A tenor is a voice?

The voice that nature endowed a person with is able to transmit sounds not only in conversation and expression of emotions, but also when singing. The melody of the human voice is very rich, its palette is multicolored, and the ranges of sound heights are very individual. It is these criteria that allowed a person to define in art a separate genre of vocals.

The very concept was defined and designated in Latin (vocalis - "sounding"). A vocalist is a musician who uses his voice as a tool. It can be low-pitched and singing notes of the upper register. Bass or soprano, baritone or mezzo-soprano, alto or tenor are different types of singing voices.

In the category of vocalists are not only singers of classical parties, but also performers of recitative and artistic recitation. Classical composers always write their works, referring to the voice of the vocalist, as to an independent musical instrument, taking into account its features and capabilities.

Determination of the type of the singing voice

Singing voices are divided into types by the range of sounds, the height of which is determined by the individual capabilities of the vocalist. Assigning a voice to a certain type is a very important task. Bass, viola, soprano, tenor - what kind of range, can only be determined by a specialist. Moreover, the singing range of a vocalist may change over time, and the use of voice beyond the limits of possibilities can affect the musician's health.

When determining the type of vocalist's voice, many factors are taken into account:

• Timbre (teachers on vocals call it "voice color").
• Tessitura (ultimate possibilities and endurance of taking upper sounds).
• Articulation.
• The structure of the larynx (consultation of a phoniatric doctor).
• External, behavioral and psychological characteristics of the vocalist.

Highest of male voices

Strangely enough, in our time, the subject of the dreams of young men planning to make a vocal career is a tenor. This is most likely a tribute to fashion. Today, it is dictated by modern composers, who often write male scores for high voices. It was not always so. But we need to understand, a tenor is a voice?

Classical standards for the types of the singing voice of a tenor are defined as the highest of the male bands, indicated by the limits "up to" the first octave - "up to" the second octave. But you can not say that these borders are unshakable. Here it is necessary to say that a tenor is not only classical vocals, when tenor parts are written strictly within the range, but also a musical register for pop and rock singers, whose melodies often cross the specified range.

What is a tenor

Concluding tenors only within the allotted range will be unfair. The strength, purity and volume of the sound of certain notes of tenors allowed them, like other types, to get an additional gradation. The subtleties of distinguishing one subtype from another are only available to experienced vocal teachers. What kind of tenor?

Tenor-altino or countertenor

A voice resembling a boyish, tallest of all tenors, which did not break after mutation and was preserved along with a low timbre. This tenor is more like a woman's voice: the phenomenon is extremely rare, can be called a mistake of nature. An example of the countertenor's vocals may be "Aria of the Queen of the Night" performed by M. Kuznetsov.

Easy tenor

The voice is also close to female vocals, but with a chest tone. Sounds airy and easy.

Lyrical tenor

The most mobile voice of all tenors with a gentle, soft and subtle color. A vivid example of the lyric tenor was the voice of S. Lemeshev.

Lyric-dramatic tenor

The tenor subtype is close to lyrical, but colored by overtones, much denser and more saturated.

Dramatic tenor

From the classification of tenors, it is the lowest, differing in the power of sound and proximity along the timbral tinge to the baritone. For a dramatic tenor, many operatic parts are written (Othello, Herman from The Queen of Spades).

From the characteristics of the tenor subtypes, it can be understood that all of them, with the exception of the counter-tenor, differ from each other in their coloration, timbre. Tenor is the favorite sound of a voice for parties of heroic characters, beginning with heroes-lovers and ending with heroes-liberators, heroes-fighters.

Transitional notes

Another sign that classifies tenors will be the so-called transitional areas. On these notes, the voice begins to adjust and change the way of reproduction. Transitional notes directly depend on the structure of the voice device. These are the ultimate high sounds that the singer derives without changing the position of the ligaments. This site for each vocalist has its own, individual. It directly depends on the training of the vocal cords. Tenor is the most mobile type of singing voices. Therefore, the transition area for the tenor will change throughout the career.

Timbre - a feature of tenors

The main mistake of young vocalists, when determining their type of voice, will be an attempt to classify it only on a range. When the expert is engaged in the determination, he will certainly evaluate the timbre of the voice. Professionals call the timbre "colors of sound". It is the timbre that helps the voice to reproduce notes with precise height and full strength. It often happens that one listening is not enough for an accurate "diagnosis". After all, timbre is a characteristic, too, that is unstable. But it's more about classical vocal.

Tenor and modern music

And for the performance of modern music, without touching the operatic parts, there is absolutely no need to specify what kind of tenor you have. A voice can be simply defined as high, medium, or low. In the West, such a gradation has long been practiced. In her, a tenor is simply by definition the highest of male voices.

This conditionality gives the ground for grieving the young men, who by nature have a voice of low or medium register, not like a tenor. A voice is a musical instrument, and any instrument has a part in the orchestra. Even among modern musical compositions, unfortunately, today focused mainly on tenors, you can hear unique tunes written for both baritone and bass.