IT sotto voce character common Support my free tools
How is sotto voce played?
The performer drops into a restrained, half-hidden manner — as if speaking under the breath. Sotto voce describes a quality of delivery more than a fixed level on the p–f scale: it asks for an intimate, withheld tone, often confiding or secretive in character. Literally 'under the voice', it can be applied to singers and instrumentalists alike. Composers use it where the music should feel whispered or held back, distinct from a plain dynamic number because it shapes manner, not just volume.
How does sotto voce sound?
A hushed, intimate, almost whispered sound, as if confided rather than projected.
In context
Sotto voce literally means 'under the voice' and is glossed 'in an undertone (i.e. quietly)'. It marks a subdued, restrained manner of performance rather than a precise dynamic level.
Equivalent terms
- FR à mi-voix
- FR murmuré
- DE gedämpft
- DE wie im Flüsterton
- EN in an undertone
- EN subdued