How to Sing - Chest Voice

By Camille van Niekerk

The term “chest voice” refers to the register in which most people speak and sing low to medium-high pitches.

It's the register where you'll start when first learning how to sing.

Chest voice is characteristically full and strong, with a naturally higher volume and warm, rich tone. 

How is chest voice produced?

In the chest register, the TA (thyroarytenoid) muscles are dominant.

This is the muscle pair that brings the vocal folds together. 

By contrast, the CT (cricothyroid) muscle is dominant in head voice, your higher singing register.

The CT muscle pair is responsible for elongating or stretching the vocal folds to rise in pitch. 

This is where vocal registers come into play.

Why is it called chest voice?

Ironically, the chest actually has nothing to do with producing chest voice.

The reason it’s called “chest” voice is because when you speak or sing in your lower register, you can feel sympathetic resonance (or vibration) in your chest cavity.

Understanding your vocal ranges is key here.

The term “chest voice” was used as early as the 13th century, well before people could visualize the vocal folds in action.

The term has stuck around, but you may hear some singers and teachers prefer the term “modal voice.”

Modal voice can also include “mix” and “head voice”, because of the similarity in function that produces the sound. 

How do I know if I’m in chest voice or not?

The easiest way is to feel for that sympathetic vibration.

Put one hand on your chest and say in a strong, full voice: “Hello, nice to meet you.”

You should feel vibration from your chest.

Now, choose something easy to sing in that low, speaking-voice range.

If you can still feel that chest vibration, chances are you’re still in chest voice.

As an experiment, sing as high as you can in head voice, and notice how the vibration in your chest is greatly reduced, or disappears entirely.

Do men have a wider chest voice range than women?

Yes, they typically do.

Basses and baritones will use chest voice almost all of the time.

But they should still train mix voice and falsetto.

Tenors and altos use a combination of chest, mix, and head voice/falsetto.

Sopranos use the least amount of “full” chest voice, more often singing in mix and head voice. 

All of that said, every voice type should exercise their full vocal range in each register for maximum health, strength, and flexibility!

What are some exercises I can use to strengthen my chest voice?

Here are some voice exercises you can use utilising your chest voice:

1. Use narrow vowels like EE and OO, keeping your tone light & lifted. 

2. Focus the sound at the front of your mouth, careful to not get heavy and let the sound “drop” into your throat. 

3. Focus mainly on relaxation! 

4. Use naturally warm, spacious vowels like AH, OH, and UH. 

5. Work on developing vibrato and agility in a comfortable chest voice range.

 

To stretch your chest voice higher:

1. Ground down, using your low body for support instead of “grabbing” or tensing with the neck, jaw, and tongue. 

2. Keep your vowel narrow to avoid a spread, “splatting” sound. 

3. Don’t shy away from making a loud noise, especially if you have a naturally soft voice. 

4. Higher in your vocal range, experiment with vowel modification for greater ease and stability. Sometimes, a more closed vowel is easier as you’re nearing your passaggio. But if opening up by dropping the jaw works better for you, do that!

Do I still need to train chest voice?

Even if you already use mostly chest voice when you sing, you should still keep up your chest voice vocal training.

Training chest voice helps to strengthen the coordination of your TA muscles, which bring the vocal folds together.

There are some great online vocal training programs out there to try.

This will help your mix and head voice to be stronger as well!

If your voice starts to feel tired or strained, try this:

1. First, start with your speaking voice. Use exercises in which you first “speak” on pitch, then sing, without tensing or “trying” to create a particular sound. 

2. Then, use a neutral UH vowel to keep your jaw and throat relaxed.

The chest voice is a fundamental register for singers, providing a robust, warm, and powerful sound that is essential for lower and mid-range notes.

Understanding and developing this voice involves recognizing the role of the TA muscles, feeling the sympathetic vibrations in your chest, and practicing specific exercises to extend, improve, and stretch this register.

Whether you're a bass, tenor, alto, or soprano, incorporating chest voice training into your voice lessons enhances overall vocal strength, flexibility, and health, ensuring a well-rounded and versatile singing technique.

So, embrace your chest voice and explore its full potential to enrich your vocal performance!

FAQ

Is chest voice good for singing?
Absolutely, chest voice is great for singing! It gives you a strong, powerful sound that's perfect for lower to mid-range notes.

Why is it called chest voice?
It's called chest voice because you can feel the vibrations in your chest when you sing in this range. It's where most people naturally speak and sing.

How to speak in chest voice?
To speak in chest voice, just use your normal speaking voice without forcing or straining. It's your natural, everyday voice.

What is another name for chest voice?
Another name for chest voice is modal voice. It's the comfortable, full-sounding range you use in regular conversation.

Is your chest voice your real voice?
Yes, your chest voice is your real voice. It's the most natural and commonly used register in speaking and singing.

What is the difference between chest voice and mixed voice?
Chest voice is your natural speaking voice range, while mixed voice combines both chest and head voice for a smooth transition between registers, especially useful for higher notes.

How do you know if you're singing in chest voice?
You'll know you're singing in chest voice if you feel vibrations in your chest and your voice sounds full and resonant, similar to your speaking voice.

What are the characteristics of chest voice?
Chest voice is characterized by a rich, full, and resonant sound. It's powerful and robust, perfect for lower and mid-range notes.

What is the difference between chest voice and falsetto?
Chest voice is strong and resonant, felt in the chest, while falsetto is a lighter, airy voice produced in the head, often used for higher notes.