Singing Tips: The Four Vocal Types. Which One are You?

Warning: Many voices are a combination of these vocal types. However, generally speaking, most voices tend to “favor” one of these.

What is a Vocal Type?

A vocal type is not whether you are a soprano, alto, tenor or bass.

A vocal type describes what your vocal cords and the sound vibrations (resonance) tend to do in your body when you sing.

What are the Vocal Types?

There are 4 vocal types:

1. Pulled Chest/High Larynx: You tend to pull the low voice (chest voice) higher than is appropriate. And/or the larynx is raised higher than it should be. Usually it feels and sounds like you are reaching up for the note, or it sounds yelled, strained and difficult.
2. Light Chest/No Chest: Your vocal cords don’t come together firmly resulting in a breathy or soft tone. Or they don’t come together at all in the lower ranges.
3. Flip/Falsetto:  Your vocal cords break or separate as you sing higher resulting in a break or interruption in the tone. In the case of falsetto, the vocal cords slightly come together but are essentially disconnected. This results is a tone with little bottom tonal quality which cannot blend with the lower voice without reconnecting.
4. Mix:  Your vocal cords are able to adjust from your lower to upper voice without interruption in sound. The “weight” or mass of the vocal cords thins as you sing higher, the cords stay together (don’t disconnect) and you get a blend of both the lower (chest) voice and upper (head) voice. Because you get a blend of both head and chest voice it is referred to as a Mix…that is a mix of chest and head voice.

Why is knowing my vocal type critical to my singing success?

Vocal exercises tend to cause the vocal cords and the resonance to do specific things in your body. You don’t want to do exercises that are going to keep you doing the same wrong thing. You want exercises that will get you doing the right thing. This gives you results quickly.

For example: Suppose you came to me as your track coach for exercises to help you jump higher. But instead I gave you exercises that helped you run faster instead…but had no impact on your jumping. How long will it take to see results? Maybe never.  But if I give you the exercises designed specifically for your exact needs, soon you will be jumping higher.

It’s that simple. Knowing what you tend to do vocally helps you know what exercises you need for your voice to improve rapidly.

Inside Power to Sing,  you can select exercises for your vocal type that will cause your voice to improve fast! Check out the Knowledge Center for these exercises.

Which vocal types are bad?

There are no bad vocal cords or resonance. The vocal types only describes a physical process inside your body not a judgement about the quality of the voice or artistry of the singer.  Your vocal type describes what your vocal cords and resonance tends to do when you sing.

What do I do after I know my Vocal Type?

After discovering your vocal type using the free PowerTest and Quiz [link to it], study more about it in the Knowledge Center. Once you have a better understanding of what you tend to do when you sing, select exercises in the Knowledge Center designed for your vocal type. These exercises are tailored specifically for your unique needs and can lead to rapid improvement in your voice. Free downloads of exercises for each vocal type are available in the Knowledge Center. [Link to blogs for each vocal type]

Many singers see immediate results. I recommend doing these exercises daily for several weeks. If done correctly you will see incredible results.

Here are the links to the 4 vocal types in The Knowledge Center of Power to Sing.