Voice development over the lifespan - Sing Up

CHAPTER 4
Repertoire
Adolescent boys need to be guided carefully into the right repertoire, and finding appropriate solo repertoire
can be a challenge. While most boys will have a usable range of about an octave, some may have as
little as a sixth. Pick songs that have a small range, and change the key of the music (also known as
‘transposing’) to suit the range of the boy’s voice. Many pianists can transpose on the spot, and electric
keyboards normally have a transpose function. You can also use the Scorch song sheets to transpose songs
from the Song Bank.
Whatever the repertoire, it’s important to encourage adolescent boys to put energy and passion into their
singing. They tend to enjoy exploiting their new-found manly tones by singing dramatic and epic songs,
whether pop, musical theatre or classical. However, remember that frequent, high-impact vocalising may
damage their voices.
Adult and ageing voices
As the voice matures in the years after puberty, it gains in pitch range, stability, richness, agility, sustainability
and dynamic range. This process may take several years, with adult voices not normally settling down until
the mid-twenties. There then follows a golden period of several decades in which the voice, if looked after
well, will continue to strengthen and increase in stamina.
The age at which the voice starts displaying audible signs of ageing varies from person to person. Some
well-known singers are still at the peak of their form in their late sixties, but for others the decline starts
happening much earlier.
As we get older, there are three ways that changes in our vocal structure lead to decline in our
vocal ability:
• z Reduced mobility and flexibility of the larynx can reduce pitch and dynamic range, hinder pitch
stability and make it harder to make rapid pitch changes.
• z Bowing of the vocal folds can make it difficult to voice as efficiently.
• z Loss of muscle tone in the larynx and respiratory system causes instability, as well as a loss of control
and sustainability. It can also be the source of a very wide vibrato.
The ageing process in the voice is tied up with the ageing processes of the rest of the body. While it’s
impossible to stop the biological clock, keeping yourself fit and eating a healthy diet are two of the few
proven ways to keep what you’ve got, for as long as possible. ‘Use it or lose it’ applies to singing; if you keep
singing regularly, your voice will be slower to succumb to the effects of ageing.
In women, the menopause can cause additional problems with the voice. The symptoms may be similar
to pre-menstrual ones, but there can also be dryness in the larynx. Sometimes the upper pitch range is also
reduced, and the whole system becomes less flexible.
Summary
•z The infant larynx has a very different function to that of a child or an adult.
•z Larynxes grow throughout childhood, in line with the rest of the body.
•z During puberty the larynx grows much more in boys than in girls.
•z The development of the male voice during puberty is divided into five phases. Boys’ voice ‘change’ is a
preferred term to voice ‘break’.
•z In late middle-age, the voice starts to age alongside the body’s overall ageing processes. Staying fit
and healthy is the best way to keep the voice in shape as it ages.
•z It’s essential to choose repertoire and exercises that are appropriate for the singer’s stage
of development.
INSIDE THE VOICE www.singup.org 10