Some vocal techniques - like belting and the classical voices - require the actual development of musculature, both to hold a shape (for high pitches) and to be able to stabilise shapes. That's not going to happen overnight, so you have to spend sometime sounding horrible before you can do those well. That doesn't mean it's impossible - it's like lifting weights, anyone can improve it.

However, that's not the techniques used in the majority of popular singing. You absolutely can sound drastically different very quickly. This is simply because most people don't use most of the degrees of freedom that the voice has. If you look at the Estill method reference material, which concentrates on how the vocal system features actually operate to produce different vocal effects, they identify around 14 degrees of freedom.Some discrete, but a lot of them continuous. It is very common for someone who thinks that they have a terrible voice to take a few lessons and find that they can sound much better. It's just that, as another commenter pointed out, you can't see inside your own mouth and throat. You can't see that you're always holding them in a certain way.

For example, some women habitually sound shrill, usually because they have had to develop a penetrating voice. This is often true of teachers, who have to be able to make themselves heard over a bunch of shrill children (and aren't able to use the option of a deep bass). This is a vocal technique (twang) but it can also become habitual,to the point where they don't think they can do anything else.

From your comment I don't know you have tried this or not, but get some sessions with the best trainer you can. Singing and even speaking with a good voice is incredibly counterintuitive for some people, speaking from experience. You might have everything needed for a great voice expect the skills, or you might be trying for a voice that's far from what works well for you.

It can be taught!

I can play instruments but never thought I could sing outside a range of less than an octave in the baritone range.

When I was 50 we had a singing teacher over at our house for my children. I asked if she could help my range. That day she took my voice to a high C. I am actually a tenor and can sing pretty much all the high parts. I am my in-laws’ favorite opera singer now.

Also I was too timid. Singing is really just controlled shouting.

As with many things in life, see it like stats in an RPG: your 'character' may have "0" in the singing skill INITIALLY. But it's still a skill that you can learn, even if you start low.

However, what is true is that, you will sound like YOU. You can get close or make impressions of artists you like. But ultimately your voice is YOUR instrument and it can gain range, and power, but you'll sound like you.

For instance, I'm well aware that I will never have "Celine Dion's voice". I don't mean her skills, I mean literally her voice.

That's what one of the first AND biggest tough thing to accept when singing: you might never sound exactly like the singers you admire. But it doesn't mean you can't sing or be extremely good at it.

It's like Michael Jackson was sad because he knew he would never be able to sing like Barry White. Does that mean Michael Jackson is not a good singer? Nope.

You can. That progression is normal. I know this because I am such a case. I wasn’t able to produce a single sound on pitch. Now I can nail some songs (as long as they don‘t go crazy on technique).

Learning to sing is taking control of your voice. You use the same biology that you have been using for speech and other vocal sounds since birth. It all comes built in. Of course it comes more naturally to some people, just like any other activity.

There are some decent videos on YouTube, but take actual vocal lessons if you can. Videos are not a substitute for lessons.

I don‘t like the posted page. The descriptions aren‘t very helpful and neither are most videos on YouTube. I know from experience. For a complete beginner, this is frankly a useless resource.

Being able to sing on pitch is more music training than voice training. Music can be trained in any voice pretty much. As for vocal range - it is one of the easiest ones to improve! Simple daily drills can get you there. It's the same for simple voice quality things like learning to sing from your chest/diaphragm rather than just a head/nasal voice. As for having an "aesthetic voice", the steps needed is is extremely specific to each individual and each trainer. Both of you will "path" towards something that will be aesthetic for you and also achievable. Musicians e.g do this to adapt themselves to the "beloved" voice of their target industry. For an example, see https://www.google.com/search?q=arijit+singh+voice+transform... - the AI overview is a pretty decent summary with links to original source. Bollywood really likes love songs to be in husky male voices, so he adapted to that. You don't have to do all that of course, but a small % of similar work will get you to "aesthetic" territory.

Listening to lots of vocal music (preferably with very light accompaniment) also helps a looot. We are really good at imitation.

> How come some people can naturally sing and others produce a horrible screech?

From my own experience many of those "natural" singers simply grew up around music, so it can definitely be learned. Natural talent doesn't really go that far and it's just a small temporary boost that can just as easily be ruined by bad habits later in life. The same is true for other physical abilities.

Some of the best singers got their start on wind instruments. Music is all one big ecosystem of overlapping skills. Unless we're talking legendarily insanely great levels of singing, I don't think any musicians would agree singing is all that special.

In fact, if you isolate the vocals on many hit tracks you might be surprised and disappointed.