A Question About Chest Voice

[Tolis]

Hello,

I’m a new member from Greece. I really love opera music and that’s why I’m here. I really love singers like Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus,Di Stefano,Enrico Caruso and of course Maria Callas. But I would like to learn from people that have musical education.I have read on the internet many things about chest voice in opera music.

My question is how often males like tenors or baritones use chest voice and how often females use it? Why tenors sing the higher notes with head voice? Can a tenor sing with chest voice? I would like to learn from more experienced people. Callas said that bel canto is about singing chest notes too.

If somebody knows it please enlight me.

Thank you a lot!

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Hello,

I’m a new member from Greece. I really love opera music and that’s why I’m here. I really love singers like Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus, Di Stefano, Enrico Caruso and of course Maria Callas. But I would like to learn from people that have musical education. I have read on the internet many things about chest voice in opera music.

My question is how often males like tenors or baritones use chest voice and how often females use it? Why tenors sing the higher notes with head voice? Can a tenor sing with chest voice? I would like to learn from more experienced people. Callas said that bel canto is about singing chest notes too.

If somebody knows it please enlight me.

Thank you a lot!

Unfortunately I can't answer your question but I hope someone else can. In the meantime, I would like to welcome you to the forum and I look forward to reading your posts. You have mentioned some of your favourite singers but do you have any favourite composers and operas?

[Amfortas]

Welcome to the forum, Tolis. Alas, I'm no expert on chest voice vs. head voice either. I suspect our site owner, Luiz, will be able to say a bit more on the topic.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Hi, Tolis. Welcome to Opera Lively! When you ask "how often" I'd answer 100% of the time (depending on the opera) for the voice types you mentioned, because all these singers transition between chest and head voices at different points of an opera (that is, according to the notes they need to produce; often when there are notes at or above E4 the singer will need to resonate the voice predominantly in the upper head structures (sinuses). The transition point is called the passagio. This voice teacher, for example, encourages the concept that it is a continuum rather than two separate registers; read her explanation:

http://mollysmusic.org/blog/head-voi...ice-explained/

Even bassos transition. The only category of singers who *might* not transition would be the countertenors who will often keep their voices within the head register, but even countertenors will also use some sort of chest voice which will correspond to their speaking voice (not falsetto) when they are singing lower notes.

The bottom line is, it's the vocal score, and the singer's range and comfort in each register, that will determine where the resonance will be. Of course if an opera role requires no high notes whatsoever, a singer may only use the chest register for that role.

But all singers are capable of transitioning between these registers. So, yes, tenors use chest voice too, and so do all others.

By the way, given that you are from Greece (I think you may be our first member from there), you will enjoy reading the interview I did with the head of the Greek National Opera maestro Myron Michailidis when I visited Athens a few years ago. Here is the link:

http://operalively.com/forums/conten...National-Opera

[Tolis]

- - - Updated - - -

Hi, Tolis. Welcome to Opera Lively! When you ask "how often" I'd answer 100% of the time (depending on the opera) for the voice types you mentioned, because all these singers transition between chest and head voices at different points of an opera (that is, according to the notes they need to produce; often when there are notes at or above E4 the singer will need to resonate the voice predominantly in the upper head structures (sinuses). The transition point is called the passagio. This voice teacher, for example, encourages the concept that it is a continuum rather than two separate registers; read her explanation:

http://mollysmusic.org/blog/head-voi...ice-explained/

Even bassos transition. The only category of singers who *might* not transition would be the countertenors who will often keep their voices within the head register, but even countertenors will also use some sort of chest voice which will correspond to their speaking voice (not falsetto) when they are singing lower notes.

The bottom line is, it's the vocal score, and the singer's range and comfort in each register, that will determine where the resonance will be. Of course if an opera role requires no high notes whatsoever, a singer may only use the chest register for that role.

But all singers are capable of transitioning between these registers. So, yes, tenors use chest voice too, and so do all others.

By the way, given that you are from Greece (I think you may be our first member from there), you will enjoy reading the interview I did with the head of the Greek National Opera maestro Myron Michailidis when I visited Athens a few years ago. Here is the link:

http://operalively.com/forums/conten...National-Opera

Thank you a lot!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Unfortunately I can't answer your question but I hope someone else can. In the meantime, I would like to welcome you to the forum and I look forward to reading your posts. You have mentioned some of your favourite singers but do you have any favourite composers and operas?

