Vocal Advice

Voice teachers and young student singers: permit a brief—perhaps too brief—note on some of the concerns and dangers in voice classification.  As you will see, voice classification is a major concern for many people.  I have received more questions on this subject than I’ve answered on the blog and have resorted to emailing some individuals.

On the one hand, both teacher and singer are interested in the young student’s voice classification.  Am I a soprano, mezzo-soprano or alto?  Am I a tenor or baritone?  When I sing in choir, what part should I sing?  These are legitimate concerns.

On the other hand, some teachers and students approach voice classification almost as a prescription to become a mandate, a goal to be achieved, a barrier to be conquered.  Nothing could be more injurious to a student no matter how zealous he is of being told a “prescription.”  When a student singer is between the ages of 16 and 21 … and especially on the younger side of that span, identifying the future classification is not necessarily known.  I say “future classification” because at age 16, 17 or 18 the voice is in the process of developing in range, tessitura, timbre and even “lifts” (or what some teachers refer to as register breaks).  In fact, those teachers who pronounce categorically to a young male student that he is (or will be) a tenor frequently do him a disservice.  (Obviously there are exceptions.) In the teens, voice classification should be descriptive, not prescriptive.  It should indicate “current status” not “life goal.”

Sometimes it is the zealous student who will not rest until he has an “answer” and can be declared a “tenor” or some other category.  The result of BOTH scenarios has resulted in frustration for many a student and teacher.

Teachers of students under 20 should realize that the singer they have charge of is vocally in a time of development.  Range is expanding in one direction or another, or both.  Stamina and freedom is more comfortable higher for some, and lower for others.  Strength and power and flexibility are increasing.  Some boys sound like altos for a couple of years, then tenor for a while before finally settling into one of the lower categories.  Other boys seem to change vocally overnight.  So finding the “starting place” is useful and wise.  So, if your 17-year-old young male student sounds “tenorish” now … start there with the understanding that while now he may sing as a “tenor” he may later change as his voice develops over the next 5 years.

So, to the voice teacher and young singer I say … discover your range and with it where in your range you sing most comfortably, with greatest stamina, and find literature that fits your voice as it develops.

When, at 25 or 30 you begin entering the professional performance field, the care with which you paid attention to how your voice WAS DESCRIBED can in some measure prescribe what literature is now best suited to you (enter the German “fach” system).

So, should you be concerned about your voice classification?  Sure.  Should you be anxious or zealous about having it prescribed for you? Certainly not.

The most difficult thing for some students to do (and some teachers) is to wait to see how the student’s voice develops!  I say these things because with over 35 years of teaching I have had students who thought they were tenors, but were baritones, others who thought they were baritones who found they were tenors … with parallel situations among young ladies.  By the time a college graduate begins graduate school he or she will frequently be drawn to a teacher with a similar voice type.  Those studios are in the minority.  Those teachers who by their pedagogical wisdom (or small-college music department environment) draw all classifications of singers to them who are ages 17 to 21 will do well to heed this warning against prescriptive voice classification.  Furthermore, I would go a step further and say to any young student: be very wary of teachers or “schools” that practice “prescriptive voice classification.”  I know of numbers of singers, graduates of those schools and studios who have experienced long-term vocal frustration on account of it.  As my esteemed mentor, James C. McKinney said, (and I paraphrase) “if a man declares he is a tenor, but can’t sing the tenor literature he has only deceived himself and should identify himself truthfully.”

At another time I will expand on this subject … because it is an important one and a wide one.

Michael, a teenager in Poland asks: Hi! My name is Michael and I’m 17 years old. My voice’s range lies between F2 and C5. I actually don’t have any breaks in my voice but I hear the change in the timbre after reaching G#4 and higher. I can go even higher with falsetto reaching F5 or G5.  My timbre is light but certainly not “tenor light”. Does it make me a lyric baritone or some kind of heldentenor that can sing lower?

Answer:

It’s wonderful that you don’t experience any breaks … even though you are aware of the change in timbre at around G-sharp.

Michael, I think that it’s fair to say that at 17 you ought not “decide” what you are vocally.  It’s enough that you know your range and where you sing most comfortably.  The fact is that in the next 5 to 6 years, your voice is going to develop considerably in range, strength and flexibility (at least if you are studying voice and practicing daily).  What you seem to be at age 17 may indeed change in the next few years.

I’ve had “tenors-at-17″ demonstrate that they really were baritone by the time they are 21 … and vice-versa.  You are in a time of vocal development and discovery.  What is important at this time in your life is that you learn to sing with good habits - as freely and without unnecessary tension as possible - and accept the way your voice develops - whatever direction it takes.  For this reason I for one will not tell a 17-year-old “you are a…” and give a definite voice classification.  I may have a good idea the direction the voice is taking after I’ve heard the young singer … but it’s still unwise to make a declaration–because then that “classification” becomes a goal, rather than an observation of fact.

At 17, almost all voices are “lyric”.  It remains to be seen what you will become.  Realize this too, Michael, all I have to go on is what you’ve told me.  It would be truly foolish of me to declare a specific voice classification having never heard you.

Remember what is important (see above) and you’ll develop just fine.

Best wishes.

Answer:

Now on the subject of Handel and Messiah solo roles.  It is true that Handel himself used the most capable available solo singers for his various performances and, yes, an alto was sometimes chosen to sing  the “Refiner’s Fire” aria.  However, a man (baritone) ALWAYS is designated to sing “The Trumpet Shall Sound”.

