Joypitch

Mezzo-Sopranos

Mezzo-sopranos get their name from the Italian prefix “mezzo,” meaning “half.” Although the category translates as “half-soprano,” there’s nothing “halfhearted” about the warm but sturdy voices that make up this group.

In fact, mezzos often sing just as high as their soprano counterparts. In addition, operatic mezzos are also divided into the basic coloratura, lyric, and dramatic groups. What sets mezzos apart are their strong middle voices, their smoldering lower registers, and their lush tone quality.

If a mezzo and a soprano were to sing the exact same pitch, the mezzo’s note would most likely sound a little bit fuller, darker, or heavier (imagine a clarinet playing the same note as a flute). Most female pop and Broadway artists fall into the mezzo category.

Charlie Puth

Did you know that Charlie Puth got suspended in high school once due to his perfect pitch? During an interview with Jimmy Fallon, he shared that he got suspended for singing the notes of a fire alarm, which led to the entire campus going home early. We guess his talents were just too much for his school to handle!

Paul McCartney

GENRE: SOFT ROCK & POP

Paul McCartney is a multi-instrumentalist that made his name with The Beatles. He's written and co-written 32 songs that have reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, usually co-written with bandmate John Lennon. His solo career, his band Wings, and his collaborations with Michael Jackson are all high points of an incredible run that still continues today.

Sir Paul has been knighted, honored and awarded in more ways than possible to list, and has one of the most pleasant voices to ever grace the microphone. He's one of the most influential musicians and people on the planet.

Mariah Carey

Born
March 27th, 1970

Key Tracks
"One Sweet Day," "Vision of Love," "Fantasy"

"When I was little," Mariah Carey says, "I used to wake up with a really raspy voice and" — she shifts to her signature squeak — "talk in a really high voice. My mother couldn't understand it, and she's an opera singer. But then I started to try to sing using that voice." Carey is famous for her staggering vocal range — including those ravishing high notes — and power. Her mastery of melisma, the fluttering strings of notes that decorate songs like "Vision of Love," inspired the entire American Idol vocal school, for better or worse, and virtually every other female R&B singer since the Nineties. But technical skill alone doesn't make for hits, and Carey's radiant, sweetly s*xy presence has been knocking them out of the park for two decades. She's scored more Number One singles than any solo artist — 18 and counting.

ROB HALFORD - TENOR

Rob Halford, the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Judas Priest, talked about the band’s songs’ versatility and stated that Judas Priest’s songs are metal during an interview with Metal Injection.

Judas Priest, one of the greatest metal bands of all time, is often known for its innovative and pioneering body of work. Although its style has always been rooted in heavy metal, many of their albums reflect diverse aspects of the genre.

During an interview with Metal Injection, Rob Halford was asked about the different elements in the Judas Priest‘s music. The interviewer stated that in the early 80s, Priest’s songs could have been considered as pop songs if the guitars were not as heavy. Halford admitted that the band has no borders yet if it is their song, it is definitely a metal song.

Joyce DiDonato, Mezzo-soprano

Vivacious, energetic, and possessing a powerful mezzo-soprano, Joyce DiDonato is a rising star in the opera world. There's something very appealing about DiDonato, whether it's in her charismatic interpretations of characters or her general enthusiasm for the music she sings.

Not only is she passionate about what she does, but she also loves connecting with her public, an endearing quality in a world that is rife with snobbery. Listening to her is like seeing cream poured—her voice flows in rich, smooth waves that you never want to end. She is ever-broadening her repertoire, from little-known Handel masterpieces to modern works, giving the same energy to everything she does.

Timbre

In music, timbre (/ˈtæmbər, ˈtɪm-/ TAM-bər, TIM-), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musical instruments. It also enables listeners to distinguish different instruments in the same category (e.g., an oboe and a clarinet, both woodwind instruments).

Renee Fleming

The darling of the Met and one of the few modern American sopranos to gain worldwide recognition, Renee Fleming has rightly earned her moniker of "The Beautiful Voice." Not only does she have it all—the velvet voice, the technique, the looks, and the acting chops—she is becoming something of an icon and classic.

Steven Tyler has a theory about how singing first began. "It had to be with the first primate uttering a moan during s*x," he says. "I truly believe that's where the passion of voice comes from." Every line Tyler sings is informed by a leer and a wink, whether overtly ("Love in an Elevator") or with more subtlety ("Walk This Way"). In the course of nearly four decades fronting Aerosmith, Tyler has defined both the sound and style of the lead singer in a hard-rock band. "It's hard to separate the singer from the person," says Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. "You need personality to be a frontman." Tyler has that in spades, along with — amid all the yelps, groans, growls and squeals — an unerring sense of pitch. "As Tony Bennett said, 'Without heart, this is no art,' " Tyler says. "I wear my heart on my sleeve."

Sopranos

This voice is characterized by impressive high notes (hence the name, which comes from the Italian “sopra” or “above”) and a timbre that usually sounds brighter or more sparkling than the other voice types. But don’t let the word “bright” fool you—sopranos are often capable of immense depth and richness of tone. In opera, sopranos are divided into three basic groups: coloratura (kuhl-er-ah-TOOR-ah), lyric, and dramatic, with coloratura being the lightest and most flexible sound, and dramatic being the darkest and most powerful. (“Lyric” lies more or less in the middle.) Sopranos often sing the melody or main tune of a piece while the other voices add support or “back-up” harmonies.

Tenors are the highest male voice and, like sopranos, they are capable of delivering thrilling high notes and often have a brilliant shining timbre. Think of them as the trumpet of the vocal orchestra. These singers get their name from the Italian “tenere,” which means “to hold” because, in very early music, it was their job to hold down the melody and drive the song.

Jaw Loosening Exercise - Repeat small mouth-opening and mouth-closing movements several times as a warm up. Then, place your fingers on the top of your front four bottom teeth. Slowly pull down until you feel slight discomfort on the tight side of your jaw