All singing voices are divided into women's, men's and children's. The main female voices are soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto, and the most common male voices are tenor, baritone and bass.
All sounds that can be sung or played on a musical instrument are high, medium and low. When musicians talk about the pitch of sounds, they use the term "register", implying whole groups of high, medium or low sounds.
In a global sense, female voices sing sounds of a high or “upper” register, children’s voices sing sounds of a middle register, and male voices sing sounds of a low or “lower” register. But this is only partly true; in fact, everything is much more interesting. Within each group of voices, and even within the range of each individual voice, there is also a division into high, middle and low register.
For example, a high male voice is a tenor, a middle voice is a baritone, and a low voice is a bass. Or, another example, singers have the highest voice - soprano, the middle voice of female vocalists is mezzo-soprano, and the low voice is contralto. To finally understand the division of male and female, and at the same time, children’s voices into high and low, this sign will help you:
If we talk about the registers of any one voice, then each of them has both low and high sounds. For example, a tenor sings both low chest sounds and high falsetto sounds, which are inaccessible to basses or baritones.
Female singing voices
So, the main types of female singing voices are soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto. They differ primarily in range, as well as timbre coloring. Timbre properties include, for example, transparency, lightness or, conversely, saturation, and strength of voice.
Soprano– the highest female singing voice, its usual range is two octaves (entirely the first and second octave). In opera performances, the roles of the main characters are often performed by singers with such a voice. If we talk about artistic images, then a high-pitched voice best characterizes a young girl or some fantastic character (for example, a fairy).
Sopranos, according to the nature of their sound, are divided into lyrical and dramatic– you yourself can easily imagine that the parts of a very tender girl and a very passionate girl cannot be performed by the same performer. If a voice easily copes with fast passages and flourishes in its high register, then such a soprano is called coloratura.
Contralto– it has already been said that this is the lowest of women’s voices, moreover, very beautiful, velvety, and also very rare (in some opera houses there is not a single contralto). A singer with such a voice in operas is often assigned the roles of teenage boys.
Below is a table that names examples of opera roles that are often performed by certain female singing voices:
Let's listen to how women's singing voices sound. Here are three video examples for you:
Soprano. Aria of the Queen of the Night from the opera “The Magic Flute” by Mozart performed by Bela Rudenko
Mezzo-soprano. Habanera from the opera “Carmen” by Bizet performed by the famous singer Elena Obraztsova
Contralto. Ratmir's aria from the opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" by Glinka, performed by Elizaveta Antonova.
Male singing voices
There are only three main male voices - tenor, bass and baritone. Tenor Of these, the highest, its pitch range is the notes of the small and first octaves. By analogy with the soprano timbre, performers with this timbre are divided into dramatic tenors and lyric tenors. In addition, sometimes they mention such a variety of singers as "characteristic" tenor. “Character” is given to it by some phonic effect - for example, silveriness or rattling. A characteristic tenor is simply irreplaceable where it is necessary to create the image of a gray-haired old man or some cunning rascal.
Baritone– this voice is distinguished by its softness, density and velvety sound. The range of sounds that a baritone can sing is from A major octave to A first octave. Performers with such a timbre are often entrusted with courageous roles of characters in operas of a heroic or patriotic nature, but the softness of the voice allows them to reveal loving and lyrical images.
Bass– the voice is the lowest, can sing sounds from F of the large octave to F of the first. The basses are different: some are rolling, “droning”, “bell-like”, others are hard and very “graphic”. Accordingly, the parts of the characters for the basses are varied: these are heroic, “fatherly”, and ascetic, and even comic images.
You are probably interested to know which of the male singing voices is the lowest? This bass profundo, sometimes singers with such a voice are also called octavists, since they “take” low notes from the counter-octave. By the way, we have not yet mentioned the highest male voice - this tenor-altino or countertenor, who sings quite calmly in an almost female voice and easily reaches the high notes of the second octave.
As in the previous case, male singing voices with examples of their operatic roles are displayed in the table:
Now listen to the sound of male singing voices. Here are three more video examples for you.
Tenor. Song of the Indian guest from the opera “Sadko” by Rimsky-Korsakov, performed by David Poslukhin.
Baritone. Gliere's romance “The nightingale soul sang sweetly,” sung by Leonid Smetannikov
Bass. Prince Igor's aria from Borodin's opera "Prince Igor" was originally written for baritone, but in this case it is sung by one of the best basses of the 20th century - Alexander Pirogov.
The working range of a professionally trained vocalist's voice is usually two octaves on average, although sometimes singers and female singers have much greater capabilities. In order for you to have a good understanding of tessitura when choosing notes for practice, I suggest you get acquainted with the picture, which clearly demonstrates the permissible ranges for each of the voices:
Before concluding, I want to please you with one more tablet, with which you can get acquainted with vocalists who have one or another voice timbre. This is necessary so that you can independently find and listen to even more audio examples of the sound of male and female singing voices:
That's all! We talked about what types of voices singers have, we figured out the basics of their classification, the size of their ranges, the expressive capabilities of timbres, and also listened to examples of the sound of the voices of famous vocalists. If you liked the material, share it on your contact page or on your Twitter feed. There are special buttons under the article for this. Good luck!
April 9th, 2014 , 04:57 pm
A voice that does not correspond to gender and age.
Mutation falsetto or puberphonia
– a condition in which men retain a high-pitched, feminine voice even after adolescence. People with this condition, even as adults, speak in a high-pitched voice, like that of little boys.
1. Functional factor
In most cases, functional factors arise due to some psychological problems. It often happens that when the voice begins to change in adolescence, a person at a subconscious level experiences resistance to a low tone, and deliberately begins to speak in a high voice.
2. Organic factor
Organic abnormalities are usually caused by damage to the mucous membrane of the vocal folds, such as scars, or disturbances in the development of the endocrine system. In such cases, the larynx has a structure similar to that of a woman.
Symptoms of puberphonia
If, with a normal structure of the larynx, only a high voice comes out, and the frequency of the voice coincides with the frequency of the female voice, this indicates puberphonia. In this case, the voice quickly gets tired, and during singing it often breaks down and higher notes “cannot be played.”
Also, with puberphonia, the tone of the voice is constantly high, and it is impossible to speak in a low tone.
If puberphonia is caused by organic changes, the appearance of scars in the mucous membrane of the vocal folds, or disturbances in the development of the larynx, then hoarseness, a weak or rough high-pitched voice is noted, which comes out along with the air.
Diagnosis of puberphonia
If puberphonia is caused by a functional factor, then examination with a fibrolaryngoscope and stroboscopy of the larynx will reveal normal vocal folds. During sound production, excessive tension in the external muscles of the larynx can be noted.
With organic puberphonia, damage to the mucous membrane of the vocal folds or impaired development of the larynx are observed.
Treatment of puberphonia
Treatment of functional puberphonia is possible with the help of voice development activities, but it will take a lot of time. Recently, the method of injecting Botox into the muscles of the larynx, which are responsible for high tone, has been used. In this way, the tone is lowered, and then, during lessons with a phoniator, the method of voice formation is formed so that it becomes a habit. Classes with a phoniator carried out after a Botox injection significantly shorten the treatment period and the voice recovers faster.
In case of organic puberphonia, percutaneous injection laryngoplasty may be required,
It is believed that with a low voice she looks more attractive in the eyes. It seems that there is indeed some truth in this, but the point is not at all in the timbre of the voice itself: low or high, but in the various nuances associated with it. This was proven by the results of a recent study conducted by specialists from the University of Vienna.
Experiment to evaluate female voices
Scientists recruited a team of male volunteers and gave them to listen to recordings of the voices of 42 female students who had previously been photographed. Subjects were then asked to choose the most sexually attractive among the voices. In most cases, participants pointed to girls with good looks, although they did not see their faces.
The authors of the experiment noted that the faces of the students whose voices were more often identified as " " were distinguished by symmetry of features; they tended to have high cheekbones, soft jawlines and full lips. According to experts, such an appearance indicates a good genotype, which also affects the synchronization of the vocal cords, larynx and nasal cavity. On a subconscious level, a man perceives a woman’s voice as a signal that everything is fine with her sexually, which means she can become a wife and mother.
Yes, pronouncing words with aspiration and special nuances may seem attractive. But in other cases, on the contrary, it can make a repulsive impression. And not only when it comes to the sphere of personal relationships. For example, statistics show that women with low and hoarse voices are less likely to get a job as a result of interviews. It turns out that many people perceive people with a “squeaky” voice as “unreliable.” Maybe because those with hoarse voices often smoke and have other bad habits.
Female voices and headhunters
A team of American psychologists once invited 800 headhunters to listen to recordings of various female voices and choose which one they would like to invite to. Only a fifth of respondents preferred women with hoarse voices. The rest commented on their choice by saying that a hoarse voice indicates low competence, lack of education and external unattractiveness.
Note that women who work as secretaries or managers and often have to communicate with people on the phone tend to have high-pitched voices. Perhaps such voices on a subconscious level inspire more trust. But at the same time, voices with an overly high timbre, more like a screech, are annoying...
"People prefer voices with vocal characteristics that are typical of the general population," the scientists said. "Although unusual voices may be more memorable, people find common-sounding voices more attractive."
