Chester Bennington: A Look at His Remarkable Vocal Range

The rock world lost Chester Bennington on July 20, 2017. His tragic death by suicide made us reexamine the importance of mental health, from crushing the stigma surrounding it to the warning signs to look for in those around us. Since his death, more than anything, we're reminded of just the remarkable talent Bennington was. Since 2000, he has been one of the strongest voices that emerged.

In honor of his remarkable life and career, we're examining Chester Bennington's vocal range, from its emotional warmth to its powerful scream.

Bennington's technical classification of his vocal range is an A2-F5. What does that classification mean? According to Yale's Music Library, an A2-F5 vocal range means Bennington's vocals can be classified as low as a tenor/baritone all the way up to a mezzo-soprano. From lowest to highest, the six basic voice/vocal types are bass, baritone, tenor, contralto, mezzo-soprano, and soprano.

Additionally, Bennington has a three-octave range. With this in mind, this puts him in a unique group of other rock vocalists with similar vocal and octave ranges that include Chris Cornell, Myles Kennedy, and Corey Taylor.

Of course, we'd be kidding ourselves if we said Bennington's powerful scream vocals weren't what set him apart from his peers. Bennington knew how essential his vocal instrument was and took immense care of his vocal health. Even though he often took on challenging notes, Bennington never had to undergo any vocal surgery, and he was a force when performing live.

Bennington often utilized his scream strategically. He wouldn't hit those notes "just because"; it was done with purpose, like an intense exclamation point on a sentence. "One Step Closer" is a great example of this. Of course, the most frenetic example of this is on "Given Up" and the epic 17-second scream it features.

As powerful as Bennington's scream was, his voice could also be very moving emotionally. He also had a way of effortlessly going between a scream and a more melodic delivery. "Breaking The Habit" is an excellent example of this balance.

Perhaps the most devastating example of Bennington's beautifully heavy vocals can be found on "One More Light." It's the title track to the 2017 Linkin Park album the band released just two months before Bennington died by suicide. In September 2017, two months after his death, Linkin Park released the video below.

Upon the video's release, Mike Shinoda said in a statement, "'One More Light' was written with the intention of sending love to those who lost someone. We now find ourselves on the receiving end. In memorial events, art, videos, and images, fans all over the world have gravitated towards this song as their declaration of love and support for the band and the memory of our dear friend, Chester. We are so very grateful and can’t wait to see you again."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.