chest-voice

A singer practices using her chest-voice during a vocal warm-up.

Definition

Noun - A vocal register: "chest-voice" refers to the lower register of the human voice, produced primarily by resonance in the chest cavity, often used in singing or speaking to produce a fuller, deeper sound.

Usage Examples

• (She employed the lower, resonant register.)
• (The basses were told to emphasize the lower chest resonance.)

Advanced Usage

• "to speak in chest-voice": to use a lower, more resonant tone for emphasis or authority.
  • The lecturer spoke in chest-voice to command attention in the large hall. (He used a deep, resonant tone to be heard clearly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chest voice (alternative spelling): the same concept, often written as two words.

  • She trained her chest voice to improve her vocal range in musical theatre. (Her lower register was developed.)

• Chest resonance (n): the vibration felt in the chest when producing low-pitched sounds.

  • Singers often feel chest resonance when they hit deep notes. (The physical sensation accompanies the lower register.)

Synonyms

• Lower register: the range of low-pitched sounds in a voice.
• Modal voice: the normal, everyday speaking voice, which includes chest resonance.

Related Idioms

• "To have a chest voice like thunder": to have an extremely deep, powerful voice.
  • The actor had a chest voice like thunder, which made his villainous lines unforgettable. (His voice was very deep and strong.)