Choirs split singers into four parts by how high or low they sing comfortably:
- soprano: the highest, usually women and children;
- alto: below the soprano, usually women;
- tenor: the higher men's part;
- bass: the lowest.
Many arrangements also have a baritone, between tenor and bass.
Find your comfortable notes
Your part isn't the highest or lowest note you can reach; it's where you can sing for a whole song without straining. Sing an easy note, then slide gently up until it starts to feel tight, and down until it gets breathy. The middle of that is where your part should live.
Stackapella's first lesson does this for you: sing a note, and it finds your range and suggests a part.
When you're between two parts
Most voices fit more than one part. If you're between alto and soprano, or tenor and baritone, try both on a song you know: the one you can sing longest without tiring is yours for now. Voices change with practice, and you can always switch.
Try it on a song with four parts, and sing the one that suits you.