Your Vocal Range

[guitaniac]

In terms of the guitar in concert pitch, the regular vocals usually stay between the E at the open low E string and the 'a' at the high 'e'string, fifth fret. I occasionaly reach up to a tenor high 'c' (high 'e' string, eigth fret), but that's pretty strained.

My falsetto is a bit freaky, as I go up to the eb which is at the 23rd fret of the high 'e' string for several yodeling/novelty type songs. I could probably stretch it a bit higher, but don't have any songs which call for it.

Gary

[mishmannah]

Originally Posted by Rejoice Music

Why are so many worship leaders tenors? And why don't more females lead worship? Never mind.....these are subjects for another thread, the latter probably better taken on in The Dock.

My buddy's a worship leader. And she's female..........

We've got two of 'em, actually.

Wow, how enlightened we are!!

I used to have singing lessons, and was told you could extend your range note by note by practice. Very similar to fitness training.

A friend of mine was able to extend her range by half an octave at either end of her range by simply working on it. It took ages though, and cannot be rushed.

[bobc]

I'm a tenor. ten...or...eleven...

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by bobc

Now... I have heared someone refer to the term "falseto". Is that the point where your voice changes on the high end?

If so... I can hit the high E without going into falseto.

It depends on what you mean by "changes".

You might be just going into what's called "head voice" (if I remember correctly).

For an example of falsetto, think of "Sayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.

Here's a description of the difference I found:

http://www.goodrichvocal.com/educati..._men_page5.htm

Now the question of head voice or falsetto. We are often asked if they are the same. The answer is no, they are much different. When a man sings in his head voice, his vocal cords are closed and his tone is pure. He can sing this way at any dynamic level he chooses. The confusion between falsetto and head voice is because head voice can be sung very softly, with an almost falsetto-like quality. The difference, however, is that when a man sings in falsetto, his vocal cords are not closed all the way. This makes the tone airy and very limiting. We refer to this as a "disconnected" sound. We refer to head voice as a "connected" sound, quite simply, because it is smoothly connected with the chest voice. There are no breaks because the cords are closed in chest voice, and they remain closed as they make their adjustments through the bridges into head voice. Falsetto, on the other hand, is disconnected from the chest voice and the head voice because the vocal cords are not closed.

Note: there are a couple of mp3 files on that site, as well, to demonstate the difference.

[cominghome419]

Now the question of head voice or falsetto. We are often asked if they are the same. The answer is no, they are much different. When a man sings in his head voice, his vocal cords are closed and his tone is pure. He can sing this way at any dynamic level he chooses. The confusion between falsetto and head voice is because head voice can be sung very softly, with an almost falsetto-like quality. The difference, however, is that when a man sings in falsetto, his vocal cords are not closed all the way. This makes the tone airy and very limiting. We refer to this as a "disconnected" sound. We refer to head voice as a "connected" sound, quite simply, because it is smoothly connected with the chest voice. There are no breaks because the cords are closed in chest voice, and they remain closed as they make their adjustments through the bridges into head voice. Falsetto, on the other hand, is disconnected from the chest voice and the head voice because the vocal cords are not closed.

Correct! One of the main objectives of Speech Level Singing is keeping the vocal cords closed. It smooths the bridges, improves balance, tone, range and protects your vocal cords from damage. The other main objective is keeping your larynx still, instead of it moving up and down as you change pitch.

Check out the stuff.
http://www.speechlevelsinging.com/index.html

[Gone_Acoustic]

I often manage to sing a tune correctly, but in a different key than the chords I'm playing (says my wife, who has the musical ear in our family)

I can probably take some of the notes from most vocal octaves, but I know I shouldn't! (and not legal in some states)

[Chicago Sandy]

Had another lesson Thurs. afternoon. Mentioned the bit about Mariah Carey having 7 octaves, and my teacher (who teaches Speech Level Singing) says that's a crock, that it'd practically take an oscilloscope to detect. He claims even Minnie Riperton's 5 octaves was verging on freakish. We experimented--this time I vocalized from the E below the staff to the F# above (3 octaves + a half step ea. above and below), but as to actually making audible and accurate sounds, it was more like F below to F above, so that's 3 octaves. And that's more than I had when I was officially considered a first soprano. (So, Styxx, not quite "high tenor to a dog whistle," but I'm flattered! )

