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{{short description|Measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate}}
Voices may be classified according to their '''vocal range''' — the highest and lowest pitches that they can produce
{{About|voice categories in classical music|non-classical music|Voice classification in non-classical music|a more technical treatment of the human voice|Voice frequency}}


'''Vocal range''' is the range of ] that a ] can ]. A common application is within the context of ], where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into ]s.<ref name=McKinney>{{cite book
==Vocal range defined==
|title= The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults
|last= McKinney ....
|first= James
|year= 1994
|publisher= Genovex Music Group
|isbn=978-1-56593-940-0}}</ref> It is also a topic of study within ], ], and ], particularly in relation to the study of ]s and certain types of vocal disorders, although it has little practical application in terms of speech.


==Singing and the definition of vocal range==
Despite its intuitive clarity, vocal range is not easy to define, nor is it easy to compare the vocal ranges of singers in different genres. It is important to remember that the tonal quality of the voice is as imporant, in vocal range, as the variety of notes themselves.
While the broadest definition of "vocal range" is simply the span from the lowest to the highest note a particular voice can produce, this broad definition is often not what is meant when "vocal range" is discussed in the context of singing. ] tend to define the vocal range as the total span of "musically useful" pitches that a singer can produce. This is because some of the ]s a voice can produce may not be considered usable by the singer within performance for various reasons.<ref name=Appelman>{{cite book
|title= The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application
|last= Appelman
|first= D. Ralph
|year= 1986
|publisher= Indiana University Press
|isbn= 978-0-253-20378-6}}</ref> For example, within ] all singers must ] over an orchestra without the aid of a microphone. An opera singer would therefore only be able to include the notes that they are able to adequately project over an orchestra within their vocal range. In contrast, a ] artist could include notes that could be heard with the aid of a microphone.


Another factor to consider is the use of different forms of vocal production. The human voice is capable of producing sounds using different physiological processes within the ]. These different forms of voice production are known as ]s. While the exact number and definition of vocal registers is a controversial topic within the field of singing, the sciences identify only four registers: the ], the ], the ], and the ]. Typically only the usable pitches within the modal register—the register used in normal speech and most singing—are included when determining singers' vocal ranges. There are exceptions,<ref name=McKinney /> as in opera, where ]s employ falsetto and ]s use the whistle register; notes from these registers would therefore be included in the vocal ranges of these voices.<ref name=Appelman />
The broadest definition of vocal range, given above, is simply the span from the highest to the lowest note a particular voice can produce. This broad definition, however, is quite often not the one meant when someone speaks of "vocal range." This is because some of the notes a voice can produce may not be considered "musically useful" for a particular purpose. For example, when speaking of the vocal range of a male opera singer, one usually excludes ] pitches, which are not used in most opera. A male ] singer, on the other hand, might quite regularly deploy his falsetto pitches in performance and thus include them in determining his range.


== Evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch ==
For this reason, it is important to clearly define what is meant when discussing a vocal range. For example, one might say of a man that he has a one and a half ] range in full voice and an additional one half octave in falsetto. Similarly, when discussing the range of a woman one might say that she has a "useful" two octave range with an additional major third on the bottom that is only audible with amplification. Unfortunately, there is no standardization in this nomenclature.
The upper pitch range of the human voice is, on average, about half as high in males as in females.<ref>Titze, I. R. (2000) Principles of voice production. Iowa City, IA7 National Center for Voice and Speech</ref> Even after controlling for body height and volume, the male voice remains lower. ] suggested that the human voice evolved through intersexual sexual selection,<ref>Darwin, C. (1871). The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: Murray</ref> via female mate choices. Puts (2005) showed that preference for male voice pitch changed according to the stage of the menstrual cycle<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Puts|first1=D. A.|year=2005|title=Mating context and menstrual phase affect female preferences for male voice pitch|journal=Evolution and Human Behavior|volume=26|issue=5|pages=388–397|doi=10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2005.03.001}}</ref> while Puts (2006) found women preferred lower male voices mainly for short-term, sexual relationships.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last1=Puts|first1=David Andrew|last2=Gaulin|first2=Steven J.C|last3=Verdolini|first3=Katherine|year=2006|title=Dominance and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch|journal=Evolution and Human Behavior|volume=27|issue=4|pages=283–296|doi=10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2005.11.003|bibcode=2006EHumB..27..283P |s2cid=32562654 }}</ref> Intrasexual selection, via male competition, also causes a selection in voice pitch. Pitch is related to interpersonal power<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gregory|first1=S.|last2=Webster|first2=S.|last3=Huang|first3=G.|year=1993|title=Voice pitch and amplitude convergence as a metric of quality in dyadic interviews|journal=Language and Communication|volume=13|issue=3|pages=195–217|doi=10.1016/0271-5309(93)90026-j}}</ref> and males tend to adjust their pitch according to their perceived dominance when speaking to a competitor.<ref name=":0" />


