Piano Guidance
Photo by Vlada Karpovich Pexels Logo Photo: Vlada Karpovich

What is Whitney Houston's highest note?

Whitney has sung in her belting range as high as an E5 and a C6 in her head voice for studio-recorded vocals, as shown in the clip above in the song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody".

How much is a 1920 Steinway worth?
How much is a 1920 Steinway worth?

You could spend in the neighborhood of $75,000 for a new Steinway that won't sound any better than, or look nearly as good as, this rare find. If...

Read More »
Why are elephants afraid of mice?
Why are elephants afraid of mice?

According to some, elephants are afraid of mice, because they fear that mice will crawl up their trunks. This could cause irritation and blockage,...

Read More »

Whitney Houston's Often-Debated Vocal Range

What's Whitney Houston's Voice Type?

Whitney Houston is a very powerful mezzo-soprano that has a richness to her voice that will forever be distinct and memorable. Whitney had a really high range for belting/chest voice that always seemed to come effortlessly in a way that no other singer could really match. She had a good lower range in addition to her high notes, but she mainly focused on her middle and upper range when singing some of the greatest songs of all time. Her avoidance of low notes is why she is often referred to as a "spinto soprano", who often has a high range with a dark tone.

How Many Octaves Can Whitney Houston Sing?

Whitney Houston is known to have a singing range that spans around 3 octaves, which is somewhat of a surprise when you consider how she's one of the greatest singers of all time. Some people and sites claim that she has an over 5-octave range but fails to include proof and examples. She has sung as low as a C#3, belted as high as E5, to a head voice as high as C6. She's known for her powerful belts in her upper-middle-range and has nice head voice capabilities that she showcases from time to time. However, she does not showcase her lower range that a contralto or more versatile soprano would have. Nor does she showcase whistle-tone abilities when singing. While her range can be beaten, her technique and tone are what transcend her to the level of one of, if not the greatest, singers of all time. Whitney didn't often sing low notes, but many people confuse her range as being a contralto's range due to how rich her tone is. Even when singing a note that isn't that low at all for a female singer, Whitney had the power to make that note sound low and bassy, which is why she didn't really need a lower range to put on a great performance. One of her lowest recorded notes can be heard in one of her later songs, "Try It On My Own" as shown above, where she sings a C#3, which is truly low for a female, but she rarely gave us notes like these and even then only touches them briefly without sustaining them.

What type of music helps brain development?
What type of music helps brain development?

Researchers think the complexity of classical music is what primes the brain to solve spatial problems more quickly. So listening to classical...

Read More »
When should you not use hydrogen peroxide?
When should you not use hydrogen peroxide?

When not to use hydrogen peroxide Don't use hydrogen peroxide on wounds. It's time to retire peroxide from first-aid duty. ... Don't put hydrogen...

Read More »

How High Can Whitney Houston Sing?

Whitney Houston has so much depth to her high notes that you may not even notice the fact that she doesn't showcase whistle-tone notes like singers, including Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. This doesn't mean she's any better or worse than these singers, and her songs fit her range perfectly to the point where she shines like no other singer. Whitney has sung in her belting range as high as an E5 and a C6 in her head voice for studio-recorded vocals, as shown in the clip above in the song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Note: Her range description in this blog does not include live-only performances that some people often use for range proof of singers, but can often be distorted in the recording process.

How Did Whitney Houston's Vocal Range Change Over The Years?

Whitney was known to lose some of her vocal control and rich tone when drug usage and stress became a big part of her life, but surprisingly her range increased as time went by. Her lower range was more showcased towards the end of her career, as her voice developed and matured with good and bad influences alike. Her higher range wasn't as strong in the latter part of her career, especially when it came to live performances. However, the passion, richness, and energy were still very present, which allowed fans to still immensely enjoy her shows and feel like Whitney's personal battles didn't affect the magic of her music and singing ability.

Beyonce's Vocal Range

Whitney Houston's Vocal Range

Ariana Grande's Vocal Range

Demi Lovato's Vocal Range

How much is Flowkey a year?
How much is Flowkey a year?

Flowkey is free to try out. If you want to commit long term, it's €9.99 per month ($10.99 USD) if you purchase a yearly subscription. Compared with...

Read More »
What keyboard do piano teachers recommend?
What keyboard do piano teachers recommend?

The Yamaha P-45 digital piano is a great weighted-key option that's perfect for the beginner pianist who is taking lessons and needs an instrument...

Read More »
What language did Jesus speak?
What language did Jesus speak?

Jesus likely understood Hebrew, though his everyday life would have been conducted in Aramaic. Of the first four books of the New Testament, the...

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 »
What are the 3 main chords used in the blues?
What are the 3 main chords used in the blues?

THE 12-BAR FORM The primary harmonic structure of the blues is the I-IV-V progression, which derived from church music of the South. Unlike most...

Read More »