My favourite composer is Puccini. E lucevan le stelle is the first aria I loved and I still feel the passion this aria has. I love Bizet ,Verdi and many more too.

[Tolis]

Hi, Tolis. Welcome to Opera Lively! When you ask "how often" I'd answer 100% of the time (depending on the opera) for the voice types you mentioned, because all these singers transition between chest and head voices at different points of an opera (that is, according to the notes they need to produce; often when there are notes at or above E4 the singer will need to resonate the voice predominantly in the upper head structures (sinuses). The transition point is called the passagio. This voice teacher, for example, encourages the concept that it is a continuum rather than two separate registers; read her explanation:

http://mollysmusic.org/blog/head-voi...ice-explained/

Even bassos transition. The only category of singers who *might* not transition would be the countertenors who will often keep their voices within the head register, but even countertenors will also use some sort of chest voice which will correspond to their speaking voice (not falsetto) when they are singing lower notes.

The bottom line is, it's the vocal score, and the singer's range and comfort in each register, that will determine where the resonance will be. Of course if an opera role requires no high notes whatsoever, a singer may only use the chest register for that role.

But all singers are capable of transitioning between these registers. So, yes, tenors use chest voice too, and so do all others.

By the way, given that you are from Greece (I think you may be our first member from there), you will enjoy reading the interview I did with the head of the Greek National Opera maestro Myron Michailidis when I visited Athens a few years ago. Here is the link:

http://operalively.com/forums/conten...National-Opera

What about the female singers? How often does a female singer uses chest voice?

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

What about the female singers? How often does a female singer uses chest voice?

Same thing. Every time. The chest voice (and middle or mixed) is(are) the most common one(s), used for the majority of the opera by all singers. It's when the vocal score asks for particularly high notes that they switch to the head voice. This is true of male *and* female singers (I did tell you about how it's a bit different for countertenors). Usually the majority of a vocal score will seat on the tessitura range, that is, the middle range of the register that is most comfortable for each singer. So singers will say "my vocal range is from ....(insert lowest note they can make)... to ...(insert highest note they can make)... but my tessitura is from ... (insert a low but not extremely low note)... to ... (insert a high but not extremely high note)."

Sometimes of course the vocal score goes low or goes high. While there are some contemporary operas with roles where basically a female singer might sing high notes almost all the time, more commonly the notes stay on the middle range and only occasionally go high, often at the very end of an aria, to end with a blast (or in coloratura parts).

Each singer will need to transition to the head voice at some point of their upper range (the passaggio point), and regarding which specific note is that point, varies a little with each individual singer. So if a singer needs to switch to the head voice to produce notes above his/her passaggio point (see below, actually their second passaggio point), what percentage of time of the opera will be spent on the head voice will depend on the vocal score (how many stretches are written with notes situated above that point versus below that point).

By the way, some vocal scores ask for notes for the higher-range female singers (sopranos) even above the head voice. These are called notes in the flageolet (flute-like) or whistle register and usually a singer can't naturally produce it well with sufficient volume to be heard, unless she goes through additional training to have access to these notes.

Finally, don't forget that we're simplifying a bit because there are actually three registers - chest, middle or mixed, and head.

Here are the usual vocal ranges for sopranos, regarding these registers (and it's a *range* because like I said, the passaggio point between these registers - and since it's three, not two, we talk about a primo passaggio and a secondo passagio - will vary from singer to singer.

Chest: G3 to E-flat4
Middle: E-flat4 to F-sharp5
Head: F-sharp5 to C6 or C-sharp6
Flageolet: D6 or D-sharp6 to the highest possible for the singer

See that like I said before, above E4 the singer already starts resonating the sounds in head cavities, but still, the chest vibrates too. It's usually above F5 that it's exclusively head.

The interesting point about the passaggio is that it is essential that the singer maintains the same timbre of voice before and after the passaggio, to continue to sing beautifully and smoothly without voice cracking or unpleasant timbre on the upper range. This is very noticeable when one is watching an opera: good singers do it well, not-so-good singers do it poorly. Ideally the passagio point should be relatively unnoticeable when the singer does it well - they are just able to transition while keeping the same timbre. It is often noticeable, though, because of how certain composers write the score: they ask for abrupt leaps for some thrilling effects, like I said, often at the end of an aria.

