VOCALS
SO YOU SAY YOU ’ RE AN ALTO ? | Sheri Gould
As I travel and meet singers from all over the world , I find that , often , singers are unsure of their vocal range . Many times , singers will associate their singing range with whatever part they sing in the groups they have been involved with . Sometimes this works … but often it does not .
The most common example of this is when a female singer will tell me that she is an “ alto ”. Most of the time a female will say this , it ’ s because she sings harmony in her group . Or perhaps she believes she is an “ alto ” because her access to her upper range is limited due to lack of training . Whatever the reasons most of the time she is mistaken . Interestingly , even to call oneself an “ alto ” is actually a misuse of the traditional sense of the word . In fact , throughout history the term alto was applied to a part of music sung in four parts . So , for example , “ I sang the alto part in the Messiah ” would be an accurate use of the word . It has since been abbreviated , due to common use , to “ I sing alto ” or “ I ’ m an alto in choir ”. It can be used as an adjective i . e . an “ alto ” saxophone as well . Interesting . But the correct term to label one ’ s range is actually contralto . In other words , it would be proper to say “ I am a contralto ”. It ’ s confusing because other vocal parts equal range names … Soprano , Tenor and Bass or Baritone . It ’ s ironic because the word contralto comes from the Latin prefix “ contra ” which means opposite to or contrary , and the Latin word “ alto ” which means high . In actuality , to call oneself an alto is to say ( in Latin ) that you are a high singer !
Below , I have listed the common markers for human vocal range as outlined in Wikipedia . I find these to be pretty accurate although there is some disagreement among vocal theorists .
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Soprano : the highest female voice , being able to sing C
4
( middle C ) to C 6
( high C ), and possibly higher .
A 3
( A below middle C ) and A 5
( 2nd A above middle C ).
•
Contralto : the lowest female voice , F
3 ( F below middle C ) to E
5
( 2nd E above Middle C ). Rare contraltos possess a range similar to the tenor .
•
Tenor : the highest male voice , B
2 ( 2nd B below middle C ) to A
4
( A above middle C ), and possibly higher .
•
Baritone : a male voice , G
2 ( two Gs below middle C ) to F
4
( F above middle C ).
•
Bass : the lowest male voice , E
2 ( two
Es below middle C ) to E 4 ( the E above middle C ).
I believe it is helpful to get an accurate idea of what your vocal range truly is for many reasons . In order to get the most out of your voice and find your true potential , it ’ s best to operate in your own range . In addition , it ’ s imperative that you continually work out the outer reaches of your range if you want to keep it . Many singers have no idea what their true range is because they likely sing in what is the most comfortable and most easily accessed range . That is fine in many cases , but you will ultimately lose what you don ’ t use . Without pressing on , in a healthy approach , a singer might miss out on many beautiful areas of their range without even knowing it .
As a vocal coach I can pretty easily make the boast that I can increase your range by an octave . I can say this mostly because most people have never explored what they are actually capable of . In addition to pushing them beyond what they would do alone , just like a good physical trainer would , I can immediately show them new notes to sing that they ’ ve never even tried . After that , with good vocal technique , including proper breath support , lowered larynx and overall relaxation techniques , I can then easily take them even farther both high and low to increase their overall range and tone quality . In conclusion , although most of the women I speak with identify themselves as “ altos ”, it ’ s highly unlikely that most of them are . A true contralto is often regarded as the rarest of the female voices , and is present in as few as one ( some theorists project as high as 10 ) percent of the female population ( while mezzosopranos are by far the most prolific ). This misunderstanding of their own voice leads to a loss of their true , innate capabilities and limits what they even attempt to sing . I recommend having a sit down at a piano and , while no one is looking or listening , see where you find yourself able to sing compared to the above list - or even better - get together with a great vocal coach and see what music you can make !
Sheri Gould Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach . She ’ s been helping artists and worshipers find their voice for over 40 years . For help and resources visit her site . www . SheriGould . com