register
A particular part of the range of a voice or instrument, characterized by a distinctive tonal quality produced by a specific physiological adjustment.
In vocal pedagogy, 'register' refers to a series of consecutive tones of equal quality, such as the chest register (lower, thicker) or head register (higher, thinner), which are produced by different physical configurations of the vocal folds.
Word relationships
- vocal range: Vocal range is the entire span of notes a singer can produce, whereas a register is a specific subdivision of that range with a distinct quality.
Commonly confused with
- tessitura: Tessitura is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer or role, whereas register is a physiological division of the vocal range.
Word family
- registration (noun): The physiological process of adjusting the vocal folds to sing in different registers.
Collocations
- vocal register
- chest register
- head register
- upper register
- lower register
Example sentences
- "She has a seamless transition between her lower chest register and her upper head register." Analyzing a singer's technique.
- "The whistle register is the highest register of the human voice, lying above the falsetto." A technical description of vocal mechanics.
Memory hook
Think of a cash register with different drawers for different denominations of money. Your voice has different 'registers' (drawers) for different ranges of notes. A register is a specific drawer of your vocal range.
When not to use
Do not confuse vocal register with vocal range. Range is the total span of notes a singer can reach, while register is a specific section of that range with a unified sound quality.
Fun facts
- The lowest vocal register is called 'vocal fry' (or the pulse register), which has become highly common in modern American speech, characterized by a creaky, gravelly sound at the end of sentences.
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