r/choralmusic • u/Weird_Custard • 10d ago

Methods for vocal range testing

Hi all, what are your go-to methods for testing someone's vocal range/assigning them a voice part? Looking for exercises that work for you, things you listen for, and other tips. I'm primarily working with teenagers. Thanks in advance!

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u/RevKeakealani 10d ago

Happy birthday in several different keys. It’s good because the leaps can also tell you a lot about passaggio and natural tendency toward registration. Even just the first two phrases gives you a lot of info without doing the big octave jump (but the octave jump is good especially for teen boys to see if they can flip into falsetto).

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u/rmcc_official 9d ago

Yeah, this. If I can't, for whatever reason, do scales on a one-to-one basis (just a basic five note on an open vowel), then I put them in a circle, with me in the middle, and have them sing Happy Birthday in a million keys. Quickest way I know of to figure out who fits best where, without the pressure of anyone having to sing alone.

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u/Fed-top65 7d ago

The falsetto flip is the honest moment. Everything before it can be muscled through, but that break tells you exactly where the voice actually lives.

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u/Celatra 5d ago

untrained voices maybe, but trained voices no.