What is it about Michael’s VOICE?!

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I think that you watch Chris Liepe's analysis of some MJ's songs/voice/technical thingies. Until now he seems the most passionate and enthusiastic professional when it comes about Michael's voice.
I wanted to share my own experience since a while, but somehow words stuck in my mind, maybe because it's such a deep personal experience for me.
I've listened any music through my life, any genre possible, although rock music was my constant.
But Michael...as you said, it's the gold standard now. And I'm in MJ marathon since more than 2 yrs, when I became a ...fan.
And yes, like you, I love his live vocals.
What to say. For the first time in my life,my inner restlessness, melancholy, anxiety, have found an end. I've never thought that I would ever know what means total happiness, bliss, peace, calmness...yes, those things I've found them in nature, in trees, in bird's spectacular movements on the sky, in the night sky, the moon, in a good book. But to be moved like this by a voice...
Let aside the techniques.
Michael sang his heart out. It was his way of communicating with the world.
Lol, I must make a brain scan bc every time I think to this subject I write entire thesis in my mind and now I'm useless to express them.
Whenever someone put his entire passion and heart and soul in whatever is doing, this is the result- the creation is alive and genuine. I love passionate people, dedicated people. That struck me in Michael. And attracted me fully in ,,his world,,.
Last year I left my old life behind, and I chose to be far away from my home and my country. I was literally alone. But not. In every early morning I was sipping my coffee+ cigarettes under my favorite tree ( I'm a tree hugger since childhood) before going to work. I had a Playlist for this moment, one for the road to work, one for when I was returning and others for before falling asleep. Every time listening to him erased and blocked any malice and toxicity ppl left in me. And every time when I was staying under my tree, in the morning and later in the evenings, listening/ watching him, something was happening. Dancing leafs all of the sudden, birds that came so close, squirrels; the winds breeze that were like caresses or whispers and so many moments that will be deep in my heart.
Michael's voice brought Me back, it's the sanctuary of Love ( that love that I used to ridicule once but I needed it so much) and safety and comfort. And laughter.
Yesterday night I watched some bits from his early tours, Destiny, Triumph, Victory and as the cherry on top I chose a remarkable video abt Bad tour on GMJHD- I think- channel on YT. And before closing my eyes to drift into sleep, one thought popped up- if there will be more concerts available in decent quality, more people will fall in love with him instantly. A cultivated unique talent - yes, but he was SO alive when performing or recording. He sang his heart out to the whole planet.
Electric storm Michael. This is 15% from what I actually feel and think abt this subject.
Let's enjoy this

same with me! every time i hear his voice, i completely forget any of my troubles. his voice relaxes me even in the most stressful situations. some people say i have an rbf (haha) but i just cant control myself from smiling and looking like a completely different person when i hear mj. i agree with you; his passion and dedication to the world of music has shaped him into who he is today. he has the most beautiful voice on earth in my opinion, because he has such different sounds (etc. his voice sounds very different in OTW and HIStory)

 

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Hello, everyone. It’s been quite a long while, since the last time I posted anything in this thread. I’m SO glad it’s still up. Here is an interesting comment/response to another poster, that I read on “Facebook,”® which fits in very nicely with the subject matter being discussed.

“Michael Jackson’s singing-voice is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and versatile in popular music, characterized by its expressive quality, dynamic range, and emotional delivery.
Michael Jackson was a natural Tenor, with a light, agile voice that suited his ‘Pop,’ ‘Soul,’ and ‘R&B’ repertoire. His voice exhibited traits typical of a Lyric Tenor, with a bright, clear timbre and a smooth, flexible quality that allowed for both powerful belting and delicate ‘Falsetto’ passages.

Jackson’s Vocal Range spanned 4 Octaves, from ‘F2’ to ‘G#6.’ He could reach notes as low as ‘E2’ or as high as ‘B6’ in certain performances. This range encompasses:
• Chest Voice: Typically from ‘F2’ to ‘C5,’ where he delivered powerful, resonant tones with a warm, soulful quality, as heard in songs like ‘Billie Jean’ or ‘Beat It.’
• Mixed Voice: Around ‘C4’ to ‘F5,’ where he blended Chest and Head resonances for a smoother, more controlled sound, often used in transitional phrases.
• Head Voice/‘Falsetto’: Extending from ‘F4’ to ‘G#6’ (or higher), his ‘Falsetto’ was a hallmark of his style, offering a light, airy, and emotive quality, as showcased in tracks like ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ or ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.’

