What is the difference between a high pitch voice and a tenor timbre?

Could my voice type change from baritone to tenor with work and experience?

• Hi, I'm 17 years old and I have been singing for about a year and a half as I joined my school choir last year. My chorus teacher put me in the tenor section since I don't have much trouble hitting anything he throws at me, and falsetto is optional. However, I've done some research on voice types to determine the range of notes each type should be able to sing. Also, I often find myself struggling with the high pitched parts of most of the songs I like to sing, such as Hero, by Enrique Iglesias; by the time the last chorus comes, I have to put my all into the high notes, and trust me, they do not sound good XD, but I can just about reach them. My chest voice switches over to falsetto at f#, which would suggest I'm a tenor, but my highest belt only reaches a Ab, and my falsetto about a high A. With more years of experience, a good teacher, and continous work with scales and a diversity of songs, is it possible for my range to become that of a true tenor's, without having to struggle or give everything I have in me? And also to reach that tedius tenor C that most singers strive for?

• Answer:

  You're still young and your voice could actually change dramatically over the next 2-3 years, not because of training but because of nature. Some voices can be trained as either baritones or tenors; these usually have the passaggio on or around F4. Some singers will start out as baritones, then will transition to tenors a few years into their careers. For the time being, the most important thing you can do is work on your mixed voice. Mixed voice is the key.