There seems to be a lot of confusion amongst singers,
especially those who are not trained or have no musical background, with
regards to certain vocal terminology. For this reason, I have created a
glossary of terms to help singers better understand the basic concepts of vocal
range, vocal registers and voice type.
A companion to this article, How To Determine Singing Range
and Vocal Fach (Voice Type), provides additional practical information on
several of the topics discussed more briefly in this article.
Vocal Range
In its broadest sense, the term vocal range refers to the
full spectrum of notes that a singer’s voice is able to produce, starting from
the bottommost note and reaching to the uppermost note. In other words, range
refers to the distance between the highest and lowest pitches that a singer is
able to sing. This extreme range of the individual’s voice, consisting of all
non-utilizable, utterable but nondescript vocal sounds, measured from the
lowest grunt to the highest obtainable vocal squeak may also be called ‘vocable
compass’.
An untrained singer typically has a more limited range than
a well-trained singer, who has learned how to gain access to more notes through
correct technique and through regularly exercising and using the vocal
instrument for singing tasks. Every instrument has its own unique range
capabilities, as well, with some voices being able to develop more extensive
ranges than others.
In opera or solo classical music, often only the parts of
the range that are considered musically useful are counted as part of the
range. 'Usefulness' with regards to range in classical style singing is defined
by consistency of timbre and the ability to 'project' the pitches effectively.
For example, since falsetto pitches are not used in most opera, they are not
considered part of the vocal range of a male opera singer. Also, if any pitch
cannot be properly carried (i.e. heard over an orchestra without amplification),
it is not considered part of the range. While a singer may have access to many
more notes both above and below his or her 'useful range, those notes are not
necessarily counted or used when singing classical song selections. (In the
keyboard diagrams of vocal ranges below, only the expected, 'publicly
performable' range for each voice type is highlighted.) The range of vocal
tones that can be rendered with some degree of musicality may also be referred
to as ‘singable compass’.
Put even more simply, a certain section of a singer’s range,
(likely the middle portion), will make up his or her most comfortable and
practical range, whereas other sections of the same singer’s range, (the
highest and lowest portions), will be available or accessible, but will not
necessarily be as strong or as desirable in tone. Thus, a mezzo-soprano might
have a two octave 'useful' range for classical repertoire purposes, yet have
access to another octave or so above that range and another half octave or so
below it.
In choral music, where many voices are singing in unison, it
is somewhat less important for each individual voice to be flawlessly produced
or completely audible over the orchestra. Therefore, the range that a certain
voice type might be expected to sing in a choir may be a little broader than it
would be in opera or in solo performances, (as is suggested in the diagrams
indicating the range for each voice type below).
In contemporary styles of singing, singers typically employ
amplification (i.e. microphones, speakers, etc.) when performing, which makes
more of their range audible and thus usable.
To learn about how you can find your vocal range, read the
section on range in How To Determine Singing Range and Vocal Fach (Voice Type).
Registers and Vocal Registration
The term register can be somewhat confusing, as it
encompasses several aspects of the human voice, including a certain vibratory
pattern of the vocal folds, a particular range of pitches, and a characteristic
type of tone or quality of sound. In other words, a register in the human voice
is a particular series of tones that possess the same quality and that are
produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds within a certain
range or series of pitches. Vocal registers originate in the laryngeal function
(i.e., the larynx, where the vocal folds are located) and occur when the
vibratory pattern of the vocal folds changes as pitch rises or falls.
Singers and singing teachers can aurally identify these
changes in voice quality when singing two or more octaves of a musical scale.
When transitions from one voice quality to another occur, most singers report
some sort of non-specific, kinesthetically sensed, neuromuscular coordination
adjusment in the larynx as well as a change in sound or tone. Among experienced
or trained singers, the transitions are perceived to be blended and smooth,
whereas the transitions among inexperienced singers are more commonly abrupt or
awkward (as when a 'register break' occurs).
Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers
within the human voice. Research by speech pathologists and vocal pedagogues
has revealed that the vocal folds are capable of producing at least four
distinct vibratory patterns, which, in turn, create four different registers
within the human voice, although not everyone can produce all four of them.
Each of these four registers has its own vibratory pattern, its own pitch area
(although there is some overlapping), and its own characteristic sound. Most
vocal teachers today divide the human voice into three registers; chest (also
referred to as natural or modal), middle and head (includes falsetto in males),
although many do acknowledge the vocal fry register in their lower voiced male
students and the flageolet or whistle register in higher voiced females, as
well. However, both of these potential highest and lowest registers are
sometimes considered to be extensions of the chest and head registers, rather
than unique registers.
In many contemporary singing methods, a two-register model
is advocated. (I explain why this is both inaccurate and counterproductive to
vocal training in the Vocal Registration and Contemporary Teaching Methods
section of my article entitled 'Belting' Technique.) Since the chest voice and
the head voice can be made to overlap considerably, many vocal teachers don’t
acknowledge the existence of a middle register, but might instead treat the
middle section of the voice as a zona di passaggio in which the chest and head
tones will become blended or mixed. There may also be some disagreement on what
constitutes head voice or how it is defined, and this confusion may explain why
some teachers call the lighter tone of the voice that begins at the first
passaggio in female students (or any tone that is produced at pitches above the
chest register) 'head voice' whereas classical teachers would refer to this
register as 'middle' and the register beginning around E5-F#5 (at the secondo
passaggio) as the true head register.
