Determine the type of voice in a child and an adult

Each voice is unique and unique in its sound. Thanks to these features, we can easily recognize the voices of our friends even by phone. Singing voices differ not only in timbre, but also in height of voice opening, range, individual coloring. And in this article you will learn how to correctly determine the type of voice of a child or an adult. And also how to determine your convenient range.

Singing voices are always suitable for one of the vocal characteristics that have come up with in the Italian opera school. They were compared in sound with musical instruments of a string quartet. As a rule, the sound of a violin was compared with the female voice of a soprano, the viola with a mezzo. The lowest voices, the contralto, were compared to the sound of the horn (like the tenor tone), and the low bass timbres were compared to the double bass.

Thus, a classification of voices, close to choral, appeared. In contrast to the church choir, in which only men sang, the Italian opera school expanded the possibilities of singing and allowed us to create a classification of female and male voices. Indeed, in the church choir, women's parties performed treble (soprano) or tenor-altino. This characteristic of voices has been preserved even today, not only in opera, but also in pop singing, however, in the stage, the sound is different. Some criteria are:

4 voice criteria

Professional singing has its own definition criteria. While listening, the teacher pays attention to:

1. Voice Timbre. So called the unique color of the voice, which can be light and dark, rich and soft, lyrical gentle. The timbre is made up of the individual coloring of the voice that each person has. One voice sounds soft, delicate, even a little childish, the other already in the early years has a rich chest color. There are head, chest and mixed timbres, soft and sharp. It is the main characteristic of coloring. There are voices whose sharp timbre sounds very repulsive and unpleasant to the extent that they are not recommended to practice vocals. The timbre, as well as the range, is a distinctive feature of the singer, and the voice of outstanding singers and singers is distinguished by a bright personality and recognizability. In vocals, you will appreciate the soft, beautiful and pleasant to listen to timbre.
2. Range. Each type of voice has not only its own characteristic sound, but also a range. It can be determined while singing or by asking a person to sing a song in a key convenient for him. Usually singing voices have a certain range, which allows you to accurately determine its type. There are working and non-working range of voice. Professional singers have a wide operating range, which allows them to not only replace their colleagues with other voices, but also beautifully perform opera arias for other parties.
3. Key. Any voice has its own tone, in which the performer is comfortable to sing. It will be different for each type.
4. Tessitura. This is the name of a certain part of the range in which it is convenient for the performer to sing. For each voice he has his own. The wider this area, the better. It is often said that there is a convenient and inconvenient tesitature for voice or performer. This means that a song or part in a choir may be convenient for singing by one performer and inconvenient for another, although their ranges may be the same. So you can define and voice features.

how correctly determine the type of voice in children

Children's voices do not yet have a formed timbre, but already at this time it is possible to determine their type in adulthood. They are usually divided into high and low, both in boys and girls. In the chorus they are called soprano and alto or treble and bass. In mixed choirs there are 1st and 2nd sopranos, as well as 1st and 2nd alt. After the transitional age, they will acquire a brighter color and after 16-18 years old it will be possible to determine the adult type of voice.

Most often, trebles produce tenors and baritones, and altos - dramatic baritones and basses.. Girls' low voices can turn into a mezzo-soprano or contralto, and a soprano can become a little higher and lower and acquire its own unique timbre. But it happens that low voices become high and vice versa.

The treble is well recognizable by its sonorous high-pitched sound. Some of them can even sing for girls. They have a well-developed high register and range.

Violas and boys and girls have a chest sound. They have a more beautiful low notes, not the top. The soprano - the highest voices of the girls - better sound high notes, ranging from the first octave salt, than the low. If you define their Tessitura, you can understand how it will develop. That is, how to determine the range of this voice in adulthood.

how correctly identify your voice type

Currently there are 3 types of female and male voices. Each type has its own differences.

Soprano - the most sonorous, easy high female voice. It has a bright feminine timbre and can sound high, loud and shrill. It is more convenient for him to sing at the end of the first octave and in the second, and some coloratura sopranos easily sing high notes in the third. Men have a similar sound tenor.

Mezzo-soprano is a rich and rich middle female voice. Most often, it has a beautiful deep timbre and range, which is beautifully revealed in the first octave and at the beginning of the second. The low notes of this voice sound full, juicy, with a beautiful chest sound. It is similar to the sound of a baritone.

The contralto is a deep, sensual, velvety and lowest voice in women. It has a sound that resembles a cello in timbre, and can take low notes of a small octave. And the lowest male voice is bass profundo, which is very rare in nature. Most often the lowest parts in the choir sing bass.

Having listened to outstanding singers of your gender, you will easily understand how to determine your type by coloring.

How to determine unmistakably the tone of voice? You can do this at home if you have a musical instrument. Choose a song that you like and sing it in a comfortable key. It must have a wide range to cover at least one and a half octaves. Then try to pick her tune. In what range is it convenient for you to sing it? Then lift it higher and lower.

Where is your voice better revealed? This is the most convenient part of your working range. The soprano will be convenient to sing at the end of the first and the beginning of the second octave and above, the mezzo - in the first, and the contralto sounds most brightly in the last tetrachord of the small octave and in the first sixth of the first. This is a good way to correctly determine the tone of your voice.

Here is another wayhow to determine what your natural voice is. You need to take a chanting in the octave range (for example, do-me-la-up (up) to -m-la (down), and sing it in different keys that will differ for a second. If the voice is revealed when you sing the then its type is soprano, and if it dims and loses its expressiveness, mezzo or contralto.

Now do the same from top to bottom. In what key you began to sing most conveniently? Did the voice lose its timbre and become dull? When moving down a soprano loses its timbre on low notes, it is inconvenient for them to sing, unlike mezzo and contralto. So you can determine not only the timbre of the voice, but also the most convenient area for singing, that is, the working range.

How to determine what your voice is in the studio? Select several tracks of your favorite song in different pitch and sing them. Where the voice is best revealed, and should sing in the future. Well, at the same time you will know how to determine your timbre by listening to the recording several times. And, although you may not like to recognize your voice, sometimes a recording can most accurately determine its sound. So, if you want to define your voice and understand how to work with it, go to the studio. Good luck!