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Do singers have an optimum pitch within their tessitura (the range within which most notes of a vocal part fall) or would the their tessitura be considered the optimal pitches? I already know about vocal ranges, voice types, tessituras etc. However, an article I read made the question arise about optimal pitches. I've posted the link to the article below .

http://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/singing/finding-your-optimum-singing-pitch/

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    Yes that which fit in their range is what is optimum for them
    – Neil Meyer
    Feb 20, 2017 at 17:24

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Yes, a singer would have a single optimum pitch. But it doesn't really matter.

The article suggests comfortably speaking a phrase, noticing the pitch, then applying that speaking technique to singing that pitch, then extending it to other pitches. So it's a shortcut to improving singing technique. A cute trick to get you to listen to yourself.

But there's no enduring value in knowing that one's Optimum Pitch is, say, the A below middle C. Speaking technique and singing technique are different. (That's why Schoenberg sometimes asked for Sprechstimme!)

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The article suggests the second syllable of a naturally spoken "Uh-huh" is your 'natural pitch'. But there are so many ways of saying "Uh-huh". Some have a rising inflexion, some a falling one. Or it may be a monotone.

Now speak a few sentences. Unless you're Australian (or moronic), in which case every phrase may rise in the 'Antipodean interrogative'.

https://theafterword.co.uk/the-moronic-interrogative-and-other-abominations/

Pamelia S. Phillips offers a theory based on weak data, I think. We speak naturally with a range of pitches. A brief experiment suggests that when some 'support' is added the pitch rises. Maybe that's just me!

Anyway, the world is full of theories about singing. This one may help someone struggling to get over 'I CAN'T sing!' Fine.

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