My students often ask me which Fach they have, or which voice range they have. I’m always very careful with rash “diagnoses” on vocal chords. Only when the vocal chords can be used loosely when singing and when the sound comes from the body (with support) do I dare to categorize. And even then, the voice can still develop further, become more dramatic or deeper…
The division into voice ranges (soprano alto tenor bass) is necessary to integrate a singer into the choir or to find the suitable role in musical theatre so that the voice is not only spared, but also finds its individual timbre.
In the well-known “Handbuch der Oper” by Rudolf Kloiber (Munich 2007), where most operas are listed, you can find fine gradations of which opera part can be assigned to which vocal parts. Although voice ranges can be differentiated, there is still no final scheme that could represent the enormous number of voices.
Of course, singers still need guidelines to focus on a repertoire that fits to their voices. If, for example, one sang a role that did not do fit to one’s voice, they could harm their vocal chords. Historically, composers have even composed their works for certain singers. Professional singers know which composers are particularly good for the voice. Mozart and Richard Strauss, for example, are considered beneficial to the voice. Beethoven is considered very difficult to master. Of course, it is very specific and every singer has different preferences.
For art songs there are no specific Fächer, the editions are limited only to “high/medium/low”. For example, certain songs are easier or harder for different vocal types.
Whether you sing pop or classical music, you’ve probably noticed that your piece “fits” more or less to you.
Tip: First sing in your favourite song, where you feel most comfortable. If you feel well, it is a sign that your throat is loose and the support is relieved from the body. The best thing for the voice is to slowly increase the difficulty of the repertoire. For this, voice training is essential! The vocal chords are very sensitive and react very quickly to excessive strain.
Before we now come to the fine division of the vocal Fächer, let us first consider the vocal ranges:
The Division (for Choirs) (Soprano Alto Tenor Bass)
Voices are divided into soprano, alto, tenor and bass. As you can see, neither the baritone nor the mezzo-soprano is considered here. However it makes a big difference whether you are a mezzo-soprano or an alto , just as big is the difference between baritone and bass. Fächer do not yet play a major role in the choir.
Now we can fine-tune these categories:
Which Fach do I have? Soprano alto tenor bass?
It would be too simple to define our vocal chords to how high or how low we can sing. It often happens that sopranos sing in the amateur choir with the altos because their technique is not sufficient to hit the high notes or because they can sing very deep. In fact, it depends on the timbre of the voice. In which situation is her voice the most powerful, the most voluminous? A good contralto must also be able to sing a high c”`, a soprano comes down to the e easily.