[Tolis]

Same thing. Every time. The chest voice (and middle or mixed) is(are) the most common one(s), used for the majority of the opera by all singers. It's when the vocal score asks for particularly high notes that they switch to the head voice. This is true of male *and* female singers (I did tell you about how it's a bit different for countertenors). Usually the majority of a vocal score will seat on the tessitura range, that is, the middle range of the register that is most comfortable for each singer. So singers will say "my vocal range is from ....(insert lowest note they can make)... to ...(insert highest note they can make)... but my tessitura is from ... (insert a low but not extremely low note)... to ... (insert a high but not extremely high note)."

Sometimes of course the vocal score goes low or goes high. While there are some contemporary operas with roles where basically a female singer might sing high notes almost all the time, more commonly the notes stay on the middle range and only occasionally go high, often at the very end of an aria, to end with a blast (or in coloratura parts).

Each singer will need to transition to the head voice at some point of their upper range (the passaggio point), and regarding which specific note is that point, varies a little with each individual singer. So if a singer needs to switch to the head voice to produce notes above his/her passaggio point (see below, actually their second passaggio point), what percentage of time of the opera will be spent on the head voice will depend on the vocal score (how many stretches are written with notes situated above that point versus below that point).

By the way, some vocal scores ask for notes for the higher-range female singers (sopranos) even above the head voice. These are called notes in the flageolet (flute-like) or whistle register and usually a singer can't naturally produce it well with sufficient volume to be heard, unless she goes through additional training to have access to these notes.

Finally, don't forget that we're simplifying a bit because there are actually three registers - chest, middle or mixed, and head.

Here are the usual vocal ranges for sopranos, regarding these registers (and it's a *range* because like I said, the passaggio point between these registers - and since it's three, not two, we talk about a primo passaggio and a secondo passagio - will vary from singer to singer.

Chest: G3 to E-flat4
Middle: E-flat4 to F-sharp5
Head: F-sharp5 to C6 or C-sharp6
Flageolet: D6 or D-sharp6 to the highest possible for the singer

See that like I said before, above E4 the singer already starts resonating the sounds in head cavities, but still, the chest vibrates too. It's usually above F5 that it's exclusively head.

The interesting point about the passaggio is that it is essential that the singer maintains the same timbre of voice before and after the passaggio, to continue to sing beautifully and smoothly without voice cracking or unpleasant timbre on the upper range. This is very noticeable when one is watching an opera: good singers do it well, not-so-good singers do it poorly. Ideally the passagio point should be relatively unnoticeable when the singer does it well - they are just able to transition while keeping the same timbre. It is often noticeable, though, because of how certain composers write the score: they ask for abrupt leaps for some thrilling effects, like I said, often at the end of an aria.

Thank you a lot! Amazing informations! I asked because I read on the internet that there are sopranos that were not able to use chest voice. But the same time I know that Maria Callas used chest voice extensively.

All this information is educating for me. My questions maybe sound a little foolish sometimes and I’m sorry for that. I just want to learn and that’s why I’m in a forum like this!

Thank you a lot!

[MAuer]

Your questions aren't foolish; we're all learning here in one way or another. Being able to ask questions on all sorts of opera-related subjects and to share information are what makes Opera Lively such a great forum.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I agree with MAuer! None of us is born knowing about opera and there are no foolish questions. The only fool is the person who thinks he/she knows everything.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Thank you a lot! Amazing informations! I asked because I read on the internet that there are sopranos that were not able to use chest voice. But the same time I know that Maria Callas used chest voice extensively.

All this information is educating for me. My questions maybe sound a little foolish sometimes and I’m sorry for that. I just want to learn and that’s why I’m in a forum like this!

Thank you a lot!

You're welcome. Like my friends here said, there are no foolish questions here. One of the main characteristics of Opera Lively is that we are not snobs and we welcome people of all levels of expertise or lack thereof, from a person watching opera for the very first time in life, to a veteran with 50 years of experience, and everything in-between. We try to share what we know and love, and by the way we're not always right, so when we aren't, we learn too. You shouldn't be ashamed of asking any question whatsoever. You came to the right place. Unlike other Internet venues, nobody makes fun of anybody here, there are no arrogant, show-offish people, and our members are all civil and friendly with each other. In the very rare occasions when this wasn't the case, our excellent moderators took care of it. Someone with a negative attitude doesn't last here. We are all a bunch of happy friends who love opera, and we take good care of our "house" here so that it stays this way.

