| Author | Topic: singing 'scales' |
Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
62.253.64.x
| posted: 10/10/2005 at 7:28:12 PM ET
Could someone please tell me how the scales, if that is the right word, work with ppls voices, as in treble, tenor etc, which is the highest through to the lowest, in the right order. Thanks. 
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TheHornSupremacy
Registered User
Registered:
11/17/2004 | posted: 10/11/2005 at 12:25:28 PM ET
I'll let you look at wikipedia.org for the full definitions to all of these terms, but the names of different vocal ranges are as follows:
Soprano (highest female voice)
Mezzo-Soprano (middle female voice)
Contralto (lowest female voice)
Sopranist (highest male voice not using falsetto; similar to "castrato"; soprano range but sung by a male)
Countertenor(highest male voice using falsetto)
Alto (similar to Countertenor)
Tenor (typical highest male voice; little lower than Countertenor)
Baritenor (little lower that Tenor)
Baritone (little lower than Baritenor)
Bass-Baritone (little lower than Baritone)
Bass (lowest male voice)
You probably won't see most of these designations in most of the music you see. Typical 4-part arrangements are written for (highest to lowest) Soprano, Alto (more correctly Contralto), Tenor, and Bass.
The major differences in all the other terms are not so much range as they are quality and tone of the voice. For example, a Baritone's vocal quality would sound more "bass-y" in the lower register than a Baritenor's would.
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 imnidiot
Registered User
From:
Ashley PA
Registered:
3/28/2005 | posted: 10/11/2005 at 8:27:26 PM ET
Hey horn, I believe a countertenor is a natural voice, not falsetto. I attended a cantor seminar last fall, and a young man by the name of Thomas M Fallon hosted. He is a countertenor, and I know he was not singing falsetto during his presentation.
I am a fragment of my imagination
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TheHornSupremacy
Registered User
Registered:
11/17/2004 | posted: 10/12/2005 at 9:21:12 AM ET
You may be right...... it's probably just a matter of semantics when it comes to the terms other than SATB.
I know one thing, though - If I were a high tenor, I'd rather be called a countertenor than a sopranist!
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imnidiot
Registered User
From:
Ashley PA
Registered:
3/28/2005 | posted: 10/12/2005 at 8:04:11 PM ET
No matter what you call it, it still sounds weird to hear a man sing and it sounds like a womans alto voice.
I am a fragment of my imagination
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suzyq
Registered User
Registered:
11/18/2004 | posted: 10/12/2005 at 10:48:15 PM ET
Don,
My mother was a contralto and I can tell you she did not like falsetto, counternor whatever name you give it. She said that they took all the roles away from contralto's.
I agree with you 100%.
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