Vocal Range Chart: Read Voice-Type Bands Without Misclassifying Your Voice
A vocal range chart maps note regions for reference. It can help you locate pitches, compare a song with your endpoints and understand voice-type vocabulary. It cannot determine your complete voice category from two notes.
The chart below uses this site’s illustrative reference bands. Real singers can extend beyond them, and useful repertoire may occupy a smaller or differently centered region. Read the chart as a starting map, then compare the actual phrases you intend to sing.
Six voice types in notes and hertz
| Category | Reference notes | Endpoint frequencies | Interval width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soprano | C4–C6 | 261.63–1046.50 Hz | 24 semitones |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3–A5 | 220.00–880.00 Hz | 24 semitones |
| Contralto | F3–F5 | 174.61–698.46 Hz | 24 semitones |
| Tenor | C3–C5 | 130.81–523.25 Hz | 24 semitones |
| Baritone | A2–A4 | 110.00–440.00 Hz | 24 semitones |
| Bass | E2–E4 | 82.41–329.63 Hz | 24 semitones |
These familiar classical groupings are not an exhaustive list of every performance category. Introductory sources also differ: Interlochen, for example, uses G2–G4 for baritone rather than this site’s A2–A4 reference. Neither choice turns the boundary into a compulsory limit for every individual singer.
Read the octave number with the letter
C4 is middle C in scientific pitch notation. The octave number increases when the next C begins: B3 is immediately below C4, while C5 is one octave above C4.
A and C alone do not identify a range. A2–C5 and A3–C5 have different widths because the first starts an octave lower. Keep the number attached whenever you record an endpoint.
| Note | Frequency | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| C2 | 65.41 Hz | Two octaves below middle C |
| C3 | 130.81 Hz | One octave below middle C |
| C4 | 261.63 Hz | Middle C |
| A4 | 440.00 Hz | Tuning reference used here |
| C5 | 523.25 Hz | One octave above middle C |
| C6 | 1046.50 Hz | Two octaves above middle C |
Sharps and flats do not always mean different frequencies
In equal temperament, C-sharp4 and D-flat4 name the same keyboard pitch, approximately 277.18 Hz at this reference. Their spelling can communicate different harmonic functions even when the tuning is identical.
A chart showing C-sharp where another shows D-flat is therefore not necessarily shifted by a semitone. Check the actual pitch and octave before interpreting a spelling difference as a larger range.
The tuning reference matters too. Changing A4 from 440 Hz changes the calculated hertz values while preserving the interval relationships. Do not compare two frequency tables without checking their assumptions.
Count intervals rather than both endpoint keys
C3–C5 covers twenty-four semitone intervals, or two octaves. Counting every chromatic position including both C endpoints gives twenty-five positions. Those are different counts.
For note names, convert each to a chromatic position and subtract. For frequencies, calculate the span as log2(high ÷ low). Doubling the frequency adds one octave; multiplying it by four adds two.
The vocal range calculator can check this arithmetic for notes you supply. A manually calculated result is not a microphone measurement of your singing.
Why the category bands overlap
Adjacent types share many notes. The chart’s tenor C3–C5 band and baritone A2–A4 band overlap from C3 to A4. Reaching notes in both does not establish that someone has two fully assessed classical types.
Classification also considers tessitura, register behavior and the demands sustained across repertoire. A high endpoint does not automatically move a singer into the highest category that contains it.
The voice-types guide explains that broader assessment. A comparison score showing interval overlap should remain an overlap observation, not a diagnosis of timbre or a permanent label.
Choir alto and contralto are different labels
Contralto is an individual classical voice category. Alto often names a written choir line that can be sung by more than one kind of voice. Similarly, a baritone can sing a suitable bass part.
An SATB chart describes four arrangement parts, whereas this six-category chart introduces individual voice-type vocabulary. Do not relabel six categories as six SATB parts.
For a choir task, use the choral range worksheet to check the complete score, including sounding octave, sustained phrases and divisi requirements.
Add registers and practical conditions to your own chart
Record whether an endpoint uses a lighter upper register or another distinct production. An overall span can include falsetto when that rule is stated, but it does not imply equal volume and consistency across the entire interval.
Repeat uncertain results. A detector can follow a harmonic, accompaniment or noise, producing an apparent extension that is not a new reliable note. Compare a doubtful octave with a known reference before accepting it.
Use comfortable tasks. You do not need to force the far edge of a reference band to qualify for exploring suitable music.
Turn the chart into a song decision
Locate the melody’s actual sounding endpoints, then mark its repeated region and intended dynamic. A melody fitting your maximum span can still sit awkwardly for most of the song.
As an illustration, lowering C4–G5 by two semitones gives B-flat3–F5. The width remains nineteen semitones, while both ends move. Check that solving the upper phrase does not make the verse too low.
A useful personal chart therefore combines endpoints with notes about comfortable phrases. It supports musical choices without pretending to explain every aspect of a voice.
Frequently asked questions
Can this chart tell me whether I am a soprano or alto?
It supplies references, not a complete classification. Distinguish contralto from choir alto and consider sustained singing.
Does every singer have two octaves?
No. The reference bands shown are two-octave teaching examples, not a population measurement or a guarantee.
Is a note outside my category forbidden?
No. Real voices overlap and can extend beyond introductory bands. Choose comfortable, suitable tasks.
Why does my app disagree by an octave?
Check octave conventions and signal quality. A harmonic or background sound can also mislead a detector.