I'm wondering how great his vocal range is if we are excluding his falsetto and his whistle like voice used on songs like God.

I mean, he does have a great range if those are counted, but the reason why I'm asking this, is because if his range is not alot more than the "average singer" then his creative ways of using his "palette" of voice textures, dynamics, style, effects etc is doing a hell of a good job making him seem less limited than he is. It's a difference between physical limits, and the ability to use what you have got.


So if anyone knows his highest note before going in falsetto, and his deepest lowest note, then help us out here

Lowest is an E2 (Eb2 maybe) in songs like Damn U, There Is Lonely and Solo. Highest is an 'A4' in songs such as IT (I think about it baby ALL the time) and The Love We Make (in the NEW world - 3:38). Standard range of a baritone. He's only comfortable up to a G4 though, a note which can be heard a few times on almost all of his albums.

dandan said:

Lowest is an E2 (Eb2 maybe) in songs like Damn U, There Is Lonely and Solo. Highest is an 'A4' in songs such as IT (I think about it baby ALL the time) and The Love We Make (in the NEW world - 3:38). Standard range of a baritone. He's only comfortable up to a G4 though, a note which can be heard a few times on almost all of his albums.

According to what you just said. Prince is a bass with "extra notes". His lowest voices doesn't sound that forced, meaning he could probably get even lower. But it would sound very bad if he did.

Wikipedia:
Bass range: The bass is the lowest male voice. The bass voice has the lowest tessitura of all the voices. The typical bass range lies between the second E below "middle C" (E2) to the E above middle C (E4). In the lower and upper extremes of the bass voice, some basses can sing from the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the G above middle C (G4).

I always had trouble singing his highest notes. I always thougth it was unfair

Thankfully I just had an even deeper voice. Meaning his songs naturally never matched my vocals, and my falsetto sounded much thinner when trying to copy him. I think people can have pretty similar range, but differen "comfort zone". Prince comfort zone is what makes his range sound even wider than it is.

Replica said:

dandan said:

Lowest is an E2 (Eb2 maybe) in songs like Damn U, There Is Lonely and Solo. Highest is an 'A4' in songs such as IT (I think about it baby ALL the time) and The Love We Make (in the NEW world - 3:38). Standard range of a baritone. He's only comfortable up to a G4 though, a note which can be heard a few times on almost all of his albums.

According to what you just said. Prince is a bass with "extra notes". His lowest voices doesn't sound that forced, meaning he could probably get even lower. But it would sound very bad if he did.

Wikipedia:
Bass range: The bass is the lowest male voice. The bass voice has the lowest tessitura of all the voices. The typical bass range lies between the second E below "middle C" (E2) to the E above middle C (E4). In the lower and upper extremes of the bass voice, some basses can sing from the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the G above middle C (G4).

I always had trouble singing his highest notes. I always thougth it was unfair

Thankfully I just had an even deeper voice. Meaning his songs naturally never matched my vocals, and my falsetto sounded much thinner when trying to copy him. I think people can have pretty similar range, but differen "comfort zone". Prince comfort zone is what makes his range sound even wider than it is.

Prince is actually a counter-tenor. The sheer strength and tone of his head voice makes it a true extension of his range, unlike the falsetto of an average baritone where it is often dismissed when talking about their range. Take away P's head voice and he is 100% a baritone, not a bass. A baritone can hit 'tenor notes' and 'bass notes' in the same way a bass can sing 'baritone notes' etc, etc. It's TONE and COMFORT that dictates what voice type you are. A bass would not be able to sing something like Nothing Compares 2 U or Old Friends 4 Sale like Prince does. Just like Prince couldn't sing the low harmony of a barber shop quartet with the correct tone. THAT'S what a bass sounds like. As you say, even if Prince could go lower it would sound bad, which shows he isn't a bass.