== Vocal range in classical music == ==Vocal range and voice classification==
Vocal range plays such an important role in classifying singing voices into ]s that sometimes the two terms are confused with one another. A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics; vocal range being only one of those characteristics. Other factors are ], vocal ], vocal ], ], physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. All of these factors combined are used to categorize a singer's voice into a particular kind of singing use or voice type.<ref name=Shewan>{{cite journal
|last=Shewan |first= Robert
|date=January–February 1979
|title= Voice Classification: An Examination of Methodology
|journal= ]
|volume= 35
|pages= 17–27
}}</ref>


The discipline of voice classification developed within European ] and is not generally applicable to other forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within ] to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are several systems in use including the ], the ] tradition, and ] tradition.<ref name=McKinney /> There are other systems of classification as well, most commonly the ] system.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0c21CwAAQBAJ&q=Choral+Pedagogy,+Third+Edition|page=236|title=Choral Pedagogy, Third Edition|first1= Brenda Jo|last1= Smith|first2= Robert Thayer|last2= Sataloff|year= 2013|publisher=Plural Publishing, Incorporated|isbn=9781597566063}}</ref>
Vocal range is generally very important in classical music. In ], two considerations are paramount in determining vocal range: consistency of timbre across the vocal range, and ability to project the pitches (that is, to be heard clearly over an orchestra without amplification). Thus the vocal range for a man is generally determined by the pitches that he can produce in full voice - that is, excluding falsetto, which sounds too harshly different from lower notes in most men's voices. Vocal range for women is only slightly more freely determined: The same criteria broadly apply, but women of the highest voice type (]) can on occasion deploy their ] to reach very high notes despite a typically noticeable difference in timbre. Of course, if any pitch cannot be properly projected, it is not considered part of the range.


No system is universally applied or accepted.<ref name=Stark>{{cite book
] is somewhat less stringent. In contrast to opera, the large number of voices that can be deployed in each group make it somewhat less important that each individual voice be flawlessly produced and completely audible. Thus, for example, choirs can often deploy notes that are lower than those that might be deployed in an operatic performance - no single member of the choir might be able to project such a low note individually, but taken together the note might be quite audible.
|title= Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy
|last= Stark |first= James
|year= 2003
|publisher= University of Toronto Press
|isbn= 978-0-8020-8614-3
}}</ref> Most of the voice types identified by such systems, however, are sub-types that fall under seven different major voice categories that are for the most part acknowledged across all of the major voice classification systems.<ref name=Stark /> Women are typically divided into three main groups: ], ], and ]. Men are usually divided into four main groups: ], ], ], and ]. When considering the pre-pubescent voices of children an eighth term, ], can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like ] facility and ] to differentiate between voices.<ref name=McKinney />


Vocal range itself does not determine a singer's voice type. While each voice type does have a general vocal range associated with it, human singing voices may possess vocal ranges that encompass more than one voice type or are in between the typical ranges of two voice types. Therefore, voice teachers use vocal range as only one factor among many in classifying a singer's voice.<ref name=Appelman /> More important than range in voice classification is ], or where the voice is most comfortable singing, and vocal timbre, or the characteristic sound of the singing voice.<ref name=McKinney /> For example, a female singer may have a vocal range that encompasses the low notes of a mezzo-soprano and the high notes of a soprano. A voice teacher would therefore look to see whether the singer was more comfortable singing higher, or lower. If she were more comfortable singing higher, then the teacher would probably classify her as a soprano. If the singer were more comfortable singing in the mid to lower part of their voice the teacher would probably classify her as a mezzo-soprano. The teacher would also consider the sound of the voice; sopranos tend to have a lighter and less rich vocal sound than a mezzo-soprano. A voice teacher, however, would never classify a singer in more than one voice type, regardless of the size of the vocal range of the singer.<ref name=Appelman />
== Classification of vocal range in classical music ==


=== Operatic six basic voice types ===
The following vocal range classifications are typically used in classical music (from highest to lowest):
Within the operatic systems of classification, there are six basic voice types. The ranges given below are approximations and are not meant to be too rigidly applied.<ref>{{cite book |title= Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer |last= Peckham |first= Anne |year= 2005 |publisher= Berklee Press Publications |isbn= 978-0-87639-047-4 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/vocalworkoutsfor0000peck}}{{page needed|date=November 2020}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=November 2020|reason=Can't find any mention of six voice types there.}}


* ] (240 - 1170 ]) * ]: the highest female voice typically between C{{sub|4}} and C{{sub|6}}
* ] (220 - 900 Hz) * ]: the middle female voice typically between A{{sub|3}} and A{{sub|5}}
* ] (130 - 700 Hz) * ]: the lowest female voice typically between F{{sub|3}} and F{{sub|5}}
* ] (130 - 440 Hz) * ]: the highest male voice typically between C{{sub|3}} and C{{sub|5}}
* ] (110 - 350 Hz) * ]: the middle male voice typically between A{{sub|2}} and A{{sub|4}}
* ]: the lowest male voice typically between E{{sub|2}} and E{{sub|4}}
* ] (80 - 330 Hz)


{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
The first three ranges are usually sung by women, and the last three are usually sung by men. Occasionally men will sing in the three female registers. When sung by men, they are renamed:
! rowspan="2" width="30px" |] name
! rowspan="2" width="30px" |] (])
! colspan="6" | Voice type's range
|--
!width="5%" {{vert header|Soprano}}
!width="6%" {{vert header|Mezzo-soprano}}
!width="7%" {{vert header|Contralto}}
!width="7%" {{vert header|Tenor}}
!width="9%" {{vert header|Baritone}}
!width="5%" {{vert header|Bass}}
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | C<sub>6</sub> ] (High C)
|1046.502
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | B<sub>5</sub>
|987.7666
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | A{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub>/B{{music|b}}<sub>5</sub>
|932.3275
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | A<sub>5</sub>
|'''880.0000'''
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | G{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub>/A{{music|b}}<sub>5</sub>
|830.6094
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | G<sub>5</sub>
|783.9909
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | F{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub>/G{{music|b}}<sub>5</sub>
|739.9888
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | F<sub>5</sub>
|698.4565
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | E<sub>5</sub>
|659.2551
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | D{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub>/E{{music|b}}<sub>5</sub>
|622.2540
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | D<sub>5</sub>
|587.3295
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | C{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub>/D{{music|b}}<sub>5</sub>
|554.3653
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | C<sub>5</sub> ]
|523.2511
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | B<sub>4</sub>
|493.8833
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | A{{music|#}}<sub>4</sub>/B{{music|b}}<sub>4</sub>
|466.1638
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | A<sub>4</sub> ]
|'''440.0000'''
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | G{{music|#}}<sub>4</sub>/A{{music|b}}<sub>4</sub>
|415.3047
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | G<sub>4</sub>
|391.9954
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | F{{music|#}}<sub>4</sub>/G{{music|b}}<sub>4</sub>
|369.9944
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | F<sub>4</sub>
|349.2282
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | E<sub>4</sub>
|329.6276
| rowspan="25" {{yes C|}}
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | D{{music|#}}<sub>4</sub>/E{{music|b}}<sub>4</sub>
|311.1270
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | D<sub>4</sub>
|293.6648
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | C{{music|#}}<sub>4</sub>/D{{music|b}}<sub>4</sub>
|277.1826
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | C<sub>4</sub> ]
|261.6256
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | B<sub>3</sub>
|246.9417
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | A{{music|#}}<sub>3</sub>/B{{music|b}}<sub>3</sub>
|233.0819
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | A<sub>3</sub>
|'''220.0000'''
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | G{{music|#}}<sub>3</sub>/A{{music|b}}<sub>3</sub>
|207.6523
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | G<sub>3</sub>
|195.9977
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | F{{music|#}}<sub>3</sub>/G{{music|b}}<sub>3</sub>
|184.9972
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | F<sub>3</sub>
|174.6141
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | E<sub>3</sub>
|164.8138
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | D{{music|#}}<sub>3</sub>/E{{music|b}}<sub>3</sub>
|155.5635
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | D<sub>3</sub>
|146.8324
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | C{{music|#}}<sub>3</sub>/D{{music|b}}<sub>3</sub>
|138.5913
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | C<sub>3</sub>
|130.8128
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | B<sub>2</sub>
|123.4708
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | A{{music|#}}<sub>2</sub>/B{{music|b}}<sub>2</sub>
|116.5409
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | A<sub>2</sub>
|'''110.0000'''
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | G{{music|#}}<sub>2</sub>/A{{music|b}}<sub>2</sub>
|103.8262
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | G<sub>2</sub>
|97.99886
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | F{{music|#}}<sub>2</sub>/G{{music|b}}<sub>2</sub>
|92.49861
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | F<sub>2</sub>
|87.30706
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | E<sub>2</sub>
|82.40689
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | D{{music|#}}<sub>2</sub>/E{{music|b}}<sub>2</sub>
|77.78175
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | D<sub>2</sub>
|73.41619
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="black" style="color:white" | C{{music|#}}<sub>2</sub>/D{{music|b}}<sub>2</sub>
|69.29566
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" | C<sub>2</sub> ]
|65.40639
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}