Voice modulation depending on interest in the interlocutor
By the way, a group of experts from the University of Stirling found that our voices can change depending on whether we find the interlocutor of the opposite sex attractive. For the purpose of the experiment, 110 heterosexual volunteers were asked to strike up a conversation with each other. Subsequently, all participants were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed the degree of attractiveness of their partners. It turned out that if a man liked the woman he was talking to, the tone of his voice decreased and the modulation also increased, that is, the frequency of the tone became more variable.
The head of the study, Juan David Leongómez, explains this by the fact that although a low timbre of the voice indicates masculinity (masculinity), it is also associated with aggression and promiscuity, therefore, wanting to please a lady, a man unconsciously tries to speak in a low voice to signal his masculinity, and at the same time modulates the tone to show that he is not aggressive and reliable.
So, if during the conversation you notice that the voice of a representative of the stronger sex has become more “singing,” then most likely this indicates his interest in you. At the same time, the researchers conclude, modulations can increase the attractiveness of a given man in the eyes of a woman. So experienced heartthrobs, consciously or unconsciously, actively use this technique.
Voice timbre is the brightness of the sound, its individuality, conveyed during singing. The sound is determined by the fundamental tone and additional sounds called overtones. The more overtones, the brighter and more colorful the voice will be. The natural number of overtones combined with is the secret of the mesmerizing sound of the voice.
Voice timbre, types
The most pleasant timbre is considered to be a voice that has the correct modulation, both in high and low tones. In fact, any voice can be cast with the right approach. This means giving it a professional sound. To do this, you need to learn to control the frequency of your voice, as well as the emotional coloring. This is easy to do with the help of a vocal specialist. To determine your own timbre, you need to know what voice timbres there are in general. There are several main types:
- tenor. This is the highest male voice. It can be lyrical or dramatic.
- baritone;
- bass. The lowest voice timbre in comparison with the above. It can be central or melodious.
- soprano. This is a very high pitched voice. There are lyric soprano, dramatic and coloratura.
- mezzo-soprano;
- contralto. It's a low voice.
What does timbre depend on?
The fundamental factor in the formation of timbre is the vocal cords. It is almost impossible to find several people who can sing equally. It is unlikely that you will be able to change your voice radically. But if you turn to a teacher, it is quite possible to improve its coloring.
How to determine voice timbre?
It is almost impossible to determine the timbre on your own, without certain knowledge and skills. At home, you can only tentatively attribute your voice to one or another type of timbre. The most accurate data can be obtained by using specialized equipment - a spectrometer. It studies the outgoing sound, and then classifies it in the correct direction. You can read more about spectrometers at the end of the article.
How to change your voice tone
The timbre of the voice largely depends on the characteristics of the human body. The volume, shape of the trachea and oral resonator, as well as the tightness of the closure of the vocal cords are of great importance. Therefore, it is not possible to radically change the sound of the voice.
However, you can give the timbre the necessary coloring by adding low or high overtones and achieving their ideal balance. There are various exercises for this, for example, pronouncing the soft fricative “r”.
The shape of the lips and the position of the tongue have a great influence on the timbre. You can experiment, for example, changing the position of the jaw and talking with a fixed lower lip.
At the age of three, a person’s voice pattern changes and he becomes more constrained. We diligently control volume and intonation, strain our ligaments and, as a result, use only a small part of our capabilities. How to restore your natural voice? Exercises and techniques will also help you with this. You can find out more detailed information about them by watching the video:
What affects voice timbre?
- First of all, smoking should be noted. The longer the experience of this addiction, the lower the timbre of the voice.
- Poor nutrition, chronic lack of sleep. You need to understand that any mood, be it good or bad, affects the timbre of your voice.
- Hypothermia, cold. Everything is obvious here. You need to protect yourself from the cold, try not to drink ice-cold drinks and give up ice cream.
- The period of growing up. During adolescence, the timbre of the voice becomes rougher. Of course, it is impossible to change this process.
Spectrometer and more
The device that is used to determine the timbre of the voice is called a spectrometer. Its device includes a special-purpose microphone and a sound amplifier. During its operation, sound is divided into components using electroacoustic filters. This entire process is displayed on the device display. Then the device examines the composition of the speech sound in certain formats, since it is the speech format that has a direct impact on the recognition of the voice sound in singing. Most often, the voice timbre is recognized by the device based on how the first three vowel sounds are pronounced.
How to find out your voice timbre? It is best to sign up for several lessons with a qualified professional who trains the singing voice. To determine timbre, they use parameters such as tessitura endurance and some other characteristics.
In order to determine the timbre of the voice, the vocal teacher selects works that have different tessitura. This allows you to determine which note pitches work best for a particular vocalist. By singing several pieces of music that have different musical octaves, you can determine which of them you can sing easily and comfortably, and which you have to sing with strain on your vocal cords. Each person tends to play notes of a certain pitch. Only an experienced teacher will be able to correctly assess the range and timbre of each vocalist’s voice by the way he sings individual notes in a certain octave, and will name the main differences between falsetto and chest voice or tenor and baritone.