Also, I believe Prince sings in head voice , not falsetto. Falsetto is breathy, quiet and lacking in projection. Head voice is more 'connected' and nasal (not in a bad way), which is what Prince's higher register sound like. Just a tip, when trying to sing higher notes in chest voice or head voice try and move the sound upwards behind your nose while keeping your throat open. Practise singing a whiny 'aaah' sound, making it quite nasal, like a baby That is how Prince approaches higher notes (like G4-A4). He does have quite a whiny and nasally voice really (just like Stevie Wonder), but he owns it and makes it work like only he can. His voice is totally unique and absolutely incredible.

dandan said:

Replica said:

According to what you just said. Prince is a bass with "extra notes". His lowest voices doesn't sound that forced, meaning he could probably get even lower. But it would sound very bad if he did.

Wikipedia:
Bass range: The bass is the lowest male voice. The bass voice has the lowest tessitura of all the voices. The typical bass range lies between the second E below "middle C" (E2) to the E above middle C (E4). In the lower and upper extremes of the bass voice, some basses can sing from the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the G above middle C (G4).

I always had trouble singing his highest notes. I always thougth it was unfair

Thankfully I just had an even deeper voice. Meaning his songs naturally never matched my vocals, and my falsetto sounded much thinner when trying to copy him. I think people can have pretty similar range, but differen "comfort zone". Prince comfort zone is what makes his range sound even wider than it is.

Prince is actually a counter-tenor. The sheer strength and tone of his head voice makes it a true extension of his range, unlike the falsetto of an average baritone where it is often dismissed when talking about their range. Take away P's head voice and he is 100% a baritone, not a bass. A baritone can hit 'tenor notes' and 'bass notes' in the same way a bass can sing 'baritone notes' etc, etc. It's TONE and COMFORT that dictates what voice type you are. A bass would not be able to sing something like Nothing Compares 2 U or Old Friends 4 Sale like Prince does. Just like Prince couldn't sing the low harmony of a barber shop quartet with the correct tone. THAT'S what a bass sounds like. As you say, even if Prince could go lower it would sound bad, which shows he isn't a bass.

Also, I believe Prince sings in head voice , not falsetto. Falsetto is breathy, quiet and lacking in projection. Head voice is more 'connected' and nasal (not in a bad way), which is what Prince's higher register sound like. Just a tip, when trying to sing higher notes in chest voice or head voice try and move the sound upwards behind your nose while keeping your throat open. Practise singing a whiny 'aaah' sound, making it quite nasal, like a baby That is how Prince approaches higher notes (like G4-A4). He does have quite a whiny and nasally voice really (just like Stevie Wonder), but he owns it and makes it work like only he can. His voice is totally unique and absolutely incredible.

Thanks for that reply, I seriously love when people share their knowledge. Personally I can sing an E2 with ease, and can go down to C2 with some control, my B2 is where my voice is really not being able to focus and gets unstable. The E3 is probably my most comfortable, and my vocals feels more forced with each note as I go higher than C4. My E2 doesn't sound very beautiful, but I can go atleast up to a f#2 too if I'm singing really loud. I know not much about the actual difference between head voice and falsetto, as I have not been teached by a vocal trainer.

You are right about how Prince manages to sound incredible in the upper register even though his voice actually is a bit whiney and nasal. I think it has alot to do with style, sensuality and sexuality. He is sex, so his music will sound sexy no matter what, lol. And I'm 100% hetero sexual last time I checket

Btw he is good at making his vocals appear even fuller, warmer, deeper and bassy with many layers of vocals as well as close micing and compressor on full effect.

Replica said:

Thanks for that reply, I seriously love when people share their knowledge. Personally I can sing an E2 with ease, and can go down to C2 with some control, my B2 is where my voice is really not being able to focus and gets unstable. The E3 is probably my most comfortable, and my vocals feels more forced with each note as I go higher than C4. My E2 doesn't sound very beautiful, but I can go atleast up to a f#2 too if I'm singing really loud. I know not much about the actual difference between head voice and falsetto, as I have not been teached by a vocal trainer.