[Opera1]

Hi. I am new to the forum.

I would disagree with the information presented here.

In the past you had different teachers and writers of the voice speaking about registers in different ways. The predominant thought was to divide registers in regards to positions of sensations felt. i.e sympathetic vibration.
If you felt sensation in the laryngeal/chest area they classified this as chest voice, sensations in the throat/mouth area, would be called middle voice and higher sensations in the head Head voice. There were some that broke the voice up into two registers, head and chest. And others into one homogeneous register.

Science has shown that there is actually two sets of muscles within the larynx that are responsible for directly making sound. The thyro arytenoids, (TA) and the Crico thyroids (CT). Functioning on their own the CT muscles make pure falsetto, the TA muscles make pure chest. When they work together you will basically get different versions of chest voice.

To make it easy to understand, we can break the voice into head voice and chest voice.

First we have a coordinated chest voice sound, as in the female voices lowers notes, or the males singers voice. These sounds are a dominance of TA muscle coordinated with CT muscle participation.

Second, a head voice sound which is found in the middle and top range of a female voice, Counter tenor voice, and when men sing piano or mezzo piano.These sounds are the dominance of CT muscles coordinating with some TA muscle participation.
So there are two sets of muscles working together at different degrees depending on the pitch and intensity (volume) sung.

These days many men do not use chest voice, they sing in a lighter head voice type function. You can read the early descriptions of the great tenor Duprez around 1830, who sang the first high C in Chest. Before that, men would of changed to a headier tone at the cover.

It is quite evident from historical recordings of Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras, or like those in the past such as Di Stefano, Corelli, Del Monaco and Caruso they all sang in a coordinated chest voice. It gave their voice more power, size and brilliance. They did not change into a head voice as they passed this "passagio". They maintained this function right through to the top notes.

Passagio is an inaccurate term. It refers to a set of notes around c to G for tenors . Some thought that if they gradually modified vowels they could transition better to the higher voice. This is not necessary. Men should essentially cover their voice as they reach a certain note depending on the voice classification and fach. Pavarotti talks about the cover on Youtube.

The cover note is a muscular change. Certain extrinsic muscles come into action to help maintain the low larynx and allow the singer to maintain the previous sound, creating a homogeneous production. The sound cannot stay homogeneous if the singer changes to a head voice. t is one of the hardest things for a singer to learn and is only carried out by the male singer.

Woman just have a break between chest and head which they can iron out in time. Changing from chest to head for women is generally quite audible. As there is a change in timbre.

Women can sing chest voice higher than they actually do in Opera, as evident in pop singing. Normally that middle type area of a woman's voice is that area where women's chest and head voice overlap. Giving it the deceptable impression of another register.

Both men and women also have an acoustical change in the voice which can give the impression of another register. This is also a fallacy, because the voice needs to make a slight acoustical adjustment modifying of the vowel as they pass this part of their voice. This is due to the fact that our vowels outside the speaking range cannot be made exactly the same way. The modification only needs to be slight.

Both CT and TA function have their own intrinsic characteristics that add to the quality of the sound. And both can be developed to produce a bigger and better singer. But i wont go into that now.

Chest function (TA) gives the voice squillo, or operatic ring. It also gives clarity to the sound. But it is also a very large muscle inserted into the vocal cords. And contributes to the volume or intensity of the sound. It keeps the voice fresh and exciting. It is responsible in helping create pitch, and the adduction of the cords.

To weaken it through reduce activity is foolish. Many confuse constriction with chest. Both have nothing to do with each other. Lack of knowledge in removing constriction leads teachers to tell students to sing softer. Instead of addressing the constriction, which is wrong.
Many shy away from chest voice because they do not know how to deal with this large organ. The result of which are small boring voices. The result of many voices today.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Hi. I am new to the forum.

I would disagree with the information presented here.

In the past you had different teachers and writers of the voice speaking about registers in different ways. The predominant thought was to divide registers in regards to positions of sensations felt. i.e sympathetic vibration.
If you felt sensation in the laryngeal/chest area they classified this as chest voice, sensations in the throat/mouth area, would be called middle voice and higher sensations in the head Head voice. There were some that broke the voice up into two registers, head and chest. And others into one homogeneous register.