Vocal teachers and singers will often talk about 'bridging
the registers' or 'blending the registers', which simply refers to a technique
or method of making the transition from one vocal register to the next smooth
and seamless, and thus removing all noticeable signs of a register break, which
requires an adjustment of breath control and vowel modification
(aggiustamento), as well as gradual laryngeal (e.g., muscular) adjustments
throughout the scale. More information about blending the registers can be
found in my article entitled Good Tone Production For Singing, as well as in
Tips For Practicing Singing: A Practical Guide To Vocal Development.
There is also a great deal of disagreement about the
terminology assigned to the vocal registers, primarily because the terms
themselves tend to describe where the most resonance is felt in the body as
opposed to where the action of the voice is truly originating from (i.e., the
larynx). For example, 'head voice' is called such because much of the resonance
of the voice is experienced as sympathetic vibrations in the bones of the face
and resonating cavities of the head. (The bony structures of the head can be
set into sympathetic vibration, but not into actual resonance. Bone is a very
good conductor of sympathetic vibration.) Also, most "chest
resonance" actually originates in the throat (i.e., the larynx, or 'voice
box'), where the vocal folds are located. Since the chest is filled with so
many soft organs which do not aid in creating resonance, and because the vocal
tract lies above the chest, producing sound after air has already left the
chest, many argue that there can be little true resonance created within the
chest itself. For this reason, most vocal teachers prefer to use the term
'voice' rather than 'register'. However, some singers do experience a distinct
sensation of (sympathetic) vibration in the chest, especially in the sternum or
breastbone area, or in the head when singing. These sensations are realistic to
the singer and can serve as reliable indicators of resonance balance.
Passaggi (Registration Pivotal Points) and Register Breaks
The term “passaggio”, (which is Italian for 'passage'),
refers to the place (i.e. the absolute pitch) within a vocal range where the
voice 'shifts' or transitions into a different register. In other words, a
passaggio marks the end or boundary of one register and the beginning of the
next.
It is generally taught that the human voice has two passaggi
– a primo (first) passaggio and a secondo (second) passaggio, connected through
a zona di passaggio (passage zone). (In female voices, the zona di passaggio is
most likely to be referred to as a separate register, called the middle
register or medium voice, which occupies a full octave in range.) In male
voices, the primo passaggio marks the pivotal point between the
speech-inflection range (the range of pitches in which they habitually speak)
and the call range of the speaking voice (the range of pitches in which they
would have to call or yell in order to try to speak). Using the call voice through
the zona di passaggio – roughly the interval of a fourth – would require
greater effort and considerable discomfort. Therefore, most men begin to sing
in either mixed or head voice tones throughout their zona di passaggio. For
females, who tend to use more inflection and a greater range of pitches during
ordinary speaking demands, speech-inflection range continues through the middle
register and ends at the secondo passaggio, which marks the beginning of head
voice range.
Similar registration events occur in all voices, male and
female. However, they happen at different degrees in the scale. In general, the
longer the vocal folds and the larger the larynx, the lower the registration
pivotal points (passaggi) in the scale and the lower the voice category. (This
also accounts for the pitch differences between male and female speaking and
singing voices.) For example, the tenor’s primo passaggio, (occurring somewhere
between C#4 and E4, depending on the individual's voice), lies roughly a minor
or major third above that of the baritone, (occurring around B3 or Bb3), with
his secondo passaggio occurring roughly a fourth above his primo passaggio.
Most women experience their first registration pivotal point between Eb4 and
G4, and their second (upper) passaggio between Eb5 and G5, with the alto’s
voice switching into the next register a little earlier in the ascending scale
than the soprano’s voice would. Also, within the same category (e.g.,
baritones, tenors, altos, sopranos, etc.), heavier voices will experience their
primo passaggio slightly lower than lighter voices will (e.g., a dramatic
mezzo-soprano might switch into the next register a semitone lower than a lyric
mezzo soprano might).
Additionally, due to the greater diversity of laryngeal size
and vocal-tract construction among males, range demarcations among male voice
categories are more distinct than those of female voices. The passaggio points
of male voices can be plotted over a wider range of notes. In males, a number
of specific pitch designations for the passaggi exist within each voice
category (e.g., several possible notes for tenor voices, and quite a few for
baritones and basses), whereas only a semitone or whole-tone difference exists
within female categories.
If a singer doesn’t allow the larynx to progressively make
changes (e.g., the vocal folds should ideally change into different vibratory
patterns and either elongate or shorten gradually) while ascending and
descending in pitch – referred to as “static laryngeal function” – a register break
will occur. Breaks are typically marked by noticeable changes of tone quality
and volume. For example, when a female singer moves upward from her chest
register into her middle register, her tone may abruptly become thin and weak,
or her voice may crack or even cut out completely. Flatting or sharping notes
at the passaggi is also quite common amongst untrained singers.
