vocal range vs resonance, tone, tambre quality?

I wonder if sometimes singers focus to hard on trying to expand vocal range vs trying harder to improve voice resonance, tone, tambre quality, etc. I dunno.

I used to believe exactly this. But then I read Roger Love's book and decided to give range expansion a shot. The argument--true, I now believe--is that expanding range is in fact the most effective way of improving tone.

See this thread:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2163509

I'm still not entirely sure how this works, but it does seem to work.

I used to believe exactly this. But then I read Roger Love's book and decided to give range expansion a shot. The argument--true, I now believe--is that expanding range is in fact the most effective way of improving tone. See this thread: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2163509 I'm still not entirely sure how this works, but it does seem to work.

Agreed, this is one of the lesser publicized side benefits of strengthening your upper range.

Over the years, the more I expanded my upper range, the more I noticed that the lower part of my range gained additional subtle harmonic overtones. My lows and mids started getting more rich and "cutting through" better because of it.

are you saying to focus on expanding your range to achieve improved resonance and tone?

Yes, I've found that the development of what Roger Love calls "middle voice" has improved the resonance and tone of my chest voice. Other instructors call it "mixed voice" or in classical terms the passaggio--the point where chest voice blends with head voice.

Like I said, I was very skeptical of this at first, but it seems to work.

Sometimes they do

but....

This discussion comes up all the time here, and I can't figure out why. It seems that some people are anti-range and must try to spread their word of wisdom on to other singers. Maybe to stop some kind of range-hysteria or to spread the good words of vocal tone and warmth. I bet all this is done in best intentions

but...

Look at the Forums title:

This is not a forum for WHY technique, but a forum for HOW. It's a forum for those who WANTS to improve their voice. Not a forum for those who wonder if they should improve their voice, or are trying to make other singers be satisfied with their present technique. If you don't like vocal technical disussions, please seek out other forums. We fought for years to have this forum, and should we now question if it's needed?

So: Let's stay on-topic, agreed?

Sometimes they do but.... This discussion comes up all the time here, and I can't figure out why. It seems that some people are anti-range and must try to spread their word of wisdom on to other singers. Maybe to stop some kind of range-hysteria or to spread the good words of vocal tone and warmth. I bet all this is done in best intentions but... Look at the Forums title: This is not a forum for WHY technique, but a forum for HOW. It's a forum for those who WANTS to improve their voice. Not a forum for those who wonder if they should improve their voice, or are trying to make other singers be satisfied with their present technique. If you don't like vocal technical disussions, please seek out other forums. We fought for years to have this forum, and should we now question if it's needed? So: Let's stay on-topic, agreed?

Agreed. Thanks..But contribute. We are on topic.This topic will not hurt the forum. It is better for all to promote discussions on this forum.

This discussion comes up all the time here, and I can't figure out why. It seems that some people are anti-range and must try to spread their word of wisdom on to other singers. Maybe to stop some kind of range-hysteria or to spread the good words of vocal tone and warmth. I bet all this is done in best intentions but... Look at the Forums title: This is not a forum for WHY technique, but a forum for HOW. It's a forum for those who WANTS to improve their voice. Not a forum for those who wonder if they should improve their voice, or are trying to make other singers be satisfied with their present technique. If you don't like vocal technical disussions, please seek out other forums. We fought for years to have this forum, and should we now question if it's needed? So: Let's stay on-topic, agreed?

Now I'll play devil's advocate: The original question--a perfectly reasonable one, it seems to me--is not anti-technique; rather, it asks whether the attempt to increase one's range is the best way to improve vocal quality. Now as I suggested above, I once was blind, but now I see! I've tasted the koolaid, and I'm now a convert to range expansion. But we shouldn't talk about range expansion as if it IS technique. There's lots of technique that has little or nothing to do with range expansion. Folks who question the emphasis on range expansion are not dismissing technique.

I can see why you would be skeptical but I agree now that I have thought about it. It is logical. If you expand range you will have more margin built in for tone and resonance.

Thanks SevenString. You convinced me. You blew me away with that fly me to the moon FS cover.

Some people need to understand that range is directly related to resonance and timbre - a balanced voice.As soon as you slap a limit on range the balance is gone , and the tone becomes unnatural brittle and choked.