How Voice Type and Gender Can Affect the Quality of Sound

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  • Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
  • "Why Are You Down There?" analyzes Vesta Williams' interpretation of the Wilton Felder tune "We All Have A Star," opens up a discussion of what it means to sing "too low," the difficulties of maintaining singing in an extreme range, and how gender, biology, voice type, and song composition can influence how these things are navigated.
    To support this channel in its efforts to continue making quality and accessible music education content, please consider a donation:
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    Episode Credits
    -----------------------------
    Director: Milik Kashad
    Executive Producer: Milik Kashad
    Editor: Milik Kashad
    Motion Graphics: Milik Kashad
    Voiceover: Milik Kashad
    Script: Milik Kashad
    Pedagogy Consultants: Isola Jones, Nia Drummond, Jay St. Flono, Saidue Karmo
    0:00 - Call To Action
    0:13 - Introduction
    0:48 - Vocal Range and Tessitura
    1:38 - Audible Signs of Singing Too Low
    3:56 - Stylistic Choices
    4:30 - The Challenges of Sustaining Low Singing
    8:03 - Getting Lower and Lower
    10:28 - Same Notes, Different Part of The Voice
    14:43 - Singing Where Your Voice Wants to Be
    18:01 - Same Notes, Different Composition
    22:00 - The Feeling of Singing Too Low

Комментарии • 180

  • @BlackMusicArchive
    @BlackMusicArchive  22 дня назад +15

    To support this channel in its efforts to continue making quality and accessible music education content, please consider a donation:
    paypal.me/blackmusicarchive
    cash.app/$BlackMusicArchive account.venmo.com/u/milik-kashad-1

  • @nicolesherman8974
    @nicolesherman8974 22 дня назад +367

    The title of this video is sending me 😭.

  • @incognito3049
    @incognito3049 22 дня назад +303

    WHY ARE YOU DOWN THERE??? I love and miss Whitney Houston so baddd

    • @dinh5532
      @dinh5532 22 дня назад +16

      Oh Brandy! lololol

    • @TheRetroWoman80
      @TheRetroWoman80 22 дня назад +5

      Me too😢

    • @TamlaPearsey
      @TamlaPearsey 22 дня назад +6

      @@dinh5532 Brandy being lazy, Whitney knew that she just needed to be pushed, lol !

    • @davidmuller9938
      @davidmuller9938 22 дня назад

      The funny thing is at that time Brandy had naturally a higher range than Whitney.

    • @dinh5532
      @dinh5532 22 дня назад +3

      @@davidmuller9938 Really? Do elaborate.

  • @misstexas651
    @misstexas651 22 дня назад +101

    I JUST SAW the Cinderella behind the scenes where whitney asked brandy "why are you down there?" Ironic that I'm now seeing this a day later 😂😂

  • @rjdarr06
    @rjdarr06 22 дня назад +153

    “Why are you down there- POSSIBLE”😂😂💜

    • @ghiberti
      @ghiberti 22 дня назад +7

      😅😂😅

    • @JillCheese
      @JillCheese 20 дней назад +4

      "PLEASE do that😫"

  • @trevy7321
    @trevy7321 22 дня назад +84

    she said, “this is the note IM-PO-SSI-BLE!”
    PLEASE DO THAT!

  • @mscherri99
    @mscherri99 22 дня назад +84

    Vesta was a vocal beauty... and physically beautiful as well. I miss her.

    • @rjs1602
      @rjs1602 22 дня назад +3

      Me too😢

  • @KH-sn2sj
    @KH-sn2sj 22 дня назад +73

    Man Vesta was fine af. Sorry I had to get that out! And she had the vocals to match. Sweet Sweet Love is my song!

    • @TheRetroWoman80
      @TheRetroWoman80 22 дня назад +5

      Truly classic smooth cut.
      She was very beautiful and she had more gems on her albums then many realized. But that darn shallow industry....😖🙄

    • @daniyyel1317
      @daniyyel1317 22 дня назад +1

      Sweet sweet love! Play that song a lot, my jam too ❤ x actually she starts low on that too x

  • @regisligh6273
    @regisligh6273 22 дня назад +94

    Remember, she was Chaka Khan’s background singer. She sang this like Chaka would IMO.

