"The only way to find your voice is to use it." -Jen Mueller
As humans, our voices are one of our most important assets. Without our voices, we could never be heard. We use our voices to speak, to scream, and to sing. And, since we are all different, our voices vary to be recognised as unique.
One of the best things our voice allows us to do is sing. Singing brings us so much joy, even if we aren't good at it. Also, did you know that there are distinct types of singing voices? Singing voices, like speaking voices, do range from low to high, and there is never one that is 100% the copy of another.
The variety of singing voices allows persons to join together in song and create melodies in a choir or a band.
Are you familiar with the types of singing voices? If not, there's no need to fret since we shall examine six voice types that can be heard when singing in today's article. We'll also go through the variations of singing voices and how they are unique one from the other. Let's get learning!
What are the 8 Voices Types?
Since singing is a vast "subject" that spreads across various genres, it's no surprise that singers have multiple types of voices. The distinct voices range from high to low and from deep to high-pitched.
Also, it's worth stating that the voice types are different between female and male singers since men and women produce unique sounds when they are singing.
So, without delaying the matter any further, let's take a look at the eight most common voice types that fall under the majority of vocal ranges.
Contralto
Compared to the alto singing voice, contralto is the lowest female voice. Some lists or classifications don't even consider contralto a type of voice; however, since there is a range in alto singers, there are "contralto" singers who have a similar voice to those of tenors, which is another voice type we'll get to.
The contralto range is anywhere between a vocal range of E3 to E5. Some famous female contralto singers include Annie Lennox, Toni Braxton, and Amy Winehouse.
Alto
Widely recognised by vocal coaches and passionate singers worldwide, alto is the lowest type of female voice. Historically famous altos include Tracy Chapman, Karen Carpenter, Cher, and Neko Case.
Typical alto singers can range from F3 to F5. Nonetheless, altos are more than capable of singing above or below the F3 to F5 range. Also, since there is a range in alto singers, there are "contralto" singers who have a similar voice to those of tenors, which is another voice type we'll get to.
Altos are sometimes seen as similar to mezzo-sopranos, yet their voices tend to be richer and more full of energy than mezzo-sopranos.
It's important to state that the alto is the second highest vocal range sandwiched between the tenor and bass and soprano.
Mezzo-Soprano
Signifying "half-soprano" in Italian, the mezzo-soprano is a vocal range that goes between the alto and the soprano. The mezzo-soprano is a female voice type, and famous mezzos that we love to listen to include Adele, Whitney Houston, Sarah McLachlan, and Enya.
The mezzo-soprano voice range extends from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above for a melodic voice that is not as high as a soprano and not as low as an alto. Also, it's worth mentioning that mezzo-sopranos feel most comfortable singing in the middle of their range and not at the top.
Soprano
You can't go any higher than a soprano for female voice types. Boasting a vocal range between C4 and C6, sopranos are potent voices that can reach high notes that others can't even try to achieve. The word soprano comes from "Sopra", which means supreme or the top.
Therefore, sopranos high-pitch singing is easily recognisable yet needs some control to sound pleasant honestly.
Some famous songbirds classified as sopranos include Ariana Grande, Sarah Brightman, Audra McDonald, Kelly Clarkson, and Diana Ross.
The previously four voice types were the female voices that we can hear in singers. Now let's take a look at four male singing voices.
Bass
The lowest of all possible male voices, the bass voice type, is the most melancholy male voice and the lowest of all. Boasting a range from E2 to E4, a bass voice type is soulful and full of richness. It's important to state that bass voices in the lower and upper extremes can reach a vocal range from C2 to G4.
Throughout history, famous bass singers include Barry White, Johnny Cash, and Rene Pape.
Baritone
The second-lowest male voice possible, the baritone usually has a wide range that overlaps both bass and tenor singing voice types. It's important to state that the most typical baritone range is A2 to A4 and might extend down to F2 or up to C5.
Little do many people realise that the baritone voice type is the most commonly heard among men. Famous baritone singers that you might be familiar with include Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Trace Adkins, Michael Buble, and Frank Sinatra.
Tenor
Though some list may claim that the tenor singing voice is the highest possible masculine voice type, other classifications state that the countertenor is the highest, which we'll get to in the following subheading. Nonetheless, the tenor male voice type is the second-highest voice for men, and they are comfortable singing between a range of C3 to C5.
Tenors have great control over their falsetto, the head voice, which allows them to achieve notes that female singers usually belt out.
You might be familiar with famous tenor voices include Bryan Adams, Andrea Boccelli, and Fred Astaire.
Countertenor
Ranked by many as the highest possible male voice type, those who can sing more elevated than the middle notes are typically called countertenors. It's worth stating that countertenors have a vocal range between E3 and E5 and can hit surprisingly high notes.
Popular countertenor vocalists that you may have heard of include Andreas Scholl, Philippe Jaroussky, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Alfred Deller.
Now that we've explored all eight voice types for men and women, you might be wondering about your voice type. Take a look at the following subheading to learn how to discover your singing voice type.
Find singing lessons Norwich here on Superprof.
How to Discover Your Singing Voice Type
While most singing amateurs are familiar with the terms alto, soprano, mezzo-soprano, and tenor that we discussed in the preceding paragraphs, it's worth stating that most people don't know how to figure out their unique voice type.
It's worth stating that finding your singing voice is relatively simple and can be accomplished by adhering to the steps in the list below:
- Warming Up: to avoid straining your voice and making it difficult to determine the voice type, we strongly recommend doing some warm-up exercises before starting to sing.
- Find Your Lowest Note: finding your lowest note can be made with a tutor or by playing different keys on a piano and singing along to the message you played on the piano. It's worth stating that you'll discover your lowest note as the one that you can comfortably sing and sustain without croaking or breathing the note.
- Find Your Highest Note: much like the process of finding your lowest note, to locate your highest note you'll need to play around with keys on a piano and see how long you can sustain the highest notes comfortably without breaking. Write down the highest note you were able to sing since you'll need it for the next step.
- Compare Your Lowest Note to Your Highest Note: once you have an idea of your highest and lowest notes, you'll be better prepared to determine your singing voice since each voice type has a range from highest to lowest note.
By following the previously mentioned steps, you'll be able to determine your singing voice without any problem. However, various YouTube videos can help you out if you're having any trouble!
Find singing lessons for adults here on Superprof.
Hiring a Superprof Tutor to Hone Your Singing Voice Type
Now that you've determined your singing voice, you'll want to practice it and put it to good use. This can be done by hiring a personal singing instructor to guide you through improving your voice type. But, where can you find a qualified and experienced singing coach in the UK? Look no further than Superprof.
According to the Superprof website, there are currently 1183 vocal coaches in towns and cities across the United Kingdom. But why choose Superprof tutors when there are so many tutoring communities to choose from? The following list mentions some advantages of learning with Superprof:
- Affordable tuition,
- An easy to use lesson booking software,
- A variety of tutors to choose from,
- A fantastic student/tutor support staff,
- The possibility to learn singing with a tutor either in-person or online.
In conclusion, by analysing the different voice types, you'll quickly find yours and be able to sing your favourite tunes more effectively!
Find singing classes London here on Superprof.
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