Day 10: Chart Your Vocal Power
Today’s Focus: Voice Range Profile (VRP)
It’s time to measure your range—and your control.
Today’s lesson introduces a simplified version of a professional voice lab tool called a Voice Range Profile (VRP). It maps your dynamic range (from softest to loudest) across different pitches, helping you track progress over time in a measurable way.
This is not about showing off. It’s about understanding your voice: what pitches are strong, which ones are weak, and where you can build more consistency.
You’ll Need:
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A free sound level meter app (search “decibel meter” in your phone’s app store)
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A quiet room without background noise
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Your phone held ~5–6 inches (the distance of a stretched-out hand) from your mouth
Instructions: The Mini-VRP Protocol
You’ll be recording two phonations on each note—one soft, one loud.
1. Choose Your Pitch Set Pick 5–7 notes that span your comfortable singing range. For example:
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Soprano: A3, C4, E4, G4, B4, D5
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Mezzo: G3, B3, D4, F4, A4, C5
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Tenor: C3, E3, G3, B3, D4, F#4
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Bass: A2, C3, E3, G3, B3, D4
Don’t stress about perfection—use your ear and judgment to find notes that feel representative of your range.
2. Sustain Each Note Softly
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Make a clean /ɑ/ (“ah”) vowel.
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Use as little volume as possible while still maintaining tone.
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Keep the phone 5–6 inches from your mouth.
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Hold for ~2 seconds.
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Record the decibel reading shown by the app.
3. Sustain the Same Note Loudly
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Same pitch, now with a strong, resonant tone.
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Stay supported—but don’t push.
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Hold for ~2 seconds.
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Record your loud dB level.
Repeat this soft/loud pair on each pitch.
What You’re Building
This exercise trains your ability to control intensity without sacrificing quality—and helps detect:
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Gaps in vocal strength at specific pitches
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Areas where you may be “yelling” rather than projecting
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Hidden opportunities for growth
Over time, repeating this protocol (even monthly) lets you track real, quantifiable change.
Reflection Which pitches showed the biggest spread between soft and loud? Did any feel unstable, either too breathy or too forced?
Note the dB ranges and any vocal sensations. These are your benchmarks—not judgments.
🌟 Final Tip A larger dynamic range isn’t always better. The goal is control and consistency. You’re building the ability to place your sound with precision, not just sing louder.
Reminder: Keep practicing your Day 9 VFEs. That sustained phonation work is the foundation for exercises like today’s. VRP tells you where you are. VFE builds where you’re going.
Preview: Tomorrow we go deeper. Day 11 is all about understanding the true vocal folds—what they are, how they work, and why every singer should know the difference between structure and function.
