In singing, countertenor is a classical voice type. It's not as common as the other voice types, but it can sound just as good. Keep reading to learn more about this high male singing voice and determine if your voice is a countertenor.
The countertenor voice is the highest male voice type out there. Some countertenors can sing in the tenor or baritone range. However, they primarily use their head voice or falsetto to sing higher notes.
Many countertenors have a vocal range of G3 (just below middle C) to D5, and some can sing as high as E5. There's even a small group of men who are sopranists, and they can sing in the soprano range all the way up to C6, two octaves above middle C.
Initially, countertenor was a modal voice type. However, over time, changes in anatomy caused the shift to a falsetto voice type.
First called the contratenor, the countertenor voice was part of the two-part contrapuntal texture of polyphonic music. Composers in the 15th century started writing descant parts above the tenor line.
However, by the middle of the century, some composers split the part. The contratenor altus would sing above the tenor as before. Meanwhile, the contratenor bassus would sing lower than the tenor voice.
In the 1600s, Henry Purcell wrote one of the first countertenor parts in his work The Fairy Queen. Unfortunately, Purcell's countertenor didn't gain much prominence. It was more common for castrati to take on higher vocal lines.
The 20th century saw a renaissance of the countertenor voice. An English singer named Alfred Deller helped bring back an appreciation for early music, and that spurred more attention to the countertenor part.
Since castrati are no longer a part of classical music, countertenors sing these castrati roles in operas. Works by Mozart, Handel, and other composers call for such singers. Composers in modern times have also started to write for the countertenor range.
If you're a countertenor, you can audition for a variety of roles in oratorios and operas. Some examples include Oberon from Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and David from Handel's Saul.
There are many more roles for countertenors, especially from newer composers. If you want to tackle these roles, learning to control the falsetto voice can be a great task. Then, you won't have to compete with as many singers for a standard tenor role.
While the countertenor voice isn't the most common voice type, there are quite a few famous singers with this voice.
Some famous classical countertenors include Philippe Jaroussky, Andreas Scholl, and James Bowman. In popular music, famous countertenors include Charlie Puth, Childish Gambino, and Zayn Malik.
Listening to these singers may help you determine if you're a countertenor. If you find it easier to sing along to these performers, keep that in mind when classifying your voice. A lot more goes into classification than your range.
Compared to other voice types, the countertenor sits in the middle. Above it are the three female voices: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. The countertenor part sits above the other three male voices, which include the tenor, baritone, and bass voices.
Despite being technically lower than the mezzo-soprano and contralto voices, the countertenor range overlaps those two female voice types. The standard countertenor range starts at G3, while a mezzo starts at A3 and a contralto at F3.
On the high end, a countertenor can sing up to an E5. A mezzo can sing up to an A5, and a contralto can sing up to an F5. These ranges are all averages, though, and singers of any of these voice types may sing higher or lower.
Now, some countertenors can sing lower, especially when using the chest voice. They may be able to cover the entire range of a tenor (down to C3) or even a baritone (down to a G2).
A tenor and countertenor are both male voice types in classical music. However, the tenor voice is slightly more common than the countertenor. The tenor voice is also a bit lower, with a range of C3 to C5, compared to the countertenor's G3 to E5.
Also, tenor is a part in choral music, while countertenor is not. Countertenors who want to sing in a choir will often sing the tenor line since it's the highest for males. In TTBB choirs, a countertenor may sing the first tenor part.
Now, some countertenors can sing in the tenor range. But for various reasons, they may prefer to use their falsetto voice to sing higher. Doing so can be a great way to set oneself apart when auditioning for singing roles.
The countertenor voice is rarer than all the other voice types, male or female. Now, technically, men of all voice types could learn to sing the countertenor line. Mastering the use of the head voice and falsetto voice can help.
However, it's vital to do this carefully, especially for men who are baritone or bass singers. The last thing you want to do is harm your vocal cords. If you try to sing higher, pay attention to any signs of strain and stop immediately.
The biggest difference between a contralto and a countertenor is the gender of the singer. A contralto is almost always a woman, while a countertenor is usually a man.
Both voice types have overlapping ranges. In some cases, the contralto voice can sing lower than the countertenor by a whole tone. Some contralto singers can also sing higher than a countertenor by the same range.
Of course, this depends on the two singers in question. A more experienced countertenor may have a larger vocal range than a contralto singer who is starting their training.
Countertenor is a term used to describe the highest male voice. Meanwhile, falsetto refers to a type of register of the voice. Technically, all singers have a falsetto range, but not everyone uses it.
Of all of the voice types, it's most common for countertenor singers to use their falsetto voice. They rely on that register to be able to sing high notes more clearly.
The countertenor singing voice is a male voice type. It's higher than the other three male voices, and it has a similar range to the female contralto and mezzo-soprano ranges. This voice type is quite rare, so consider if you have it or not. Then, you can avoid straining your voice by trying to sing too high.