Some men, in ] voice or as a result of certain rare physiological conditions, can sing in the same range as women. These do not fall into the female categories, instead called ] within classical music. Within contemporary music, however, the use of the term ''tenor'' for these male voices would be more appropriate.<ref name=Appelman />
* ]
* ]
* ]


Within choral music there are only four categories for adult singers: soprano and ] for women, tenor and bass for men.<ref>{{cite book |title= Choral Pedagogy |last= Smith |first= Brenda |year= 2005 |publisher= Plural Publishing, Inc |isbn= 978-1-59756-043-6}}</ref>
In addition to these general classifications, additional subdivisions are very commonly deployed in opera and other classical music for solo voice. There are a number of such detailed classification schemes, many of which are country-specific. See, for example, the articles on individual voice types above or the article on ].


In the UK, the term "male alto" refers to a man who uses ] vocal production to sing in the alto section of a chorus. This practice is much less common outside the UK where the term ] is more often applied. Countertenors are also widely employed within ] as solo vocalists, though the term "male alto" is never used to refer to a solo vocalist.
=== Induced vocal range ===


Children's voices, both male and female, are described as ''trebles'', although ] is widely used as well.<ref name=McKinney />
Where the above are largely achieved through practice and natural aptitude, vocal ranges can be achieved by means of ] modification. Only the example of the ] is particularly notable.


==See also==
==Vocal range in popular music==
*]
*]
*]


==References==
Vocal range in popular music is usually more generously defined than in classical. Because of the use of amplification it is possible for singers to produce musically useful pitches that are much lower than might be possible for classical singers. Similarly, consistency of timbre is much less important in popular music. Thus in many popular genres falsetto is acceptable for men, deep growling pitches can be deployed, and flageolet notes (commonly referred to as the ] in popular music) can be freely used by any female or male who can produce them.
{{reflist}}

The importance of vocal range varies in popular music. At one extreme, to choose a well known example, genres such as ] show little concern for technical proficiency of any sort and thus no particular concern for vocal range. Similarly, many roles in the ], while requiring rather more skill, call for only vaguely determined voice types. At the other extreme, vocal range is considered extremely important by many singers and fans of pop and R&B. There is often intense discussion among fans of precisely what a particular singer's vocal range is, and singers or their press representatives often claim extremely wide ranges.

For these various reasons, it is extremely difficult to speak of vocal range in popular music generally. For more information, see the articles on individual genres.

==World records and extremes of vocal range==

As noted above, claims of exceptionally wide vocal ranges are not uncommon among some singers. Because these singers are often not well-known professionals, it can be difficult to verify such claims. One well-known such claim is that of ], whose range is four and a half octaves without entering the whistle register.

In ], ] was certified by the ] for producing the lowest vocal note sung by a male. The note was pitched at 7.7 Hz (B-2), which is not audible to human ears (a electronic pitch detection device was used). In 2005, ] was certified by the ] for producing the highest vocal note sung by a male. The note was pitched at 4435 Hz (C#8), one semi-tone higher than the grand piano. For females, Georgia Brown of Brazil, according to Guinness, has pitched a supersonic note beyond human hearing &mdash; 25087 Hz (G10), which is 5175 Hz higher than the average human can hear. Guinness claims to have verified this with a piano, violin, and an organ. This is up for debate, of course, because notes that cannot be heard cannot be verified against an instrument.

