Tenor quality

[leithinkjesusiscool]

I talked with a director of a Gregorian schola who said that  they would even sing as low as A2 (must be great for the baritones but not for me). I want to sing with them since this is music I like a lot.
According to one vocal teacher, with whom I agree, the best key for Silent night, when I sing, is C. That high F4 works ok but I shouldn't sing low notes.
Did/do the great tenors have any problems with A2? Gregorian chant seems kind of too low for me if A2 is a must. I would even choose higher keys then what is found in hymnals. I disslike singing low notes.
When a teacher tells you that your voice has a tenor quality what does it mean? And is tenor voices rare since most men sing too low at sing-alongs? 
I had one audition with the schola director and she made me sing the low A2 but it was uncomfortable. I dont see any good reasons why we should sing below C3. 
What are your practical advice(s)?
 

[Kevin Ashe]

On 12/19/2018 at 8:45 AM, leithinkjesusiscool said:

Hey leithinkjesusiscool,

You certainly have a conflict going on here. 

I want to sing with them since this is music I like a lot.  

I agree, cool vocals to perform in a group, I have sung Gregorian chant a time or two with a choir

I disslike singing low notes. 

If you dislike singing low notes because they are difficult or uncomfortable, you'll either have to fix it or forget it!

I shouldn't sing low notes.   

I guess you'd have to choose to simply not sing, lip sync, or discover if you can train your voice to actually sing the notes without discomfort, strain, or airyness.

Did/do the great tenors have any problems with A2?

Ya know i have no idea however, you can't win referencing the "great" singers because, if they had no problem with an A2, people will say either they were "born" with the ability, or they trained to achieve that expansion of their range. So, it's no different for you anyhow, if you feel unable to sing A2 properly, you'll have to discover if it's possible to develop the musculature to do so to your satisfaction.

Gregorian chant seems kind of too low for me if A2 is a must. I would even choose higher keys then what is found in hymnals.

and since they are not likely to change the key for you, you will have to accept or reject the challenge of singing it in the intended key, yes?.

When a teacher tells you that your voice has a tenor quality what does it mean?

You can find gazillions of youtube videos to digest on this vocal "fach" categorizing. here's the upshot though, your voice may have a sound color that is most ideal for the range of notes most commonly sung by tenors. It's a limitation you do not have to accept if you are willing to work at strengthening the muscles require to sing the notes.

And is tenor voices rare since most men sing too low at sing-alongs? 

I believe that has more to do with people starting a group song in a key that is too high. Most men who don't consider themselves "singers" will opt for the octave down as a way to avoid singing louder to sing the higher key (another misconception).

I had one audition with the schola director and she made me sing the low A2 but it was uncomfortable. I dont see any good reasons why we should sing below C3. 
What are your practical advice(s)?

I joined a choir as a bass and found all too often I was just one whole step away from being able to sing the lowest notes in the repertoire. I'm a barritone. I began training to maintain connection in the low notes. I did this for about two months and increased my lower range a whole step. This is done by resisting the temptation to increase respiration and open the glottis as you enter into the realm of the lowest notes you are able to sing.  Keep that "buzz," sounding and don't let the tone blow open and get all windy. Let me know if this exercise makes sense to you. You could train it with nothing but a pitch pipe. If you need to increase your lower range by more than a whole step, i'm not saying it can't be done but, not gonna be a quick process if it's possible.  You'll sound like a sick frog trying to croak at first however, over time, more and more tone will begin to color the sound.  

this video is pretty good: