How to Find Your Vocal Range

Your range comes in two parts

When people talk about vocal range, they usually mean everything from the lowest note they can make to the highest. What actually matters for singing, though, is the span within that where you can produce a good sound for a long time without strain. A note you can only just reach by pushing hard might come out once, but you will struggle to repeat it through a song. So when you measure your range, don't just note the top and bottom; write down your comfortable range separately. Knowing the gap between the two lets you judge far more accurately which songs suit you.

What to prepare before measuring

You don't need special equipment. A keyboard, a piano app on your phone or a tuner app that shows the pitch you are singing in real time is enough. Your range will come out narrower than usual first thing in the morning or after a lot of talking, so hum gently for a few minutes to warm up first. Have a glass of water and something to write the results on. Measurements taken two or three times over several days are closer to your real range than a single reading.

The order to measure in

Starting with high notes tends to tense up your throat and skew the results. It is more reliable to begin on a comfortable middle note, work downwards, then work upwards. Sing short, light sounds on an easy vowel such as "ah".

• Start on a comfortable note close to your speaking pitch
• Move down a half step at a time and note the last clear note
• Return to the middle and move up a half step at a time in the same way
• Separately from the extremes, mark the range you sang without effort

Reading note names

Ranges are usually written as a letter and a number. The letter is the note name, from A to G, and the number tells you which octave it is in. The C in the middle of a piano keyboard, middle C, is widely called C4, but some instruments and music software label the same note C3. So when you compare your range with someone else's, first make sure you are using the same reference. Informal descriptions used in karaoke circles and online forums can also differ from person to person, so checking the actual position on a keyboard is the most reliable way.

Comfortable range over top note

Many people focus on extending their highest note, but whether a song is easy to sing depends less on its single highest note than on where most of the song sits. Even if the top note is within your range, a song that sits above your comfortable span for most of its length will tire your voice quickly. On the other hand, a song whose top note is a little high but only brushed once or twice can be surprisingly singable. When choosing songs, get in the habit of checking the height of the sections you stay in longest, such as the chorus, alongside the highest note, and you will have fewer failures.

Treat voice types as a guide

Voice type names like soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass describe rough ranges, but they are not decided by range alone. The colour of the voice, where it shifts between registers and the pitches where it resonates most easily all play a part. So rather than settling your voice type from a range chart, treat it as a rough guide. Comfortable ranges differ even within the same voice type and can change with practice. When an accurate classification matters, as in a choir or lessons, having a teacher listen to you directly is the surest way.

Choosing songs and changing keys

There is no need to give up on a favourite song just because it doesn't fit your range. Transposing — moving the whole song up or down in half steps — can bring most songs into your range. Songs by singers of a different gender often need to move several half steps to fit.

• Check the song's highest and lowest notes on a keyboard
• See whether long sections like the chorus fall inside your comfortable range
• If it is too high, lower it a half step at a time until it feels easiest
• Write the key you found next to the song title for next time

Your range is not a fixed number

Your range shifts with how you feel that day, the time of day, sleep and fatigue. A measurement taken with a cold or a hoarse voice will come out narrower than it really is, and steady practice can gradually widen your comfortable span. Voices also change naturally with age. So don't get hung up on a single result; simply measure again every few months. Avoid belting high notes through pain in an attempt to extend your range, and if hoarseness or pain persists, see an ear, nose and throat doctor.