Curiosity is an inherent characteristic of the human being. Among the main questions that arise almost instinctively when delving into the world of singing, is  what kind of voice do I have? In this post we are going to satisfy your curiosity with a detailed explanation about the different types of voice that exist and how to distinguish them.

What variables determine a type of voice?

This is one of the most controversial aspects when establishing a classification, and it is that the nuances can be so subtle that, sometimes, not even the experts in the field seem to agree on how to make these distinctions. What you do have to be clear about is that the types of voice are not organized by categories based on a single criterion, but rather that this classification responds to a set of variables that are the ones that define all the nuances of the voice.

Why is it so important to take them into account?

If any of these variables were discriminated against, one of the most common mistakes made by some schools would be incurred: pigeonholing the student. Although there are categories, voice types should not be understood as something strict and inflexible, but as an orientation with multiple gradations. However, taking into account the nuances that we list below, it is not only possible to define the type of voice of the singer but also to discover its full potential.

• Range: are all the notes that your voice is capable of producing.
• Tesitura: those notes in which the voice is most comfortable.
• Weight: there are voices that are lighter, others darker, some heavy, in other cases brilliant, agile, powerful…
• Voice timbre: it is the quality, the texture. The color that makes each voice unique.
• Vocal register: the different groups of sounds that make up the production of the voice.
• Transition Points: These are the points where the voice changes from chest to middle or head voice.
• Speech level: the level of the voice when speaking, taking into account its physical characteristics.

Types of voice and characteristics that define them

Now that you know that when you ask yourself the question , what kind of voice do I have? Actually, you are also questioning such important aspects as your vocal register or your voice timbre. We can analyze in more detail the scheme of voice types , always starting from the basis that labeling a singer can be counterproductive for his professional projection if this distinction is not used as a guiding tool.

Of all the variables that determine the type of a person’s voice, one of the most important is the tessitura, since it reflects the tonal amplitude of the voice, that is, the set of notes in which you can sing comfortably without need to strain the vocal cords. The rest of the variables, as we have already mentioned, are used to make additional classifications, but the basic scheme is as follows:

women’s voices

• Soprano: they are the highest voices, with a register that on a piano keyboard would go from C4 to C6. Within this group there are light sopranos (with a higher register but less body), lyrical sopranos (which have more volume than light ones, but not as much sharpness) and dramatic sopranos (with a deeper voice and a higher timbre). brighter, perfect for dramatic roles).
• Mezzo-soprano: their voices are always lower than those of the sopranos, but there are also some distinctions to be made that are sometimes too subtle. The light mezzo and the dramatic mezzo are quite similar to the dramatic sopranos, only in lower registers and with a greater capacity for lyrical ornamentation (in the case of the light ones) and with a lot of power (in the case of the dramatic ones).

• Contralto: these are very rare female voices because they are in a very serious musical range. Also for this reason, her roles in opera are rather scarce and are usually performed by mezzo-sopranos with darker timbres.

male voices

• Tenor: as is the case with the female classification, these are the highest voices in a relatively short register, from C3 to C4. Also as in the case of the soprano, the tenors are divided into light, lyrical and dramatic, sharing with them practically the same characteristics.
• Baritone: Baritones are fairly common male voices. Unlike the tenors, they are not capable of executing works with too much agility, but instead they reach those lower and darker notes where the tenors do not reach, and those bright high notes that the basses cannot reach.
• Bass: the deepest and darkest male voices are those of the basses. A register with a lot of depth that sometimes resembles the lowest notes of a cello. Due to a matter of physical development, it is almost impossible to find this type of voice at an early age.