A major goal of classical voice training is to maintain an
even timbre or consistency of tone throughout the passaggi, so that moving
through them, or singing within them, is seamless, effortless and undetectable
to the listener. This is often referred to as “blending the registers” or using
a “mixed voice”, which I write more about in my article on this site entitled
Good Tone Production For Singing, as well as in Tips For Practicing Singing: A
Practical Guide To Vocal Development. Bridging the registers, which also
requires vowel modification and adjustments of breath management, is essential
for creating an evenly balanced, homogonous tone throughout a singer’s entire
range.
For a practical way to locate your lower and upper passaggi,
please refer to the passaggi section of How To Determine Singing Range and
Vocal Fach (Voice Type).
Vocal Fry Register
The vocal fry register, (also known as pulse register and
glottal fry/rattle/scrape, amongst other names), is the lowest vocal register
that can be produced by a human voice. In contemporary styles of singing,
'vocal fry' may also refer to a voice quality that may be added to any part of
the singer's range for vocal effect. Vocal fry is characterized by a rattling,
crackling, creaking, croaking, or frying sound quality. It is produced through
use of a loose glottal closure that permits air to bubble through slowly.
During the vocal fry mode of phonation, the arytenoid cartilages in the larynx
compress together in such a fashion that the vocal folds become relatively
compact and slack, or 'floppy'. This process forms a large and (usually)
irregularly (or non-periodically) vibrating mass within the vocal folds - the
vocal folds vibrate far less often per second than in 'normal' voice
production, with successive vibrations differing in duration and/or size - that
produces the characteristic low popping or rattling sound when air passes
through the slackened glottal closure.
Singers typically use this mode of phonation to obtain
pitches at a very low frequency that they may not otherwise be able to access
in the chest register, although it can be carried up into the chest register,
as well.
Vocal fry has become enormously popular within many
contemporary methods of voice training, and is frequently used very heavily
during lessons and in practice routines. It is seldom employed in a
prescriptive fashion or as a corrective devise - to, for example, relax
hyperfunctioning adductor muscles or to release intrinsic muscular tension.
Rather, its use is suggested for all singers as a regular part of their voice
training. Those who support the use of vocal fry claim that it is safe and
relaxing, like a groggy 'morning voice', especially when the larynx is
encouraged to remain lower, the throat 'open', and the vibratory rate is made
more regular. These same supporters claim that the belief that fry is
potentially damaging to the vocal instrument if used frequently or for long
periods of time is merely a myth.
However, most ENTs and speech language pathologists consider
vocal fry to be the result of either dysfunction or poor usage. The
physiological production of vocal fry can be potentially damaging to the vocal
folds if used frequently or for extended periods of time, particulary if it is
brought up into the chest and middle registers and if it is created with a
raised larynx and a closed throat. http://www.ohniww.org/katy-perry-voice-vocal-fry/
contains a video of a stroboscopy of both clear and vocal fry production. The
squeezing and increased intrinsic muscular effort that are required to produce
vocal fry are quite clearly seen, even though the vocal folds themselves are
slack and relaxed.
Therefore, vocal fry as a tone quality or mode of phonation
should be limited to the occasional vocal effect (e.g., at the beginning of a
phrase, etc.). Although it may be used as an effective tool for teaching and
developing certain contemporary techniques and skills, such as growling and
screaming, not everyone agrees that it promotes healthy voice production,
especially when the glottis is not functioning in an otherwise 'normal' manner,
and when the slackness of the vocal folds does not closely mimic or approximate
the action, tension and functioning necessary to obtain precision in the onsets
of sound, along with a healthy and steady vibratory rate.
Until more recently, there has been little mention of the
vocal fry register in singing pedagogy (and especially in classical circles)
for several reasons. First, not everyone can access the pitches that lie below
the chest register. (It is more common for lower voiced males - basses - to
sing pitches low enough to be considered to be within the actual vocal fry
register. A distinction is drawn here between the vocal fry register and the
vocal fry effect or quality that is added as a stylistic element for brief
parts of notes or words.) Secondly, not all teachers of voice consider this part
of a singer’s range to be a separate register from chest voice. Many feel as
though it is merely a lower extension of the chest register. (This is likely
the case in medium and higher voices who cannot access this lowermost
register.) Thirdly, vocal fry is not considered by all to be a legitimate,
useful or pleasant performance timbre, (although it is often added as a
desirable vocal effect at the beginnings of phrases in contemporary styles of
singing). Fourthly, it is a potentially unhealthy mode of phonation, as it may
cause damage to the vocal folds, especially if used frequently. (As stated
above, stroboscopic observation shows heavy squeezing of the arytenoid
cartilages.) Fifthly, frequently using this mode of phonation in the chest
register can cause a singer to lose some of his or her range, specifically the
higher notes within the chest register.
You can read more about the vocal fry register in Good Tone
Production For Singing.
Chest Register (Modal or Normal or Natural Voice)
Modal (or normal or natural or chest) register refers to the
natural disposition or manner of actions of the vocal folds. The vast majority
of speaking is done in this register – men speak entirely within their chest
register, while women speak in both their chest and middle registers. (As a
result, some teachers might refer to it as occurring at “speech level”,
although female speech inflection also occurs above this register.) It lies
above the vocal fry or pulse register (achieved typically by basses or
contrabasses) and overlaps with the lower part of the head voice register in
males and the middle voice in females. It begins and ends in different places
within the human voice, depending on voice category or type, although it can be
carried upwards, through the primo passaggio, into the middle (women) or head
(men) registers. (This practice is widely considered to be potentially
injurious to the vocal instrument.) The placement of the chest register within
the individual human voice is one of the key determining factors in identifying
voice type.
