The 8 Singing Voice Types: Find Out Yours Here!

The 8 Singing Voice Types: Find Out Yours Here!

As a voice teacher people ask me all the time about the different voice types.

Every singer wants to know his or her voice type.

Usually for two reasons:

1) So they know their range (how high or low they can sing) and…

2) So they know what they can expect out of their voice.

I absolutely love this question because people are always surprised to learn their true voice type.

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

So let’s speak about the different voice types in popular music and what you can expect out of your instrument.

By the way, if you want a great video to walk you though how to tell your voice type, check this out:

Voice Types: The 8 Singing Classifications. Find Yours Here!

What is a Voice Type?

Young woman singing into a microphone on stage in purple lighting

With all the talk about famous singers’ vocal ranges, it can be difficult to understand what a voice type actually is.

So before we jump in to discussing the 8 main singing voice types, let’s take a moment to talk about what voice type is and why it matters to you.

Here’s what you need to know:

Voice type, sometimes also called vocal type, is the classification of a singer’s voice based on several different criteria including their vocal range, vocal weight, tessitura, vocal tone and bridge location.

So why does it matter?

Well, the voice type system was originally created to make it easier for singers to be cast for roles in opera.

Voice types are also commonly used in choir settings.

For example, the voice types that are common in a choral octave might be Bass, Tenor, Alto and Soprano.

In other words, if you know that you have the range and tone of a Soprano, then you would audition for and hopefully be cast in the Soprano part.

Classic operas had roles for all the different vocal types and ranges, like Soprano, Alto, Tenors and Basses.

These days, however, knowing your voice type is better at helping you decide which singers to listen to and what songs to pick.

For example, if you know that you’re a Tenor, then you may want to look at singers like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, both of whom are famous Tenors.

By the way…

Don’t worry if you don’t know your voice type yet. I’ll give you everything you need to know about your voice type and how to find it.

For now, just understand that your voice type is one of the most important things that you can know about yourself as a singer.

Before We Jump In, Remember…

No matter what level you’re at, the most important thing is that you are comfortable when you’re singing.

There’s no good reason for you to strain or hurt yourself in pursuit of high notes if they’re not comfortable.

how to sing vibrato

As a general rule of thumb:

If you’re not comfortable when you’re singing, you’re probably doing something wrong.

As we’ll see, knowing more about the different voice types certainly helps, but working with a qualified voice teacher is the best way to maximize your vocal ability.

So if you want a vocal program that will help you expand your range without straining, you can check out my complete singing course, Master Your Voice, here.

To learn your voice type and truly understand your range, read on.

Most Discussions of Singing Voice Types Go Like This…

Lots of people determine their range like this:

What is my voice type? Well, I can sing low notes, so I must be a Bass.”

When we dig a little deeper, we find out they think that because their choir teacher gave them bass parts.

Go down the road a few years and you’ve got a singer who thinks he’s a Bass and has never experienced the higher end of his voice.

But in reality, he was the only one in his class who could sing low notes, so that’s the part he got.

Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to sing smoothly from chest to head voice.

the two vocal registers and the bridge between

So after a while, he stops trying and says: “Hey, I just sing low. That’s how my voice is.”

What a waste!

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, most singers form an idea about their voice as a kid and stop reaching to improve it.

That’s why many singers never experience the true potential of their voice.

So as you read this article, try to keep an open mind.

You may be surprised at what you discover!

Here’s a handy voice types chart to get us started:

The 8 Singing Voice Types

  1. Bass: lowest male voice type with a vocal range of E2-E4
  2. Baritone: 2nd lowest male voice type with a vocal range of A2-A4
  3. Tenor: 2nd highest male voice type with a vocal range of C3-C5
  4. Countertenor: highest male voice type with a vocal range of E3-E5
  5. Contralto: lowest female voice type with a vocal range of E3-E5
  6. Alto: 2nd lowest female voice type with a vocal range of F3-F5
  7. Mezzo Soprano: 2nd highest female voice type with a vocal range of A3-A5
  8. Soprano: highest female voice type with a vocal range of C4-C6

This vocal range chart gives the voice types from lowest to highest. That’s pretty much it.