When it comes to choral repertoire, though, I rarely venture below the A below the staff (generally, the lowest alto parts) or above the high B above the staff (which I've had to do in Brahms' "German Requiem," Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass," and Max Janofsky's "Sim Shalom"), which is 2 octaves plus a full step--and therefore classifies me chorally as "utility infielder." In folk, I sometimes dip down to the G (easier in the morning), but rarely have to hit anything above high E; in rock, I often had to hit the high A "oooh" on "From Small Things, Mama."

I once listened, on a sampler LP, to the "Dies Irae" from the CSO's late 1970s recording of Verdi's "Requiem," with Leontyne Price (a dramatic soprano) singing the soprano solo. I was struck by the relatively mediocre tenor, sort of like a foggy chesty version of the late Jan Peerce, and checked the record's label to see who it was. I was amazed to see neither a tenor nor a mezzo credited.....it was Price singing the tenor part too!

(In her heyday, she claimed to have a range from the A below the staff to the E above it--2 octaves +7 half-steps. And that was one heckuva range. That makes the Carey claim even tougher to swallow).

[DaveWilsonUK]

Originally Posted by SongwriterFan

Sorry, but one can't SING a note that humans can't hear. Not by MY definition, anyway.

I can sing a note that no human WANTS to hear. Does that count?

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by Gone_Acoustic

I often manage to sing a tune correctly, but in a different key than the chords I'm playing

I know this key . . . I think it's called G-demolished.

[DonBob]

Hard to think in terms of "I" when talking about singing these days. Phuufme has a solid high tenor comfort zone with a good-sized bottom end. I'm a relatively low baritone with some decent high notes [for me] while I'm still in the chest voice. Between the two of us, We have just about as much effective range as Roy Orbison had.

We "cheat" in some of our songs, swapping harmony and melody in the middle of a line to give a good uniform strength vocal. But like I say, these days it's pretty much "how much range do we have."

[Tom S.]

How do I know whether I'm a tenor, baritone or whatever? What are the ranges.

[SongwriterFan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_range

* Soprano: C4 - A5
* Mezzo-soprano: A3 - F5
* Contralto (often abbreviated to Alto): F3 - D5
* Tenor: B2 - G4
* Baritone: G2 - E4
* Bass: E2 - C4

(corrected a couple of these, based on the following chart):

http://www.library.yale.edu/catalogi...ic/vocalrg.htm

[Chicago Sandy]

So if I can comfortably sing (not just exercise) from G3 to B5, (and can exercise from E3 to F5) what does that make me? In the Chicago Bar Show chorus, there are more "altos" who can easily sing the soprano parts than vice versa. (The only one of the latter I know who can and does is also a voice teacher as well as a labor lawyer).

[HolyRoly]

Originally Posted by Guyute

I'm with Sage....no clue.

I can sing Neil Diamond songs and although I can't get the low note on "but then I know it's growing strong" in Sweet Caroline, neither can Neil

I can also pretty easily hit most of Dave Matthews' falsetto notes, sing "Can't Find My Way Home" with or without falsetto and even sing some female singers' songs in the same key.

I'm a hideous vocal freak, but it's served me well over the years. No training, I just have a natural ability to contort my voice.

Oh, and completely off subject, I've recently been told that my Christopher Walken impression is "uncanny"

Wow, just checked out your sight, are you sure your not Dave Matthews...

I wouldnt mind the tab for bartender either if you get a chance, well done!

[zsimmen]

i don't even know what an octave is with singing but i have noticed that i have lots of trouble hitting those higher notes but with progress it is getting better... i guess i would say if i have a voice like any other musician out there it's Dave Matthews but still I am working on it what should i do to improve my voice? take lessons is something i'm against but would do if i get enough suggestions