The timbre of chest voice is warmer and darker ('oscuro')
than that of middle and head voice, and it is characterized by darker vowel
qualities or mellowness. Chest voice (voce di petto) is often referred to as
the heavy (laryngeal) mechanism because more thick vocal mass – more of the
vocal folds - is involved in phonation within this lower register. (The vocal
folds are thickest and fattest in the chest register.).
For more information about the natural voice, refer to the
Chest Voice section in Good Tone Production for Singing.
Middle Register and Zona di Passaggio
In women, the register between chest voice and head voice is
called the middle register, or medium voice. For most women the range of
pitches between the primo (first) and secondo (second) passaggi is about an
octave. The timbre of this register is generally thought to be a mix of both
the chest and the head voice qualities, or an in between colour, giving it a
very warm, rich tone that isn't quite as oscuro (dark) as that of chest voice
but also not quite as chiaro (bright) as that of head voice.
The zona di passaggio is the term that is used for the
middle voice in men that lies between the primo and secondo passaggi. The range
of this register is roughly about a major third or a fourth. As in the female
middle voice, it is generally viewed as a mixture or a blending of both chest
and head voice tones, although many instructors and singers see the benefit of
using mainly head voice tones throughout this range in order to facilitate a
smoother, less problematic transition into the head register. (Using purely
chest voice in this area of the range produces a shouty, 'calling' voice that
usually feels strained and requires increased effort.) Ideally, there should be
a graduated adjustment or shifting relationships among the muscles involved in
pitch change, otherwise known as aggiustamento.
To learn more about achieving an ideal blended tone in the
middle register, read Blending the Registers, Middle Register or Mixed/Blended
Voice or The Zona Di Passaggio in Good Tone Production For Singing and Blending
(or Bridging) the Registers in Tips For Practicing Singing: A Practical Guide
To Vocal Development.
Falsetto
Throughout history, the term falsetto has had various
meanings for different groups of users, leading to a great deal of confusion
about how to define it. Most commonly in the elite professional male singing
voice, falsetto denotes a specific timbre or vocal sound (differentiated from
head voice, or voce piena in testa) in the male upper-range that is imitative
of upper-range female voice quality, although it is not solely such. The term
itself – derived from the Italian word for 'false' - suggests a departure from
timbre reality; from true or legitimate vocal timbre.
The term falsetto sometimes refers to the vocal register
occupying the frequency range just above the modal (or chest) register and
overlapping with it by approximately one octave. This definition is misleading,
however, as falsetto is not a vocal register by definition. Many voice teachers
incorrectly use the terms 'falsetto' and 'head voice' interchangeably,
inaccurately labeling any pitch produced above a male singer’s primo passaggio
falsetto. Falsetto then becomes confused with full, legitimate head voice, or
assumed to be the same thing.
Although falsetto is a type of tonal quality that does
indeed run 'parallel' to, or alongside, the male head register in terms of
range, the two occuring through roughly the same range of pitches, falsetto and
head voice do not refer to the same mode of phonation. They are produced by
employing different techniques and have different sounds. In both speaking and
singing, falsetto is more limited in dynamic variation and tone quality than
both head voice and chest voice.
In falsetto production, the vocalis muscle are inactive and
lengthened tremendously by the action of the cricothyroid muscles, which are
nearly at their maximum contraction. The mass corresponding to the innermost
part of the thyro-arytenoid musscle remains still and motionless. The unique
sound of falsetto is produced by the air blowing over the very thin edges of
the thyroarytenoids, and the pitch is controlled mostly by a regulation of the
breath flow. The very thin edges of the lengthened folds, which do not display
any tension in opposition to the stretching action of the thyroarytenoids, are
easily blown open by the breath and therefore offer little resistance to the
breath flow. (The extreme membrenous edges - the edges furthest from the middle
of the gap between the folds – appear to be the only parts vibrating.) Falsetto
is relatively weak in overtones and produces no Singer’s Formant. Head voice,
on the other hand, is richer in overtones and has the potential to produce a
substantial Singer’s Formant, or ‘ring’. In head voice, the thyroarytenoids
create a ‘tighter’ and more substantial edge to the vocal folds, which, in
turn, resist the flow of breath, allowing more noticeable pressure below the
vocal folds (subglottal breath presuure) to build. The male singer can easily
sense this difference in breath pressure between the true head voice and the
falsetto, and may feel a sense of muscular relief when he changes from full
voice to falsetto timbre.
The difference between falsetto and head voice is primarily
a matter of timbre or specific vocal technique used to achieve the tone that is
unique to falsetto. Although it is possible to reinforce falsetto timbre,
making it less raspy or breathy in quality through altering relationships among
the muscles of the glottal opening/closure system, neither the function nor the
resultant tone is identical to that of full head voice. Substituting falsetto
for full (head) voice in any male category, or relying upon falsetto for
high-lying pitches rather than avoiding the discipline required in order to
develop full head voice tones in the upper register is not a good practice, as
it suggests an inability to achieve a completely balanced vocal scale.
