Vocal range
Singers may be classified according to their vocal range - the general pitch at which they sing. Rather than saying deep and high, the following are typically used (from high to low):
Typical Ranges
Female Ranges
- Soprano
- Mezzo-Soprano
- Alto
- see also whistle register
Male Ranges
- Sopranista
- Countertenor (also Counter-Tenor)
- Alto
- Tenor
- Baritone
- Basso (also Bass)
Complete Ranges
The following ranges for French voices come from a plate in Diderot's Encyclopédie from the 1750s (descending from high to low.)
- Haut-dessus
- Bas-dessus
- Soprano
- Mezzo
- Haute-contre
- Haute-taille
- Taille
- Tenor
- Basse-taille
- Barytone
- Basse-contre
- Bass
Induced Vocal Range
Where the above are largely achieved through practice, and natural aptitude; vocal ranges can be achieved by means of physiological modification. Only a single significant example of this is notable: castrato.
See also
External Links
- http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/misc/voices.html - a history of vocal definition