The vast majority of voices fall into one of these eight different vocal categories.

I can hear you now: “I’ve heard there are SEVEN voice types…what are the 7 voice types.” Or “what are the 6 voice types?”. Or even “what are the 4 vocal types?”.

You can divide this list ANY way you want to.

Some readers wouldn’t count the Contralto or Countertenor as true voice types.

But I wanted to give you ALL the information you might need to understand what your vocal category is.

So I’ve included several listening examples below, but for now that’s the bare bones list.

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

Now, different people will give you different answers to the question “How many voice types are there?” Voice types in a choir, for example, are often categorized simply as SATB—Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass.

The vocal types chart above includes the choir voice types SATB plus the ‘in between’ voice types: Mezzo Soprano, Contralto, and so on.

Don’t worry, you definitely don’t need to memorize the voice types in order from highest to lowest or anything like that. What’s important is to understand your own personal voice type!

Now, there are many factors that determine a singer’s voice type. Including:

Vocal Weight – the heaviness or lightness of your specific voice

Tessitura – the range of your voice where you sing most comfortably

Bridge Location– the place where your voice transitions between vocal registers

Range – the lowest note and highest notes you can sing

Timbre – the texture of the voice, voice tone types or voice quality types

Vocal registers – how large or small your different registers are

Speaking Voice – how high or low you speak (a quick thing, you CAN’T always tell people’s voice types speaking)

Anatomy – the length of your vocal tract (glottis to lips), size of vocal folds, body size

profile view of the mouth and throat

Before you go running for the hills thinking, “That’s way too much to think about. I’ll just sing low for the rest of my life”, let me reassure you:

While all these variables are important, understanding Vocal Weight, Tessitura and Bridge Location are by far the most practical.

Even if you don’t know your voice type, they’ll help you make a good guess.

So let’s talk about them.

Vocal Weight and Singer Voice Types

Vocal Weight is the lightness or heaviness of your voice.

You can think of vocal weight as the difference between a cello and a violin.

three musicians playing on a rooftop

Yes, they’re both string instruments.

And they can even play some of the same notes.

But if two musicians play the same note simultaneously on a cello and a violin, you’ll still hear a difference between them.

Why?

Because of the size of the instrument.

The same idea applies to Vocal Weight and singer voice types and ranges.

Let’s consider voice types for males. A Bass (the lowest of the male voice types) and Tenor (the highest of the male voice types) could hit the same note.

However, the weight of the sound the singers get on those notes will be totally different.

The same is true of voice types for females.

A Contralto (the lowest of the female singing voice types) and Soprano (the highest of the female singing voice types) could hit the same note but those notes would sound totally different in their depth and weight.

That’s Vocal Weight.

Also, if you’re watching these groups of singers singing the same high note, you may see the bass and contralto struggling for the high note a bit more than the tenor and soprano.

These types of voice tones will give you an idea about a singer’s voice type.

Which leads us to tessitura.

Tessitura and Singer Voice Types and Ranges

Tessitura is the range of your singing voice that is comfortable for you.

And the high note in the last example was not the Bass’ tessitura.

But wait, how is that different from range?

Range is the measure of the lowest and highest note that a singer can possibly sing.

Tessitura is the range of notes where the voice is comfortable and at rest.

Tessitura is a much more important factor than range when you’re deciding what song to sing.

As a Tenor, you may be able to hit a G5 (range), but only sing comfortably up to a C5 (tessitura).

singer belting into a microphone

The C5 is much more doable if you had to sing it in a song.

Always remember:

The most important thing is that you’re comfortable when you’re singing.

If you feel like you’re dive-bombing to hit low notes or squeezing the life out of your voice to sing high notes, those notes are outside your tessitura. At least for now.

