Editing Vocal range (section)

==Singing and the definition of vocal range==
While the broadest definition of "vocal range" is simply the span from the lowest to the highest note a particular voice can produce, this broad definition is often not what is meant when "vocal range" is discussed in the context of singing. [[Vocal pedagogy|Vocal pedagogists]] tend to define the vocal range as the total span of "musically useful" pitches that a singer can produce. This is because some of the [[Musical note|note]]s a voice can produce may not be considered usable by the singer within performance for various reasons.<ref name=Appelman>{{cite book
|title= The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application
|last= Appelman
|first= D. Ralph
|year= 1986
|publisher= Indiana University Press
|isbn= 978-0-253-20378-6}}</ref> For example, within [[opera]] all singers must [[Voice projection|project]] over an orchestra without the aid of a microphone. An opera singer would therefore only be able to include the notes that they are able to adequately project over an orchestra within their vocal range. In contrast, a [[Popular music|pop]] artist could include notes that could be heard with the aid of a microphone.

Another factor to consider is the use of different forms of vocal production. The human voice is capable of producing sounds using different physiological processes within the [[larynx]]. These different forms of voice production are known as [[vocal register]]s. While the exact number and definition of vocal registers is a controversial topic within the field of singing, the sciences identify only four registers: the [[whistle register]], the [[Falsetto|falsetto register]], the [[Modal voice|modal register]], and the [[vocal fry register]]. Typically only the usable pitches within the modal register—the register used in normal speech and most singing—are included when determining singers' vocal ranges. There are exceptions,<ref name=McKinney /> as in opera, where [[countertenor]]s employ falsetto and [[coloratura soprano]]s use the whistle register; notes from these registers would therefore be included in the vocal ranges of these voices.<ref name=Appelman />