Vocal Range FAQ: 25 Questions Answered

The basics

What is vocal range?

Vocal range is the span of pitches a voice can produce, from the lowest to the highest note. In singing it usually means the musically useful notes, and normally those in the modal register used in speech and most singing, rather than every sound the voice can make.

What is a normal vocal range?

There is no single normal range. Untrained adults often manage about two octaves, and one study of 100 adults found a mean singing range of 24.8 semitones. Trained singers may reach more. The notes depend on the voice type, and men and women sit in different parts of the scale.

How many octaves is an average voice?

About two octaves is the usual figure for untrained singers, which equals 24 semitones. Individual results vary, and a range counted only from clear, steady notes is usually smaller than one counted from every squeak and crack at the extremes.

What is the widest vocal range?

Guinness World Records lists Tim Storms with the widest vocal range of any human: 10 octaves, from G/G♯ −5 to G/G♯ 5 (0.7973 Hz to 807.3 Hz), measured in 2008. The notes are actually between G and G♯, so in concert tuning it is 9 octaves and 11 semitones.

What are vocal registers?

Registers are different ways the larynx produces sound. Science identifies four: whistle, falsetto, modal and vocal fry. The modal register is used in normal speech and most singing, and ranges are usually counted in it, with exceptions such as countertenors, who use falsetto.

How are octaves calculated from my notes?

Count the semitones from your lowest to your highest note and divide by 12, because an octave is 12 semitones. For example C3 to C5 is 24 semitones, which is 2.0 octaves, and A2 to D5 is 29 semitones, which is 2.4 octaves.

What is the difference between range and tessitura?

Range is every note you can sing, lowest to highest. Tessitura is the part of the range where your voice sounds and feels best for most of a song. Teachers say tessitura and timbre matter more than range when deciding a voice type.

Voice types

What are the main voice types?

Women are typically divided into soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto. Men are usually divided into countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass. Children’s unchanged voices are called trebles. Each type has a typical range, and many subtypes exist.

What is my voice type if I am a woman?

Test your range and see where it is centred. Around C4 to C6 suggests soprano, A3 to A5 mezzo-soprano and F3 to F5 contralto or alto. Tessitura and timbre also matter, so a teacher is the best judge.

What is my voice type if I am a man?

Test your range and see where it is centred. Around C3 to C5 suggests tenor, A2 to A4 baritone and E2 to E4 bass. The baritone is the most common male voice. Tessitura and timbre also matter, so a teacher is the best judge.

Why does the test say “most likely” and “also possible”?

Voice type depends on more than range, and ranges overlap. The test compares your lowest and highest notes with the typical range of each type, picks the closest as most likely, and lists close seconds as also possible. It is an estimate, not a classification.

Can I change my voice type?

Not really. Training improves control, tone and stamina, and notes at the edges of your range can become easier, but the basic type is set by your voice. Teachers warn that forcing a voice into a higher or lower classification than is natural can strain it.

Using the test

How does the vocal range test work?

You sing your lowest comfortable note and then your highest into your microphone. The page measures the pitch in your browser using the YIN method, accepts a note once you hold it steadily, and then shows the notes, the octaves between them and an estimated voice type.

Is the test accurate?

It is accurate enough for a good estimate when you use a quiet room and hold each note steadily. Background noise, a poor microphone or a very quiet voice can cause errors. Try it twice. For a firm classification, ask a voice teacher.

Does the test record or save my voice?

No. The sound is analysed live and discarded. It is not recorded, stored or sent anywhere, and the microphone is switched off when the test ends. You can check this in your browser’s network tab, where no audio is uploaded.

Why does the test not hear me?

Check that the browser has permission for the microphone, that the right microphone is selected in your system settings, and that no other app is using it. Move closer, sing louder, or raise the sensitivity slider. Background noise can also hide your voice.

Which notes can the test detect?

The detector listens for pitches from about 60 Hz, a little below C2, up to about 1400 Hz, around F6. That covers the typical range of every voice type on this site, but very low vocal fry or very high whistle notes are outside what it can read.

Does the test work on a phone?

It is designed to work in current mobile browsers such as Safari on iPhone and Chrome on Android. You must allow microphone access when asked. Use a quiet place and hold the phone at a normal speaking distance.

Improving and caring for your voice

Can you increase your vocal range?

Many singers find that their usable range grows a little with practice, because control and technique improve. Do it gradually, warm up first, and never strain. A voice teacher can guide you safely, and you should stop if singing hurts or you become hoarse.

What is the safest way to warm up?

Warm up your voice before extensive singing, much as you would warm up before exercise. Start with easy humming and gentle slides in your comfortable range, drink water, and avoid pushing to the extremes until the voice feels ready.

What should I avoid to protect my voice?

The NIDCD advises staying hydrated, resting your voice when you are ill, avoiding screaming and whispering, not singing when your voice is hoarse or tired, and not smoking. Support your voice with good breathing rather than relying on throat tension.

When should I see a doctor about my voice?

If your voice stays hoarse or raspy, you lose the ability to hit notes you could reach before, your voice suddenly sounds deeper, or your throat often feels raw or strained, talk to a health care provider. Hoarseness lasting more than about two weeks should be checked.

Is a higher voice better than a lower voice?

No. Voice type describes where a voice naturally sits, not how good it is. Every type has its place in choirs, bands and opera, and singing in the range that suits your voice is healthier and sounds better than pushing for a higher label.

Does a wider range make you a better singer?

Not by itself. Good singers are judged on tone, pitch accuracy, control, expression and healthy technique. A comfortable range suited to the songs you sing is more useful than an extreme top note you can only touch for a moment.

Do men and women have different ranges?

Yes. The upper pitch range of the human voice is, on average, about half as high in males as in females, and typical male voice ranges sit roughly an octave lower. Some men sing in the female range in falsetto, which classical music calls countertenor.