    • @szdxfgcvbhijkolfgchujiop
      @szdxfgcvbhijkolfgchujiop 22 дня назад +9

      immediately thought of everylasting love

    • @vaughnjohnson1715
      @vaughnjohnson1715 21 день назад +7

      When the song first began, I thought it was Chaka.

    • @iGLOW522
      @iGLOW522 20 дней назад +5

      Okay because I always thought she sounded just like Chaka growing up

    • @maxtheknife
      @maxtheknife 19 дней назад +5

      As her background singer, Vesta was singing when Chaka was not able to.

  • @09NXN06
    @09NXN06 22 дня назад +36

    Vesta one of my favorite singers ever!

  • @AlDeCosey
    @AlDeCosey 22 дня назад +16

    I LOVE that the title of this vid is a nod to Nippy!!! 😂. From her and Brandy’s rehearsals for Cinderella when B Rocka was singing an octave lower than she was supposed to be and Nippy says “Why are you down there?!?!” One of my FAVORITE scenes/clips ever! Of 2 of my favs, pure comedy!! ✊🏾👏🏾

  • @complicatedh
    @complicatedh 21 день назад +10

    Immediately heard Whitney’s voice when I saw the title!

  • @banterj
    @banterj 22 дня назад +29

    WHY ARE YOU DOWN THERRRRRE…THE Legendary Miss Whitney Houston to Brandy

  • @thatboycjsings
    @thatboycjsings 22 дня назад +36

    As a tenor I don’t live in the basement I hate singing low 🤣 I’m more comfortable in the middle and upper part of my voice I touch my low notes but don’t live there!

    • @ArtTheSinger
      @ArtTheSinger 21 день назад +5

      That’s normal for most singers. I’ll say learn to love those low areas. It will take your singing to new places. I was the same way but now I love the basement 😂

    • @thatboycjsings
      @thatboycjsings 21 день назад +3

      @@ArtTheSinger I’m not really comfortable in the basement as I am singing in the other parts of my voice so I’m going to work on that!

  • @christianb6544
    @christianb6544 22 дня назад +46

    Dionne’s version of All is Fair in Love is a perfect example of going low being a stylistic choice…love it

    • @jamaldavis7517
      @jamaldavis7517 22 дня назад +9

      I feel the same about Toni Braxton’s rendition. She definitely made stylistic choices as well

  • @tashirose699
    @tashirose699 22 дня назад +37

    Great video : ) I really enjoy your content!
    Sooo, us Contraltos are smiling a bit because...the lower range (for example G or lower) is actually extremely comfortable for us to sing as females and stay there in the lower keys for the entire song. It's common for us to sing songs in this range and tend to "fizz out" in the upper range unless we've trained to widen our range but even then it's difficult to stay in the higher keys. My lowest key is B2 and I consider the lower part of a mezzo's range to be my high keys, lol
    Back in the day I was in a girls choir and me and my friend were contraltos so we sang the lower keys against 9 sopranos and it was fairly easy to hold up against their voices since our power was in the lower range.
    All the best : )

    • @odette4059
      @odette4059 15 дней назад

      yesss i found the note here very comfortable; confirms for me that i’m a contralto, lowest note a B2 also. higher singers low notes are my high strains lol. Kinda wish i could sing higher though, i sound like a dying cat singing most pop songs these days in their pitch

  • @derekrice6971
    @derekrice6971 21 день назад +8

    What a range!! Vesta was an amazing vocal stylist. Yes, the Chaka influence is there, but Vesta had her own style. And thank you for turning me in to this song. I know have a new Vesta song to enjoy.

  • @MagickManATL
    @MagickManATL 22 дня назад +9

    Real Whitney fans know that title anywhere. We miss you Nippy!!

  • @nancydrew5
    @nancydrew5 22 дня назад +11

    Just listened to the song in full with the Crusaders. Great guitar solo, and Wow, Vesta sounds a lot like Chaka Khan. No wonder she was her background Vocalist.

