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According to statements music teachers and experts, there is no person on Earth who does not have a musical ear. The thing is that some people are endowed with an ear for music more, others less. However, there are no people in whom it would be completely absent!

The vocal voice is very closely connected with the ear for music, and its development requires tremendous strength and energy. To find out if you have a voice, and how developed it is, it is enough to conduct a few small experiments.

Try to sing some very simple tune. If the melody seems too hard to master, try singing a normal scale (do, re, mi...). Record your singing with a voice recorder or mobile phone.

Listen and hear how your voice sounds. Most people who hear their own voice on a recording panic and don't like the voice or the way it sounds at all. Actually, this is normal. The voice will sound alien because you hear it through the bones, and because of this, some of the overtones are lost. However, listening to the recording, you will hear your clear voice, the way everyone around hears it.

Now, you can absolutely analyze whether you have a voice or not. So, on the record, all the falsity that was allowed during singing will be heard. And if you really hear it when listening, it's great, as it is confirmation that you still have a hearing. If there is no falsehood, this does not mean that everything is lost. Quite possibly, on the contrary, you are gifted with a developed ear and voice from birth.

If you don't believe yourself, play your recording to a vocal or music teacher, some musician, who will tell you for sure whether you have a voice or not. Most likely, the answer will be yes, but depending on how developed the hearing is, the number of errors indicated may be different.

What to do if it turns out that you really have a hearing? You can do whatever you want with this. You can contact music school and gain additional skills, experience and special education. You can try yourself in some singing competition and so on.

Of course, you can do nothing at all, thereby ruining your will to music. This is the easiest way to go great amount of people. Today, there are far fewer people who sing than there used to be. And the point is not even that there are fewer talented people, but that no one wants to work on themselves. Previously, many even spoke in rhyme, but now they don’t ...

As I understand it, since you came to read this article, you are specifically concerned about the definition of your voice or the definition of the voice of your student. This topic, as you understand, is very long and I will not now delve into the differences in voices in terms of their spin or magnitude, which I already wrote about in the article "". I think you are wondering, namely the definition of voice by type, i.e.:, etc. By the way, no matter what you write here about the characteristics of various voices, you can familiarize yourself with them in detail in the "" section, that information, I hope, will also help you. I think it's hard to overestimate.

I must say right away that it is impossible to read the text and get up because of computer desk or removing the phone from which you are reading this from your field of vision, find out how, without having a vocal school, you can simply take and determine your type of voice. I can only help those who are somehow educated, who have guesses, etc. In general, no matter what to dissemble, I will simply explain the ways in which teachers determine the voice of a student, and you decide for yourself, and if after this information you remain unsure, then the road to a music school or to a private singing teacher is booked for you.

So. Now the actual set of features by which the type of voice is determined:

1. 1. Timbre. Well, of course, the first thing they look at is the sound, color, density of the chest and head registers of the voice, what can I say, if Magomayev, for example, was a baritone, then this purely baritone timbre cannot be confused with anything, of course, some tenors can portray low baritone notes, but it will be clamped, little sonorous, not colored. And vice versa, the baritone will not be able to portray the lightness and flight of the upper formant, which the tenor will demonstrate. The same story with soprano and mezzo, and in principle with any voices. But in general, experienced teachers determine the timbre of the student's voice, simply by inner feelings and intuition, because so many voices have already been heard in life that it is almost impossible to deceive their ears.
2. 2. Transition notes. Each voice has transitional notes, "bridges" between registers, head and chest. There is also a theory that there are 3 registers in each voice and disputes on this topic have been dragging on for centuries, now is not about that. One way or another, these adapters are there, and having felt them, it is also possible, although not with 100% certainty, to still determine the type of voice, for example, the tenor has transitional notes mi-fa # of the first octave, the baritone has re-mi flat first octaves, mezzo transitional notes: D-flat of the second octave, in the soprano mi-fa # of the second octave, etc. That's a good idea for the next article, I found about transitional tones. But it should be remembered that experienced singers of transitional tones do not feel and simply forget about them.
3. 3. Range. This is probably the most flexible criterion on this list. On initial stage teaching singing, the range is mostly small for everyone and does not tell anyone anything, and as for opera singers, their ranges are often 2.5 - 3 octaves, which means this is not a criterion. Many mezzos sing in the Soprano tessitura, and vice versa, contraltos can hit the high notes of mezzos, tenors can hit the notes of baritones, basses can sing in the tessitura of baritones, and so on. Of course, not everyone has these abilities, but still they are. Good singers always have a big range and you can't get away from it.
4. The structure of the larynx and ligaments. There were once rumors that phoniatrics supposedly could, by looking at the ligaments, predict the singer's voice or do the same in terms of the size and shape of the Adam's apple. Allegedly, tenors have a small and barely noticeable Adam's apple, while basses have a large one, etc. But having examined at least a couple of dozen singers, you will immediately realize that this is far from the case and the type of voice does not depend on the structure of the larynx, and as for the ligaments, this criterion cannot mean anything either. In the end, if the structure of the ligaments plays a role, then you need to evaluate their size, thickness, strength, elasticity, mobility, etc.
5. Body type. The myth that mezzo-sopranos and tenors are necessarily full, and basses and coloratura are necessarily skinny, just as does not hold true as a well-founded and proven theory of voice definition, because according to statistics, there will be more than half of the exceptions in this theory, which means that the theory is not makes sense.
6. Ability to withstand tessitura. As for this ability, everything is clear here, it means the singer's ability to sing for a long time in a uniformly high or low tessitura.