Ideally if you’ve been singing for a while, you can sing powerfully in all the registers of your voice (If you can’t, consider taking some singing lessons to help you make those transitions a bit smoother).

But when we talk about tessitura, we’re talking about the comfortable singing range that spans across all the vocal registers.

Not just the chest voice.

And that brings us to bridge location.

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

Bridge Location and Singing Voice Types

Now that you’ve got an idea of how vocal weight and tessitura affect the voice, let’s talk about something we all have in common.

In speaking about voice types, Seth Riggs, founder of Speech Level Singing would always say that 99% of males are some kind of tenor and 99% of females are some kind of soprano.

Seth Riggs, founder of Speech Level Singing

What did he mean by this?

It seems to defy everything we’ve discussed so far.

Seth realized that most of his clients struggled with finding a connection between the different registers in their voice.

This transition between the chest and head registers is called the bridge or passagio.

Seth Riggs noticed that most men and women transitioned to their second register at about the same spot: around E4 for men and A4 for women.

So why does that matter?

Because finally someone was able to point to a music staff and say this is where the trouble spot is.

No matter which voice type you’re talking about, most men are going to have a tough time singing that E4 and most women have a hard time singing an A4.

That knowledge allowed Seth to create a vocal technique that addressed the need for singers to hit high notes without strain or falsetto, regardless of their actual voice type.

So from a practical perspective, if you can’t sing throughout your range comfortably (tessitura), what’s the point in discussing voice type?

It’s better to get the whole range comfortable, then worry about choosing songs that fit your tessitura and vocal weight.

Examples of the Different Voice Types

So what do vocal weight, tessitura and bridge location have to do with voice type?

Everything!

While you can always expand your range up or down (it’s easy with practice), tessitura is a much better indicator of where your voice really shines.

Expand Vocal Range

Want to Nail Those High Notes?

Every singer wants to expand their range. Expand Your Range Fast will show you how to finally hit high notes in your voice without straining. Expand your range by 5 notes or more!

Learn More

Likewise, knowing your vocal weight is helpful in choosing songs with notes that are right for your voice.

For example, if you’re a Baritone, it’s much better to hit an A4 with the full heft of your voice and let the Tenor sweat a C5.

If sung correctly, that A4 will sound just as good in your voice as a C5 in his.

And with our understanding of the bridge location, we’ll see that none of this matters if you’re unable to sing between your different registers.

So let’s take a look at the eight different voice types and some listening examples of each.

As you listen, ask yourself “How does my voice compare with this singer?”

Does your voice stay low and resist high notes?

Or are high notes relatively easy but you find yourself scraping the ground for the low notes.

Additionally, where do you hear their voice switch to a different register (if at all)?

Remember most of the men will bridge around an E4, and most women will bridge around an A4. 

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

Male Voice Types

1. Bass Voice Types:

The Bass is the lowest male voice type with a tessitura of around E2-E4.

scale showing the highest and lowest notes

The Bass tone of voice types is characterized by a low, rich rumble with a ton of vocal weight.

Man, I love the sound of a true Bass vocal range. They’re so rare.

Here are a couple voice type examples of popular basses:

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash I Walk the Line

Barry White

Barry White - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Baby.

Bing Crosby

As Time Goes By - Bing Crosby

2. Baritone Voice Types:

What’s the most common voice type for males? Well, the Baritone is a pretty common male voice type with a tessitura of A2-A4.

musical scale with lower and higher notes

The Baritone tone of voice types is incredibly exciting because it has weight and when well-trained, it can be carried beautifully up to the higher notes in the male voice.

Here are some voice type examples of famous singers with a Baritone range:

John Legend

John Legend - All of Me (Official Video)

Hozier

Hozier - Take Me To Church

Michael Buble

Haven't Met You Yet

3. Tenor Voice Types:

The Tenor is also a very common male voice type with a tessitura of C3-C5 and a lighter vocal weight than the basses and baritones.

musical scale for tenors

Is the Tenor high or low? Well, as you can see, it’s a versatile range that covers some low notes as well as some higher notes.

