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How do you determine your vocal range?

Amy Chapman, MA
Vocal Coach
Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a Vocal Therapist and Singing Voice Specialist. Amy is a licensed and board-certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Amy Chapman, MA

Vocal Coach

Expert Answer

Vocal range is essentially dropping your voice as low as it can go. So do some warm up, and then hum all the way down or let your voice drop all the way down to the lowest place. And then go all the way up. Wherever you can hold a note for three seconds, I would call that your vocal range.

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Question

Is it necessary to use a piano? I don't have any keyboard or piano in my home.

Community Answer

Another way to find the notes that a piano can provide is to find a piano app, such as the Pitch Pipe app, for your smartphone, iPad, or other relevant device. This is easy to use and the sound will still be effective.

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Question

I'm female and my range is (E3)G3-D5(F5). What is my voice classification?

Rosie Doherty

Community Answer

I would say a lyric Contralto since you can go a little lower than most Contralto can and can hit the top of your range at F5. Most Conaltos can sing that note. Most go to E5 so i say in middle for Contralto.

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Question

I got (C2-)Gb2-C5(-D#7), and I'm a male. Which vocal range do I belong in?

Community Answer

This is a very impressive range. You would most likely be a tenor with a well-developed lower register.

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If I can go from C3 to C6, what is my vocal type?

Community Answer

If you're a woman, probably a mezzo-soprano, given the high end of your range. If you're a man, a countertenor.

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I'm female and my tessitura is E3-D5. What is my range?

Community Answer

You are a low contralto. You can go a little lower than a normal contralto.

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I am a woman with a range of E2 to E5. What is my voice type?

Community Answer

Female tenor! Pretty impressive, not many women have that kind of range! You should definitely use it all the time, as low female voices are highly sought after!

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Question

How can I learn my octave range without knowing different notes?

Community Answer

You can't. Without knowing or being able to match pitch, you can't know what your highest and lowest notes are.

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My vocal range is B2-F5. What is my voice classification? How many octaves can I sing?

Community Answer

For men, that's usually considered leggero tenor. For women, that would make you a female tenor (which is pretty rare). For number of octaves, that's two octaves and four notes.

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Question

What if your range reaches higher or lower than the voices on the Vocal Range Info Sheet? How would you be able to find your voice type?

Community Answer

You would sing in your high, middle, and lower voices to see where your strength is. For example, if your strength is your head voice, you would be a soprano.

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My range is C3 to F5. Am I a mezzo-soprano or a soprano?

Community Answer

I would say neither. You are most likely an alto, the lowest female voice type.

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Question

I don't understand the example numbers. I range from G2 to C4. I think. How do I know my what vocal range I am in?

Community Answer

You might be a tenor but with a smaller range or a Contralto with a lower voice.

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Question

My vocal range is 3 octaves without any falsetto (A2-A5). I have a deep and powerful voice even in my higher register. What is my voice type?

Community Answer

That's an extraordinary range that fits multiple voice types from High Tenor to Bass. However, if you have a deep, powerful voice, you would most likely sing Baritone or Bass parts.

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What is higher pitched than a Soprano?

Community Answer

Beyond the basic voice types, there are multiple types of Sopranos. The highest voices are generally classed as "Sopraninos" or "Soprano Coloratura."

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Question

My lowest is an A2 and my highest is an A5 and I'm a girl. What is my vocal type?

Anna Chen

Community Answer

Depending on the resonance and the timbre, you are either an alto or a contralto.

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Question

I can sing really low and I used an app and it said my "note" was F. What does that mean?

Community Answer

It would mean that the note you sang was F or "Fa," although, it would have to state what octave it was like "F2" or "F3."

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Question

What is my voice classification if I got B3-A7?

Community Answer

If you're a woman, that would be an impressively high soprano voice type. If you're a man, a countertenor.

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Question

My voice range is from G2-D#7 and I am a girl. Where would that put me? (I can go lower but that would be Vocal Fry).

Community Answer

That's a pretty impressive range encompassing just over 4 and half octaves. This spans multiple female voice types, so it depends on what octaves you can sing fullest and with the most control.

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Question

I got G3 to G6. What am I exactly? (I can go lower than G3 but I use vocal fry there.)

Community Answer

You would want to find what voice is your strength. You might be soprano, because it may be that your strength is your higher voice, or falsetto.

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My vocal range is E2-A5. What is my voice classification? Could I also please know how many octaves can I sing?

Community Answer

You are most likely a Bass or Baritone. That would about 3.5 octaves.

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Question

My vocal range is C3-F4. I'm a female. How many octaves do I have? What do I class as?

Anna Chen

Community Answer

You have a range of 1 octave and 5 notes. You are either an alto or a contralto.

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Question

I'm a male and my range is (C3)G3-G5(F6). What's my range?

Community Answer

I believe that you a male soprano.

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Question

My range is G4-F5, what is my type? (I'm female)

Community Answer

This is small range, but once you start getting better you will be a mezzo Soprano or a low Soprano, which is a Dramatic Soprano, or a very high Soprano. So if tessutura is in middle you will be a mezzo soprano, if low but light you'd be a Dramatic Soprano, but if your tessutura is very high you're a very high Soprano. Most likely you'd be a very high soprano.

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Question

How many octaves is G3 to G5?

Community Answer

Two octaves. Numbers by the note represents the octave number, so in your case it would be G3-G4-G5.

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What does a range of D3-A5 mean?

Community Answer

You have a 2.5 octave range and would probably be classed as a Mezzo-Soprano.

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Question

I got E3-G5. What is my voice classification if I am a male?

Community Answer

If this is your main range, you are a countertenor or "male alto." You have a few notes over the average range of E3 to E5.

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My voice sounds funny when I sing, can you teach me how to sing?

Community Answer

You best option would be to take singing lessons. No one can teach you to sing over the internet, though there may be some useful tutorials on YouTube.

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Question

Why is the G3- D6 range not a soprano range with a low extension?

Community Answer

Countertenors (G3 - C6) are generally men, while sopranos are generally women.

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Question

When I try to find my high note, do whistle notes count?

Community Answer

No, if you are male it is all chest voice, if you are female it’s chest and head.

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If a male has a range of A2 to A4. What is the voice type?

Anna Chen

Community Answer

You are a definite baritone. As you can see from the list, the baritone range is from a G2-G4, and your range is VERY similar to it.

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