Alisha Reeve MUSE 258 Citation Teaching Kids to Sing 1992 Chapter 3: Vocal Parameters Kenneth H.

Phillips Summary Vocal Registers o Adult range is about 3 octaves o Registers Like sounds or tone qualities caused by a specific mechanical action 3 registers Head Middle Chest Result from the way vocal fold vibrate o Physiology Manuel Garcia Hooked mirror called the laryngoscope made it possible to view the vocal folds Inner edges vibrate in the upper register Full width and length for the lower Combination of the two for middle Should be no noticeable break between registers Laryngeal position is cause of changes in the vocal tract Should remain at rest for singing o Child Vocal Registers Childrens should utilize all registers Pure lower voice o Middle C and lower Pure upper voice o Starts 1 octave above middle C Children will gravitate towards the lower register naturally o Folds make greater contact in the lower register and thus allows for great damage English Choirboy model Only treble part Ignored changing voices John Dawson If boys sing through the voice change no break will occur

Continental approach Mixture of chest into the upper register Must start from top and move downward F# balances the middle register o Adolescent Vocal Registers Female childrens vocal folds are closer to adult size than those of boys Female vocal registers remain about the same Many can only sing mezzo-soprano until the can find all three registers o Will tend to sing below middle C in the middle register rather than the pure low register Pop culture provides poor vocal models Adult male sing in two registers Lower o Middle C down Mixed o Middle C to the octave above Also have a falsetto, not considered another register The changing vocal folds disturb coordination and thus require more training Continue to use the upper register Lower register should be used for two thirds of the vocal range Adolescent tenors begin to emerge in 9th grade Have smaller voice and should not push for more sound Quality o Subjective Influenced by society, and cultural o America quality Full throated Bell or nasal quality o Young voices lack pharyngeal resonance o Registers influence vocal quality o Child Vocal Quality Two types Loud and boisterous Thin and whispery If well taught should sound flutelike Avoid loud and soft dynamics and stick to a middle dynamic Children naturally tend to sing in one register, be it upper or lower o Adolescent Vocal Quality Often exhibits poor vocal techniques Raised larynx

No pharyngeal resonance Loud singing still to be avoided Often too forced Choice literature that is an appropriate level Recordings are great aids Teachers voice should be a good model Even vibrato is a good technique Lack of vibrato means that too much pressure is being exerted Range and Tessitura o Range Number of pitches that can be sung o Physiological frequency Very highest to very lowest frequencies that can be reached o Musical frequency Highest and lowest pitches that can be matched accurately o Tessitura High or low in average pitch Where the majority of pitches in a piece should lie to prevent vocal fatigue o Research on vocal range Median number of pitches produced by 8 years old is 15 9 and 10 years = 16 Adults = 20 Children may vocalize a large range, but cannot utilize them all in songs Up to 2 octaves Young children cannot master pitch and words simultaneously Much accurate on neutral pitches Most students tend to sing lower when allowed to choose their own level o Child Vocal Ranges and Tessituras 1st Grade Range: c1 - c2 Tessitura: d1 a1 2nd Grade Range: b-d2 Tessitura: d1-b1 3rd Grade Range: a-e2 Tessitura: d1-d2 4th Grade Range: aflat-f2 Tessitura: d1-d2 th Grade 5 Range: g-g2

Tessitura: d1-d2 6th Grade Range: Tessitura: Junior High Treble I and II Range: bflat-f2 Tessitura: d1-d2 Junior High Tenor I (unchanged) Range: bflat-f2 Tessitura: d1-d2 Junior High Tenor II (changing) Range: g-g1 Tessitura: bflat-f1 Junior High Tenor (newly changed) Range: d-g1 Tessitura: g-d1 Junior High Baritone (changing) Range: d-d1 Tessitura: g-c1 Junior High Bass (changing) Range: Bflat-f; a1-c2 Tessitura: c-e Junior High Bass-Baritone (newly changed) Range: A-d1 Tessitura: c-g Senior High Soprano I Range: eflat1-bflat2 Tessitura: aflat1-eflat2 Senior High Soprano II Range: c1-g2 Tessitura: f1-c2 Senior High Alto I Range: a-e2 Tessitura: d1-a1 Senior High Alto II Range: f#-c#2 Tessitura: b-f#1 Senior High Tenor I Range: d-a1 Tessitura:g-d1 Senior High Tenor II Range: bflat-f1 Tessitura: eflat-b Senior High Baritone

Range: G-d1 Tessitura: c-g Senior High Bass Range: E-b Tessitura: A-e

Reflection Understand ranges of all ages and how they should properly be used is very important in the field of music education. As a music educator I should know what the range is off all of my students and what registers they are most comfortable singing in so that I can appropriately choose repertoire. A bad choice in repertoire could lead to students dropping because they feel they are succeeding. This knowledge will also be necessary when dividing students into parts for choral singing. In general music classes it will be helpful when choosing songs that all of my students can participate in.