Piano Guidance
Photo by Pixabay Pexels Logo Photo: Pixabay

What is Christina Aguilera octave range?

four octaves Christina has a phenomenal range, spanning four octaves from around C3 to C7. In her Carpool Karaoke sketch she reaches an F6, putting her 'limitations' down to the fact that “it's daytime”. An F6, by the way, is what Mozart's Queen of the Night sings. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Can classical musicians play jazz?
Can classical musicians play jazz?

Yes, a classically-trained musician can certainly learn how to play jazz music. Think about it as more of an expansion rather than a transition. If...

Read More »
Can you tune a piano after 30 years?
Can you tune a piano after 30 years?

Yes, any piano can be tuned after years of no use, as long as it is working condition. Keep in mind, however, that a severely out-of-tune piano...

Read More »

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how incredible Christina Aguilera’s voice is

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

She’s all about vocal gymnastics and high drama – and her growl is one of the most iconic things to come out of ’00s pop music. Here’s the analysis. We’re going to dissect this particularly memorable MTV Video Music Awards performance of her 2006 ballad, ‘Hurt’ – which uses pretty much every coin in Christina’s bank of vocal tricks. Christina’s vocals are very exposed throughout the performance, with only a piano accompaniment and pianissimo strings to back her up. It’s a surprising decision considering her diva status, but one that really shows off the depth and power of her voice.

Is Mariah Carey actually a good singer? Soprano Catherine Bott explains >

She makes us wait for those belting, mezzo notes

One of Xtina’s strongest traits is her ability to switch between head and full voice. She starts the first verse of ‘Hurt’ with a vulnerable sound and plenty of breath in her voice. Her most vulnerable lyrics, like ‘by hurting you’ are placed at the top of her range, so it sounds on the edge. But then, we get moments of that spine-tingling mezzo belt peeking through in the words ‘how proud’. She shifts effortlessly from her very bright head voice to a mid-range belt, and has a great knack for putting her head voice moments right next to her low mezzo sections. So when she launches into ‘I would hold you in my arms’ (0:35), we get the full effect of her hard-hitting belt.

She’s a clear soprano, but with incredible mezzo notes along the way.

Her range

Christina has a phenomenal range, spanning four octaves from around C3 to C7. In her Carpool Karaoke sketch she reaches an F6, putting her ‘limitations’ down to the fact that “it’s daytime”. An F6, by the way, is what Mozart’s Queen of the Night sings.

Her growl

Ah, the Xtina growl. Have a listen to the line ‘there’s nothing I wouldn’t do’ at 1:59 – although it doesn’t always guarantee the best intonation, the growl adds an essential sprinkling of grit to her performance.

How long is The Piano Lesson?
How long is The Piano Lesson?

The Piano Lesson (film) The Piano Lesson Producers August Wilson Brent Shields Cinematography Paul Elliott Editor Jim Oliver Running time 95...

Read More »
Can I start playing piano at 35?
Can I start playing piano at 35?

Learning to play the piano as an adult can be intimidating. Many people limit themselves because they think they are too old or that it's too late...

Read More »

Talking to James Corden in Carpool Karaoke, she described the growl as “an angsty thing – you’ve got to get your Fighter on”.

Definitely easier said than done…

via GIPHY

Her breath

‘Hurt’ is a really difficult song to perform – and part of what makes it so demanding is that it requires a colossal amount of breath. Not only is Aguilera able to hold notes for an impressively long time (see: ‘Ain’t No Other Man’), she is very good at singing all the way through phrases. Listen to how she sings through the line ‘I would tell you how much that I missed you since you been away’ at 2:38, and still comes out the end of it with control and volume in her voice.

She transcends genres

Xtina has the upper range and melismatic runs to rival a coloratura soprano. But her voice is also heavily influenced by the old-school sounds of vintage jazz, soul and blues, with Aguilera herself citing her vocal inspirations as Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone.

You know who else transcends genres? The great Renée Fleming:

Finally, there’s the drama

Christina’s voice is all about high drama – and she mirrors it in her performance. At first, she keeps it simple: sitting on a stool, draped in a '50s-style ball gown with the spotlight directly on her. At a crucial moment of high emotion in the song, she gets up and makes her way towards the audience, folding in on herself as the lyrics get more passionate.

Then, right at the end of the performance she falls to her knees to sing a final heart-breaking, pianissimo version of the chorus. What was that about high drama...?

What piano grade is Moonlight Sonata?
What piano grade is Moonlight Sonata?

On the other hand, in the opinion of The Piano Bubble (What Piano Grade is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement?), it's a Grade 6 piece. Sep...

Read More »
Is the FP-30X worth it?
Is the FP-30X worth it?

With the FP-30X, the quality and quantity of the sustained piano sounds are excellent and far better than most of the other portable digital pianos...

Read More »
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.

Learn More »
Is a low voice attractive?
Is a low voice attractive?

Research confirms that deep voices give men an aura of power and sexual allure. Men with low, resonant voices are more likely to be perceived as...

Read More »
Do most drummers go deaf?
Do most drummers go deaf?

Being a professional musician quadruples your likelihood of suffering noise-induced hearing loss and increases the risk for tinnitus by more than...

Read More »