I mean, even the recent Celine :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFH4BmN1qAc

she's so far from what she used to be. Her voice is weak, rasping, hoarse at the beginning. Poor musicality, smoothness. What some might think as emotion, is purely struggle. And the high notes in the end, they're just awful to me, especially when one compares to the previous live. There's just no control there.

 

Okay, she's still Celine, gives us some smile, pretends to still sing with emotion, but thing is that we've lost the best voice ever...

Edited February 9, 2011 at 09:53 AM by justinecoria

[wjd]

^ She's been performing live for over 30 years - over 1,200 concert shows, and what's she doing when she gets back from her break? 70 more live shows in a few months. Of course her voice has weakened - the fact that she's stil performing her most challenging songs 10-15 years after first performing them, and being able to hit the notes is testament to how well preserved her voice has been, in spite of the massive amount of performances.

 

You expect far too much from Celine - she's done more lives in 30 years, than Barbra in 50 years, Aretha in 50 years etc. Celine's voice is in phenomenal shape, all things considered. She could do a bit more to hit the notes, but at the moment, I just want her back

[disadiva]

Celine has a 5 Octave range but she doesn't use it all and she is unique

one of a kind.

 

Celine's range isn't what matters it is how she sings and delivers a song

and it is magical i love Mariah too but Celine more because of how she

sings with all that emotions that Mariah lacks at least in the recent years.

She is always wailing and Celine not.

[wjd]

If she had a five octave range, she'd use it. She doesn't and hasn't, because she can't.

[velkyprase]

^ Maybe 90% of all singers (male or female) can whistle. But it´s hard to handle with it and like 99% singers does not use it (you can see Kelly Clarkson, she whistle in one song in American Idol and after this she never used it again). Or you can see a bunch of wannabe singers on youtube, who knows how to whistle. It´s nothing difficult.

 

Celine is very disciplined in terms of damaging her voice.

 

And as I said last time, no one counts the whistle to vocal range, because it´s cheap voice (without any resonance), it´s not singing anymore.

 

The modal range different great singers from the wannabes.

[justinecoria]

Celine has a 5 Octave range but she doesn't use it all

Do you think that if every Celine's fan keep on saying this, people will believe it ?

 

^ Maybe 90% of all singers (male or female) can whistle. [...] It´s nothing difficult.

Thanks for the laugh !

(And just to state facts [not beliefs], even with her whistle notes Kelly "only" has a 3 octave range . Anyway, to me it's not all about range...)

 

And as I said last time, no one counts the whistle to vocal range.

You sure ?