A baritone is a male singing voice that falls between tenor (higher) and bass (lower). Think of it as the middle voice: not as high as the lead singer in many pop songs, but not as deep as the lowest rumbling notes in a choir. Many of the male voices you hear in musicals, operas, and choirs are baritones because this range sounds natural and comfortable to many listeners.

The word also describes instruments that play in this middle range. A baritone saxophone produces a richer, deeper sound than a regular saxophone but isn't as low as a bass saxophone. In a marching band, you might see a baritone horn, which looks like a smaller version of a tuba and plays melody lines in that warm middle range.

These voices and instruments have weight and warmth without being as heavy as true bass. When a chorus teacher assigns voice parts, students with baritone voices often sing the harmony that supports the melody, giving the music its fullness and depth. Famous baritones include Johnny Cash, whose deep, steady voice made songs like “Ring of Fire” unforgettable, and Elvis Presley, whose lower-range singing has a rich baritone quality that helped make him the King of Rock and Roll.