This document classifies and describes the different types of human voices. It divides female voices into soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Male voices are divided into countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. Each voice type has a defined range and characteristics. Examples of famous singers are provided for each voice type.

1. CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN VOICE
FEMALE VOICES MALE VOICES

2. VOICE TYPE
• A voice type is a particular kind of
human singing voice perceived as having certain
identifying qualities or characteristics.
• Women are typically divided into three
groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto.
• Men are usually divided into four
groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass.

3. VOICE TYPES
Voice type
Female voice
Soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Contralto
Male voices
Contratenor
Tenor
Baritone
Bass

4. FEMALE VOICE
Soprano:
• The soprano is the highest female voice.
• The tessitura of the soprano voice lies higher than all
the other female voices.
Mezzo-soprano:
• Mezzo-soprano tessitura, the tessitura of the mezzo-
soprano is lower than that of the soprano and higher
than that of the contralto.
Contralto:
• The contralto voice is the lowest female voice. A true
operatic contralto is extremely rare.

5. FEMALE VOICES
SOPRANO MEZZOSOPRANO CONTRALTO
MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ TERESA BERGANZA EULA BEAL

6. MALE VOICES
Countertenor:
• The term countertenor refers to the highest male
voice. Many countertenor singers perform roles
originally written for castrati in baroque operas.
Tenor:
• The tenor is the highest male voice within the modal
register.

7. Baritone:
• The Baritone is the most common type of male
voice.
• The tessitura of the baritone is lower than that
of the tenor and higher than that of the bass.
Bass:
• The bass is the lowest male voice.
• Bass tessitura: The bass voice has the lowest
tessitura of all the voices.

8. MALE VOICES
TENOR BARITONE BASS
L.PAVAROTTI LEO NUCCI NICOLAI GHIAUROV

9. RANGE

10. ACTIVITY: Listen to both fragments and
choose which kind of voice is.
Audition 1: a) Soprano
b) Mezzosoprano
c) Contralto
Solution: ______________
Audition 2 : a) Tenor
b) Baritone
c) Bass
Solution: ______________

11. VIDEO

12. VIDEO

13. VIDEO

14. VIDEO

15. VIDEO

16. VIDEO

17. VOCAL GROUP
• Mixed choirs (with male and female voices). This is perhaps
the most common type, usually consisting of soprano, alto,
tenor and bass voices.
• Male choirs, with the same voicing as mixed choirs, but
with boys singing. This format is typical of British
cathedralchoirs.
• Female choirs, usually consisting of soprano and alto voices,
two parts in each.
• Children's choirs, often two-part SA or three-part SSA,
sometimes more voices. This includes boys’ choirs.

18. ACTIVITY: Listen to both fragments and choose
which kind of Vocal group is.
• Audition 1: a) Mixed choir
b) Male choir
c) Children´s choir
Solution: ______________
• Audition 2 : a) Female choir
b) Male choir
c) Mixed choir
Solution: ______________