Vocal Qualities
• Timbre: Jackson’s voice had a bright, crystalline timbre with a slightly nasal resonance, giving it a distinctive, instantly recognizable quality. His tone could shift from smooth and velvety in ballads to gritty and intense in up-tempo tracks.

• Vibrato: He employed a controlled, rapid vibrato, particularly in his Head Voice and ‘Falsetto,’ adding expressiveness and emotional depth. His vibrato was subtle in faster songs but more pronounced in slower, emotive pieces like ‘She’s Out of My Life.’

• Agility Jackson’s voice was highly agile, capable of navigating complex melismas and rapid runs, as evident in songs like ‘The Way You Make Me Feel.’ His ability to execute quick, precise vocal ornamentations contributed to his dynamic performances.

• Dynamics: His command of dynamic control was exceptional, seamlessly transitioning from soft, breathy passages to powerful, belted notes. This is particularly evident in live performances, where he adjusted intensity to suit the emotional arc of a song.

• Phrasing:
Jackson’s phrasing was intuitive and rhythmically sophisticated, often incorporating syncopated rhythms and percussive vocal effects (e.g., hiccups, grunts, and shouts) that became stylistic trademarks. These elements added a layer of rhythmic complexity to his singing, aligning with his dance-driven performances.

• Registers: His ability to switch between Chest, mixed, and Head registers was fluid, allowing for seamless transitions across his range. His ‘Falsetto,’ in particular, was remarkably strong and controlled, often mistaken for Chest Voice due to its fullness.

Unique Characteristics
Jackson’s voice was not only technically proficient but also deeply emotive, capable of conveying vulnerability, joy, or intensity. His use of vocal effects —— such as his signature ‘Hee-Hee’ or rhythmic gasps —— added a percussive, almost instrumental quality to his singing, enhancing his storytelling. His pitch accuracy was near-flawless, even in LIVE settings, and his breath control allowed for sustained notes and intricate phrasing, as heard in ballads like ‘Human Nature.’

Vocal Health and Evolution
Early in his career, particularly with ‘The Jackson 5,’ Michael’s voice was higher and more boyish, reflecting his pre-pubescent and early-adolescent years. As his voice matured, it retained its lightness but gained depth and versatility. His vocal health appeared robust throughout his career, Though some critics noted a slight thinning of his tone in later years, possibly due to intense touring and recording schedules. Nevertheless, his technical skill and emotional delivery remained consistent.

Michael Jackson’s singing-voice was a remarkable instrument, combining a wide Vocal Range, versatile timbre, and expressive delivery that made him a standout in popular music. His natural Tenor voice, with its bright, agile, and dynamic qualities, allowed him to navigate diverse genres and emotions with ease. His mastery of vocal techniques —— such as controlled vibrato, fluid register transitions, and rhythmic phrasing —— cemented his legacy as one of the greatest vocalists of all time.”

Interesting comment. What do any of you think of it? Here are a couple of responses to it:

“I would like to ask you THIS question: ‘IF Michael’s full “post-puberty” Vocal Range was from as low as “E2” up to as high as a “B6” (since that Upper-Register note is already well up into the extreme Super Head Voice/“Whistle”-Pitch range), how many Octaves would that really have been?’ I’d like to find out. Just curious, since you had basically explained the details of what his singing-voice was really like. By the way, what a great description of it. BEAUTIFUL.”

“Great assessment and analysis of Michael’s singing-voice!!! Not only is it much more accurate than what we have read about his voice so far, but you are also a lot more fair to his later years than these negative critics who have this extremely strong ‘pro-“Motown” and Early-“Jacksons”-era’/‘anti-“Thriller” and everything else afterwards’ bias, when you note just how GOOD (and, how stunningly BEAUTIFUL, when we hear songs like ‘Childhood,’ ‘SMILE,’ ‘Butterflies,’ and ‘Speechless,’ even as a guest vocalist featured on Barry Gibb’s song ‘All in Your Name,’ these songs and vocals ALL having been recorded when he was in his Late-30’s/Early- to Mid-40’s) his voice was all throughout his entire career, even when he was well past his childhood, his teens and Early-20’s....and, his voice STILL having sounded wonderful at nearly 51 years old, during his rehearsals for ‘This Is It.’

