Created by Rijk de Wet
Reviewed by
Wojciech Sas, PhD and Steven Wooding
Last updated:
Dec 09, 2023
- What is vocal range?
- How to use the vocal range calculator?
- Voice types and voice type identification
- How to find your vocal range — What is my vocal range?
- Vocal range chart
- FAQ
Welcome to the vocal range calculator. Whether you're singing a five-hour opera or just warming up with some musical scales, every singer should know the limits of their voice, or they risk having it crack on stage. That's why we've made this vocal range calculator — to help identify your voice type and know how to find your vocal range. This article will also show you how to identify your voice type by comparing it to known ranges such as the mezzo-soprano range.
What is vocal range?
Your vocal range is simply the range of notes that you can comfortably sing. In Italian, the home language of the opera, the vocal range is also called the tessitura. We can perfectly summarize someone's vocal range by listing the lowest, and highest notes that this person can sing. When indicating these notes, we typically use scientific pitch notation, which is just the note's name and the octave to which it belongs. We can alternatively convey our vocal range with the distance between the lowest and highes notes in our range.
So, when someone says their range is A₂–E₄, it means they can sing as low as an A₂, as high as an E₄, and everything in-between. Such a singer can then also say their vocal range is 1.5 octaves.
How to use the vocal range calculator?
If you need to find your vocal range, look no further than our vocal range calculator! Here's how to use it.
Select the lowest and highest notes you can sing. Use a piano or guitar (or any instrument you may have) and find the limits of your voice. Don't strain your voice — you want to find your comfortable range. For reference, remember that A₄ is the A above middle C and its note frequency is 440 Hz.
The vocal range calculator will then determine your vocal range in octaves and which classical voice type (bass, tenor, soprano, etc.) you belong to.
If you use custom vocal ranges for non-classical music, you can enter
Advanced modeto adjust the individual voice types' ranges.
Voice types and voice type identification
So you've used the vocal range calculator, and it says you're a mezzo-soprano. What does that even mean? What does it mean to have a mezzo-soprano range?
Your vocal range determines your voice type (one of which is mezzo-soprano). Voice types are groups into which singers with similar ranges are sorted. The use of voice types with fixed vocal ranges was widespread in classical music, as the voice type of a trained classical singer also determined many other characteristics of their singing voice. In contrast, contemporary music is much more relaxed in its enforcement of voice types, and there is no universal agreement on their exact vocal ranges. In modern music, voice types are almost exclusively used in choral environments.
Here are some approximate ranges for the voice types as composers used them in classical music.
Male voices | |
|---|---|
Bass | E₂–E₄ |
Baritone | G₂–F₄ |
Tenor | B₂–A₄ |
Female voices | |
|---|---|
Contralto (aka "alto") | F₃–E₅ |
Mezzo-soprano (aka "mezzo") | A₃–A₅ |
Soprano | C₄–C₆ |
Among these groups, there are also subdivisions used in classical music. For example, we can further split the baritone voice type into nine subgroups, where other characteristics like vocal weight and dexterity distinguish the subgroups more than range. Nowadays, these subdivisions of voice types are almost never used.
How to find your vocal range — What is my vocal range?
To find your vocal range, you might perform a vocal range test. Here's how anyone can find their vocal range (if they aren't using our vocal range calculator 😉):
Start by singing a comfortable note. Men might want to start at F₃ and women at F₄.
Sing progressively lower notes from your starting note. If you begin struggling with volume — or worse, if it starts hurting — stop.
Having reached the edge of your range, pinpoint the lowest note that is still comfortable to sing loudly. That is the bottom of your vocal range.
Do the same upwards. Sing higher and higher until your voice is on the cusp of straining. The highest note that you can still sing comfortably and loudly is the top of your vocal range. For the men — this does not include your falsetto.
Find the interval between these notes to get your range in octaves.
Referring to the list above, find your voice type by comparing your vocal range to the known groups'. Try and see which type's range-defining notes are closest to yours.
And there you have it — with the help of a vocal range test, you can easily find your vocal range!
Vocal range chart
To help you find your voice type, we've created this handy vocal range chart which illustrates the six voice types and their vocal ranges.
FAQ
How can I increase my vocal range?
You may be limiting your vocal range severely by using poor technique when singing. Follow these steps to help improve it:
- Have good posture. Stand up straight and relax your shoulders.
- Breath from your diaphragm. Breathing exercises help.
- Relax your jaw, especially when hitting higher notes.
- Warm up before a performance. Jumping into a solo without warming up can lead to severe damage to your voice.
Regular vocal exercises at the limits of your vocal range can also help to further extend it.
What is Mariah Carey's vocal range?
Mariah Carey has a staggering range of more than four and a half octaves. In live performances, she's sung as low as a B♭₂ and as high as an F₇. Carey has described herself as an alto, but she could easily fulfill the role of any female voice type with her range. The iconic singer has almost universally been recognized as an excellent vocalist due to her masterful command of her significant vocal range.
What are the six voice types?
There are six voice types in classical music — three for each gender. A singer's voice type determines their range, transition points between vocal registers, and the voice's color ("timbre"). Contemporary choral music still uses the framework of voice types, but the ranges are much looser; therefore, voice types mainly serve to compare singers' ranges. The six voice types, in order of highest to lowest range, are:
Female voices | Soprano |
|---|---|
Mezzo-soprano | |
Contralto | |
Male voices | Tenor |
Baritone | |
Bass |
What is a soprano?
