Everyone is an individual, and no two people share exactly the same voice.
While some people may sound similar, especially among family members, there are always slight differences.
There are many voice types – eight to be specific – and if you didn’t know that before, you may wonder what the different types are.
There are several different voice types, and sometimes they can overlap with one another, meaning one person can have more than one voice type.
Just some of the voice types that people can have are soft, gruff, flat, gravelly, throaty, wheezy, hoarse, penetrating, smoky, and breathy.
Here is a complete overview of interesting facts about voice types – especially when it comes to singing – and more.
Table of Contents
What are different male voice types in singing?
When it comes to singing, each person also has their own specific voice type.
Singers like Barry White, Johnny Cash, and Bing Crosby all have bass voices, which are very deep and alluring.
Men whose singing voices are bass are very unique, because they’re not in the majority, and their voices are the deepest of all the other singers.
Baritones – the most common signing voice type in men

Next up are the baritones, and men whose singing voice is in this category sing between bass and tenor.
Their voices are higher than bass but deeper than a tenor, and some famous baritones are Axl Rose, Michael Bublé, and Eddie Vedder.
Some baritones can sometimes successfully hit some bass notes, while others can sing successfully in tenor or even higher.
Tenor – the second-highest voice type
The second-highest voice type for men is tenor, and when involved in casual conversations, they sometimes tend to sound quite feminine.
Some popular celebrity tenors are Michael Jackson, Sam Smith, and Sting, and tenors are well-known for hitting some of the higher notes in songs.
Countertenor – the rarest singing voice type in males

The highest singing voice type for men is countertenor.
Men who are true countertenors can definitely be mistaken for women when speaking over the phone, due to their high-pitched voices.
There aren’t many male singers who are in this voice range, as the most common singing voice type among men is baritone.
What is the most common singing voice among women?
Mezzo-soprano is the most common singing voice among women, and some popular celebrities with this singing voice style are Adele, Paula Abdul, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, and more.
Mezzo-soprano is the middle singing voice among non-classical female singers.
Mezzo-soprano’s voices aren’t comparable to regular soprano voices, but some mezzos have the ability to hit the higher notes of a soprano.
Soprano – the highest female singing voice

Women who sing soprano make the best opera singers, but not all sopranos sing opera.
Some sing other music genres, like Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, Christian Aguilera, and more.
Sopranos have a very attractive voice type that many people find soothing and enjoyable.
Alto – things get a bit lower
Some women sing in alto, which is the voice type that is a bit more masculine. Altos can sometimes be mistaken for men when they talk on the phone.
Some celebrity altos are Chaka Khan, Cher, Anita Baker, Toni Braxton, and more.
Contralto – things get really low

Women with really deep voices sing in contralto, the lowest singing voice type for women.
Contraltos make great opera singers, but not all of these deep-voiced women are opera singers.
Etta James, Melissa Etheridge, and Taylor Dane are just some of the women with this singing voice type.
Why are many people only aware of four singing voice types?
In middle and high school chorus, students are often taught only four singing voice types: bass, baritone, alto, and soprano.
However, professional singing classes go beyond simply the four and get more specific, breaking down the voice types into sub-categories that are more specific.
This is due to the fact that not every male is strictly a baritone, and he may actually sing in higher notes, which is where tenor and countertenor come in.
The same goes for females because some women’s voices are a bit deeper than alto or in-between soprano and alto.
Do singers’ voice types change as they get older?

Many professional singers’ voice types do change as they grow older, and after the age of 30, there may be some subtle changes.
This is especially true in men, as the muscles in their larynxes become significantly weaker, causing their voices to sound “old,” the older they get.
Women’s larynxes change as well, causing their singing voices to age, but not as dramatically as men’s.
How is it that some singers can easily sing extremely high and extremely low?
Some singers, like heavy metal singer, Axl Rose, can sing in several different octaves with very little effort.
It’s a true talent to be able to do so, as not all singers are able to sing in various octaves without straining their voices.
For some singers, it comes naturally, while for others they must undergo a lot of lessons and practice.
Why are so many women attracted to men with bass voices?

Women have always been turned on by men with deep voices, and singers like Barry White really had women swooning.
This is because a deeper voice is associated with a man’s masculinity, making him seem sexier and more alluring.
Not all women go ga-ga over men with deep voices, but many do.
Can anyone become a professional singer?
Some people are born with beautiful and soulful singing voices and don’t require much practice, while others must attend classes for years before they can even think about competing with them.
However, when it comes to becoming a professional singer, it’s not easy.
There is an immense amount of competition in the world of singing, and if a person doesn’t have a great deal of talent, then making it as a professional singer very likely won’t happen.
Are singing voices based on genetics?

A great deal of research has been done on singing voices, and it has been determined that singing voice types are, in fact, genetic.
Due to this fact, a person who is born an alto can’t practice until she becomes a soprano, although she may have the ability to hit certain soprano notes.
There is ongoing research regarding singing voices that is sure to reveal more interesting facts in the future.
Why are men more attracted to women with high-pitched voices?
Just as women are more attracted to men with low-pitched bass voices because it makes them seem more virile and masculine, women with high-pitched voices are more attractive to men because it makes them appear more feminine.
It doesn’t mean that some men don’t find altos and contraltos sexy, as well, but it’s the high-pitched voices that really attract them.
Does cigarette smoking affect a person’s singing voice?

Many singers who smoke are often in denial about smoking affecting their voices, but there has been extensive research done on the effects of smoking on singing voices.
It has been proven that smoking has a negative effect on the voice and can damage it over time.
Cigarette smoking has been found to dry out a person’s vocal cords, resulting in a lower-sounding voice over time.
Are there any professional singers who smoke but still sound great?
There are many well-known professional singers who smoke heavily but still have the ability to sing beautifully.
Eddie Vedder, Lady Gaga, and Nat King Cole, to name a few, are some examples of singers with beautiful singing voices despite their smoking habits.
Axl Rose is another blessed smoking singer, and he’s able to hit some higher notes that other singers only dream about doing.
Are some professional singers’ voices actually mediocre but only sound good because of studio manipulation?

There are various studio enhancements that have been invented over the years, which have improved music in a significant way.
It is true that studio software and equipment have the potential to improve a singer’s voice and “assist” them with hitting certain notes that they may have struggled with.
However, there has to be some talent there, or the professional singer would not be successful, as this software and equipment can’t work miracles.
As you can see, there are several different types of voices when it comes to a regular conversation as well as singing.
Everyone has their own unique voice type, and if a person is a soprano, then they likely speak in a very high-pitched voice.
On the other hand, if a man has a bass singing voice, then he very likely has a very low-pitched, booming voice that many people find alluring.