Bass (singer) facts for kids

A bass is a male singer who has a very low singing voice. Imagine the deepest voice you've ever heard – that's probably a bass! These singers can reach notes that are much lower than most people can sing. Some basses can even sing two octaves (that's 16 notes!) below middle C on a piano. Sometimes, in special music like Russian church music, they need to sing even lower.

What is a Bass Singer?

A bass singer is known for the deep, rich sound of their voice. It's the lowest male vocal range. Think of it like the foundation of a choir, providing the deep notes that support all the other voices.

How Low Can They Sing?

The lowest note a bass can typically sing is around a low C. This note is two octaves below middle C. For some very rare basses, especially those singing in Russian church music, they might even be able to reach a low A. This is incredibly deep!

Bass Singers in Opera

In opera, bass singers often play important roles. They might be the wise king, the serious priest, or even the scary villain. Their deep voices help to make these characters sound powerful and important.

The Buffo Bass

A special type of bass in opera is called a buffo bass. These singers are known for their comedic roles. They need to have a wide vocal range and be good actors to make the audience laugh. For example, the character Leporello in Mozart's famous opera Don Giovanni is a buffo bass.

The Basso Profondo

The very lowest kind of bass voice is called a basso profondo. This means "deep bass" in Italian. These singers have an incredibly deep and powerful sound. An example is the character Sarastro, a priest, in Mozart's opera Magic Flute.

Famous Bass Voices

Many famous singers throughout history have been basses or bass-baritones.

• Feodor Chaliapin (1873-1938) was a very famous Russian bass singer. He was known for his powerful voice and dramatic acting.
• J.D. Sumner was a Southern gospel singer. For many years, he held the world record for the lowest bass singer.
• In 2016, Tim Storms broke J.D. Sumner's record for the lowest note sung by a human.

Bass-Baritones

Sometimes, a singer's voice is between a tenor (a higher male voice) and a bass. This voice type is called a baritone. However, some baritones have a very low range, almost like a bass. These singers are often called bass-baritones.

• The character Wotan in Richard Wagner's opera Der Ring des Nibelungen is a famous bass-baritone role.
• Bryn Terfel is a well-known Welsh bass-baritone singer today.
• The legendary singer Johnny Cash was also famous for his deep bass-baritone voice.