Vocal Qualities - Everything You Need to Know About the Characteristics of the Human Voice

            I’ve been talking a lot about Vocal Ranges, Vocal Registers, and Vocal Types.  Now, I want to put a little more “flesh” on those bones by providing you with some more definitions describing Vocal QUALITIES.  i’m not talking about whether a voice is “good” or “bad” but being able to describe and understand different, specific aspects of a voice that make it distinctive from any other voice.  Each of these characteristics can be learned, practiced, and utilized in order to create unique sounds for explicit purposes.  Years ago, my husband and I worked for the Pioneer Corporation who produced thousands of karaoke tracks.  I’m not talking about singing karaoke but creating the “sound-alike” tracks which people then mimic and sing to.  I once had to imitate 17 different voices in days, voices from Ella Fitzgerald to Dolly Parton to Whitney Houston.  In order to facilitate this feat, I had to study the original performances and then, intensely study and replicate the vocal qualities that made those voices unique, recognizable, and wonderful.  These qualities listed below were vocal traits I drew from to create each individual vocal sound.

            It is important to understand that, like your FINGERPRINT, your VOICE PRINT or the sum of your Vocal Qualities is THOROUGHLY UNIQUE!  In ALL the world, there are no two Voices that are the same.  More and more, companies use these singular signatures for identification protocols.  Unfortunately, the voice is also subject to health challenges due to illness, misuse or abuse, humidity, and foreign substances.  Everyone has struggled with being hoarse at one time or another, and this can definitely affect Vocal Qualities.  Vocal Qualities are the specific traits that create the Vocal Signature.

            Vocal Qualities include:

