Dear GWendel and List:
--- In vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com, gwyee@r... wrote:
> Anyway, how many registers are there? Does it vary from one singer
> to another?
Talk about a can of worms - the archives have lots of discussion on
this sort of thing - go to the web-site (yahoo groups for vocalist
temporary) and search for things like "male vocal register" etc.
I would say that all voices are subject to the same mechanical
principles, but the subjective experience varies among singers. So
some singers have "one voice" and are unaware of transitions whereas
others are acutely aware. Also, different styles of music may use the
voice somewhat differently - especially the female voice in pop
versus classical music.
There are "registers" and then there are "transition areas". The
more generally accepted answer say from Prof. Lloyd is that there are
either two (chest/head) or three (chest, passagio/middle, head) male
registers, depending on whether one describes the passagio or middle
as a separate register. Check the archives for Prof. Lloyd's
detailed descriptions.
I feel that within the registers there are subdivisions about every
fourth or fifth - I don't consider that all of my lower voice (say
below F4) is one long undifferentiated register.
I more or less agree with Richard Miller's description in his tenor
voice book, though I have modified the names a bit - basically about
every fourth or fifth or so the voice is in a different area.
Example areas for a tenor (depends also on the vowel as well as the
individual):
A "strohbass" low register (Say below C3)
"Full chest" : This is "chest" (C3 to G3)
"Chest mix" : This is still chest, but less chesty. (G3 to C4)
"Head mix" : This is the passagio. (C4 to F4)
"Full head" : F#4 to C5.
"Pure head" : (Miller calls this falsetto) C5 plus
"Whistle" : Some men can whistle in a high range.
The registration of a counter-tenor voice, usually a baritone or
tenor voice used differently, is another matter still.
Women's voices are another can of worms still, and registration
practices vary for say opera and popular music.
I have taken a few lessons now with a "Speech level singing" teacher
and they have their own vocabulary for things, although I believe it
is largely a mapping of words rather than a different set of
concepts - see the Dave Stroud site for their take on "bridges" etc.
Cheers,
Michael Gordon
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