Expert: J. Spyder Isaacson - 11/14/2009

Question
Hi, I was wondering is it possible for a tenor to hit baritone A? I've been told that the very lowest a tenor can go is the B. However, before my voice changed I was a tenor for a long time. Believe it or not since 5th grade! Afterwards my voice was definitely a baritone for a while, but now after a few years it's starting to expand dramatically. Let me give you a better picture. I used to hit the baritone A with ease. Now on most days unless I just spontaneously go to purposely hit that note I can't sing it at all. For example, I can randomly sing the A, but in an actual song my voice cuts out. Now on the upper end my highest chest range note is the G, but when I use my head voice which I have apparently developed extensively as well I'm able to go well up to the tenor high C sometimes the D and with the same sound quality as an opera tenor! I'm baffled by it. Just a year ago those notes were only accesible to me in a weak head voice. Is it likely that my voice is starting to expand outwards again towards my tenor range now that it has finished developing (at least from puberty anyway)? I need to know because I want to sing Nessun Dorma this next spring at our concert and I don't want to be doing something that is damaging. I mean I haven't strained at all thus far, but just in case. It would be really embarrassing if my voice cut out on those high notes like it is on the low.

Answer
As the saying goes, "anything is possible" (it's just that some things are less likely).

Less whimsically, though: the human voice is an amazing thing, capable of amazing possibilities. The key thing to stretching your range (which is what you're asking about) is NOT to force it. The best vocal sound is always with a relaxed larynx. And, as with anything, practice, practice, practice. (I managed to become a "baritenor" -- I can hit E above middle C -- simply because I was cast in a tenor role and had to work on stretching my range, and just worked hard on it.)

Beyond this, if you're really serious about your voice, I strongly recommend getting voice training from a good voice coach. They can also help you to stretch your range.

I hope this helps. Break a leg, and let me know how you do!

-- Spyder