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Female Changing VoicesCh. 13 Hayward/Floyd

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Overview

Children

Limited range (same octave as women, but not as

extended)

Boys and girls same range (choral music treble) Males sing in falsetto to match

Middle School-octave drop for boys, girls voices change as

well but not as obvious (choral music 3-part mixed)

High School-capable of settling into vocal comfort zone, but

not fully matured yet. (choral music traditional SATB)

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Sampler audio--voices as they age

Children’s choirs 

http://youtu.be/4HR6mj3Cexs 

http://youtu.be/ycjvSz5Cyjo 

Middle school

http://youtu.be/u054yYjNgr8 

http://youtu.be/7ZHezfGIWjc 

HS choir

http://youtu.be/on8eU1EoPc4 

http://youtu.be/RhRHXYYcGwg 

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Vocal changes during adolescence

Pg. 201 physical changes affecting the voice (both boys

and girls)

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Difficulties with vocal change

Pg. 202 (both boys and girls)

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Difficulties with vocal change

Loss of high notes (previously successful)

Reduced range at certain stages

Breathiness/huskiness (incomplete closure of glottis dueto weak laryngeal muscles)

Difficulty with coordinated onset

Abrupt register transitions/breaks/cracks

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The Female Voice Change… 

Females may begin to experience their voice change

between the ages of 11-15 on average.

The change may not be fully completed until the

student reaches junior or senior year (sometimes it maybe later).

Every student is different.

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During the Change… 

Symptoms female students may experience:

Huskiness

Unsteadiness/discomfort

Breathiness in sound Increased range/Decreased range/lowered range

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During the Change… 

Sound Quality:

Very breathy

May be more “soft and pure” as opposed to “loud and full” 

Audio Example start at 0:25

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During the Change… 

Physiological Happenings:

Larynx grows (more height than length)

3-4mm increase in cord length

Mutational chink

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During the Change… 

Typical ranges:

Range: Bb3 to F2

Comfortable Area: D4-D5

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After the Change… 

Once the change starts to subside:

Overall range capability increases

Volume, resonance, and agility increases

Greater consistency between registers occurs Perhaps changed passagio (break)

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After the Change… 

Sound Characteristics:

Decreased breathiness (hopefully)

Tone is fuller, richer, deeper (though not adult yet)

Vibrato may enter

Audio Example

Tacosa HS Women’s Ensemble 

(Play from beginning)

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After the Change… 

Typical Ranges of High School Female Voices:

“Alto I” (fuller sound w/o upper range) 

Range A3-E5

Tessitura D4-A4 “Alto II or Contralto” RARE! (full, rich, probably lack of upper

register)

Range F#3-C#5

Tessitura B3-F#4

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Other Info

Labeling

Avoid assigning labels (alto, soprano) to students, especially in

Junior High School.

They’re all truly sopranos anyway.

Switch Up Which Part They Sing

Help students to utilize more than just one register

This can assist ear-training.

Female voices do not fully mature until the student’slate 20’s or early 30’s.