Voice type in baroque operas. Except for a few very rare voices (such as the American male soprano Michael Maniaci or singers with a disorder such as Kallmann syndrome), singers called countertenors generally sing in the falsetto register, sometimes using their modal voice for the lowest notes. Historically, there is much evidence that the countertenor, in England at least, also designated a very high tenor voice, the equivalent of the French "haute-contre". Until about 1830, all male voices used some falsetto-type voice production in their upper range. Countertenor voices span a broad range, covering E3 to E5. Countertenor subtypes: Countertenors are often
Overtone singing the use of a throaty voice. This kind of song is called "a tenore". The other style, known as "cuncordu", does not use throat singing. A tenore is practiced by groups of four male singers, each of whom has a distinct role; the " 'oche " or "boche" (pronounced or , "voice") is the solo voice, while the " mesu 'oche " or "mesu boche" ("half voice"), "contra" ("against"), and "bassu" ("bass") – listed in descending pitch order – form a chorus (another meaning of "tenore"). "Boche" and "mesu boche" sing in a regular voice, whereas "contra" and "bassu" sing