'I suppose you'd had to call him a lyric baritone, although with exceptional high notes and unexpectedly rich low ones. But what is more important about Elvis Presley is not his vocal range, nor how high or low it extends, but where its center of gravity is. By that measure, Elvis was all at once a tenor, a baritone and a bass, the most unusual voice I've ever heard'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Elvis's voice was uniquely balanced, combining tenor, baritone, and bass qualities, making it extraordinary.
- In plain terms
- His voice mixed high, middle, and low tones in a rare way.
- What can you take from it?
- A balanced vocal range can create a distinctive sound.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does vocal balance affect listener perception?
- Can training develop a similarly balanced voice?
Another view
Balancing all three registers is hard to achieve for most singers.
More from Elvis Presley
'Elvis Presley has been described variously as a baritone and a tenor. An extraordinary compass- the so-called register-, and a very wide range of vocal color …
Permalink to quote #70 'I am reminded of a comment made shortly after the death of Elvis Presley by a musician he had worked with. He pointed out that despite an impressive vocal ran…
Permalink to quote #72 'Elvis is everywhere. Elvis is everything. Elvis is everybody. Elvis is still the King.'
Permalink to quote #69
Related quotes
'He would probably be considered a baritone, but he could reach notes that most baritone singers could not. Much of his abilities emanated from a very intense …
Elvis PresleyElvis Presley quote #75 'With the way he was marketed, he didn't even need to be able to sing the way he could. But Elvis had talent, plain and simple. The guy had a thousandth-octave…
Elvis PresleyElvis Presley quote #112 The duty of the words is to say just as much as the music has left unsaid and no more.
Ralph Vaughan WilliamsRalph Vaughan Williams quote #1