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Tim Storms, the guy with the world's lowest voice, gives 'bass' a whole new meaning

Tim Storms, the guy with the world's lowest voice, gives 'bass' a whole new meaning

Tim Storms says he first realized he had a wide vocal range when he sang songs at a Christian camp as a kid. As he's gotten older, that range has only widened as his voice has gotten deeper.

Considering the fact that he's held the Guinness World Record for singing the lowest note for nearly a decade (an honor he had to reclaim in 2012 after winning it the first time in 2008), you'd expect Storms' speaking voice to sound like James Earl Jones or something. But to hear him speak, you'd never guess how low his voice can really go.

To give you an idea of how low we're talking, hit the bottom note of a piano, then imagine adding another piano's worth of keys below that note. Storms' lowest notes are so low, they're nearly impossible for our ears to hear—instead, they feel like the rumble of a subwoofer. The official record-breaking low vocal note was registered at G-7 (0.189 Hz), which means nothing to most of us, but it's really freaking low.

The guy can really sing, though. Check him out singing "Lonesome Road":


ALPHA STREAM - Tim Storms - Lonesome Roadyoutu.be

However, that video, while impressive, doesn't show of his whole vocal range. Oh yes, Storms holds the Guinness World Record for widest vocal range as well, at 10 octaves.

For reference, a piano has seven octaves. Mariah Carey has a five-octave range, as does David Lee Roth. So yeah. Double the range of Mariah Carey? Impressive.

How does he do it? In an interview with CNN, Storms said that an ear, nose, and throat specialist asked to look at his vocal cords after hearing him sing at a concert. The ENT told him that his vocal cords were about twice as long as average, and the muscles around his vocal cords had a lot more movement to them.

Here's a showcase that includes some of the low notes Storms can hit as well as a demonstration of his range toward the end:

[HD] Tim Storms Vocal Showcase (G#0 - A4) Studio and Livewww.youtube.com

To understand how truly unique Storms' ability to sing those low notes is, check this out: In 2011, composer Paul Mealor wrote a choral piece called De Profundis, which included the lowest vocal note ever written for a classical voice—a low E. A worldwide hunt for a bass singer who could sing the note commenced, and Storms was one of the singers who submitted a recording. While there were other singers who could hit the low E, most had to strain to hit it. Storms could not only hit it seemingly effortlessly, but he could sing two octaves below it as well.

Needless to say, he got the part.

Storms says that the older he gets, the lower his voice gets, so the chances of anyone coming along to take his record is pretty unlikely. Sure would be fun to watch someone try, though.

Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

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The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

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