For example, if a baritone is able to take tenor notes, and even in timbre is similar to a dramatic tenor, this does not mean that he is a tenor, because, whatever one may say. But for a tenor, sometimes, the tessitura of the entire work is so high that the ability to hit a high note once will not save, but the tenor is arranged in such a way that it can withstand a high tessitura throughout the entire opera, etc. Although of course, I already wrote about the singer , which could give odds to many tenors and he got up to # 2 octaves, which seems simply incredible.

Is it worth it to conclude from the above that each person makes his own voice from scratch? - "Not! certainly". Because even despite the fact that individually all these factors are not significant, in the aggregate they give rise to the whole science of “defining the voice”. Nature, after all, has invested in each of us a special list of abilities and it is best to reveal what is already there and even this may not be enough life, not that it would be for the transformation of oneself.

Surely most people who decide to take up singing have the same question, how to check their voice. In general, a lot is known about the voice, it is enough to look through the relevant literature or use the Internet. However, any person who is fond of vocals is naturally interested in his native voice. That's what we'll talk about.

How to check for a voice

First of all, you need to sing and record a simple melody or a simple scale on the recorder. It may happen that the first time you do not succeed. This is because, most likely, your hearing is still underdeveloped, and your voice is not coordinated with it.

When you listen to the recording for the first time, you probably won't recognize your voice. This is because in reality a person hears himself through the bone, but those around him easily recognize the performer.

If, after listening to the recording, you managed to hear false notes that you did not feel during the performance, then you can safely count on the fact that you still have a hearing. If there was no falsehood, then you are the owner of a natural developed coordination of voice and hearing.

You can refer to friends who make music. They will surely help you with the question of how to check if there is a voice. To do this, you need to work out with the musician and try to repeat the notes played with your voice.

In addition to friends, you can always contact a singing teacher at school, or a vocal teacher at a music school. A professional vocalist will help you understand the possibilities of your voice and change it into better side. With the question of how to check your voice, it is also advisable to contact a phoniatrist. Most of these professionals work privately with music schools.

Even if you are not naturally the owner strong voice, it won't hurt you to sing. Voice parameters can be easily corrected and developed in the course of classes. The reason why you will not be able to learn vocals may be the pathology of the hearing organs, which are responsible for the formation of the voice.

Perhaps in the shower or in the car you sing like a rock star, but sometimes it's hard to objectively evaluate your own vocal abilities. It turns out that it is quite possible to evaluate yourself if you learn to listen and hear correctly. Record yourself on a tape recorder and pay attention to your tone, pitch, and ability to control your voice. Good news is that almost everyone can learn to sing well. Follow simple recommendations to develop your vocal skills.

Steps

Part 1

How to evaluate your vocal abilities

Evaluate the overall tone and timbre of the voice. Timbre is general characteristics the sound of the voice. If you hit all the notes, but the tone or timbre doesn't match the song, then the performance won't sound right. in the best way. Pay attention to how clearly and consistently you emphasize vowel sounds, how fully you use your voice register and how you reproduce rhythmic nuances (adapt your voice to various styles performance).

• When evaluating the timbre, pay attention to the softness or hardness, sharpness or smoothness, strength or weakness of the voice.

Annabeth Nowitzki, private teacher for vocals:“Despite the fact that some people sing better than others by nature, this skill can be developed and improved. If you really like to sing, then approach the matter wisely and work on yourself regularly.

Use your range and technique daily. Some people naturally control their voice better than others, but practice is good for every singer. Continue learning to control your breath, develop your voice and hearing, and find the right one. musical style that best suits your tone.

• Musical talent often develops in parallel with musical talent. Get to know vocal techniques and learn how to use your voice as an instrument. The more you know about the different components correct execution the more effective your exercises will be.

1. Attend vocal lessons. Finding someone to teach you how to use your voice as an instrument will improve your singing a lot. Choose a tutor who will teach you not only to hit the notes correctly, but also be able to develop general technique execution. A good teacher will tell you how to stand, breathe, move and read notes while performing vocal parts.

   • If your friends are taking vocal lessons, ask them for recommendations. You can also rely on the feedback of the choir leader, local groups and ensembles.
   • Many educators give a trial lesson for free or at a reduced price. Attend trial lessons with multiple teachers to choose from best option. Did the teacher encourage you? spoke most lessons? Focused only on the voice or also paid attention to the technique of performance?

2. Learn to accept constructive criticism. If you have a wonderful singing voice, you will already know this, as well as the reverse situation. Just as a beginner guitarist has to go through an awkward stage when he is still not good at the instrument and does not always hit the strings, so singers should work hard to improve their voice. Such skills are not given to a person from birth, but are acquired through hard work.