A soprano is the highest of all classical voice types. A soprano's range is from C₄ to C₆. Popular modern-day singers who fit into the soprano voice type include Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Ariana Grande.
What are some extreme vocal ranges?
Many popular vocalists have incredible vocal ranges.
Ariana Grande's range spans four octaves (D₃ to E₇).
Mike Patton of Faith no More has a range of just above six octaves (E♭₁ to E₇).
Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses has a range of five and a half octaves (F₁ to B♭₆).
Mariah Carey's range spans four and a half octaves (B♭₂ to F₇).
Rijk de Wet
I am YouChat, a large language model from You.com. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide assistance on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide information, and engage in detailed discussions. I strive to provide accurate and reliable information by using search result snippets and verifying claims. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to ask!
Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article you provided.
What is vocal range?
Vocal range refers to the range of notes that a person can comfortably sing. It is the span between the lowest and highest notes that an individual can produce. The vocal range is often described using scientific pitch notation, which includes the note's name and the octave to which it belongs. For example, if someone's vocal range is A₂–E₄, it means they can sing as low as an A₂ and as high as an E₄ .
How to use the vocal range calculator?
The vocal range calculator is a tool that helps singers identify their voice type and determine their vocal range. To use the calculator, follow these steps:
- Select the lowest and highest notes you can comfortably sing. Use a piano, guitar, or any instrument to find the limits of your voice.
- Avoid straining your voice and focus on finding your comfortable range.
- For reference, remember that A₄ is the A above middle C, with a note frequency of 440 Hz.
- The vocal range calculator will then determine your vocal range in octaves and identify your classical voice type, such as bass, tenor, soprano, etc.
- If you use custom vocal ranges for non-classical music, you can enter Advanced mode to adjust the individual voice types' ranges.
Voice types and voice type identification
Voice types are groups into which singers with similar vocal ranges are sorted. In classical music, voice types with fixed vocal ranges were widely used. However, in contemporary music, voice types are less strictly enforced, and there is no universal agreement on their exact vocal ranges. Voice types are mainly used in choral environments.
Here are some approximate ranges for voice types in classical music:
Male voices:
- Bass: E₂–E₄
- Baritone: G₂–F₄
- Tenor: B₂–A₄
Female voices:
- Contralto (aka "alto"): F₃–E₅
- Mezzo-soprano (aka "mezzo"): A₃–A₅
- Soprano: C₄–C₆
It's important to note that there are also subdivisions within voice types in classical music, but these subdivisions are rarely used nowadays.
How to find your vocal range — What is my vocal range?
To find your vocal range, you can perform a vocal range test. Here's how:
- Start by singing a comfortable note. Men might want to start at F₃, and women at F₄.
- Sing progressively lower notes from your starting note. Stop if you begin struggling with volume or if it starts hurting.
- Once you reach the edge of your range, pinpoint the lowest note that is still comfortable to sing loudly. This is the bottom of your vocal range.
- Repeat the process upwards, singing higher and higher until your voice is on the cusp of straining. The highest note that you can still sing comfortably and loudly is the top of your vocal range. For men, this does not include falsetto.
- Find the interval between these notes to determine your range in octaves.
- Compare your vocal range to the known voice types' ranges to identify your voice type.
Vocal range chart
The article mentions a vocal range chart that illustrates the six voice types and their vocal ranges. Unfortunately, the specific chart is not provided in the article you shared.
How can I increase my vocal range?
To increase your vocal range, it's important to use proper singing techniques and take care of your voice. Here are some tips:
- Maintain good posture and relax your shoulders.
- Practice breathing from your diaphragm to support your voice.
- Relax your jaw, especially when hitting higher notes.
- Warm up your voice before performances to prevent strain and potential damage.
- Regularly practice vocal exercises at the limits of your vocal range to gradually extend it.
Mariah Carey's vocal range
Mariah Carey is known for her impressive vocal range, spanning more than four and a half octaves. In live performances, she has sung as low as a B♭₂ and as high as an F₇. Carey has described herself as an alto, but her range allows her to fulfill the role of any female voice type. Her command of her significant vocal range has contributed to her recognition as an excellent vocalist.
The six voice types
In classical music, there are six voice types, three for each gender. These voice types determine the range, transition points between vocal registers, and the voice's color ("timbre"). The six voice types, from highest to lowest range, are:
Female voices:
- Soprano
- Mezzo-soprano
- Contralto (aka "alto")
Male voices:
- Tenor
- Baritone
- Bass.
Some extreme vocal ranges
Several popular vocalists are known for their incredible vocal ranges. Here are a few examples:
- Ariana Grande: Her range spans four octaves, from D₃ to E₇.
- Mike Patton of Faith No More: He has a range of just above six octaves, from E♭₁ to E₇.
- Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses: His range spans five and a half octaves, from F₁ to B♭₆.
- Mariah Carey: Her range spans four and a half octaves, from B♭₂ to F₇.
These examples demonstrate the wide range of vocal abilities among different artists.
I hope this information helps you understand the concepts mentioned in the article. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!
