Part 1: Head and Chest Voices
Many people find vocal ranges confusing. How do you make the transition from high to low? What is the difference between the chest and the head voice?
Definitions
Head Voice
The head voice, used for the higher part of your range, is so named because the sound vibrates in your head! When singing in your head voice, you should feel resonance (or vibration) above the roof of your mouth, behind the vocal cavity.
This is often referred to as "voce di testa"- there is a unique feeling after the upper passiggio into this register, and the reason for it is a thinning of the edges of the vocal folds. It happens all the way through the middle register, but after the passaggio, it instantly become more pronounced, and singing feels very different, as less of the folds are available to offer resistance to the breath. The glottis will not open and close completely. This is where the "pure head register" begins.
A mixed tone is a way to create colour and fuller sound in the middle part of the register- the lower the pitch, the more chest can be used. When the pitch raises, so does the amount of "headiness" in the tone. Some teachers choose not to differentiate between the lower-middle and upper-middle, instead choosing to present them as one long middle register, which I prefer to use as well for more elementary explanations. Mixed voice is simply the use of elements of both pure chest and pure head registers.
Chest Voice
The chest voice is used for the lower part of your range. The chest voice is easier for most undeveloped singers, and is easy to characterize by the vibration in your chest.
Nearly all singing done in the "chest register" involves a mix. It is the “spoken” sort of sound that pop and Broadway singers use almost exclusively. Because of the thickening of the vocal folds that singing in chest entails, the glottis closes firmly so that when air pressure builds up below, it bursts out. Each puff of air opens the glottis explosively- essentially slamming the folds together, then ripping them apart again. This makes the use of chest register VERY hard on your vocal folds, and can cause permanent damage through the exclusive use of this register. It is only appropriate in the pitches below the lower passaggio in each voice type.
Exercises
Exercise #1: The Chest Voice
Pick a note that is fairly low but very comfortable for you. Using proper breathing technique, sing it for a count of eight, gently, on "ah". It is not necessary to be loud for these exercises. Put your hand on your chest. Do you feel a vibration? If not, check for a vibration in your throat. If you can feel vibration in your throat but not your chest, open your moth to its full extension, relax your muscles, and try again. While there will always be some vibration in your throat, you should also feel it in the chest if you are singing in the chest voice correctly. If you are having problems with tension in the throat during this exercise, try starting the "ah" in the middle of a yawn. Massage your cheeks jaw gently, and try again. Still having trouble? Check your breathing technique.
Exercise #2: The Head Voice
Pick a note approximately one octave above the note you sang for the chest voice exercise. Again, using proper breathing technique, sing it gently for a count of eight on "ah". You should feel very little to no vibration in your throat. It is difficult to feel the vibration of the head voice, because it is inside your head, but you should place your hand on your forehead and imagine that you can feel the vibration there.
Part 2 : Classifying Your Range
The two questions I most often hear asked are "What is my vocal classification?" and "How can I extend my range?"
Vocal Range Definitions
Soprano Range
The most common range for women. Commonly referred to as Soprano I in choirs. Sopranos usually sing most comfortably in the head voice, and their range is usually from G3 (the G just below middle C) to C6 (the C on the ledger line).
Chest: G3-Eb4
Lower passaggio: Fb4
Lower middle: Bb3-C5
Upper middle: C#5-F#5
Upper passaggio: F#5
Upper: G5-C#6
Flageolet: D6-A6
Lyric coloratura soprano: The lightest, highest, and most flexible type of soprano. Often weak at the bottom.
Dramatic coloratura soprano: Darker tone, but still very high and flexible. Think "Queen of the Night" from The Magic Flute.
Lyric soprano: Fairly light tone, lots of clarity, warmth, and "bell-like" sound. Blossoms in the upper middle of the register.
Soubrette soprano: Very light tone. Often plays the "maid" sort of characters in operas. Typically, only younger singers are soubrettes.
Spinto soprano: A little darker and fuller, less flexibility but a "fatter" sound.
Dramatic soprano: The darkest, "fattest" soprano sound. The type of soprano often used in Wagnerian opera.