  • @QuinnMurphyMakeup
    @QuinnMurphyMakeup 22 дня назад +16

    Carol said, just because you can sing the notes, doesn't mean it's a bel canto

  • @JillCheese
    @JillCheese 20 дней назад +4

    Can we just give props to you giving THEE VESTA WILLIAMS her flowers because she's ALWAYS been that one‼️💝 RIP

  • @Kenyon712
    @Kenyon712 22 дня назад +17

    Vesta was a vocal beast. She sounds great to me.

  • @saffronyoutubeshorts
    @saffronyoutubeshorts 22 дня назад +14

    this title was too funny for me to not click on it 😂 i had to exit the other video i was on to see this asap

  • @ikexbankai
    @ikexbankai 22 дня назад +24

    She maybe not been able to live down there but this recording will LIVE FOREVER!!!! And to me that made her visit well worth it.

  • @felloffacl1f
    @felloffacl1f 22 дня назад +15

    I hope I'm not alone in this, but does anyone else notice how similar Vesta looks and sounds to Martha Wash? Vesta's voice sits a bit lower but their approach to their money notes is very similar to me

  • @kwp5022
    @kwp5022 21 день назад +4

    I ran to the comments to address the “Why are you down there” but y’all got it handled😂

  • @kralvltavin9173
    @kralvltavin9173 22 дня назад +8

    Exquisite vocal analytics

  • @peterjonesdelacruz
    @peterjonesdelacruz 22 дня назад +16

    7:05 The difference between how those two Ab3's were produced has something to do with cord compression or vocal fold closure. In the word ARE, she sings the note with little cord compression, hence the breathiness, because more air comes out through the vocal folds if they're not closer together. I think this is a stylistic choice. For female singers, breathy low notes sound better, at least to me, than stronger, fuller, tighter low notes. The Ab3 on the word MEAN was sung with more cord compression, which was easier to accomplish this time because the word starts with a voiced consonant sound /m/.

    • @BlackMusicArchive
      @BlackMusicArchive  22 дня назад +7

      Yes, I have a few videos/interviews that talk about cord closure at the bottom of the voice in the queue!

  • @guamconservatoryofarts5551
    @guamconservatoryofarts5551 19 дней назад +2

    Range, people. Range. Sometimes a singer needs to start lower than where they are comfortable because they know, as the song progresses, they can jump up the octave to make a more dramatic effect. This is what this singer has doing.

    • @Trackstar2000
      @Trackstar2000 19 дней назад +3

      You repeated what they said in the video, congratulations!

  • @skydomingo6491
    @skydomingo6491 22 дня назад +16

    All those "contraltos" ya'll be talking about sound JUST like that...
    Another great analysis!

  • @victorrodrigueesoficial
    @victorrodrigueesoficial 22 дня назад +16

    Another amazing video by you. So great to ackowledge singers like Vesta, I didn't knew much about her and you created a beautiful showcase of her talent. Thank you.

  • @ReeceG231
    @ReeceG231 22 дня назад +26

    Not "Why are you down there" 😭🤣. Y'all hell 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Whitney gone let you know everytime lmao

    • @banterj
      @banterj 22 дня назад +6

      Because she felt like Brandy was cowering,shy and hiding🤭🤭🤭…it is like girl where are you at?Come outside!

  • @CassieJazz96
    @CassieJazz96 22 дня назад +11

    God I miss both Vesta and Whitney

  • @TorTheWeirdo
    @TorTheWeirdo 22 дня назад +6

    I just can’t get over how gorgeous she was 😩 like every time you replay the clip I’m in awe 😭

  • @michaelking2449
    @michaelking2449 22 дня назад +7

    Not the Brandy shade 😭

  • @UrbanCommentBot
    @UrbanCommentBot 21 день назад +5

    This is what I felt was Marsha's issue during the Usher tribute. She sung it in the original key instead of adjusting it to her instrument. And then she has the tendency to embellishment with a lot of staccato movements when she isn't able to let the note exist with support. The song choice and the low notes didn't work in her favor.

