VOICE CLASSIFICATION

Lesson Plan No. 1 Subject: Vocal Tessitura.
Explanation: (acoustical approach) Voices are usually typed according to quality, or range, or both quality and range. The quality, however, may be immature, or influenced by the range which the individual usually sings.

Many students believe they have a high voice because they can sing high, or a low voice because they can sing low, or because they can sing with greater ease in one or the other. All voices should have both a high and a low range, and each voice should be allowed to classify itself, independent of the student's opinion of what type of voice he thinks he has or would prefer to have.

It is important first to determine where an individual can or should sing without strain. This is a matter of finding where the voice "lies." The word for it is "tessitura." Originally the term was applied to vocal music, and indicated where the music lay as to key and compass. Now it has been ap¬plied to both the music and the voice. The tessitura of the voice should fit the tessitura of the music, if the singer is to appear to best advantage.

If the music lies too high, or if it lies too low, the singer may be under too much strain, or may be forced to change from his normal quality.Some types of voices do not need to be classified, since they could not be any other type of voice than what they obviously are. This group includes high lyric sopranos and high lyric tenors, low contraltos and low basses. The great problem is in classifying the middle or mezzo voices, which seemingly can be one type or another, such as second, dramatic or mezzo sopranos; second, spinto or dramatic tenors; or high, lyric baritones.

A psychological approach to voice classification, or the problem of where the voice lies, can be based on the average pitch of the normal speaking voice, allowing for some variations in inflection. By "average pitch" is meant the pitch level around which one centers his conversational voice. By normal speaking quality is meant volume of average intensity, not too loud or too soft. If the average pitch level is below Bb, the voice may be classified as a low voice; if between Bb and D, the voice may be classified as a middle voice; if D or above, the voice may be classified as a high voice.

These are approximations, and there will be exceptions. At least they afford us a place to begin. This average pitch is usually an octave below the middle of what should be the singer's ultimate singing range of approximately two octaves. The average pitch also affords a starting point for vocalization, which should be practiced upward to cover the middle of the range. Exercising the voice on both sides of the middle will prevent the voice being limited to a low range or to a high range. Problem: To classify each voice as to type high, middle or mezzo, or low voice.