Mezzo Soprano Range
Similar to a soprano range, but slightly lower and often with a slightly darker sound. It is considered the middle range for women. When singing in a choir, mezzos are often called Soprano II. Mezzos work in both the head and chest range, and sing from E3 (below middle C) to Bflat 5 (on the ledger line).
Chest: E3(F3)-E4(F4)
Lower passaggio: F4
Lower middle: C4-Bb4
Upper middle- B4-E5(F5)
Upper passaggio: E5(F5)
Upper: F5(F#5)-Bb5(B5)
Flageolet: C6-
Lyric mezzo-soprano: Less upper range than a soprano, more strength and full tone in the bottom registers. Fairly light tone and good flexibility.
Italian mezzo-soprano: Darker and fuller than a lyric mezzo. Often seen in Verdi.
French mezzo-soprano: Slender, low tone. Think "Carmen".
Contralto (Alto) Range
The lowest range and least common range for women. Many women who have not developed their head voice consider themselves altos, as altos sing almost exclusively in the chest voice. An alto range spans from D3 (below middle C) to Aflat5 (on the ledger line).
Chest: D3-G4(Ab4)
Lower passaggio: G4
Lower middle: F4-A4
Upper middle- Bb4-D5
Upper passaggio: D5
Upper: Eb5-Ab5
Flageolet: A5 (rarely developed)
Contralto: The lowest female voice. Almost tenor-like in sound. Very comfortable on the bottom, pushed on the top. Mostly used in oratorio, not often seen in opera.
Tenor
The tenor is the male counterpart to a soprano, with a similar range, but is an octave lower: G2 to C5. Boys whose voices have not yet changed usually sing in this range as well.
Baritone
The middle range for men, with a range an octave lower than the mezzo: E2 to Bflat 4.
Bass
The lowest range for men, an octave lower than an alto's: D2 to Aflat 4. Men with an extremely low range are often referred to as "basso profundo".
Vocal Classification
Please remember that as an inexperienced singer, any voice classification is temporary. You may think you are an alto because you "can't sing high" but this may simply be a problem with your head voice. Once you learn to work with your head voice, you may discover you are in fact of a soprano! So don't get too caught up in what type of voice you have. What matters most is that singing feels comfortable and that you achieve a pleasant sound. Although it is difficult to classify your voice without hearing it personally, here are some general guidelines:
If you have access to a piano, start with middle C and work downwards, then upwards. Play each note and sing it back. When the notes become difficult to sing, stop. Do not strain to reach notes. Write down the highest and lowest note that you can comfortably reach. (Remember to use proper breath support!) Compare your lowest and highest notes to the guidelines for each classification listed in the previous lesson. The range that has a description that matches your abilities the closest is probably your range. For a completely accurate assessment, see a professional singing instructor.
Extending Your Range
Q: How can I sing higher?
A: Don't try to sing higher than is comfortable. If you want to be able to sing higher notes, you must work at it gradually. Do scales and exercises every day, and practice good breath support. Keep your muscles relaxed. Don't strain. Remember that ranges tend to extend in plateaus. You may have a sudden burst of ability, and then it won't improve for a while. Be prepared to stick with it even if you don't see immediate results.
Q: I don't know how to switch from my chest to my head voice. What is it supposed to feel like? My voice sometimes cracks on high notes.
A: The head voice is an area of concern for many beginning singers. It will feel and sound different, and you have to learn not to fight the transition. When singing high notes, the sound should feel as if it is resonating at the top of your mouth right through to the top of your head. Let the sound flow up, don't push it there. Good breath support is essential. A common problem is to get stuck between the chest and head and start singing in the throat. This will cause tension and lead to difficulty with projection. Always use your hand to check where the vibration is (see the previous lesson).
Q: When I am singing up the scale and my voice switches from chest to head resonance, there are a few notes that I cannot sing at all. What is wrong?
A: The break between chest and head voice is something that every woman has to deal with. This is a common problem, so don't worry. The most important thing to remember is to keep practicing, and to keep your jaw, throat, and cheek muscles relaxed. Use good breathing technique. Eventually, you will overcome this problem but it will take time.
