Vocalist.org archive


To: vocalist
Subject: Re: Differentiating between a tenor and a baritone. Please Help
Date sent: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 14:07:07 PST
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Oluseun,
It sounds like you are very easily a tenor right now. Sometimes, the
difference between a high baritone and a lower tenor is not always so
defined. Ideally a tenor should be able to sing from a B to a B, or even a
C to a C. Now this may be different for young tenors, and not all voice
ranges are exactly the same. Myself (I am a tenor obviously), I have a
range of Bb to Bb. So it may be different for all people. I have also just
recently extended my range upwards to the Bb, while my lower Bb is not
entirely there anymore.
If you are able to fake those timbres (Pavarotti, etc) I would suggest
that you probably are a tenor. My chest voice also breaks around D4, more
specifically, Eb. A high C5 in head voice, sounds excellent. In terms of
Fach, I can not help you there.
I have recently just sang pieces from the Vagabond, which are bariton
pieces, but can be sang by tenors, and often are. I would suggest most to
you that you need to decide what your voice might do. You are the only one
who can truly know what your voice is capable of. I thought I would always
end up being a baritone, but I discovered I have the capacity to sing tenor,
and I am pursuing that wholeheartedly. Again, this is something you will
have to decide, because if you are able to sing both voices, equally well,
the tenor will make you more money. Also a lot of baritones, can sometimes
end up switching to tenor later on in their careers (although I find that
strange to comprehend).
I hope I have been some help and not too confusing! Best of luck with
your audition, and you decision.

David

______________________________________________________