Hi All,

I've found a small reference to Clay Aiken in RYV and, after listening to a few of his songs, am confused as to what type of register is he using for his high notes. I’ve noticed that he pulls chest a lot, however, he also sang a few clean A4’s that sounded like a mix.

The reason I’m confused is that it seems like his top performance note is either A4 (O Holy Night), or Bb4 (This is the Night, Don’t save it all for Christmas Day, Bridge Over Troubled Water), which sounds noticeably thinner than A4.

Also I’ve heard him attempt a B4 live a few times and that didn’t come out right.

So, the question is, if he’s using his mix on A4, which I think he does, why is his B4 so terrible?

Regards,
PopVlad.

First off, Clay hiot a Tenor C on Invisible. He does lean more towards a mix, because of the style he sings. Mix is generally associated with a pop tonality. You know the Transcending Tone exercise? That will take you from falsetto through a mix and into full voice. So you see, singers have all sorts of opportunities for each and every note. I just talked to Steve Augeri from Journey about this(watch for the new interview)He told me there are times when he's full voice, falsetto or mix, just depeneding on how he physically feels. It's a tool. Sometimes you will hear Caly and he will be on top of his game and he might hit all his top notes in full voice, other times he might not even be able to handle a mix. We as singers get so much criticism. People don't understand we are human. Clay could have been sick too. If we aren't in perfect physicaln health, well rested, and full of water, people will tell it in our voices. So, I's have to hear than clip, but I'm assuming he was trying to comphensate for a bad day:(


JV

Appreciate your reply Jaime, but…

An A4 and a Ab4 are Clay’s highest comfortable notes that he can and does sustain. He does hit a C5 in Invisible like for 2 seconds, but there’s no way in hell he can susutain it, hence I would not count it as his top ‘money note’.

Moreover, I’ve even heard him hit a squeky 1 sec D5 on Don’t save it all for Christmas Day live.

You wrote:

“Sometimes you will hear Clay and he will be on top of his game and he might hit all his top notes in full voice, other times he might not even be able to handle a mix…”

You’re clearly differentiating a ‘mix’ and ’full voice’ by saying that, provided Clay’s feeling well, he could’ve hit, say, an Ab in full voice instead of a mix. Do correct me if I’m wrong.

To me, there’s only 3 registers that can be categorized as full voice: chest, mix and head. If I wanted to hit a pure and resonant Ab, I’d go for a mix, as I’d be pulling my chest if I didn’t, and would sound a bit hooty and ringy if did it in pure head.

I do realize that any given note can be sung in many different ways, but, subjectively, the hardest to master, and IMHO the most pleasant to an ear is a mix, which is distinguished by a head resonance, yet somewhat chesty sound.

So, back to Clay, how different would his Ab be if he sang it in mix, as opposed to ‘full voice’ as you put it.

Thanx again,

PopVlad.

Don't mind if I chime in but, Clay is a true Tenor meaning his top belt notes our up to high C maybe high D if he pushes as you suggest... so he doesnt need to start mixing his voice as low as some one with a more baritone voice... now if he did start mixing at G# and up his range would probably never end but I doubt he really thinks or cares to extend his range much higher than his is after all he is singing generic pop rock and he can nail those notes with all the power that he needs...Thats not to say that he doesnt mix his voice cause he does for effect not necessity

Do you own Raise Your Voice? Listen to the audio files. Clay CAN hit those upper notes in a full voice if he wanted to. Traditionally, pop singers have been taught to use the mix because it is noit as edgy as a full voice tone. A mix is just that- a mix between falsetto and full voice. The difference would be listening to Steve Perry and Clay Aiken hit the same note. Ful voice does sdound a little more chesty, but you don't have to pull the chest up like Michael Bolton does to get that sound ;)


JV