If you enjoy singing high notes and are a woman, you may be a soprano. This voice type is higher than the others, but there's more to it than a high range.
Read on to learn more about soprano voices and to determine if you fall into any of the subtypes.
The soprano voice is the highest singing voice of all, including male and female voices. With the exception of young boys, most sopranos are women. On average, the soprano voice has a range from C4 (middle C) to C6.
Some soprano singers can reach notes much higher, including an octave or more. Other singers can reach notes below middle C, and some can sing both higher and lower. Beginners, though, tend to have a smaller vocal range.
The soprano voice almost always sings the melody. However, they can also sing a descant part, which is higher than the melody.
The first group of singers who could sing in the soprano range were boys. Some would maintain that range as castrato singers, meaning they would prevent the typical drop in pitch that boys experience during puberty.
This was because women weren't originally allowed to sing. However, as women have been allowed to join choirs and musical productions, women have taken on the soprano range due to their higher voices.
Nowadays, the soprano voice is the second most common female voice type after the mezzo-soprano, which sits just below the soprano voice. You can find soprano singers in choirs, musical theatre, opera, and pop music.
Whether you're a soprano or know someone who is, it's important to consider the different subtypes. Each subtype has its own characteristics aside from the vocal range. Here's what you should know about different types of soprano voices.
The first subtype is the coloratura soprano, and it has two further subtypes. There's the lyric coloratura soprano, which is a very flexible and light voice. They can sing from around C4 to F6, over two octaves higher.
Lyric coloratura soprano opera roles include Alcina and Alzira, both from operas of the same name. Juliette from Romeo and Juliette is another role for the lyric coloratura soprano voice.
There's also the dramatic coloratura soprano, and this voice type is agile like the coloratura, but they have more vocal power. A lot of these singers can sing down to a low B (B3) and up to an F6.
In opera, a dramatic coloratura soprano can sing roles such as Lady Macbeth from Macbeth and Donna Anna from Don Giovanni. The lead role in Semiramide is also suitable for this voice type.
A soubrette soprano has a light voice with a sweet timbre. The tessitura is in the middle of other sopranos, but the voice can project over an orchestra. Many soubrette sopranos are younger, and they may not retain this voice type over their career.
If you want to perform a soubrette soprano role, you'll want to study German as most roles are in that language. While this type isn't the most common, it's worth knowing if you're young or if you teach young singers.
A similar subtype is the lyric soprano, which has a brighter timbre and a full sound. Like the coloratura soprano, lyric sopranos can be split into two smaller groups.
First, there's the light lyric soprano, which sounds a bit bigger than a soubrette soprano, but the voice still sounds young. Some roles can even be performed by both subtypes, including Susanna from Marriage of Figaro.
A few well-known roles for lyric soprano singers include Pamina from The Magic Flute and Euridice from Orfeo and Euridice.
The other subtype is the full lyric soprano. Singers with this voice type have a fuller, more mature voice that can project. You can take on roles such as Micaela from Carmen or Mimi from La boheme with this voice type.
The spinto soprano voice is a bit darker than the lyric soprano. Singers with this type can sing some lyric soprano roles, but they can push their voices a bit more. They have a similar range, so the main difference is their vocal quality.
Spinto soprano roles include Floria Tosca from Tosca and Aida from the opera of the same name.
Dramatic soprano singers can project over a full orchestra. Their voices sound rich and full, but they still have the higher range of a soprano. Typically, these singers aren't as agile as other soprano subtypes.
Some well-known opera roles for dramatic sopranos include Salome and Turandot, both from operas of the same names. There are also some Wagnerian dramatic sopranos, and they can sing roles such as Isolde from Tristan und Isolde.
Compared to other sopranos, singers with this subtype may be able to reach notes as low as A3. Some can sing even lower with proper voice training.
While not super common, it's important to know about a couple of other subtypes. These are named the Dugazon and the Falcon. They're two types of voices that sit between the soprano and mezzo-soprano voices.
Along with classical music, the soprano voice is a standard part in four-part choir music (SATB). It's the highest voice part, just above the alto line.
Singers with the soprano voice can sing the soprano line in a choir piece. Some mezzo-soprano singers may also take on the soprano part if they have strong high registers. It's also not uncommon for a mezzo-soprano to sing the second soprano line when the part splits.
Unlike classical music, choral music only focuses on vocal range. But when singing operatic music or musical theatre, you also need to consider factors like vocal weight and agility.
The soprano voice occurs at any level of singing, from beginner to professional. More advanced singers will generally have greater control over their voice than beginners. They'll also typically have a larger vocal range.
In terms of ranges, the soprano voice is the highest vocal range. Some sopranos can sing higher than others, though, so there's no hard and fast rule for the range.
A soprano voice is a type of female singing voice. It's higher than the mezzo-soprano voice, and there are multiple sub-types. Some singers are closer to mezzo-soprano singers, such as the dramatic soprano.
However, others have a higher and/or lighter voice. These include the subtypes of coloratura soprano and lyric soprano.
The five main types of soprano singers include coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic. In order, they're the highest to lowest subtypes of the soprano voice.
However, the coloratura soprano and lyric soprano also have two further subtypes based on agility and range.
There are three primary female voice types, including soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Within that, each voice has multiple subtypes, including lyric, coloratura, and dramatic. That means there are way more than six possible voice types for women.
The soprano voice is the highest of all voice types for men and women. Women typically sing the soprano line, but young boys can before their voices drop.
If you think you might be a soprano, consider the subtypes. That way, you can sing the right music for your voice.