Science has shown that there is actually two sets of muscles within the larynx that are responsible for directly making sound. The thyro arytenoids, (TA) and the Crico thyroids (CT). Functioning on their own the CT muscles make pure falsetto, the TA muscles make pure chest. When they work together you will basically get different versions of chest voice.

To make it easy to understand, we can break the voice into head voice and chest voice.

First we have a coordinated chest voice sound, as in the female voices lowers notes, or the males singers voice. These sounds are a dominance of TA muscle coordinated with CT muscle participation.

Second, a head voice sound which is found in the middle and top range of a female voice, Counter tenor voice, and when men sing piano or mezzo piano.These sounds are the dominance of CT muscles coordinating with some TA muscle participation.
So there are two sets of muscles working together at different degrees depending on the pitch and intensity (volume) sung.

These days many men do not use chest voice, they sing in a lighter head voice type function. You can read the early descriptions of the great tenor Duprez around 1830, who sang the first high C in Chest. Before that, men would of changed to a headier tone at the cover.

It is quite evident from historical recordings of Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras, or like those in the past such as Di Stefano, Corelli, Del Monaco and Caruso they all sang in a coordinated chest voice. It gave their voice more power, size and brilliance. They did not change into a head voice as they passed this "passagio". They maintained this function right through to the top notes.

Passagio is an inaccurate term. It refers to a set of notes around c to G for tenors . Some thought that if they gradually modified vowels they could transition better to the higher voice. This is not necessary. Men should essentially cover their voice as they reach a certain note depending on the voice classification and fach. Pavarotti talks about the cover on Youtube.

The cover note is a muscular change. Certain extrinsic muscles come into action to help maintain the low larynx and allow the singer to maintain the previous sound, creating a homogeneous production. The sound cannot stay homogeneous if the singer changes to a head voice. t is one of the hardest things for a singer to learn and is only carried out by the male singer.

Woman just have a break between chest and head which they can iron out in time. Changing from chest to head for women is generally quite audible. As there is a change in timbre.

Women can sing chest voice higher than they actually do in Opera, as evident in pop singing. Normally that middle type area of a woman's voice is that area where women's chest and head voice overlap. Giving it the deceptable impression of another register.

Both men and women also have an acoustical change in the voice which can give the impression of another register. This is also a fallacy, because the voice needs to make a slight acoustical adjustment modifying of the vowel as they pass this part of their voice. This is due to the fact that our vowels outside the speaking range cannot be made exactly the same way. The modification only needs to be slight.

Both CT and TA function have their own intrinsic characteristics that add to the quality of the sound. And both can be developed to produce a bigger and better singer. But i wont go into that now.

Chest function (TA) gives the voice squillo, or operatic ring. It also gives clarity to the sound. But it is also a very large muscle inserted into the vocal cords. And contributes to the volume or intensity of the sound. It keeps the voice fresh and exciting. It is responsible in helping create pitch, and the adduction of the cords.

To weaken it through reduce activity is foolish. Many confuse constriction with chest. Both have nothing to do with each other. Lack of knowledge in removing constriction leads teachers to tell students to sing softer. Instead of addressing the constriction, which is wrong.
Many shy away from chest voice because they do not know how to deal with this large organ. The result of which are small boring voices. The result of many voices today.

Interesting. Your explanation does sound more accurate. Maybe you can find YouTube examples to post here and make it even clearer for us? Welcome to Opera Lively!

-------------

It does seem like, reading the link below, the concepts of head and chest voice are outdated and inaccurate and voice professionals are now moving away from them in the manner you've outlined:

http://www.vocalskills.co.uk/What-is...est-voice.html

[Opera1]

Thank you.
Here is my Youtube channel.
I have posted videos to explain some concepts on voice.
https://www.youtube.com/user/GeneralRadames

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Thank you.
Here is my Youtube channel.
I have posted videos to explain some concepts on voice.
https://www.youtube.com/user/GeneralRadames

Wow, your channel has many interesting video clips! A lot to explore! Thanks for posting it. And I see that you have numerous examples of the issues you've mentioned, which will be very educational for all of us.