Vocal term references
for any writers who may need them.
High soprano: extremely high female voice. Examples: Glinda in Wicked, Christine in Phantom of the Opera.
Soprano: high female voice. Examples: Veronica in Heathers, Cosette in Les Misérables.
Mezzo-soprano: middle female voice/wide-range female voice (can sing both soprano and alto). Examples: Elphaba in Wicked, Jane Seymour in Six.
Alto: low female voice, interchangeable in group songs with Tenor without changing the key and Bass an octave up. Examples: Lauren in Kinky Boots, Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray.
Tenor: naturally high male voice, interchangeable in group songs with Alto without changing the key. Examples: Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Leo in Parade.
Baritone: middle male voice/wide range male voice (can sing both tenor and bass). Examples: JD in Heathers, Marius in Les Misérables.
Bass: low male voice, interchangeable in group songs with Alto an octave down. Examples: Javert in Les Misérables, Edna in Hairspray.
Falsetto: when a man sings high above his natural range without his voice breaking. Generally only achieved by tenors or high baritones and takes special vocal training to do without injury. Examples: Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar and March of the Falsettos from Falsettos.
High Belt: maintaining power in a high note (mostly female voices). Requires special vocal training, the note comes from the stomach rather than the throat. Examples: Monster from Frozen and Defying Gravity from Wicked.
Low Belt: maintaining power in a low note. Easier than high belt but less common in musical scores. Examples: She Used To Be Mine from Waitress and As Long As He Needs Me from Oliver!.
