Fab Four 


Singing Levels

identifying the fab four singing voices


  1. Soprano

  2. Mezzo

  3. Tenor

  4. Bass

Soprano: Singing On Top

The Soprano has the highest range of female voice types.

Characteristics:
1. Range
  • Often Middle C to High C although some sopranos can vocalize way beyond High C and much lower than Middle C.

2. Register Transitions
  • Because not all sopranos are the same, the register transitions don't occur on just one note. The transitions usually occur as the soprano shifts out of chest voice around the E-flat (just above Middle C) and into her head voice around F-Sharp.

sopranos continued...

3. Strength
  • A soprano's strength is a strong head voice

4. Voice Tone:
  • The soprano voice is usually bright and ringing

5. Weakness:
  • Sopranos have a harder time projecting in middle voice.

6. Subdivisions:
  • High, Higher, Highest

Sopranos continued...

7. Common Performance Roles:
  • Soprano is usually the lead in the show (ie. Ariel in the little mermaid)

8.Naming Names:
  • Famous Sopranos you may know:
    • Dolly Parton
    • Olivia Newton John

Mezzo: The Low Female Voice

1. Range
  • The mezzo range is usually G below Middle C to High B or High C. Many mezzos vocalize as high as a soprano but cannot handle the repetition of the upper notes.

2. Register
  • The register transitions for the mezzo usually occur at E or F (just above Middle C )and the E or F one octave above that.

3. Strength
  • Mezzos have a strong middle voice

Mezzo Continued:

4. Voice Tone:
  • The mezzo voice is usually darker or deeper than her soprano counterpart.

5. Weakness:
  • A mezzos head voice is often her weakness

6. Subdivisions
  • Contralto (sing from F [below Middle C] to about F [below High C]). A contralto can vocalize or sing higher and has an even darker, richer color and is more at home in the lower part of her voice.

Mezzo Continued...

7. Common Performance Roles:
  • The mezzo is often the mother, witch, or the sleazy girl in town.
  • Her roles include such fun ones as Miss Hannigan in Annie or Mrs. Pots in Beauty and the Beast.

8. Naming Names
  • Famous Mezzos you may know:
    • Patsy Cline

Tenor: High-Singing Men

Three Tenors, The Irish Tenors, Three Mo' Tenors
1. Range
  • Tenor Range is about two octaves with many singing a little lower than C (bass clef) and a little higher than the male high C (treble clef)

2. Register
  • The tenor voice doesn't make a huge transition from his lower voice to his middle voice. 
  • Transition into his middle voice occurs around Middle C (or E) and then a transition into head voice around F-sharp ( or G).

tenors continued...

3. Strength
  • The tenors strength is his head voice

4. Voice Tone: 
  • The tenor voice is usually bright and ringing

5. Weakness:
  • His weakness is often his lower voice

6. Subdivisions
  • Bari/tenor: power to project in the middle voice and the higher ringing money notes.

tenor continued...

6. Subdivisions continued...
  • Countertenor: male singer who sounds like a female. This voice type sings in the same range as the mezzo (sometimes soprano) and sounds similar.

7. Common Performance Roles:
  • Almost always the lead, winning the girl at the end of the show
    • Example: Tony in West Side Story and Billy in Chicago.

8. Naming Names:
  • Famous Tenors you may know:
    • Elton John, John Denver, and Stevie Wonder

Bass: The Low Lowdown

Bass is the lowest of the voice types. The bass is the guy that sings all the cool low notes in the barbershop quartet.

1. Range
  • His range is usually F (below the bass clef staff) to E (first line in treble clef) but can be as wide as E-Flat to F.

2. Register Transitions
  • The bass changes from chest voice into the middle voice around A or A-Flat and changes into head voice around D or D-Flat.

Bass Continued...

3.  Strength
  • His low voice is his strength

4. Voice Tone:
  • His voice is the deepest, darkest, and heaviest of all male voices.

5. Weakness:
  • His high voice is his weakness.

6. Subdivisions
  • Baritone: Sing from A or F below the male High C.
  • Bass-Baritone: A-Flat to F

Bass Continued...

7. Common Performance Roles:
  • The bass or baritone is often the villian, father or older man.
  • Examples:
    • King Arthur in Camelot

8. Naming Names
  • Famous basses you may know :
    • James Morris
    • Barry White

What is your singing level?

Fab Four Singing Levels

By jenniferdawnwalsh

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Fab Four Singing Levels

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