Falsetto also refers to a vocal technique that enables the
male singer to sing notes beyond the vocal range of the normal (chest, modal or
natural) voice. Falsetto is produced when the vocal folds are intentionally
allowed to remain slightly separated during phonation. (Vocal fold elongation
still takes place in male falsetto, but vocal fold adduction during falsetto
remains slacker and incomplete.) The length or size of the oval orifice, or
separation between the folds, can vary, but it is known to get bigger in size
as the pressure of air pushed out is increased. There are various techniques
for producing this tone, and research has revealed that different singers may
employ different amounts of vocal fold mass or length, different degrees of
glottal closure and more or less reinforcement through breath pressure during
falsetto production (e.g., skilled singers maintain a smaller opening between the
folds than untrained singers do, with the vocal folds coming in closer contact
with each other during each vibration cycle and the arytenoid cartilages held
in firmer apposition, creating a clearer, less raspy falsetto tone). In some
singers, a phenomenon known as damping appears, with the amount of glottal
opening becoming less and less as the pitch rises, until only a tiny slit
appears on the highest pitches.
It is not standard practice to say that a female singer is
using a falsetto voice, because when a woman’s vocal folds are not fully
approximated, her tone merely sounds breathy. Unlike the male instrument, the
female instrument is incapable of producing a timbre in upper range that is
radically different from its full (head) voice qualities. Furthermore, when
energy and support is reduced in the female voice, (as it is in the male voice
during falsetto), her tone is likely to sound distorted.
For more details on falsetto tone production, refer to the
Falsetto section in Good Tone Production For Singing.
Head Voice
The head register lies above the middle register or zona di
passaggio. The term 'head voice' is generally used to describe the feeling that
the resonance (sympathetic resonance) of singing is occurring primarily in the
head. It has a characteristic “ringing” tone and modified acoustics (modified
vowel sounds).
Head voice (voce di testa) is sometimes called the ‘lighter
mechanism’ of the voice because mass reduces as the vocal folds elongate. As a
result, most singers experience a sense of ‘ligthening’ in timbre as they enter
the head register. Head voice can be carried down and maintained lower, into
what would naturally be the chest register with little to no risk to the voice,
although the tone of the voice will become thinner at lower pitches and
resonate more poorly than it would if the natural (chest) voice were being used
for those same pitches.
More detail about training the head voice can be found in
Good Tone Production For Singing.
Whistle (or Flageolet) Register
The whistle register, (typically occurring between C6 and
D7), is the highest register of the human voice, and refers to the register
above the head register in female voices. Unlike the other registers within the
voice, it does not begin at the same absolute pitch within every female voice
type, and there is typically no discernable passaggio marking the transition
into this register, which is why it is often considered to be an extension of
the head register, rather than a unique or separate register.
This register has a specific physiological production that
is different from that of the other registers, and is so called because the
timbre of the notes that are produced from this register are similar to that of
a whistle. The quality of sound that is produced is somewhat different from
conventional head voice, being excessively bright and edgy. However, this
female register is thought to be an extension of head voice, and, ideally,
should differ little from head voice in timbre in the well trained voice.
Women of all voice types can learn to use the whistle
register, although lower female voices, such as true contraltos, may not be
able to access this register.
It may be beneficial for female singers to practice
flageolet because it encourages a full extension of the vocal folds – at
pitches above C6, the folds become their thinnest, with increased damping and
diminished mass, offering even more resistance to the exiting air – because it
will make high notes within standard repertoire more accessible. In other
words, having access to the flageolet register adds freedom to the performable
upper range (head register) because it will be easier to execute.
Voice Classification
Through voice classification, singers’ voices are evaluated
and designated into voice types. Classical terms are used to describe not
merely various vocal ranges, but also the specific vocal timbres that are
unique to those respective ranges, and that are produced by classical training
techniques. (It is difficult to divide popular or non-classical singers into
such types because they lack the same classical training.) Voice classification
can be somewhat subjective, making it less than a scientific practice.
Voice classification was developed within classical music,
and it is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential
voices. The German Fach system is one popular method of classifying singers,
primarily opera singers, by the range, tessitura, vocal weight, and color
(timbre) of their voices. The Fach system is a convenience for singers and
opera houses. Many opera houses will keep lists of singers divided by their
voice classifications and refer to these lists when casting for operas. A
singer who is identified as being of a certain Fach will usually be asked to sing
only roles that belong to that Fach, which prevents a singer from being asked
to sing roles which he or she is incapable of performing, and allows for the
best possible casting of roles.
Choral singers are classified into voice types based mainly
on their range. Solo singers are classified into voice types based in part on
tessitura – where the voice feels most comfortable and has the most pleasant
tone for the majority of the time.
Many singers are classified incorrectly by unknowlegeable
vocal teachers and choir directors. For example, lyric baritones are often
miscategorized as tenors because the perceived lightness of their instruments
may create a more tenor-like vocal quality and also enable them to sing fairly
comfortably in their head registers. Female vocalists who are able to sing high
notes are often assumed to be sopranos, regardless of the actual locations of
their passaggi, and are often asked to sing soprano parts. Training as another
vocal type (e.g., singing too frequently in a tessitura that does not match
that of the natural instrument, expecting the voice to reach higher pitches
because a singer is thought to be a different or higher type, etc.) can place
strain on the voice, not to mention create a great deal of frustration and discouragement
and a lack of success in the singer who can’t seem to make his or her voice
meet certain expectations that are unrealistic due to the mistake of
miscategorization. It is, therefore, absolutely critical for instructors and
choir directors to understand the importance of the locations of the passaggi
(registration pivotal points) in accurately determining voice type, and how
vocal weight can affect the perception of what a singer’s voice type and range
truly are.
