I am in college; I take voice as a hobby. (I think that, in addition to reading, it’s my favorite one.) I wanted to know: A. Can vocal range be “improved?” My lower range isn’t the best, and I wish I could sing higher. B. I hear there are nine “sub-types” of soprano? Is it at all possible, (at least to some degree), to improve repertoire? To statemy query a different way, I’ve heard lots of operatic and
musical/Broadway songs I’ve loved and wish, at least once, to try and sing, if only in the presence of my vocal instructor. Is altering/improving/slightly changing one’s “sub-class” possible in any
way with training? Would performing these songs be at all feasible with hard work?
Thanks for the help; I’m very grateful.

Amy Herstein

Hi Amy,

Thank you for trusting me with your singing questions.

A. Yes, your vocal range can be improved. You are born with a voice that sits in a natural place, that you can’t change, but you can get yourself singing in the healthiest and freest way possible that allows for all of your naturally given range to fill in. You need to be supporting your voice, using the correct abdominal muscles, getting the throat muscles and tongue out of the way so that your sound is free to come out and flourish. Combing free singing and properly supported singing, will increase your range and stamina.

B. Regarding being able to fit yourself into certain subclasses of the soprano voice, also known as your Fach, again, I believe you are naturally preprogrammed to lend your voice to a certain fach. But that is will great singing technique. I have not heard you and do not know how far you have to grow as a singer. A lyric soprano, may never be able to touch a coloraturas range, as a coloratura may never find herself singing with a rich luscious warm quality.

Some voices tend to have qualities of a few different fachs and a choice has to be made by the instructor or singer as to which direction they should study. Just because you can sing a dramatic sopranos Aria well, does not mean your voice could handle it night after night in a production. It is vocal quality, range, timbre, body strength, and physical build that determines your fach.

The best thing you can do of course id get yourself to a great voice teacher for their opinion of your voice and its possibilities. I would be happy to hear and assess you in my “Vocal Assessment” program on my website, to give you some more personal input.

It’s great to hear how much you are enjoying to sing!

Ariella Vaccarino