View source for Vocal range

{{Short description|Range of pitches of a human voice}}
{{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 [[pitch (music)|pitches]] that a [[human voice]] can [[Phonation|phonate]]. A common application is within the context of [[singing]], where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into [[voice type]]s.<ref name=McKinney>{{cite book
|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 [[linguistics]], [[phonetics]], and [[speech-language pathology]], particularly in relation to the study of [[tonal language]]s 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 pedagogy|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 [[Musical note|note]]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 [[opera]] all singers must [[Voice projection|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 [[Popular music|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 register]]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 [[whistle register]], the [[Falsetto|falsetto register]], the [[Modal voice|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,<ref name=McKinney /> as in opera, where [[countertenor]]s employ falsetto and [[coloratura soprano]]s use the whistle register; notes from these registers would therefore be included in the vocal ranges of these voices.<ref name=Appelman />

== 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.<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. [[Charles Darwin]] 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 and voice classification==
Vocal range plays such an important role in classifying singing voices into [[voice type]]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 weight]], vocal [[tessitura]], vocal [[timbre]], [[Passaggio|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.<ref name=Shewan>{{cite journal
|last=Shewan |first= Robert
|date=January–February 1979
|title= Voice Classification: An Examination of Methodology
|journal= [[The NATS Bulletin]]
|volume= 35
|pages= 17–27
}}</ref>

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 [[Fach|German Fach system]], the [[Italian opera]] tradition, and [[French opera]] tradition.<ref name=McKinney /> There are other systems of classification as well, most commonly the [[choral music]] 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>

No system is universally applied or accepted.<ref name=Stark>{{cite book
|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: [[soprano]], [[mezzo-soprano]], and [[contralto]]. Men are usually divided into four main groups: [[countertenor]], [[tenor]], [[baritone]], and [[Bass (voice type)|bass]]. When considering the pre-pubescent voices of children an eighth term, [[Boy soprano|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.<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 [[tessitura]], 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 />

=== 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.<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.}}

* [[Soprano]]: the highest female voice typically between C{{sub|4}} and C{{sub|6}}
* [[Mezzo-soprano]]: the middle female voice typically between A{{sub|3}} and A{{sub|5}}
* [[Contralto]]: the lowest female voice typically between F{{sub|3}} and F{{sub|5}}
* [[Tenor]]: the highest male voice typically between C{{sub|3}} and C{{sub|5}}
* [[Baritone]]: the middle male voice typically between A{{sub|2}} and A{{sub|4}}
* [[Bass (voice type)|Bass]]: the lowest male voice typically between E{{sub|2}} and E{{sub|4}}
{{sticky header}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:center;line-height:0.5;"
|- style="line-height:1.2;"
! rowspan="2" width="30px" |[[Scientific pitch notation|Scientific pitch]] name
! rowspan="2" width="30px" |[[Piano key frequencies|Frequency]] ([[A440_(pitch_standard)|A440]])
! 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}}
|- style="line-height:1;"
| bgcolor="white" style="color:black" |  C<sub>6</sub> [[Soprano C]] (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> [[Tenor C]]
|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> [[A440 (pitch standard) | A440]]
|'''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> [[C (musical note)#Middle C|Middle C]]
|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> [[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. Within classical music, these do not fall into the female categories; they are instead called [[countertenor|''countertenors'']]. Within contemporary music, however, the use of the term ''tenor'' for these male voices is more appropriate.<ref name=Appelman />

Within choral music there are only four categories for adult singers: soprano and [[alto]] 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 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.<ref name=McKinney />

==See also==
*[[Ambitus (music)|Ambitus]]
*[[Voice classification in non-classical music]]
*[[Scientific pitch notation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/misc/voices.html A history of vocal definition]
* [http://www.singingvoice.net Singing Voice]
* {{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}}, [[Georgia Brown (Brazilian singer)|Georgia Brown]]
*{{YouTube|pJW_U0_qhic|"High voice", performed by Havouzoudi & Salambasi, recorded by Sotirios Rousiakis 2020 in Asvestades, Greece}}, retrieved from [https://www.youtube.com/@VLACHOEAW]

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

[[Category:Opera terminology]]
[[Category:Singing]]
[[Category:Anthropometry]]