Your voice type is where your lowest and highest notes land
Sing the lowest note you can hold, then the highest, and note both. That pair is your range. Voice type is the standard category whose span your range fits inside — six types cover most voices, three lower and three higher.
| Voice type | Typical range | Approx. Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | E2 – E4 | 82 – 330 |
| Baritone | A2 – A4 | 110 – 440 |
| Tenor | C3 – C5 | 131 – 523 |
| Alto (contralto) | F3 – F5 | 175 – 698 |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3 – A5 | 220 – 880 |
| Soprano | C4 – C6 | 262 – 1047 |
The bands overlap on purpose. A note like A3 sits in several types, so it is the whole span — where your low and high sit together — that decides the label, not one end alone.
Range in octaves and semitones
Pitch is logarithmic: an octave doubles the frequency and holds 12 semitones. Your range in semitones is the count of half-steps between your two notes.
From C3 (131 Hz) to C5 (523 Hz), the ratio is 4, log2(4) = 2, giving 24 semitones — two full octaves. The reference pitch behind the note names is A4 = 440 Hz.
Reading the result honestly
- Range is not tessitura. Range is every note you can produce; tessitura is where your voice sits comfortably and sounds best, usually the middle. Choose repertoire by tessitura, not by the extreme notes.
- Type is a guide, not a verdict. Many singers straddle two types (a low tenor, a high baritone). Overlap is normal, and training can widen the usable range by several semitones.
- Sex does not fix the type. Contraltos and countertenors exist; the notes you actually reach decide the classification, not biology.
Common questions
How is my voice type decided from my range?
It is where your lowest and highest comfortable notes fall against the standard classifications. The six main types run bass, baritone, tenor for lower voices and alto, mezzo-soprano, soprano for higher ones. Sing your lowest and highest sustainable notes, and the pair points to the type whose span they fit inside.
How many octaves is a normal singing range?
Most untrained singers have about 1.5 to 2 octaves. Trained singers typically reach 2 to 3, and professionals sometimes 3 to 4. Each octave doubles the frequency, so a range from C3 (about 131 Hz) to C5 (about 523 Hz) is exactly two octaves.
Why does my range change from day to day?
Fatigue, hydration, illness, temperature and time of day all affect the vocal folds. For a reliable reading, test after a warm-up, well-rested and hydrated — a tired voice gives falsely narrow results.