How To Determine Singing Range and Vocal Fach (Voice Type)
explains in greater detail why it's important to classify voices and how to do
so correctly. It also offers a number of 'notes of interest', as well as
observations and discoveries that I have made about range and voice type from my
years of teaching.
Timbre
Timbre simply refers to the quality or “colour” of tone
being produced by the singer.
For more information about timbre, please read Good Tone
Production For Singing.
Vocal Weight
Vocal weight refers to the perceived 'lightness' or
'heaviness' of a singing voice. This quality of the voice is one of the major
determining factors in voice classification within classical singing, and
constitutes a subcategorization of vocal types (or parts).
Additionally, vocal weight, which is often determined by the
thickness of the vocal folds, may refer to a voice’s ability to handle changes
in vocal dynamic, and may affect its overall vocal agility, as different voices
handle changes in dynamic differently. In other words, vocal weight can affect
overall vocal agility and flexibility. For example, heavier voices often have
more difficulty maneuvering through florid coloratura passages than lighter
voices do. Heavier voices can also sound awkward singing staccato sections
because they don’t tend to have as much flexibility as lighter voices do.
Lighter voices tend to have greater agility and flexibility, but have less
facility in filling legato lines, and cannot be heard as well over an orchestra
as heavier voices can.
Lighter voices are often associated with the term 'lyric'.
The timbre of these voices is often described as smooth, silky in texture,
mellow, sensitive, warm, bright and graceful, and often have a softer,
lachcrymous quality. They have good agility – often the ability for coloratura
- and strong diction., and can be heard over an orchestra.
'Coloratura' voices are light with a great deal of high end
agility, and are capable of handling florid, elaborately ornamented or
embellished vocal passages, including running passages, staccati and trills.
Whenever 'coloratura' is used by itself as a voice type, it refers to a soprano
with this vocal quality and weight.
Heavier voices are often associated with the term
'dramatic'. Dramatic voices are very large, strong, powerful, vigorous and
rich, and can sing over a full orchestra or choir. The timbre of this type of
voice is usually darker and heavier than that of a lyric or coloratura voice,
and its tessitura is often a little lower. Because the vocal folds of a singer
with this vocal weight are thicker, agility and facility are usually somewhat
compromised, however, it is capable of giving dramatic heft to a role, with
sustained power.
Other voice types, like the 'spinto' voice, have a more medium
vocal weight. Spintos have a more robust and full sound compared to lyric
voices, but are often considered a 'baby dramatic' in that they have larger
voices but not quite to the level of dramatic. The spinto voice handles vocal
dynamic changes very well. A spinto voice has the brightness and height of a
lyric voice, but can be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes without strain,
and may have a somewhat darker timbre. It can 'slice' though a full orchestra
(rather than 'singing over' it, like a dramatic voice).
Soubrette is a French voice classification term assigned to
women who often play young, flirty physically active operatic roles. In
classical music, a soubrette can be considered a female soprano who sings best
in middle voice with no strenuous vocal dynamics. Most soubrettes have a warm,
bright, sweet vocal colour (timbre), and are comfortable singing throughout the
soprano range, although this voice has a lighter vocal weight than that of
other soprano voices and a tessitura lying in the mid-range. Their upper
extension is not quite as high or 'shiny' as that of a coloratura, but they
often have a richer timbre in their middle and upper middle voice.
For male voices, different terms may be used to described
vocal weight. For instance, a Leggiero or light-lyric is the male equivalent of
a lyric coloratura. It is a very light, bright, high tenor voice with very
natural, high, extensions and a higher tessitura than that of other tenors.
Another characteristic of this voice is its flexibility and agility. Lyric or
lirico is a strong yet light voice with a high tessitura. A spinto voice is
heavier than a lyric, but not quite a dramatic. Drammatico or dramatic tenor is
a powerful, rich and full voice with a lower tessitura than a lyric. It, like
the female dramatic voice, carries easily over larger orchestras.
Many voices lie somewhere between different weights (e.g., a
lyric coloratura soprano, etc.)
The weights of certain voice types may be further
subcategorized into “light” and “full” (e.g., light lyric soprano, full
dramatic mezzo-soprano, etc.), which indicates the maturity of sound or tone
produced by the singer’s voice. Light voices possess a youthful quality and are
often ideal for young roles, whereas full voices sound more mature, can be
heard (unamplified) over a larger orchestra, and may be able to handle heavier
roles.
Tessitura
The term tessitura, (which comes from the Italian word for
“texture”), generally describes the most musically acceptable and comfortable
timbre for a given voice type. Put simply, tessitura refers to the range of
pitches in which a singer is most comfortable singing, as well as the section
of a singer’s range where the voice has the most pleasant-sound or tonal
quality and easy volume. While a soprano and a mezzo-soprano may have a similar
range (as defined by the spectrum of notes that they are both capable of
singing), their tessituras will lie in different parts of that range, which is
why they are each classified as a different voice type. (To a certain extent,
the figures below denoting the expected ranges in repertoire for each voice
type reflect tessitura more so than range.)