  • @colorantartificiel3018
    @colorantartificiel3018 22 дня назад +4

    This channel is really the best for music education ❤

  • @jade-chan3291
    @jade-chan3291 22 дня назад +9

    I'm grateful that those notes are not that difficult for me. I love playing with my range and bouncing from high to low. I really wish there was more appreciation for low female singers. Not saying that this video is bashing her, I'm just talking about in general.

  • @BIGMICK3Y
    @BIGMICK3Y 22 дня назад +4

    We can only remember our Whitney why are you singing all the way down there. I just released a track singing rather low on the chorus. Anyway great video and informative

  • @whoevr
    @whoevr 21 день назад +2

    i love how you always come up with creative concepts
    the vocal community needs videos like that!
    i would love it if the video on high notes was re-uploaded as well 😒

  • @JokesandJudgement
    @JokesandJudgement 17 дней назад +2

    I'm a second soprano but I love singing low notes. It's rich and calming. I hate how people expect women to sing high pitched all the time.

  • @jovanchaney
    @jovanchaney 22 дня назад +7

    Please do a video on Vesta Williams 🥺

  • @corinicole9271
    @corinicole9271 22 дня назад +2

    I Miss Auntie Vesta!! RIP beautiful. 🙏🏾💜

  • @divatalk9011
    @divatalk9011 21 день назад +5

    Who else said the video title in Whitney’s voice?!

  • @alexmack5019
    @alexmack5019 21 день назад +5

    Could you analyze Tevin Campbells voice? Please explain what a tenor is lol

  • @MDFeare
    @MDFeare 22 дня назад +1

    LOVE LOVE & LOVE SOME MORE- your commentary ❤

  • @SimplySage854
    @SimplySage854 22 дня назад +5

    Learning so much from this channel! Thanks

  • @DarnellRancifer
    @DarnellRancifer 20 дней назад +1

    I love love love this! I learn so much.

  • @bskeete
    @bskeete 22 дня назад +1

    Well done!!! Thank you.

  • @skewell55
    @skewell55 21 день назад +6

    Karen held that note for "75 years" 😂😂

  • @allthingso9726
    @allthingso9726 22 дня назад +36

    Please get Lalah Hathaway on your show, pretty please 🙏🏾

  • @halcyonacoustic7366
    @halcyonacoustic7366 14 дней назад

    This is such a great video for explaining tessitura!

  • @SoraiaLMotta
    @SoraiaLMotta 22 дня назад +2

    Thank you for bring the other side of confortable ranges

  • @SinaLaJuanaLewis
    @SinaLaJuanaLewis 20 дней назад

    Thank you for these videos ❤ I'm learning so much about my own voice 🙏🏽

  • @ivaikon
    @ivaikon 12 дней назад

    Great subject, question and video! 👏🏼🙏🏼

  • @user-pd9fe1vx3i
    @user-pd9fe1vx3i 19 дней назад

    I love these videos!

  • @LianhmingthangaLiannghawr
    @LianhmingthangaLiannghawr 21 день назад +2

    I need to get to this vedeo as quickly as I saw it ! I cannot save it for watch later when i heard Whitney say Why Are You Down There !!??

  • @tony_2024
    @tony_2024 22 дня назад +7

    As a Tenor, my lowest note is a G2 and it s pretty well sung

  • @downbytheC
    @downbytheC 19 дней назад

    These are always so informative

  • @stacistaci6657
    @stacistaci6657 13 дней назад

    Another great interview! I didn’t know Vesta could go that low!

  • @beniellebennie9990
    @beniellebennie9990 22 дня назад +1

    Man, I love Vesta so much. Love this video❤❤❤❤

  • @drewm.2790
    @drewm.2790 22 дня назад +4

    ''why are you down there?'' Brandy why are you down there 😆

  • @aleco444
    @aleco444 22 дня назад +10

    So are we saying she did bad? She sounds great😊

    • @gregorywiederecht
      @gregorywiederecht 22 дня назад +20

      No, nothing like that. It's just an examination of how she approached the song and why it sounds the way it does.