Whereas SOME bass solos are given to an alto, I’ve never known the reverse to be so.  Therefore, for example, a bass is not assigned to sing “O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion” or “He Shall Feed His Flock” within the performance of Messiah unless he is a countertenor (a man singing in the alto range).  [There does seem to be some long-standing preferences (or prejudices?) along these lines, doesn't there?!]  I think the bottom-line issue is, “what is appropriate?” and “what has Handel himself allowed and designated?”  You will find that the Novello scores print the multiple versions of the various arias allowing the best available soloist to be given the appropriate key.
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ANSWER:

Assuming that a singer has a useful two-octave range (a mature singer will have this), baritones will find their upper useful limit to be G, A-flat or A above middle C - and down two octaves.

A Bass finds E-flat above middle C to be uncomfortable to sustain and is often his upper limit and he is much more comfortable staying in the lower half of his range.  In a choral situation, he’ll find low D’s and sometimes a low C within the realm of possibility.

Beyond these two designations are those singers who find themselves between these designations or lower than other parts.  A bass-baritone’s useful range is about F to F, and a basso-profundo’s useful range is low C to middle C with access to even lower notes frequently being available in choral situations (not solo).

From L:
Hi…As said above, I am 25 and sing more for pleasure rather than profession. I have always had a knack for singing in the car, etc. and was part of a performance choir in high school and senior year of college. I’m sure before I entered college I was not using my voice properly (breathing technique, etc.) but that was remedied through a wonderful vocal teacher I had in college. However, over the last few months I have noticed progressive hoarseness as well as slight discomfort when singing. I did have two traumatic episodes in the past few months–one: I woke up screaming ‘bloody murder’ after a nightmare–my throat was soar for a few days after that. And then I had a bout with food poisoning that caused me to throw up–which really burned my throat (sorry for the gross details!). Since then, as I said above, I am becoming more hoarse–even when speaking–along with mild discomfort and shortened ability to sing in long duration. I have tried to rest my voice, but apparently am not doing a very good job? Could this be from prolonged improper use and therefore resulting in permanent damage? Or is there possibly hope? Any advice? Thank you!

From A:
Thanks for taking the time to look at my question! I’m 21 and I enjoy to sing but I have never had vocal training. Lately I’ve been singing more than I ever have in my life and I’ve noticed some problems. After I sing I have a sore throat. It is subtle but my talking voice is slightly hoarse. Now I feel as though there is a giant lump in my throat. This is my second week of soreness and I am terrified! I’ve read about nodules and prenodules and other scary things all over the internet and I’m so scared I’m going to lose my voice! I also have allergies which are especially bad in the winter. I probably have poor singing technique. Do you recommend I stop singing until I learn proper techniques? What I’m most worried about is doing permanent damage to my voice! *deep breath* Haha, I have been very anxious about this. Thank you! I really appreciate any answer you can give me!

Answer: Forgive me “L” and “A” for answering your questions together. Your questions are significantly similar, so, I’m going to take the part of a “teacher” and answer without the normal brevity of 200 words or less. I feel for you both and appreciate that you’ve been unafraid to ask your questions.

Hoarseness is one of the first, most easily discerned audible symptoms presented to a voice teacher that indicates the presence of a “vocal fault” in an otherwise physically healthy singer. The most common cause for vocal hoarseness is “hyper-functional phonation;” demanding too much from the voice, producing a sound that can be described by any one, or  combination of the following adjectives: tight, tense, hard, edgy, strident, rasping, grating, rough, constricted or even strangulated. Hoarseness is a danger signal to you, the singer. If huskiness or soreness is a common result of your singing, then you should

1) stop singing, and if it persists,
2) see a laryngologist.

Observations and recommendations:

1. Screaming hard even once can do temporary damage to the voice. The voice has to recover in silence and with more than usual sleep. Give it more time than you think it needs.
2. Vomiting and the burning from stomach acids also require extended time to heal. Give your voice time. You should pay attention to resulting soreness as there are relatively few pain nerve endings in the throat! Give healing more time than you think it needs, and limit your voice use.  Begin establishing the habit (if you don’t already have it) of gargling whenever you brush your teeth and after meals - rinsing out your throat with water.
3. Regularly speaking too high, or too low will often result in hoarseness. Please read my entry on “speaking” to help you find where you should speak without unnecessary tension.
4. Long-term misuse of the voice can permanently damage the voice. So, your concern is legitimate. A voice therapist or qualified voice teacher may be what you need to correct the problem.
5. The feeling of “a giant lump” in your throat is a definite indication of misuse. Stop singing. Give your voice more time than you think it needs to heal and recover.
6. Allergies do tend to exacerbate (aggravate) upper-respiratory and throat edema (swelling). So, allergies compounded with possible misuse of the voice would tend to make things feel worse, faster.
7. While my blog will give you sound advice and may help you to start thinking correctly about singing, you will more likely make the progress you should make toward using your voice healthfully by studying with a reliable voice teacher. If you live in the Northwest Georgia area (NE Alabama or Chattanooga, TN), you can contact me, otherwise, you should do some sleuthing, asking around and find a trustworthy teacher and explain to that person what you’ve shared with me.

IN THE MEANTIME, you can be …

a. Getting more than 8 hours of sleep a night, REGULARLY.
b. Drinking lots of clear (non-caffeinated) liquids.
c. Taking supplements (vitamins, minerals and herbs) to help boost your own immune system … and I would actually recommend the use of a drinkable form of Aloe Vera to have every day until your throat has healed. This can be purchased at most health-food stores.
d. Eating carefully. If you are in the habit of having ice cream or any kind of dairy products (pizza) in the evening before going to bed, change the menu to fresh fruit (e.g., grapefruit), and don’t go to bed on a full stomach, wait a couple of hours after you’ve eaten before lying down to sleep.
e. Sighing lightly on a downward vocal slide just after inhaling as if you’re about to “yawn,” (not ‘singing’).

I would be interested in hearing of your progress toward dealing with your situation(s) and the healing process.  I hope this has been helpful to you.

Best wishes.