vocal range
techniquesVOH-kul RAYNJ
The span of pitches a singer can produce, from their lowest to their highest note.
Vocal range is the full extent of pitches a singer can produce, measured from the lowest comfortable note to the highest. Voice types are classified by range: bass (lowest male), baritone (mid-range male), tenor (highest standard male), contralto (lowest female), mezzo-soprano (mid-range female), and soprano (highest female). The countertenor uses falsetto to sing in the alto or soprano range. An average untrained singer has a range of about one and a half octaves, while trained classical singers typically command two to two and a half octaves. Exceptional singers like Freddie Mercury, Mariah Carey, and Dimash Kudaibergen have demonstrated ranges of four or more octaves. A singer's comfortable, best-sounding range is called the tessitura. Understanding vocal range is essential for songwriters, who must write melodies that sit well in the performer's voice.