Tessitura also refers to the pitch range that most
frequently occurs within a given piece, or part, of music. Tessitura addresses
not merely a range of pitches but also takes into consideration the arrangement
of those pitches in music, or melody (e.g. whether vocal lines and phrases in
the musical piece tend to rise gradually or fall quickly, or whether there are
large intervals between pitches, as well as the speed of pitch changes), as the
abilities of a singer may be more or less suited to certain arrangements of
pitch (melodies).
Voice Type
Voice type is often confused with vocal range by
contemporary or non-classical singers (e.g. those who sing jazz, pop, blues,
soul, country, folk and rock styles). For example, if you were to ask some
singers what their range is, they may reply by stating that they are a “tenor”
or a “soprano”. Using the terms range and type interchangeably is inaccurate
and can be misleading.
Perceived qualities or characteristics of a voice help to
identify the vocal type. Human singing voices can be described by such qualities
as vocal range, weight, tessitura and timbre, as well as vocal registration and
vocal transition points that include “breaks” in the voice, and these qualities
describe their vocal types. The designation of a voice as a “lyric soprano”
would be an example of a vocal type.
In opera, there are six basic voice types – bass, baritone,
tenor, contralto/alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano - and then several sub-types
within each. However, in North American choral music, there are usually only
four vocal types – bass, tenor, alto and soprano – in the arrangements. (When
six parts are written into choral arrangements, mezzo-soprano parts are
typically called “second soprano” parts and baritones are often assigned to
“second tenor” parts.)
There are also intermediate voice types. They may have a
range or tessitura lying somewhere between two voice types or parts (e.g., a
bass-baritone), or may have a vocal weight lying somewhere between light and
heavy (e.g., a dramatic coloratura soprano, etc.). (For more detailed
information on how voices are subcategorized by vocal weight, read vocal
weight.)
Below is a list of the basic vocal types and their
approximate ranges. I have intended to keep these definitions as simple as
possible, without making the complicated distinctions within each vocal type.
The ranges listed are based on classical and choral expectations – the “useful”
range - for each voice type rather than on the possible spectrum of notes that
singers within each type might be capable of singing. (In other words, these
ranges are not static, especially in the case of well-developed singing voices,
but represent average ranges in written classical and choral music.)
For the benefit of more visual readers, I have also included
diagrams of a keyboard with the standard (classically and chorally defined)
ranges for each vocal type shaded in. The darker shading indicates the range
that is assigned to a certain voice type in opera, and the lighter part
represents the additional range that might be expected of a singer of the same
voice type within choral music. Note how the ranges for each vocal type do a
lot of overlapping.
Finally, I have opted to use scientific pitch notation,
where C4 refers to middle C (and A4, the A above middle C, has a frequency of
440Hz), to keep these definitions as succinct as possible. In scientific pitch
notation, each octave begins at the note of C, rather than A. (the A
immediately below middle C, for example, is A3, and is considered to part of
the octave beginning one octave below middle C.) Therefore, the C one octave
above middle C is C5, the C one octave below middle C is C3, etc.. (For a
better understanding of scientific pitch notation, please read the related
section in How To Determine Singing Range and Vocal Fach (Voice Type)
Contrabass
A bass who can sing G1 or lower is known as a sub-bass or
contrabass singer, or a basso profundo. Generally, though, contrabasses are
'lumped in' with other basses when parts are assigned.
Bass
A bass singer is considered to be the lowest male part sung
in multipart choirs. A typical singing range for a bass singer is F2-E4 with a
comfortable range normally between G2 and A3. (A true bass singer is a rarity.
In fact, most 'Bass' sections of choirs are comprised of baritones or
bass-baritones who have access to lower notes.) The primo passaggio for a bass
might be G3, G#4 or A3, while the bass-baritone's is at A3. Their secondo
passaggio will be at at C4, C#4 or D4.
Baritone
A baritone refers to the male singer whose range falls
somewhere between that of a bass and that of a tenor. A typical range for a
baritone is F2-G4 in choral music and G2-E4 in operatic music. A baritone's
primo passaggio will lie roughly at Bb3 or B3, and his secondo passaggio at Eb4
or E4, depending on the particular voice's weight.
Baritenor
This intermediate male voice type tends to have the lower
extension and 'depth' of timbre of a baritone, yet the lightness, agility and
upper extension of a lower tenor. He will switch into middle voice at C4 (his
primo passaggio) and into head voice around F4.
Tenor
A tenor is considered to be the highest male voice within
the modal register. A tenor’s typical range in classical repertoire is roughly
C3-G4, although the extremes of accessible range can vary greatly from singer
to singer. A tenor's primo passaggio will lie roughly at C#4 (drammatico), D4
(lyric), Eb4 (leggiero) or E4 (tenorino), and the second passaggio at around
F#4 (heavier tenor voice), G4 (lyric tenor voice) or A4 (leggiero).