Tenors are my guys!

Growing up, I was always embarrassed at how people would mistake me for a woman on the phone.

Now I’m glad I’ve got those high notes that come with a Tenor’s vocal range.

Here are some Tenors:

Freddie Mercury

Sam Smith

Sam Smith - Stay With Me (Official Video)

Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours (Official Video)

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke [HD]

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson - Bad (Shortened Version)

Tenors are insanely popular in contemporary music right now.

Because of their ability to hit high notes with apparent ease, they’re all the rage.

But don’t despair Basses/Baritones.

You can sing high notes also.

If you’re a Bass, make your E4 sound amazing and you’ll the audience eating out of the palm of your hand.

Ditto for a Baritone singing an A4.

4. Countertenor Voice Types:

What is the highest male voice type, you may ask? That would be the Countertenor.

The Countertenor, like the Bass, is a very rare voice type.

The countertenor has a tessitura of E3-E5 and the lightest vocal weight of all the male singer voice types.

countertenor musical scale

The countertenor tone of voice types is so light and thin, they always sound bright and heavenly.

When you hear these guys speak, if you couldn’t see their face, you’d think it was a woman you were talking to.

Their voices are so light!

There aren’t many countertenors in pop music today, probably because we love a mix of high and low notes and the low stuff is just not comfortable for countertenors.

But here’s a great example:

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars - Grenade [Official Video]

And Remember…

I’ve created this fantastic quiz you can use to find your voice type in one minute or less.

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

Female Voice Types

5. Contralto Voice Types:

The Contralto is the lowest of the female voice types and like the Basses and Countertenors, they’re quite rare.

The Contralto has a tessitura of around an E3-E5 and a good amount of vocal weight.

the contralto musical scale

The contralto tone of voice types almost sound like men when they speak or sing lower notes.

Here are a few examples of contralto vocal ranges:

Annie Lennox

Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Official Video)

Nina Simone

Feeling Good -Nina Simone (Lyrics)

Lalah Hathaway

Angel (Live)- Lalah Hathaway

6. Alto Voice Types:

The Alto vocal range is the second lowest of the female voice types and has a tessitura of F3-F5.

an alto musical scale showing each register

While this voice still has a good amount of weight, many trained Altos can hit huge notes at the top of their range.

Others stay low all the time.

Singer’s choice.

There have been some terrific alto singers in the last 30 years. Here are a few:

Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman - Fast car

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness (Official Music Video)

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

7. Mezzo Soprano Voice Types:

The Mezzo Soprano has some of the most interesting vocal sounds available to her.

Like her male equivalent, the Baritone, the mezzo falls in the middle of the female voice types.

The Mezzo Soprano vocal range has a tessitura of A3-A5 with a lighter vocal weight than the Alto or Contralto, but with enough attitude to let you know how she really feels.

the registers for a mezzo soprano

The Mezzo sopranos tone fo voice types tend to make the highest notes sound incredibly exciting due to the weight they have in their voice.

What are the vocal types of famous singers? Well, here are a few famous Mezzo Sopranos:

Madonna

Madonna - Like A Prayer (Official Music Video)

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (Official Music Video)

Bette Midler

Bette Midler - The Rose (HD music video 1979)

8. Soprano Voice Types:

Now, we get into the higher female voice types…

Is Soprano high or low?

The Soprano vocal range is the highest female voice type with a tessitura of C4-C6 and the lightest vocal weight of them all.

the vocal registers for a soprano

So, is Soprano a high voice type? Yes! But don’t let their high range and lack of weight fool you. Modern music loves Sopranos because they can belt those high notes with power.

And since they have less vocal weight to carry around, you’ll notice that Sopranos have a lot of flexibility in the different registers.

As for voice types of famous singers, a few notable Sopranos include:

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande - One Last Time (Official)

Beyonce

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Official Video)

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey - Vision Of Love (Official Video)

Then there’s the legendary Soprano opera singer Maria Callas.