  • @awol.oper8r
    @awol.oper8r 18 дней назад +2

    I think Vesta's lower register sounds great.

  • @daman0015
    @daman0015 19 дней назад

    I loved the creation of this video. Good song choice to analyze. And very funny title.

  • @tylerwhoitbe
    @tylerwhoitbe 21 день назад +2

    The title alone 😂

  • @britnathy
    @britnathy 22 дня назад +2

    Amazing video and love the title 😂

  • @deathrattle216
    @deathrattle216 22 дня назад +3

    Anything below a B2 I seriously depend on vocal stacking and production tricks to beef up. I don't even like going beneath C#3 for any extended length of time because the vocal folds start drying out quick.

  • @Robertoni7
    @Robertoni7 20 дней назад +1

    Love Vesta.💜

  • @ChanteMcCormick
    @ChanteMcCormick 22 дня назад +4

    I’m curious what you think about Mariah’s live performance of Stevie Wonder’s “You and I” that she performed at some awards show or tribute. I do believe she sang most of it in his original key, until she employs her whistle and modulates up an octave before the end.

    • @Robertoni7
      @Robertoni7 20 дней назад

      Wow, I just commented the same before coming across this comment.

    • @user-eq9mf4zt3z
      @user-eq9mf4zt3z 20 дней назад

      ​@@Robertoni7I love mariah's lows

  • @ZebraLens
    @ZebraLens 22 дня назад +3

    😅😅😅 The video title has me rolling 😂😂 _IYKYK_ 🤭

  • @teddyslibrary
    @teddyslibrary 21 день назад +1

    YYYAAASSS WHY ARE YOU DOWN THERE?? CMON NIPPY!

  • @nikko2434
    @nikko2434 22 дня назад +2

    “Why are you down there” - Whitney Houston ❤

  • @renzellousbrown9047
    @renzellousbrown9047 22 дня назад +2

    This is Wilton* Felder of the Crusaders. Someone probably already said this but i was trying my best to find this song

  • @KH-sn2sj
    @KH-sn2sj 22 дня назад +14

    This vid could also be applied to Mariah's tribute to Stevie with "You and I". It sounded great but you could tell the song was too low for the Songbird.

    • @onlygafabotwhatigafbout8495
      @onlygafabotwhatigafbout8495 22 дня назад +13

      Don’t say anything bad the lambs will report this video to get rid of this comment 😂

    • @KH-sn2sj
      @KH-sn2sj 22 дня назад +4

      @@onlygafabotwhatigafbout8495 🤣🤣🤣

    • @willfeen
      @willfeen 22 дня назад +4

      whattt that’s one of my FAV Stevie joints, i never knew about the cover, i’ll need to check that out right now

    • @KH-sn2sj
      @KH-sn2sj 22 дня назад +8

      @willfrancescofini Oh most definitely Mariah did it justice!

    • @Sttephy30
      @Sttephy30 22 дня назад +4

      Yeah, Mariah was in the baritone range in that performance lol

  • @nancydrew5
    @nancydrew5 22 дня назад +3

    Check out Carmen McCrae and Sarah Vaughan. These ladies could easily sing low voice and effectively.

  • @nadadampers
    @nadadampers 20 дней назад +1

    Love ❤ Nippy ❤❤❤❤ Rip ❤ Hope you are doing well up there.

  • @Steve-mp7by
    @Steve-mp7by 22 дня назад +4

    She's gone 😢

  • @creoleking8905
    @creoleking8905 22 дня назад +2

    ❤❤❤

  • @2000wattz
    @2000wattz 21 день назад +4

    She singing in her chest voice on the lower notes, then the eases into a mix. The breathiness that your hearing allows for the low notes to remain light so she doesn’t carry that weight up to the high notes.

  • @airi75089
    @airi75089 22 дня назад +2

    WHY are you down there!?!?!? 😩😩😩

  • @jetit
    @jetit 15 дней назад

    Sing vesta

  • @TechWizz
    @TechWizz 20 дней назад

    Impossible!