Countertenors
Males with high vocal ranges, or who can project falsetto
pitches in a clear sound, are referred to as countertenors. Countertenors
possess ranges equivalent to those of the female ranges alto, mezzo-soprano and
soprano. (A male soprano is specifically referred to as sopranist).
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female singing voice, and the
contralto range would be below that of an alto. (Although the subtle
distinction between contraltos and altos is typically only made in classical or
operatic music, I want to include it here for information purposes.)
Alto
Mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano refers to a female singer whose range lies
between the soprano and the alto/contralto ranges, usually extending from
A3-F5. While mezzo-sopranos generally have a slightly heavier, darker tone than
sopranos, the mezzo-soprano voice resonates in a higher range (and has a
different timbre) than that of an alto voice. A mezzo-soprano's primo passaggio
lies around E4 or F4, and her secondo passaggio around E5 or F5.
Soprano
Sopranos take the highest female part, which usually
encompasses the melody of a song, in four-part choral style harmony. Typically,
a soprano is expected to be able to sing from C4-A5, or even higher. A
soprano's first registration pivotal point (passaggio) lies around F#4 or G4
(although she may feel more comfortable switching out of chest voice and into
middle voice lower in the scale), and her second around F#5 or G5.
Sopranino
Sopranos who can sing higher than C#6 are known as a
sopraninos, although they are most likely to be called sopranos. (Of course,
there are altos and mezzo-sopranos who are also capable of singing these higher
pitches. This is why registration events are more important and accurate in
determining Fach than vocal range by itself.)
Melody
In music, a melody, (also tune, voice, or line), is a linear
series or succession of notes, not a simultaneity, as in a chord (see harmony).
However, this succession must contain change of some kind and be perceived as a
single entity to be called a melody.
Harmony
Harmony is the simultaneous use of different pitches within
a musical scale, as when the individual notes of a “chord” are being sung at
the same time by different sections of a choir. Harmony is distinguished from
the melodic line of a song.
Pitch
Pitch refers to a perceived musical note.
The ability of humans to perceive pitch is associated with
the frequency of the sound waves that is encountered by the ear. Sound is
transmitted in a series of compression and tension cycles via the movement of
the particles in air. Exciting the sound more rapidly increases the frequency
of the sound, and produces more cycles in a given period. This is heard as an
increase in pitch. The pitch of a note is described by its frequency, which is
measured in hertz (Hz), or cycles per second.
Musicians and singers use the word pitch to describe the
frequency of a sound wave. The shorter the wavelength and the more rapid the
cycles, the higher the frequency and the higher the pitch of the sound. In
other words, short waves sound high, whereas long waves sound low.
Instead of measuring frequencies, musicians name the pitches
that they use most often. They might call a note 'middle C', for example.
When people talk about 'hearing pitch' or 'singing on
pitch', they are referring to the ability to mentally identify and vocally
reproduce the notes that they are supposed to be hearing and singing. Singing
'on pitch' is the same as singing “on/in tune” or 'on key'.
Absolute pitch, widely referred to as perfect pitch, is the
ability of a person to identify (e.g. name) or recreate (e.g. sing) a musical
note without the benefit of a known or objective reference tone (i.e. without
having the same note, or absolute pitch, to compare it to). Many people
incorrectly assign to singers who don’t make notable pitch errors when
performing the gift of “perfect pitch”. However, having perfect pitch is not
synonymous with singing on tune.
People with perfect pitch may be able to identify and name
individual pitches played on various instruments, name the key of a given piece
of music, identify and name all the tones of a given chord, sing a given pitch
without external reference and/or name the pitches of common everyday noises,
such as car horns or doorbells.
The term relative pitch may denote the skill used by singers
to correctly sing a melody line, following musical notation, by pitching each
note in the melody according to its distance from the previous note (e.g. this
may include or be applied to “sight reading”). Relative pitch may also refer to
the ability to hear a melody for the first time and name the notes relative to
some known starting pitch, and/or the ability to identify the intervals between
given tones (e.g. a 'fifth' or an 'octave'), or the distance of a musical note
from a set point of reference (e.g. 'three octaves above middle C').
Unlike perfect pitch, relative pitch is common amongst
non-musicians and can be developed through ear training.
To learn more about pitch, persistent pitch problems and
tone deafness, please read my article on these topics.
Octave
Both the top and bottom notes of the octave are labeled the
same (e.g., "C"), although the frequencies (length and cycles) of
their sound waves will be different; the top note having twice the frequency as
the bottom note. Most people can distinguish between the pitches or frequencies
of the top and bottom notes of the octave and understand that they are called
the same musical note. The top and bottom notes of an octave are consonant, or
sound pleasant, when played at the same time.
Interval
Certain sound waves when played or sung simultaneously will
produce a particularly pleasant sensation when heard. They are said to be
consonant, or harmonious. Such sound waves form the basis of intervals in
music, and these agreeable intervals form the basis for harmony - when the
musical notes of a chord are played or sung in unison.
Any two sounds whose frequencies (heard as
"pitch") make a 2:1 ratio are said to be separated by an octave. That
is, two sound waves sound good when played together if one sound has twice the
frequency of the other. Similarly two sounds with a frequency ratio of 5:4 are
said to be separated by an interval of a third. These sound waves also sound
pleasant when played together.
