VOcal ranges of soprano, tenor, alt and bass? (singing)?!
Question: tnx
Answers: tnx
If you don't believe anything else, DO NOT believe that you can determine one's vocal fach by their range. This is the biggest falsehood ever. I have been singing professionally for some years now, and none of those "ranges" fit the voice types that I work with on a professional basis. THE ONLY way to know one's voice type is by finding one's passagio, where the voice is most comfortable, and where the voice flips. There is a pivotal point in every voice where the voice will start crossing from the chest voice to the head voice. For Altos (who usually fall between Mezzos and contraltos) and Baritone/Bass, the flip is lower. For Tenors and Sopranos, the flip is higher.
My range is extremely wide, and I can sing up to a high D and an A below the C below Middle C on a good day. Did that fall into any of those categories listed above for Mezzo Sopranos? Of course not. There is a great possibility there is a soprano with the same range as I, or even a Contralto. The difference is, a soprano is more comfortable singing in her higher register constantly more than I, and I feel most comfortable singing in the middle/lower register. Even if we could sing the exact same material, I would sing songs in a lower key more comfortable than a soprano, and vice versa. Although there are several soprano pieces that don't bother me at all, my forte lies with Mezzo material. This has nothing to do with range.
The best article out on determining whether one is soprano, alto, tenor, or bass is reading this article by Maestro David Jones. He is the all time expert in vocal pedagogy. He, like I had been, was miscatagorized as a Tenor just because he had a great upper register. He began plagued with all kinds of vocal issues, and was determined to learn everything as he could about voice mechanics. Come to find out, he was ALWAYS a baritone. That is why putting labels on one's vocal range as a determining factor to one's vocal fach is DANGEROUS. Just as he did, I went through a similar experience. The voice teacher/faculty I was under thought I was a soprano because I had a good high range, but indeed I was a Mezzo, and in some cases I might be contralto in nature. So be careful of the advice people give on here. I know so many friends of mine that went through the exact same thing, and found their vocal fach the RIGHT way AFTER the fact. You want to find yours in time so you don't have to go through that. It is slightly traumatic in some ways and a waste of time.
Here is the article. http://www.voiceteacher.com/vocal_fach.h...
If it seems a little wordy, get a choral teacher or church musician to explain it to you. I think you will understand it just fine though. This is the true way of determining vocal fach. Don't believe that vocal range crap. It is bull and always has been. Ok. I feel better now. Enjoy your musical knowledge!
A soprano is a singer with a voice range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high A" (A5) in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C) or higher in operatic music. In four part chorale style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melody.
A tenor is a singer with a voice range from approximately C3 (one octave below middle C) to A4 (above middle C) in choral music, or up to "tenor C" (C5, one octave above middle C) or higher in operatic music
An Alto range, extends from approximately G or A3 to E5 or perhaps F5.
A bass is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range. According to Grove Music Online, a bass has a range extending from around the F below low C to the E above middle C (i.e., F2–E4). Sometimes, though, basses have parts written as low as the C two octaves below middle C
In general terms:
Soprano – A high female (or boy’s) voice
Alto – A low female (or boy’s) voice
Tenor – A high (adult) male voice
Bass – A low (adult) male voice
Technically:
Choral:
Soprano: C4 - C6
Mezzo-Soprano: A3 - A5
Contralto: E3 - E5
Tenor: C3 - C5
Baritone: G2 - G4
Bass: E2 - E4
Opera:
Soprano: C4 - A5
Mezzo-Soprano: A3 - F5
Contralto: F3 - D5
Tenor: B2 - G4
Baritone: G2 - E4
Bass/Basso: E2 - C4
~Music Resource~
http://www.squidoo.com/music-resource
I think that the terms are not so relevant in other settings than a choral or group settings.
If you're trying to find out what you are or something for a choral thing then I'd worry about it. Or else it isn't so crutially important. It's bettter to have the voice than the knowledge, I'd say.
I agree with the notes mentioned in regards to the ranges of each group. I think the Barris weren't mentioned. You could very well be a barritone which is the middle between bases and tenors.
Happy holidays!