==See also==
*]


== External links == == External links ==

* *
*
*
* {{Official website|http://www.ncvs.org/|National Center for Voice and Speech's official website}}
* {{Official website|http://www.voicefoundation.org/|The Voice Foundation's official website}}
* {{YouTube|mohm987vlos|Extensive vocal range demonstration}}, ]
*{{YouTube|pJW_U0_qhic|"High voice", performed by Havouzoudi & Salambasi, recorded by Sotirios Rousiakis 2020 in Asvestades, Greece}}, retrieved from


{{Range (music)}}
]
{{Vocal music}}


]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 22:04, 10 January 2025

Measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate This article is about voice categories in classical music. For non-classical music, see Voice classification in non-classical music. For a more technical treatment of the human voice, see Voice frequency.

Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech-language pathology, particularly in relation to the study of tonal languages and certain types of vocal disorders, although it has little practical application in terms of speech.

Singing and the definition of vocal range

While the broadest definition of "vocal range" is simply the span from the lowest to the highest note a particular voice can produce, this broad definition is often not what is meant when "vocal range" is discussed in the context of singing. Vocal pedagogists tend to define the vocal range as the total span of "musically useful" pitches that a singer can produce. This is because some of the notes a voice can produce may not be considered usable by the singer within performance for various reasons. For example, within opera all singers must project over an orchestra without the aid of a microphone. An opera singer would therefore only be able to include the notes that they are able to adequately project over an orchestra within their vocal range. In contrast, a pop artist could include notes that could be heard with the aid of a microphone.

Another factor to consider is the use of different forms of vocal production. The human voice is capable of producing sounds using different physiological processes within the larynx. These different forms of voice production are known as vocal registers. While the exact number and definition of vocal registers is a controversial topic within the field of singing, the sciences identify only four registers: the whistle register, the falsetto register, the modal register, and the vocal fry register. Typically only the usable pitches within the modal register—the register used in normal speech and most singing—are included when determining singers' vocal ranges. There are exceptions, as in opera, where countertenors employ falsetto and coloratura sopranos use the whistle register; notes from these registers would therefore be included in the vocal ranges of these voices.

Evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch

The upper pitch range of the human voice is, on average, about half as high in males as in females. Even after controlling for body height and volume, the male voice remains lower. Charles Darwin suggested that the human voice evolved through intersexual sexual selection, via female mate choices. Puts (2005) showed that preference for male voice pitch changed according to the stage of the menstrual cycle while Puts (2006) found women preferred lower male voices mainly for short-term, sexual relationships. Intrasexual selection, via male competition, also causes a selection in voice pitch. Pitch is related to interpersonal power and males tend to adjust their pitch according to their perceived dominance when speaking to a competitor.

Vocal range and voice classification

Vocal range plays such an important role in classifying singing voices into voice types that sometimes the two terms are confused with one another. A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics; vocal range being only one of those characteristics. Other factors are vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, vocal transition points, physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. All of these factors combined are used to categorize a singer's voice into a particular kind of singing use or voice type.

The discipline of voice classification developed within European classical music and is not generally applicable to other forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are several systems in use including the German Fach system, the Italian opera tradition, and French opera tradition. There are other systems of classification as well, most commonly the choral music system.

No system is universally applied or accepted. Most of the voice types identified by such systems, however, are sub-types that fall under seven different major voice categories that are for the most part acknowledged across all of the major voice classification systems. Women are typically divided into three main groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Men are usually divided into four main groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering the pre-pubescent voices of children an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices.

Vocal range itself does not determine a singer's voice type. While each voice type does have a general vocal range associated with it, human singing voices may possess vocal ranges that encompass more than one voice type or are in between the typical ranges of two voice types. Therefore, voice teachers use vocal range as only one factor among many in classifying a singer's voice. More important than range in voice classification is tessitura, or where the voice is most comfortable singing, and vocal timbre, or the characteristic sound of the singing voice. For example, a female singer may have a vocal range that encompasses the low notes of a mezzo-soprano and the high notes of a soprano. A voice teacher would therefore look to see whether the singer was more comfortable singing higher, or lower. If she were more comfortable singing higher, then the teacher would probably classify her as a soprano. If the singer were more comfortable singing in the mid to lower part of their voice the teacher would probably classify her as a mezzo-soprano. The teacher would also consider the sound of the voice; sopranos tend to have a lighter and less rich vocal sound than a mezzo-soprano. A voice teacher, however, would never classify a singer in more than one voice type, regardless of the size of the vocal range of the singer.

