by Mark JW Graham – Vocal Coach in Nottingham, UK | Book Now
I’ve done a a quick tally of all the singers I’ve taught. That’s both here in my vocal coaching studio and at workshops, or just out and about. I reckon I’ve taught well over 1,000 voices at this stage in my career — I’ve heard and trained some incredible singers, but this is a story about the worst singing voice I’ve ever heard.
This story goes back around 10–15 years. We had some friends round, and one of those friends had brought along some of their university friends who were visiting at the time.
One of these friends-of-friends heard that I was a vocal coach, and they said, “Oh, I’m a singer — I’ve just done my Grade 8 vocals and got a distinction.”
Of course, my curiosity was piqued! So I offered to run through a few exercises with them and see what we could do with their voice.
The worst singing voice I’ve ever heard
I started them off with the standard assessment… and what came out was diabolically bad.
How bad was it?
It was all in tune, but it was the weakest sound I’ve ever heard come out of a so-called singer, even to this day.
It was so breathy and weak that I had to set my digital piano to its quietest setting just to hear them. It was little more than someone breathing out — but with a faint hint of pitch.
Their range was so impaired that they had less than an octave of usable range. At either extreme their voice simply disappeared into air and breath.
Put bluntly, there was no way that person could ever sing a song with what they were doing — let alone be heard by anyone else while doing it.
But they had a Grade 8 in singing… with distinction?
Quite! If grades actually mean anything at all, this doesn’t add up. How can someone with essentially no functional singing voice have achieved a Grade 8 in singing? I asked them to tell me more about what singing they’d done previously.
“Oh, I’ve sung a little, but I’ve never done any proper training. I basically did my Grade 8 in piano and did really well, then did my Grade 8 in flute and did really well. Hence I thought I’d give Grade 8 singing a go… and I did really well.”
What this story teaches us
1) Grades primarily test for musicality
This person was clearly a skilled musician who could identify and reproduce correct notes on piano, flute, and probably other instruments. Applying that same musical ear to their voice — even over a limited range and with negligible tone — wouldn’t have been difficult.
However, the fact that the examiner did not (or could not) identify the complete absence of singing skill made me very wary of grades as a measure of vocal ability.
Caveat: Some might argue, “Well maybe the examiner wasn’t very good,” or “Maybe they did Grade 8 under a school that isn’t as comprehensive.” Perhaps. But that only reinforces my point — that grades don’t necessarily reflect vocal quality. Some of the weakest voices I’ve encountered had grades, yet believed themselves elite because of a certificate.
2) You are only as good as you truly are
Grades, degrees, titles, accolades, or praise from friends are ultimately meaningless. They’re meant to reflect skill level, but they are not the skill itself. Worse, they can be misleading and give a false sense of confidence.
Grades can be a fun experience, and a high mark can boost self-esteem, but reality is the ultimate test of ability. In this case, someone with a top mark in an advanced exam couldn’t hold a tune through a song.
This person wasn’t the only “Grade 8 singer” with a poor voice I’ve encountered, but their story remains a powerful reminder not to put too much faith in marks or grades. If someone wants to truly improve their voice and sound great, that’s a separate journey — one that may intersect with exams, but is by no means the same thing.
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Mark JW Graham - Mark is a high-end vocal coach and singing teacher based in Nottingham, UK.
Certified in Speech Level Singing ®, and with over 20 years of musical experience, he is known as the "go-to vocal coach" for singers wanting dramatic improvements in their singing voice in a short space of time.
Trusted by singers worldwide, Mark’s expertise as a coach, singer and musician helps clients transform their voices and raise their musicianship to new levels.
SLS Certified Vocal Coach · 20+ Years Experience · Trusted Worldwide