Voice Types: The 8 Singing Classifications. Find Yours Here!

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Introduction: (0:00)
Definition of Voice Types: (1:12)
8 Vocal Classifications: (3:37)
Tessitura: (5:33)
Timbre: (7:28)
Vocal Weight: (7:40)
Bass Voice Type: (9:21)
Baritone Voice Type: (12:24)
Tenor Voice Type (15:10)
Countertenor Voice Type (17:23)
Contralto Voice Type: (19:21)
Alto Voice Type: (21:06)
Mezzo Soprano Voice Type: (23:58)
Soprano Voice Type: (26:15)
Final Notes: (29:31)

Every singer wants to find their voice type! That's because knowing your voice type (bass, baritone, tenor, countertenor, contralto, alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano) will help you know exactly what kind of music that you can sing.

For instance, if I'm a bass, then singing a Sam Smith song might be very difficult for me. Or, if you're in Alto, singing an Ariana Grande song might be difficult for you.

But today, we'll look at the 8 main singing voice types. I'll show you how to identify each and I’ll show you how to find your own voice type.

Your voice type is the vocal classification of your singing voice. It's based on the 8 major Italian voice types: bass, baritone, tenor, countertenor, contralto, alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano. Now many people believe that the only way to find your voice type is just based on your vocal range.

While it's true that finding your vocal range is very important in establishing your voice type, it's not the only determining factor. You also want to look at the vocal weight, the tessitura and the Timbre of the singing voice. And before we jump into the main voice types, you should know that every voice type has its place and is important. So even if you're a bass that wants to sing high notes, you need to learn to hit your high notes for a bass as well as humanly possible. Those notes will sound just as cool as when a tenor hits a high note in their own voice.

The eight singing voice types are separated by gender. The four male voice types are bass, baritone, tenor, and countertenor. The four female voice types are contralto, alto, mezzo, and soprano. Now keep in mind when I discuss the different ranges today that they're based on a trained voices not because you just can't sing high.

The lowest male voice type is the bass with a tessitura of E2 to E4. Examples include Johnny Cash, Barry White and, Leonard Cohen.

The next higher male voice type is the baritone with a tessitura of A2 to A4. Examples include John Legend, Hozier, and David Bowie.

The second highest male voice type is the tenor with a tessitura C3 to C5. Examples include Freddie Mercury, Jason Mraz, and Sam Smith.

The highest male voice type is the countertenor with a tessitura of E3 to E5. Examples include Bruno Mars and Dimash Kudaibergen.

Now let's look at the four major women voice types. The lowest female voice type is the contralto with a tessitura of E3 to E5. Examples include Nina Simone and Annie Lennox.

The next higher voice type is going to be the alto with tessitura of F3 to F5. Examples include Lana Del Rey, Tracy Chapman, and Amy Winehouse.

The second highest female voice type is the mezzo soprano with a tessitura of A3 to A5. Examples include Madonna, Lady Gaga and Beyonce.

The highest female voice type is a soprano with a tessitura of C4 to C6. Examples include Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston.

Remember, none of these voice types are more valuable or more important than any other. Whatever voice type you are, the most important thing is that you train your voice to get the most out of that you can.