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A voice type is a group of voices with similar vocal ranges, capable of singing in a similar tessitura, and with similar vocal transition points (). [1] Voice classification is most strongly associated with European classical music, though it, and the terms it utilizes, are used in other styles of music as well.
These basic types are soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto for women, and tenor, baritone, and bass for men. [6] Within choral music the system is collapsed into only four categories for adult singers: soprano and alto for women, and tenor and bass for men. [7]
Alto, like the other three standard modern choral voice classifications (soprano, tenor and bass) was originally intended to describe a part within a homophonic or polyphonic texture, rather than an individual voice type; [3] neither are the terms alto and contralto interchangeable or synonymous, though they are often treated as such.
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.
soprano The highest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano) sordina, sordine (plural) A mute. Note: sordina, with plural sordine, is strictly correct Italian, but the forms sordino and sordini are much more commonly used in music. Instruments can have their tone muted with wood, rubber, metal, or plastic devices (for ...
A soprano (Italian pronunciation: [soˈpraːno]) is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types.The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C 4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A 5) = 880 Hz in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C 6, two octaves above middle C) = 1046 Hz or higher in operatic music.
When the soprano and alto are notated in one staff, all stems for the soprano go up, and all for the alto go down. Similarly, when the tenor and bass are notated in one staff, the upper voice is marked by stems up, and both voices are written in bass clef, while the tenor is usually written in treble clef marked an octave down if it has its own staff.
The four main voices are typically labelled as soprano (or treble and countertenor), [2] alto (contralto, countertenor or mezzo), tenor, and bass. Because the human voice has a limited range, different voice types are usually not able to sing pitches that lie outside of their specific range.