Listen to the very last LIVE version of ‘I’ll Be There’ that he and his brothers had ever performed onstage in front of an audience (in 2001, at Madison Square Garden, during the ‘30th Anniversary Celebration’ event). He was 43, at the time. What did you think of his lead vocals, honestly, when you first watched that performance and heard them?

The ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ segment of ‘This Is It’ —— the whole thing, from Michael having sung a verse of ‘Todo Mi Amor Eres Tú’ (‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ in Spanish, which was released on a ‘Special Edition’ version of the ‘BAD’ album in 2001) and BEAUTIFULLY humming notes during the sound-check, to the great duet he sung with Judith Hill, then, from that point to his band members’ having tried to encourage him to ‘sing out,’ and his apology to them for refusing to do so, because, he wanted to ‘save [his] voice’ for the time when he was to have performed onstage in London (for the first time in a VERY long time, after almost a decade and a half away from performing LIVE) since having ended the ‘HIStory’ World Tour in 1997 —— is my most favorite segment of all of the rehearsal footage, though the ‘Human Nature’ song rehearsals and the opening A Cappella snippet of ‘Speechless’ (totally natural vocals of ‘Speechless,’ with absolutely NO ‘help’ from ANY special studio equipment/assistance AT ALL, just his voice having sung the lyrics) are just as good, vocally-wise.

He also had sung a final version of ‘I’ll Be There,’ which was and IS a really good version, but honestly, not as great as the one he performed with his brothers onstage for the last time, seven or eight years before ‘This Is It.’ The lead vocals in THAT one were absolutely AMAZING, for a man then in his Early-40’s....The high notes he sang in his Upper Register towards the end, WOW!!! THE BEST LIVE version of ‘I’ll Be There’ ever.”

 

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A lot of people tend to get into a bad habit of highly praising, and favorably commenting on, his early childhood and younger-teen (“pre- and early-puberty” period, if you will) voice/vocal skills while at the same time ignoring, looking down on, dismissing and forgetting about ANYTHING he had ever sung and recorded after he went through puberty (all of the physical signs, symptoms and aspects of it, including the not anywhere nearly as drastic voice-change* [*which was actually a whole lot less of a voice-change than some fans would like to imagine], the growth-spurt in his height, the maturation of his facial features from child to adult, etc.) and grew up out of his “ ‘cute’ little boy/young teenager” stage of life.

Not only do some amongst the media and the public behave and have the attitude described in the previous paragraph, but over-zealous “pro-‘Motown’ through ‘Destiny’/‘Off the Wall’/‘Triumph’ ” [including the Jackson brothers’ 1981 “LIVE” album] and “anti-‘Thriller’ and everything else afterwards” fanatics (one of whom has his own channel on “YouTube”® regarding his knowledge of singing and music in general, though I very strongly disagree with his views on Michael’s “post-‘Destiny’/‘Off the Wall’/‘Triumph’ ”-era vocals from 1982-2009) negatively judge EVERYTHING about him (the whole entire rest of his life, from 1982 on up until he passed) in one breath, yet call themselves backhandedly “complimenting” him after he passed, in some way or another.

Wait....Does that even exist?

Yes, it does, @Maxym. There are people who have an extremely strong bias/preference in favor of one era of —— or, point in —— Michael’s career while negatively judging, putting down, and criticizing any- and everything else that came either before or after it. An obvious example of such strong judgment and criticism due to personal bias/preference is shown in these Videos uploaded and posted on “YouTube”® recently. Watch them carefully, and listen to the narrator’s description of, along with others’ comments about, Michael’s singing-voice.

 

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The link to the “Facebook”® comment (and, my responses to that comment) has since been taken down, and it is no longer available on the site, sadly, but I’m glad to have copied those posts —— the original comment and the responses —— before they were removed. But still, what do any of you think? I’d like to know.