You are right about how Prince manages to sound incredible in the upper register even though his voice actually is a bit whiney and nasal. I think it has alot to do with style, sensuality and sexuality. He is sex, so his music will sound sexy no matter what, lol. And I'm 100% hetero sexual last time I checket

Btw he is good at making his vocals appear even fuller, warmer, deeper and bassy with many layers of vocals as well as close micing and compressor on full effect.

Love a good discussion! You sound like a true bass if you can get to a C2 (that's seriosuly low). However, I just checked your SoundCloud out (some really great stuff btw!) and you're head voice is damn similar to Prince's. As you say, micing and mixing make up for a lot of what P lacks in volume and power when singing in his upper voice. I heard an interview with his first manager, Chris Moon, where he say that back in the early days (1976-78) Prince would have to lie on his back (helps with projection I believe) and turn the mic gain up to full to get an ecceptable level for his falsetto vocals!

[Edited 7/6/14 17:19pm]

dandan said:

Replica said:

Thanks for that reply, I seriously love when people share their knowledge. Personally I can sing an E2 with ease, and can go down to C2 with some control, my B2 is where my voice is really not being able to focus and gets unstable. The E3 is probably my most comfortable, and my vocals feels more forced with each note as I go higher than C4. My E2 doesn't sound very beautiful, but I can go atleast up to a f#2 too if I'm singing really loud. I know not much about the actual difference between head voice and falsetto, as I have not been teached by a vocal trainer.

You are right about how Prince manages to sound incredible in the upper register even though his voice actually is a bit whiney and nasal. I think it has alot to do with style, sensuality and sexuality. He is sex, so his music will sound sexy no matter what, lol. And I'm 100% hetero sexual last time I checket

Btw he is good at making his vocals appear even fuller, warmer, deeper and bassy with many layers of vocals as well as close micing and compressor on full effect.

Love a good discussion! You sound like a true bass if you can get to a C2 (that's seriosuly low). However, I just checked your SoundCloud out (some really great stuff btw!) and you're head voice is damn similar to Prince's. As you say, micing and mixing make up for a lot of what P lacks in volume and power when singing in his upper voice. I heard an interview with his first manager, Chris Moon, where he say that back in the early days (1976-78) Prince would have to lie on his back (helps with projection I believe) and turn the mic gain up to full to get an ecceptable level for his falsetto vocals!

[Edited 7/6/14 17:19pm]

Thank you for the compliments, that's much appreciated. Although I need alot more practice and live experience to really get it to another level .

You've really done your research on Prince. People seem to specualte too much on his personal life. This is what's really interesting to me. How he is in the studio, how his creativity works, what he does more or less alone, what he needs or wants help for, etc etc. His co producers, co musicians and sound engineers should have written a book together. Isn't there actually a book about Prince in the studio? And do you know if it is any good, or of it's accurate enough?

Replica said:

Thank you for the compliments, that's much appreciated. Although I need alot more practice and live experience to really get it to another level .

You've really done your research on Prince. People seem to specualte too much on his personal life. This is what's really interesting to me. How he is in the studio, how his creativity works, what he does more or less alone, what he needs or wants help for, etc etc. His co producers, co musicians and sound engineers should have written a book together. Isn't there actually a book about Prince in the studio? And do you know if it is any good, or of it's accurate enough?

I believe 'DMSR - The First Decade' and 'The Vault' both by Per Nilsen, are often considered the very best best books for insight into Prince's working habits in the studio. Unfortunately, however, both books are quite hard to find.

Here's and excerpt from a review of DMSR on Amazon:

'...sound engineer Susan Rogers, sat through 15 hours of questions about her studio work with Prince. Per's new book uncovers many previously unknown details about Prince's working habits, and makes you wonder how he and his entourage can keep their sanity intact while working impossible hours. The book contains numerous tales of birthdays and holidays spent performing, rehearsing or recording, sometimes all at once. Prince often demands the impossible from those working with him, and the accounts of the break-ups in both his professional and personal life are often damning.'