#vocalview

A spinto voice can be best described as a hybrid between the lyric and dramatic voice. Spinto voices are very big, but not as large as a dramatic. They possess the warm timbre of lyric voices, but have the dark and metallic tone of a dramatic (Listen here). Often people believe that spintos are dramatics (eg. Jennifer Hudson), but their voice contains a warmth that a dramatic won't have. In regards to agility, again they sit in the middle.

They are not the most agile, but can harness the skill well (eg. Whitney Houston). Much confusion arises from the fact that spinto translates to ‘pushed’. Spintos are not singers who push their voices and force a bigger sound. They are voices that can be ‘pushed’ to dramatic climaxes. This means that they can acheive dramatic climaxes, not just singers who overly force air through the vocal folds. So Christina Aguilera is not a spinto.

Spintos are also known for their ability to slice through heavy instrumentation. They are one of the rarest voice types and are restricted to sopranos and tenors only, so there is no such thing as a spinto mezzo or baritone.

Examples in pop music include: Whitney Houston, Jennifer Hudson, Michael Bolton and Cee Lo Green. The spinto fach includes:

Spinto Soprano

Voice Type: Full-Lyric Soprano

Range: Eb3-G5-C6

Ivy Grace Paredes auditioned for the 13th seasons of the UK X Factor, astounding the judges. Unfortunately, Ivy had to leave the competition due to visa troubles. Hopefully she’ll be back next time, as she really has a lot to offer. While I do see her voice often misclassified, her great technique allows us to see where she really shines, making it easier for us to classify her. 

Spinto

Most often Ivy is called a spinto. Its not hard to see why, as full-lyrics are often mistaken for spintos, let alone ones with good projection and placement. While her voice is quite big and not overly bright, her voice doesn’t have the true darkness and metallic qualities of a spinto. Lets compare Ivy to Whitney (a true spinto soprano) and the difference will become more clear (yes that was just an excuse to hear Whitney sing). Ivy’s voice is too light to be a spinto. 

Full-Lyric

Ivy’s voice is not as big as a spinto’s but it is not your typical sweet and bright soprano voice. Her timbre is smooth, womanly and warm. Lyric sopranos (and tenors) can be broken down into full and light lyric. A light lyric voice will be very bright and have a youthful quality, while a full-lyric is not as intensely bright with a more mature quality. The latter describes Ivy’s voice and hence she must be a full-lyric. 

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Tenor

Range: E2-E5-Bb5

Brendon Urie is loved by many, often noted for his expressive voice and wide vocal range. Brendon’s voice is pretty high, and most agree he is a tenor, its just what type...

Spinto Tenor

Some tend to confuse Brendon for a spinto due to his technique. Brendon’s uses a chest-dominant mix and throatiness which makes his voice seem bigger and edgier than it actually is. We must look at how a singer sounds naturally, without the effects of technique. Brendon’s voice is far too bright to be a spinto. A spinto will have a much darker voice than a lyric, which Brendon does not. 

Leggiero 

Most often Brendon is called a leggiero tenor. This classification does not suit Brendon’s voice at all. A leggiero will have a very agile voice. Brendon’s voice is not overly agile at all, meaning he could not be a leggiero. 

Light-Lyric 

A light-lyric tenor’s voice will be youthful, bright and warm. Brendon’s voice is distinctively bright and youthful (For example). This intense brightness and boyish timbre means he cannot be anything but a light-lyric. 

Voice Type: Lyric Contralto

Range: C3-E5-F6

With a career spanning 6 decades, countless of hit songs and legendary outfits, it is clear that Cher is an icon. Besides her unique style, Cher has also stood out with her one-of-a-kind voice. This is reflected in her fach, which is very rare. 

Contralto

Cher provides a great example of a true contralto. Her voice is distinctly low, but most importantly it is androgynous. One would not describe her voice as light, girly and bright. It is remarkably masculine and dark (Take a listen). This is the defining feature of a contralto. On a side note, Cher proves that a contralto is not restricted to the lower half of the fifth octave, as she can reach right up into the 6th octave (Just This One Time). 

Lyric

The darkness and thickness of Cher’s voice can throw some people off. With contraltos we have two main distinctions: lyric and dramatic. A lyric voice will be warm, while a dramatic will be icy. As Cher’s voice is very warm, she has to be a lyric. The lyric contralto voice will be a bit thicker than your usual lyric mezzo or soprano, but that does not make Cher a dramatic. 

Voice Type: Full-Lyric Tenor

Range: G2-D5-F5

Luther Vandross was known for his soothing and velvety voice. Tragically, Luther was taken from us in 2005. He is often mistaken for a baritone, although he is not one...

