Singing is a beautiful and complex skill that is unique to each individual and requires plenty of practice and knowledge. If you wish to take singing seriously, having a nice singing voice is not enough – it is also important to understand how singing works. To get you started, here’s what you need to know about female voice types:

Everyone has a different voice, and while many people can impersonate other singers, it’s very unlikely for two people to have the exact same natural singing voice. There are, however, certain “categories” known as singing voice types that every singer falls into depending on their range.

Here are the singing voice categories for women:

Soprano
Sopranos have the highest singing range, typically lying between C4 (Middle C) and C6 (High C), with exceptions of both lower and higher extremes. As mentioned previously, all voices are different, so there are also subcategories within the Soprano type; coloratura soprano, soubrette, lyric soprano, spinto soprano, and dramatic soprano. These are divided according to the range, sound, vocal timbre, the weight of the voice, and the dexterity of the voice of each individual singer.

Some famous sopranos include Sarah Brightman, Kate Bush, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Julie Andrews.

Mezzo-Soprano
Mezzo-soprano is the middle range for females, typically ranging between A3 (A below middle C) and A5 (two octaves higher), also with exceptions for those who can go lower and higher. Just like with the sopranos, mezzo-sopranos are broken down into subcategories; coloratura mezzo-soprano, lyric mezzo-soprano, and dramatic mezzo-soprano.

Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Idina Menzel, Ethel Merman, Christina Aguilera, Susan Boyle, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Hudson are all examples of mezzo-sopranos.

Contralto / Alto
Contralto, also known as Alto, is the lowest category for females, with a typical range of F3 (F below Middle C) to F5 (two octaves higher), with the usual exceptions of those who can exceed either extreme. The subcategories for contralto are the same as for mezzo-soprano; coloratura, lyric, and dramatic.

Examples of famous contralto singers are Adele, Amy Winehouse, Cher, Pink, Judy Garland, Etta James, Nina Simone, Alicia Keys, and Lauryn Hill.

If you’re not sure which of these voice types you fall under, and would like to learn more and improve your singing voice, get in touch with the School of Popular Music today.

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