• Adenoidal - This is a description used for singers who sound as if they are singing through their nose.  You might think to call this “Nasal” sound but “Adenoidal” sound is technically more accurate.
• Aphonic - This, literally, means no sound, not even a whisper.  This can be caused by an inability to produce enough air pressure to power the vibration of the Vocal Folds OR it can be the result of a problem with the musculature and/or tissues of the Vocal Folds.
• Appealing - This is exactly what you probably think it means; this adjective describes a singer who wants approval, or help, or consideration.
• Biphonic - This phenomenon occurs when two distinct, separate pitches are heard upon phonation.  The cause of Biphonic tones has to be two different sources for the sound, either both the True Vocal Folds and the False Folds, OR a lower tone produced by the Vocal Folds, accompanied by a type of overtone.  Biphonic Singing is actually also called Overtone Singing.  I have only known a couple of singers who could do this but I’ve learned that Biphonic Singing is actually a very popular style of singing in Mongolia and Siberia.  Usually, the lower tone is similar to a “drone” type of sound with a higher, even sometimes “whistle” tone for a melody.
• Breathy - This is, again, exactly what it sounds like; a breathy tone is one where you can HEAR the air.  This is accomplished when the Laryngeal muscles are loose, so that an excess of air passes through the Vocal Folds and the air is “heard” as much as the pitch of the tone. Personally, I find this type of singing exhausting BECAUSE it requires SO much more air and effort but, unfortunately, singers who have either abused their voices a lot or smoked excessively, often have breathy voices as their Vocal Folds remain more edemic or swollen, as well as dehydrated, which always spells disaster for singers.
• Brittle - A brittle voice sounds like it is on the verge of breaking or cracking at any moment.  Unfortunately, this type of voice is impossible to control,
• Covered - A covered tone tends to be a darker sound.  It is produced by rounding the lips and lowering the Larynx, which produces a full, round sound.
• Creaky - As if like a floor or a door, a creaky voice indicates a problem.  This tends to sound as though two hard objects are being scraped against one another with a resulting unpleasant, inconsistent tone,
• Croaky - This is  a low, husky voice that sounds gravelly and unnatural, which implies that the person might have a hurting, inflamed throat.
• Crystalline - This is a characteristic for a high soprano or tenor voice.  The sound is so clear; it is almost bell-like.  It is conspicuously bright and beautiful.
• Diplophonic - This is when a person sings one pitch but two octaves of that pitch are heard.  Oftentimes, the second pitch is the octave lower and may have an unevenness and gruffness.  This is referred to as a subharmonic.
• Flat - This description can have two different connotations regarding the singing voice.  If a singer’s intonation tends to be “under” the actual pitch, they are said to be “flat”.  However, this can also describe a singer who has no distinguishable “character” or modulation to their voice.  A “normal” voice goes up and down in volume and inflection while the person is being expressive.  A person with a “flat” voice has none of this level of expression.
• Glottalized - This is recognizable because of a characteristic “clicking” sound that accompanies it.  This is caused by the forceful opening and closing of the Vocal Folds.
• Grating - This is a terribly annoying, irritating sound that is definitely not desirable and oftentimes, obnoxious to listening.  It sounds like scraping and is obviously, unhealthy.  A singer with a grating voice needs to seek medical and voice therapy help.
• Gruff - The tone of a gruff voice is low and rough.  This is not a healthy sound.
• Guttural - These are tones formed in the throat.  There are some languages that even focus around a guttural sound, such as German and other Germanic tongues.
• Hoarse - All of us have been hoarse once or twice in our lives.  This is a very rough, raspy sound, caused by an inability of the Vocal Folds to be able to meet and vibrate evenly.  Swelling from the violence of coughing; infection; loud talking, shouting, or screaming; or from dust or chemical smoke, can all bring on hoarseness.  Vocal rest and pampering your throat with LOTS of water, honey, and warm tea will ease these symptoms and get you back onto the road to health.
• Honky - This is a somewhat antiquated term but it’s used to describe an extremely nasal sound, one that is unnaturally focused in the nose.  This could be used to characterize someone with a terrible cold as he or she spoke.
• Husky - This voice is deep and sultry, though, again, probably not a “healthy” voice.  Many would call this a “sexy” voice but, unfortunately, it is often cultivated after years of smoking or other harmful activity.
• Monotonous - Like “flat” voice, the “monotonous” voice is boring and characterless.  It never changes loudness or softness but drones on with no expression whatsoever.  Hopefully, it is obvious but this is not a Vocal Quality one should ever strive toward.
• Nasal - This is another way to describe a “Honky” voice; it sounds as though the voice is focused from the nose.
• Orotund - This is a voice to be envied; it is full, strong, and clear.  This is a voice most people long to have.
• Penetrating - Just as the name implies, a penetrating voice “bores into you”.  It is a sound with “edge”.  It might be so loud, high, or shrill that it makes a listener a little uncomfortable.
• Pitchy - This is, unfortunately, a trait many singers share but that ALL should strenuously avoid.   This indicates singing that is “out of tune” or “off-Key”.  The singer’s tone may be “Flat” (below the actual pitch) or “Sharp” (above the actual pitch).  Sadly, there are also performers whose pitch alternates between being sharp AND flat.  Notoriously, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, and Florence of Florence and the Machine, all struggle with pitch issues in live performance.  ALL singers will be challenged by pitchiness at points in their lives.  We all need to be constantly aware of our pitch and LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN.  Once trained, our ears won’t lie to us.
• Pressed - Another way to put this would be “pushed”.  This singer’s face might be red, his or her chin lifted with veins bulging in the neck and/or forehead, and a tone, which might be loud in volume but also harsh and strained.  This is very unhealthy and continued practice of this behavior will result in potentially serious vocal issues.  This kind of production restricts proper airflow and squeezes the entire vocal mechanism so that correct sound production is impossible.
• Resonant or Ringing - This sound can be hard well for a distance.  it is bright, strong, and clear.   This voice has enhanced epilaryngeal resonance and projects very well.
• Shrill - This is a high-pitched, discordant sound that is quiet unpleasant.
• Singsong - This voice is the complete opposite of a “flat” or “monotonous” voice because the singsong voice moves up and down, and in a very musically pleasing way.  Several Asian languages sound “singsong” to the Western ear.
• Smoky - Similar to the “husky” voice, a “smoky” tone is also a sultry, deeper sound with an air of mystery.
• Stentorian - This is a very loud, very severe sound.  When I think of a stentorian voice, the typical “Drill Sergeant” comes to my mind.  Thankfully, they don’t often sing like that.
• Strident - This voice shares characteristics with a shrill tone but it does not necessarily have to be a high voice.  A strident voice is loud and unpleasant.
• Thin  - This voice is not loud but rather, high, uninteresting, and without much character, color, or distinguishing features.
• Throaty - A throaty voice is centered low in the throat and sounds rather “froggy”.  Interestingly, Kermit the Frog and Pee Wee Herman both have “throaty” voices.
• Tight - This voice sounds strained and restricted, and often indicates the performer is nervous or otherwise, bothered.
• Tremulous or Tremorous - The tremulous voice is unsteady, which could be caused by nervousness or excitement.  However, a tremors tone could be a physical, neurological or bio mechanical issue.  This voice trembles or shakes all the time; nerves or emotion generally have no additional impact .  
• Twangy - I had to include this one.  For those of you that know me, you know I’m from the South originally and I definitely “twang” after I’ve been talking to one of my relatives.  A “twangy” voice, however, tends to be very nasal, focused but also bright.  Honestly, this is a pretty healthy placement of the voice but just focused too heavily in the nose.
• Ventricular - This is a very rough sounding tone. which is actually produced using the False Vocal Folds, as opposed to the true Vocal Folds.  Louis Armstrong had a Ventricular voice.  This would, technically, be considered an abnormal production unless there is damage to the true Vocal Folds, in which case this CAN be a workable alternative.

            I hope this has been enlightening for you.  REMEMBER, you’re collecting “tools” for your Vocal Toolbox and understanding different Vocal Qualities helps you have a greater comprehension of your own instrument, as well as more knowledge about your competition.  Please send me any questions, comments, and/or suggestions for future blog posts.  If you have any questions about my lessons or me, check out my website at www.SingitForward.net.  I’m here for you, if I can be of any help.  Thanks so much for reading the blog!  Sing it forward!