Operatic six basic voice types

Within the operatic systems of classification, there are six basic voice types. The ranges given below are approximations and are not meant to be too rigidly applied.

  • Soprano: the highest female voice typically between C4 and C6
  • Mezzo-soprano: the middle female voice typically between A3 and A5
  • Contralto: the lowest female voice typically between F3 and F5
  • Tenor: the highest male voice typically between C3 and C5
  • Baritone: the middle male voice typically between A2 and A4
  • Bass: the lowest male voice typically between E2 and E4
Scientific pitch name Frequency (A440) Voice type's range
Soprano Mezzo-soprano Contralto Tenor Baritone Bass
C6 Soprano C (High C) 1046.502
B5 987.7666
A♯5/B♭5 932.3275
A5 880.0000
G♯5/A♭5 830.6094
G5 783.9909
F♯5/G♭5 739.9888
F5 698.4565
E5 659.2551
D♯5/E♭5 622.2540
D5 587.3295
C♯5/D♭5 554.3653
C5 Tenor C 523.2511
B4 493.8833
A♯4/B♭4 466.1638
A4 A440 440.0000
G♯4/A♭4 415.3047
G4 391.9954
F♯4/G♭4 369.9944
F4 349.2282
E4 329.6276
D♯4/E♭4 311.1270
D4 293.6648
C♯4/D♭4 277.1826
C4 Middle C 261.6256
B3 246.9417
A♯3/B♭3 233.0819
A3 220.0000
G♯3/A♭3 207.6523
G3 195.9977
F♯3/G♭3 184.9972
F3 174.6141
E3 164.8138
D♯3/E♭3 155.5635
D3 146.8324
C♯3/D♭3 138.5913
C3 130.8128
B2 123.4708
A♯2/B♭2 116.5409
A2 110.0000
G♯2/A♭2 103.8262
G2 97.99886
F♯2/G♭2 92.49861
F2 87.30706
E2 82.40689
D♯2/E♭2 77.78175
D2 73.41619
C♯2/D♭2 69.29566
C2 Deep C 65.40639

Some men, in falsetto voice or as a result of certain rare physiological conditions, can sing in the same range as women. These do not fall into the female categories, instead called countertenors within classical music. Within contemporary music, however, the use of the term tenor for these male voices would be more appropriate.

Within choral music there are only four categories for adult singers: soprano and alto for women, tenor and bass for men.

In the UK, the term "male alto" refers to a man who uses falsetto vocal production to sing in the alto section of a chorus. This practice is much less common outside the UK where the term countertenor is more often applied. Countertenors are also widely employed within opera as solo vocalists, though the term "male alto" is never used to refer to a solo vocalist.

Children's voices, both male and female, are described as trebles, although boy soprano is widely used as well.

See also

References

  1. ^ McKinney ...., James (1994). The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. Genovex Music Group. ISBN 978-1-56593-940-0.
  2. ^ Appelman, D. Ralph (1986). The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20378-6.
  3. Titze, I. R. (2000) Principles of voice production. Iowa City, IA7 National Center for Voice and Speech
  4. Darwin, C. (1871). The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: Murray
  5. Puts, D. A. (2005). "Mating context and menstrual phase affect female preferences for male voice pitch". Evolution and Human Behavior. 26 (5): 388–397. doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2005.03.001.
  6. ^ Puts, David Andrew; Gaulin, Steven J.C; Verdolini, Katherine (2006). "Dominance and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch". Evolution and Human Behavior. 27 (4): 283–296. Bibcode:2006EHumB..27..283P. doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2005.11.003. S2CID 32562654.
  7. Gregory, S.; Webster, S.; Huang, G. (1993). "Voice pitch and amplitude convergence as a metric of quality in dyadic interviews". Language and Communication. 13 (3): 195–217. doi:10.1016/0271-5309(93)90026-j.
  8. Shewan, Robert (January–February 1979). "Voice Classification: An Examination of Methodology". The NATS Bulletin. 35: 17–27.
  9. Smith, Brenda Jo; Sataloff, Robert Thayer (2013). Choral Pedagogy, Third Edition. Plural Publishing, Incorporated. p. 236. ISBN 9781597566063.
  10. ^ Stark, James (2003). Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-8614-3.
  11. Peckham, Anne (2005). Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer. Berklee Press Publications. ISBN 978-0-87639-047-4.
  12. Smith, Brenda (2005). Choral Pedagogy. Plural Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1-59756-043-6.

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