Vocal Range

C#3 ~ C6 (2 Octaves, 5 notes & 1 semitone)

Supported Range

A3/Bb3 ~ A4/Bb4

Voice Type

Light Lyric Soprano

Strengths/Achievements Decent Pitch Consistent support up  to A4/Bb4 Resonant A4 done with a crescendo Easily switches from Chest voice to falsetto Good Sense of Dynamics At times can bring nice support up to B4 Very smooth legato singing Can produce resonant A4s/Bb4s at times Relaxed sound down to Bb3 Weaknesses Airy chest voice Inconsistent placement in the Mix and Chest voice Very strained sound above C5 Unstable vibrato Below A3/Bb3 voice gets really airy Airy head register Produces a tight and not relaxed sound in chest voice at times Bad Diction, uses jaw too often Registers Lower register: Although IU possesses a very extensive lower register expanding down to C#3, IU only supports the very beginning notes of her lower register. IU only being to support Bb3 and not much below that means. She has a very average lower register for a Soprano, especially a Soprano who sings K-POP. Below Bb3 IU’s voice loses pretty much all projection and becomes pretty much air. Mixed register: IU’s mix is the most developed and consistent part of her voice. In the A4/Bb4 range she supports herself very well, even achieving resonance in this area. Sadly, support and resonance is not carried above Bb4. In the B4-C5 range IU’s voice is very unstable, tight, and nasal. Above that, the C#5-G5 range, her voice is extremely strident, unstable and badly placed. Upper register: Instead of using a full, connected head voice IU instead uses a very airy and weak falsetto. Her falsetto around the C#5/D5 range stays pretty relaxed, but above it comes pretty strained. There are times that she produces a cleaner sounding falsetto, but it’s still falsetto. Agility

Though IU is a Soprano she doesn’t have very good agility. When she does runs or just switches pitch she moves her jaw a lot which is not required when one does a melisma or a change of pitch. Aside from just moving her jaw when doing runs and switches of pitch she also moves it a lot while phrasing this is a sign of bad diction.

Overall analysis

IU is an example of a vocalist that relies more on style than technique. Her style is very much loved throughout South Korea and has definitely gotten her fame, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is lacking in vocal technique. IU is praised for her sweet, girly, youthful and emotive voice along with her “powerful” high notes, but all of that is superficial and has nothing to do with her actual technique, which also is a misconception.

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