# Lyric Mezzo-Soprano vs. Lyric Contralto



## k1hodgman

I started my semester as Music Major (specializing in Voice) for the first time on August 24th. And they've wasted no time in "diagnosing" me as a voice type I'm (probably) not.

Lyric Mezzo-Soprano's don't have low notes better than their Middle Register. They should sound substantial, but by definition, the best part of the Mezzo-Soprano's voice_ is_ the Middle Register.

My Middle Register isn't mellow, soothing and lachrymose. My lowest notes are androgynous, and resonate with more power than my Middle Register ever does. They are dark velvet, not 'smoked'. My passaggio is A(4), A-flat(4). It all points to a voice type that's not Mezzo-Soprano, so why do Voice Teacher's have such a reluctance? Contralto's are rare, but they were never so rare that they (we?) might as well be Unicorns. What's with the bias?

I think it's funny how people believe Contralto's are as rare as they are, but then refuse to consider the student they're teaching might be one. A Woman might as well sound like Till Lindemann just to be considered. [Of which Eula Beal and Kathleen Ferrier certainly did not.] Meanwhile there's no shortage of Mezzo-Soprano's with suspiciously strong Low notes.

I've found a website called Contralto Corner that goes in depth, but if there's any information someone could give be to further tell the two apart I'd be grateful.


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## Vixen

My understanding of it is that a contralto has a short middle range. This is an objective criterion, not like those descriptors you've given above. 

My passagio is F. 

Anyway shouldn't you discuss this with your teacher?


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## k1hodgman

My Middle register has 3-4 notes before Head Register totally dominates at around D(5).

I _have_ discussed this with my Teacher, but it's Classical training and she doesn't like me using Chest voice. There's a mania in constantly trying to push Lower voices up. _And how can one possibly be a Contralto unless you get to use your Chest voice? _


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## BalalaikaBoy

superficially, you sound more like a contralto, but it's impossible to tell without hearing your voice. that said, at this point in your development, there isn't going to be a whole lot of difference in rep regardless of if you're a mezzo or a contralto, but either way, I agree that you should find yourself a teacher who is more balanced and helps you develop the lower register (which I would say even if you were a soprano, because the lower register is underrated in most of the music world).


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