  • @colortura
    @colortura 22 дня назад +3

    I don't hear it. Vesta sounds amazing.

  • @msccmb9929
    @msccmb9929 15 дней назад

    Toni Braxton talked about having to sing too low and how it was hard work to stay there

  • @girlbrittneygirl
    @girlbrittneygirl 17 дней назад

    Talk about Oleta Adams, Nina Simone, Lelah Hathaway, Roberto Flack!

  • @odette4059
    @odette4059 15 дней назад +1

    as a young contralto that note was extremely comfortable, but anything just slightly low for a soprano/mezzo would have me sounding like a dying cat tryna strain because it’s so high - it’s like i don’t have a head voice at all😭
    Wish there were more songs that go that low so i can actually sing along to songs without sounding like a grown man in a room full of girlies. Anyone have any recs for good contralto artists? or even just tenors.

  • @ageeblue752
    @ageeblue752 22 дня назад

    🥰

  • @aidam7822
    @aidam7822 22 дня назад +2

    I love her down, but Chloe's low notes in her version of Feeling Good were this to a t 😔

  • @smurf902
    @smurf902 22 дня назад +8

    Toni Braxton became more and more breathy over time, it really got ridiculous. Same time that Mariah late 90s early 2000s did that stylistic weird thing. All breathy. Wish she had kept more sound but its what they thought the public and producers wanted.

    • @CleoS-vx5pd
      @CleoS-vx5pd 17 дней назад +1

      As a contralto, the 90's is the only era of Mariah's music I can sing when she's using her lower register! 😂

  • @user-eq9mf4zt3z
    @user-eq9mf4zt3z 20 дней назад +1

    Mariah carey for me and chaka Khan

  • @tylerhackner9731
    @tylerhackner9731 20 дней назад +1

    The title lol

  • @ikexbankai
    @ikexbankai 22 дня назад +3

    I was lasting your last video about whistle notes and stuff and I had a question. I could be wrong but wasn’t Mariah’s Whistle connected to the rest of her voice when she was younger. Like there many performances where she’s just singing and brings the note up to the whistle. I could be wrong. I’m not as educated. I’m thinking her America The Beautiful performance during the NBA Finals 1990 and other performances. Again I’m no where near as educated as you. Matter of fact I’m not educated at all on the voice. Thus why I love your videos

    • @Sttephy30
      @Sttephy30 15 дней назад +1

      The real whistle register isn’t connected at all.

  • @legendriah
    @legendriah 22 дня назад +4

    can you please make a video explaining mariah carey’s voice ?

    • @Fr0zenPeanut
      @Fr0zenPeanut 22 дня назад +6

      He made it like four times already, but always took it down soon after. 😢

    • @Life_of_A_Man
      @Life_of_A_Man 22 дня назад +8

      He might make another one on his own. I'm not sure he will as he said it takes time and money to make. You can try sponsoring a video for Mariah.

    • @Sttephy30
      @Sttephy30 22 дня назад +8

      Stop asking him and start financing w donations

  • @fredalwatkins4506
    @fredalwatkins4506 22 дня назад +4

    Sarah Vaughan low notes

    • @smurf902
      @smurf902 22 дня назад +2

      Sarah went to the basement but she was all over the range, not just low. She knew what she was doing.

    • @fredalwatkins4506
      @fredalwatkins4506 21 день назад

      @@smurf902 she's my favorite

  • @biggityboggityboo8775
    @biggityboggityboo8775 20 дней назад

    Restricted is how I feel when singing too low.

  • @caninbar
    @caninbar 22 дня назад +1

    Tessitura

  • @guhsuckyamudda586
    @guhsuckyamudda586 22 дня назад +1

    PAH SI BULL!

  • @plaguedoctor2k
    @plaguedoctor2k 19 дней назад +1

    Said whitney to Brandy Calmly: 😂

  • @mykoniichistorychannel
    @mykoniichistorychannel 21 день назад

    Shit, that’s too low for me. 😂😂