Incredible facts
Scientists say that men with a hoarse voice are the most attractive and sexy to the opposite sex.
Men are attracted to women who speak with a breathy tone.
Female sexy voice
The actress, as you know, charmed everyone with a high, enveloping voice.
What was very memorable was the breathiness with which the actress spoke. It was this manner of singing and speaking that simply floored men. A connection was established between the attractiveness of a woman's timbre and the body size of the owner of the voice.
As a rule, these are women of medium build. It is these representatives of the fair sex who are the most attractive to men.
Low male voice
Women are attracted to those with a pleasant, low voice with a characteristic hoarseness. At the same time, the timbre must also be deep enough.
Scientists say that the ideal man for the opposite sex is a fairly tall man with a low voice. However, tall does not mean large. Beauty should be courageous, but not aggressive.
Returning to women, it is worth noting that Dr. Yi Lu says that the highest voice is an indicator of a woman’s sexuality.
At the same time, it should not be too high so as not to give off a “squeaky” sound; the characteristic notes of hoarseness should be captured in the timbre of the voice. Hoarseness in the voice and aspirated speech are almost a hundred percent guarantee that a man will go crazy over such a woman.
Of course, the parameters of a woman’s figure are also important. Her miniature size, ideal body proportions and, of course, recognizable voice turned Marilyn into a real sex symbol of the century.
Women, in turn, prefer men who are taller than them, physically stronger with an accentuated hoarseness in their voices, which gives them masculinity. However, Excessive aggressiveness in external data not only does not attract the weaker half, but, on the contrary, repels.
A number of studies have been conducted involving both sexes. The results turned out to be quite interesting, although very predictable: in the company of an unfamiliar beautiful woman, lonely men lowered their voices to attract her attention. Psychologists say that the stronger sex does this on a subconscious level.
New research confirms the results of previous melon observations. In 2010, psychologists from Albright College, Pennsylvannia, US also proved with numerous examples that men and women change the timbre of their voices to attract the opposite sex.
Moreover, representatives of both sexes change their voice downward. The results of this study destroyed the stereotype that most women try to speak in a higher voice to attract the opposite sex.
On the contrary, they artificially lower the timbre of the voice, adding to it an attractive note of huskiness. Indeed, this technique works especially when meeting over the phone, when the girl does not have the opportunity to flirt in her usual way: smiling sweetly, batting her eyelashes innocently.
The sexiest women in the world
Sexuality is not just beauty, it is also a kind of zest that can distinguish a woman from a crowd of numerous beauties. It is thanks to this very zest that the following women are included in the list of the sexiest women of the 20th century.
Photos of the sexiest women:
1. The first line rightfully belongs to the incomparable Marilyn Monroe. A recognized sex diva of the last century, she still excites the imagination of men with her forms and memorable gentle voice.
2. Cindy Crawford . The beauty became famous for her piquant mole above her upper lip. It is worth noting that it was this mole that at the beginning of her journey prevented Cindy from building a career. Several times the girl was asked to remove it, to which she refused.
3. Pamela Anderson . The girl became the living embodiment of the Barbie doll of the early 90s, when the cult of silicone and artificial beauty dominated the world.
4. Monica Bellucci . The typical Italian beauty of the actress captivated the entire male population of the planet with her brightness and naturalness. For many, this beauty is the embodiment of what a true woman should be.
5. Jennifer Lopez . It's no secret that the highlight of the sultry Latina is the most prominent part of her body, which, by the way, its owner insured for a large sum of money.
6. Milla Jovovich . This American actress of Russian-Montenegrin origin has the tall height and correct body proportions characteristic of a model. Mila is very popular both among famous directors and among major advertising agents. The girl is the face of popular cosmetic brands, as well as a leading role in a number of Hollywood films.
7. Madonna . This miniature beauty has been captivating everyone with her delightful voice and extraordinary body flexibility for decades. Her popularity is comparable only to the popularity of the King of Pop Michael Jackson.
8. Naomi Campbell . The highlight of the “black panther” is its hot temper and unpredictable character. Apparently, there are men who like passion, which is created by it. Every now and then, details of various stories that happen to Naomi due to her incontinence appear in the press.
9. Brigitte Bardot . The French actress at one time captivated the whole world with her unusual and at the same time natural beauty. Blonde Bridget has been the standard of female attractiveness and sex appeal for many decades.
10. Audrey Hepburn . The angelic beauty of the actress, her touching childlike spontaneity became exactly the highlight that did not leave any man indifferent when Audrey appeared on the screens. Her huge eyes and sweet smile touched the hearts of the audience and made the entire male population of the planet fall in love with the actress.
