Question about these tenor's vocal ranges

ALEXDEITEMEYER · November 2018

So if I remember correctly, Ken has said in a couple of videos that tenors couldn't reach down into the lower 2nd octave or below that. I definitely agree with that statement for the average tenor but there has been a couple of tenors I have listened to that have worked their lower register down into that lower 2nd octave and higher 1st octave register (They don't do this too often and most of their lower notes are in the upper 2nd octave like normal, and not all of these singers have powerful, robust low notes as compared to a bass or baritone). I'll give you some examples:

James Labrie (Dream Theater) (E#2-C6)
Devin Townsend (Steve Vai, Strapping Young Lad, Devin Townsend Project)(A1-F7)
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) (C2-B5)
Mitch Grassi (Pentatonix) (A1-B7)
Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge) (A#1-F#6)
Rob Halford (C2-C#6)
King Diamond (G#1-G5 and above)

So if tenors can't sing that low then how is it possible that these guys can? Is it because they aren't really singing at all with the chest voice and just growling or speaking? Let me know your thoughts?

[Deleted User] · November 2018

I'm probably a low baritone. If you could hear my speaking voice, It's pretty low.

Today I hit a B5. For my voice that is absolutely phenomenal, and has exceeded my expectations.
I went into the course with no limits on myself, and told myself that I was just going to do my best. So I'm not a believer that a vocal fach can only have a limited range. (Ken certainly proves that)

Peace, Tony

ALEXDEITEMEYER · November 2018

@iking I know that Mitch Grassi is definitely a high tenor (don't know which type of tenor though) not simply because of his range but he still has a very bright and open voice when singing a lot of the 5th octave notes with chest. James LaBrie's voice sounds very bright when he sings very high and clean with chest (he can make it heavier when he adds distortion in some cases (Same thing with Devin Townsend and Myles Kennedy)). And James uses chest voice most of the time when he sings in the soprano register but it sounds heavier then (F#5-C6).

ALEXDEITEMEYER · November 2018

@videoace Im probably a low tenor. If you listen to my speaking voice, its pretty high. When I started learning how to sing with the How to sing better than anyone else program with Ken, I was in choir and also in a metal band. My range at that time was A2-E5 and i was 19 years old. I could sing higher but i excluded those notes because they were way out of my comfort zone. When i sang the upper fourth octave notes and the lower 5th octave notes, i use chest voice for the most part (there were only a few times where it would be appropriate for me to use my head voice in some songs). Ever since then I can now go up to a B5 occasionally when i do the LAH scale (normally go up to A5 or A#5). I have gone lower than an A2 in a couple of songs i have learned like "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed (barely an E2 with a few F#2s), "Somebody To Love" by Queen (G#2), and "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash (G2).

And yes i agree that Ken does specifically prove that a vocal fach isn't limited to a specific range.

Diego · November 2018

@ALEXDEITEMEYER Mitch Grassi is a countertenor. I'm probably a baritone, but can kind of slide into the tenor range. They probably also train in the lower part of their voice as they do in their high register.

ALEXDEITEMEYER · November 2018

Shocker. I knew singers like Vitas, Dimash and Alex Newell would possibly fit in that category but I never would have imagined Mitch Grassi fitting in that category until you brought that up. I have also seen a few Baritones actually stretch their chest voice down into the lower first octave like Scott Hoying and Mike Patton. @Diego

Question about these tenor's vocal ranges

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