The voice: the instrument you carry with you
Probably the oldest instrument is the one you were born with. Your voice has a power source, a vibrator and a loudspeaker, just like a guitar or a trumpet, and you carry it everywhere.
In this lesson
How the voice works
A voice has three parts. The lungs push air upward like bellows. The vocal folds, two small folds of soft tissue in the throat, close a little and vibrate as the air passes. Then the throat, mouth and nose shape the sound into vowels and words.
To sing a higher note, the folds stretch thinner and shake faster. For a lower note, they relax and shake more slowly. That is the same idea as a tight and a loose string.
Four main voice types
Singers are grouped by the range of notes they sing most comfortably. Everyone's voice is a little different.
- Soprano
- The highest voice. Often sings the main tune in a choir.
- Alto
- A lower, warm voice that sings the notes below the soprano.
- Tenor
- The highest of the usual men's voices.
- Bass
- The lowest voice, deep and rich.
Singing together: the choir
A choir often has the four voice types singing together, each on its own line. The result sounds like a chord: four different notes that fit together. Choirs sing in schools, churches, theatres and concert halls all over the world.
Looking after your voice
A voice is part of your body, so treat it kindly. Drink water, do not shout for a long time, and rest your voice when it feels tired. If singing hurts, stop and ask a grown-up or a teacher.
Piano sound: Salamander Grand Piano by Alexander Holm (CC BY 3.0).