Baritone

As most are aware, a tenor’s tessitura is higher than that of a baritone. People tend to focus on timbre instead of tessitura. Because Luther possessed a darker and masculine voice, people automatically jump to the conclusion that he must be a baritone. People think that a tenor’s timbre has to be intensely bright, but thats what we have lyric, spinto, dramatic, etc, to describe the timbre and weight of the voice. So we must look at where a voice sits. Luther’s voice is simply too high to be a baritone, meaning he must be a tenor. 

Full-Lyric

As mentioned above, Luther does not possess your typical bright tenor voice. His timbre was rather masculine and voice was larger than your light-lyric tenors. His voice is still warm and light, meaning he must has to be a lyric. A full-lyric tenor is a lyric tenor with a mature and manly timbre. As this matches Luther’s voice (Take a listen), he would be classified as such. 

Voice Type: Full-Lyric Soprano

Range: Bb2-Bb5-F6

Keke Wyatt is an best known for her underrated R&B vocals. As a woman who takes her vocals seriously, her voice type is subject to debate. 

Mezzo-Soprano

Keke’s extensive lower range can throw some people off. Being able to go very low does not make someone a mezzo-soprano, what we are looking for is comfort down low. Keke is very uncomfortable down low (Listen here), she often lowers her larynx to create some semblance of tone (Take a listen). People hear this and mistake it for comfort, when really there is little. Despite straining very low in her mix, she uses it with frequency and ease (phrased E5s, F5s, G5s, Bb5). She can easily phrase notes and sustain in the soprano range. The lack of development makes it harder for her to sing there, yet she has no issue, meaning she must be a soprano. 

Coloratura

Keke’s agility is an area that she shines in, yet that is not enough the earn the label of coloratura. The lyric coloratura soprano will have the lightest, brightest and highest voice. Keke’s timbre simply isn’t girly or bright enough to be a coloratura. She’s simply worked on her agility and developed it to a high standard. 

Spinto/Dramatic

Keke has been mistaken for a spinto or dramatoc numerous times. Her fuller voice tends to confuse some, but her timbre isn’t dark or metallic enough to be a spinto or dramatic. A dramatic will have a icy voice and Keke’s timbre is warm. In addition, a dramatic and spinto voice will carry more weight and have a bigger output than Keke’s. 

Full-Lyric

Keke’s voice is warm and light, yet full and womanly (Listen here). These are the traits of a full-lyric soprano.

Voice Type: Lyric Baritone

Range: G2-B4-G5

People often debate whether Josh is a tenor or baritone. Having a well trained voice, Josh makes it pretty clear where his voice shines. Lets take a look…

Tenor

Anyone who can go above A4 seems to be called a tenor. His well trained voice makes it clear where his voice shines. While he can go up into a tenor’s range his voice doesn’t bloom there (You Raise Me Up), it is best lower in the 4th octave (Vincent, O Holy Night, To Where You Are). A tenor with an equally developed voice would be using his A4+ range much more often. As F4, F#4 and G4 are big belts for Josh, his voice shows the characteristics of a baritone. Furthermore, Josh has comfort in the second octave (You Raise Me Up, Falling Slowly, Pure Imagination). All this demonstrates that Josh must be a baritone. 

Lyric

Josh possesses a manly, full and warm voice. Lyric voices are characterised by their warmth and hence Josh must be one. 

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Soprano

Range: Eb3-G5-Eb6

Pop princess, Britney Spears, is one of the most iconic stars of the 21st century. With an instantly recognisable voice, Britney’s fach is often up for debate. Lets see where she belongs…

Note: this analysis only refers to Britney in her prime- her debut era. I will not be classifying her voice after her decline.

Alto

Alto is a choral part, not a vocal fach. So while you can sing alto, you can’t be one. 

Contralto

Contralto is a part of the fach system, so you can be a contralto. Britney doesn’t fit any of the characteristics of a contralto. Her voice is not remotely low enough and her timbre is not that of a contralto. People tend to look at her ‘range’ and because she can hit notes in the second octave, believe she is a contralto. Britney uses vocal fry for her lowest notes and vocal fry does not count towards one’s range (and range is really irrelevant). Furthermore a contralto will have an androgynous sound, which is nowhere near Britney’s tone. Britney’s voice is far too bright and girly to be a contralto. 

Soubrette

9 times out of 10 Britney is called a soubrette. Britney is known for her very youthful, sweet and small voice. Britney manipulates her voice to sound even more girly, small and nasal than her voice naturally is. She is only really sounding like a soubrette because of artistic choices. A soubrette is most often a young girl whose voice has not matured. That is why we have simpler parts written for soubrettes, as there voices are still developing. Most classical singers will move to another fach as they mature. This makes the soubrette far more suitable for classical music.

Light-Lyric Soprano

Britney possesses a light, youthful and high voice. Her belts start too high up to be anything but a soprano. A mezzo would be belting in the 4th octave, which Britney doesn’t (Take a listen). A light-lyric will have a youthful, bright and light voice. As this matches Britney, she must be one.