Extension (music) - Voice

Voice

In vocal performance, a singer's extension is all notes that are a part of the singer's vocal range that lie outside the singer's tessitura. This usually include notes that a singer can hit, but doesn't use on a regular basis. For example, a coloratura soprano regularly, as defined by range, will sing in the whistle register. A standard mezzo-soprano has a range to the high F or G above middle C, however a mezzo with good head voice extension can rival the coloratura soprano in range. However since the her normal tessitura is mezzo-soprano (or under Soprano C), her abilities in the whistle register would be considered her extension.

Although not commonly thought of, extension can be applied to the lower register as well. A baritone may actually be able to reach depths of low D or E below low C, but is more comfortable in the higher baritone tessitura. A special class of soprano, the soprano sfogato, while retaining the high notes characteristic of the soprano vocal range, may be able to hit down to E3 using the chest voice. Due to dearth of true contraltos, usually mezzo-sopranos with strong low extension are employed instead in roles such as Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera.

For men, their vocal extension upwards is usually co-terminus with his falsetto, unless they are a countertenor, barbershop tenor, or its equivalent in popular music.

Uses of extensions include:

• providing an acuto, i.e. an accented high note which may or may not be written in the score, e.g. in cadenzas, mad scenes etc.
• providing a cadence in acuti, e.g. Eb6 at the end of Sempre libera in La traviata (which had in fact became a tradition if the soprano is able and the conductor allows it).
• ornamental purposes, usually in massive scale works, e.g. D'amor al dolce impero in Rossini's Armida