Classification
Voices are classified by range (the notes that can be sung), tessitura (the zone where the voice sits comfortably for the longest time), timbre and the location of the register breaks. In the operatic tradition the German Fach system distinguishes further (light, lyric and dramatic soprano; lyric, spinto and dramatic tenor, etc.). For writing, tessitura matters most.
Indicative ranges (actual pitches, C4 = middle C, 261.6 Hz)
| Voice | Solo (range) | Choir (cautious writing) | Comfortable tessitura |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soprano | C4 – C6 (higher for light voices) | C4 – G5 (A5) | G4 – E5 |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3 – A5 | A3 – F5 | E4 – D5 |
| Contralto | F3 – F5 | G3 – D5 | A3 – C5 |
| Tenor | C3 – C5 | C3 – G4 (A4) | E3 – E4 |
| Baritone | G2 – G4 | A2 – E4 | B2 – C4 |
| Bass | E2 – E4 | F2 – D4 (C4) | A2 – A3 |
The basso profondo (Russian tradition, octavists) descends to C2 or Bb1: Rachmaninoff in the Vespers (1915) asks the basses for a Bb1. The countertenor sings in falsetto in the contralto or mezzo tessitura.
Useful frequencies for mixing
- Fundamentals: bass about 82–330 Hz, tenor 130–520 Hz, soprano 260–1050 Hz.
- Formants and presence: 2–4 kHz (the lyric “singer's formant” sits around 2.5–3.2 kHz and lets the voice cut through the orchestra).
- Sibilants: 5–9 kHz.
Registers and breaks (indicative)
Each voice has a first and a second passaggio where the vocal mechanism changes (see Vocal Registers). Approximate values from classical pedagogy (Richard Miller, The Structure of Singing): lyric tenor around D4 and G4; baritone around B3 and E4; bass around A3 and D4; soprano around E4–F4 and F#5; mezzo around E4 and E5. In writing, avoid lingering on the breaks and above the second passaggio.
Voices in pop
Pop doesn't use the classical categories, but they are still needed:
- many male pop singers are baritenors: belt up to G4–A4, falsetto above;
- many female pop singers are mezzos with belt up to D5–E5 and head voice above;
- keys should be chosen to put the highest note of the chorus where it is most effective (often a whole step below the singer's limit).
How to choose the key for a singer
- 1. Find the lowest and highest comfortable notes (not the extremes).
- 2. Find the lowest and highest notes in the melody.
- 3. Transpose so that the high note of the chorus falls 1–2 semitones below the comfortable limit and the low note doesn't fall below the low limit.
- 4. Try two nearby keys by recording a guide vocal and choose the one where the timbre is best.
Examples
- Freddie Mercury: a range of a little under four octaves on recordings (published estimates), with most of the material between baritone and tenor.
- Adele: contralto/mezzo with a very powerful belt in the mid-high register.
- Mariah Carey: a range of over five octaves using the whistle register.
Common mistakes
- Writing solo ranges for choir.
- A constantly high tessitura: it tires the singer even if the highest note is “inside” the range.
- Choosing the key for the convenience of the instrument (guitar) instead of the voice.
Practice exercise
Record a singer (or yourself) on a slow scale from low to high and note: lowest comfortable note, first register change, second change, highest comfortable note. Then transpose a chorus of your own so that its highest note falls a whole step below the comfortable limit.
Links
Vocal Registers and Breaks, Advanced SATB Writing, Belting, Mixed Voice and Falsetto, Vocal Harmonies and Voicing for Choir.