   • If someone told you that you can't sing, but you have desire learn, then keep working on your voice tirelessly. Do not listen to ill-wishers. There are people who will never learn to sing, no matter how hard they try. If this is the case, then you will already know about it.

3. Enroll in a music school or local choir to practice singing and develop your voice. Working in a choir is a great way to improve your vocal skills. You will know the opinion of the choir leader and other participants about your abilities, and you will also get the chance to work in a team. Often, inexperienced performers are more comfortable singing along with other people and not becoming the center of critical attention.

   Continue to study and practice regularly to improve your technique. If you decide that you don't have innate abilities but you love to sing, then keep working. The teacher will help you to maximum result from your possibilities. The joy of singing is available to everyone.

Musical deafness doesn't mean you have a bad voice, but it limits your ability to tune your voice to a particular song or tune.

Similarly, difficulty in trying to control your singing voice does not mean you have musical deafness. good execution depends on many factors. It's possible that you just need to work harder.

Get the opinion of people you trust. Like singing in front of friends and family, play your voice recordings with your closest people to get their opinion. If your friend sings well, then ask him about the technical aspects. If the listener is not familiar with vocal techniques, then find out the first reaction.

• Choose people who will give you an honest answer and whose opinion you trust. It is better not to contact a person who will praise or criticize you in any case.

Sing in front of other people to get an outsider's opinion. If needed constructive criticism, then try to sing in the presence of the audience. Arrange a small concert for friends and family. Perform an open mic, take part in a talent show or go to karaoke. Find a suitable place and sing.

• Choose the right space. Your voice will sound better in a large room with high ceilings than in a carpeted basement.
• When you have finished singing, ask the audience for their sincere opinion. It is important to understand that some people may spare your feelings, while others will be overly critical. Consider not one specific opinion, but an average assessment of your abilities.
• Another way to find out the opinion of the public is to try to sing at the station or in mall. It is better to use a microphone and a small amplifier. Find out if passers-by will stop to listen to you. Be sure to get all the necessary permissions from the owner or administration of the chosen place. Performances in some venues may require special permits from local authorities.

A velvety or sonorous voice, the ability to touch a nerve with the help of his singing is a true skill. Some people have this gift by nature, others need to study long and hard in order to get even a little closer to the ideal. It also happens that a person has ear for music, but the vocal cords are underdeveloped and the singing is not what we would like. Such people will be helped by long and hard training on the development of their voice. After all, the vocal cords are also muscles that can be developed and trained.

The main thing to remember when starting voice development exercises is the need correct breathing. That's where you need to start training. After all, if a person breathes incorrectly, the power of his voice will never reach right level. To learn how to breathe properly, you can try walking around the room, counting your inhalations and exhalations. On the first two steps - inhale, on the second - exhale. But this is only in the first days of classes. Gradually, you need to increase the intervals between inhalation and exhalation up to ten steps. The following exercise is also useful: you need to stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, and join your hands in the lock and raise them up. Bending back, inhale, and as you exhale, lean forward. When tilting, simultaneously with exhalation, pronounce various vowels: "a-a-a", "u-u-u", "o-o-o", "i-i-i", "e-e-e". Regular performance of these simple exercises is the first step in how to develop a voice for singing. It is advisable to perform these and subsequent exercises in front of a mirror in order to monitor how the diaphragm works.

For those who have set themselves the goal of how to develop a voice for singing at home, it is worth moving on to the following exercises - pronunciation of syllables. It is best to use such sound combinations that contain both voiced and voiceless consonants in combination with vowels. For example: thpi, thpe, thpa, thpo, thpu. If at first it is difficult to remember, then you can write them in advance on a piece of paper and read aloud. Also helps to strengthen vocal cords Tongue Twisters. There are a lot of them, so you can choose the ones that you like the most. For example: "Beavers wander into the cheese forests. Beavers are brave, but kind to beavers." It is best to find tongue twisters that contain different sounds and sound combinations. They need to be spoken different pace: Starting slowly and gradually increasing.

It is useful to read aloud various works: both poetry and prose. At the same time, you need to monitor diction and clearly pronounce each letter, learn to put in right places logical stresses. It is better to do this by recording on a tape recorder so that you can listen to your voice and understand what mistakes are made in the process of reading. At first, you can read literature aloud for ten to fifteen minutes, but gradually increase the time to an hour or more.

Singing directly helps to develop the voice, starting from chants, ending with the performance themselves musical works. The chants can be very different: the same syllables that were spoken aloud, but hummed in a different key. Start low and end as high as you can. This way you can define your range. Sometimes normal breathing through the nose helps to lower the voice. Also for this purpose, a simple exercise called buzzing will help. You need to press your chin to your chest and just make a sound: "zh-zh-zh". If you perform buzzing every day, you can notice the result quite quickly. So, knowing these simple tricks on how to develop a voice for singing at home, you can make your voice more sonorous and strong.