What type of Soprano was Maria Callas? She was what’s called a “Dramatic Soprano”, one of the kinds of voice types in opera.

Her Dramatic Soprano opera voice type was rich and powerful enough to pierce through a full orchestra.

One quick note on voice type opposites:

There’s no such thing as voice types being opposite to each other!

Voice types are all valid on their own.

So when asked “what’s the opposite of soprano?”, you could make the argument that the Alto (the lower female voice type) is the opposite since Soprano is the highest female voice type.

But rather than opposites, I like to think of these voices as complementary which sound great together!

And that’s why choirs are often broken down among these lines.

What Voice Type Am I?

Now that you’re starting to see how your voice stacks up with these great singers, it’s time to determine your voice type.

Remember, voice type is directly connected to your range.

So here’s how you find it:

  1. Download the voice types cheat sheet (don’t worry, it’s free).
  2. Find your vocal range on piano. Go to a piano or download a free digital piano app–I like the app “Real Piano”. It works for Android and Mac.
  3. Find Middle C (labeled C4 on Real Piano) and sing the note on an “Ah” vowel.
  4. Once you’ve found the note, sing “Ah” on each note downward from Middle C until you hit your lowest note.
  5. A good rule of thumb is that a man will probably be able to sing down to a C3 and below and a woman will be able to sing down to an A3 or below.
  6. Mark the lowest note you can sing.
  7. Next, find Middle C again and repeat the process except moving up from Middle C to as high as you can sing on an “Ah” vowel.
  8. Mark the highest note you can sing.

Next, compare the lowest and highest notes you can sing to the voice types cheat sheet you downloaded.

Of course, just because you can hit low notes like Johnny Cash, that doesn’t mean that you’re a Bass.

Is your voice truly comfortable in his range?

Also, do you have the same vocal weight as his voice?

The bottom line is this:

All voice types are created equal.

There’s no shame in being a Baritone versus a Tenor.

You can always work on your voice in singing lessons if there’s something that you want to fix.

But be glad that you have your own unique voice.

If you’re new to singing and still have a break or flip in your voice when you sing an E4, then it would be wise to avoid singing in that area when you’re performing.

Of course, if you’re taking voice lessons, we’ll isolate that specific area of your voice and work on it until you have a beautiful, powerful note.

But let’s pretend you’re starting from scratch…

If you’re a baritone, you still have plenty of songs with notes that fall below E4 (the bridge note where most men have a break in their voice).

Ditto for Basses.

In fact, you could argue that it’s more important for Tenors and Sopranos to fix their break than any voice type since they have so few notes on the bottom to work with.

Here’s a quick reminder of the Tenor range:

voice types

These voice types have a pretty limited range if you don’t have a strong upper register.

Soprano range:

voice types

Sure they’ve got tons of head voice, but if there’s no power to the sound, then they’ve really only got a little more than an octave of vocal range to work with.

Now, I’ll admit that while it’s possible to have a career singing mostly low notes (look at Lana Del Ray and Johnny Cash), in commercial music these stars are few and far between.

For better or worse, we live in the age of high notes.

And everyone’s trying to outdo each other.

That’s why it’s more important than ever that singers of all voice types work on their voices to achieve their full potential.

But remember:

Don’t push yourself to hit notes that are outside your comfortable singing range.

How Do I Get the Most Out of My Voice?

If you’re a Bass, you should be working to sing an E4 to the absolute best of your ability.

It’ll sound just as exciting as a Tenor’s high note.

If you’re a Baritone that means working to sing up to an A4 with the rich and full quality that your vocal weight is built for.

If you’re a Tenor and you have a break between your chest and head voice, you shouldn’t rest until you fix that.

Once your voice comes together, the world will be your oyster.

If you’re an Alto, make that A4 shine with the glorious weight that your voice was blessed with.

If you’re a Mezzo Soprano, that means singing an A5 with the full and beautiful sound that Sopranos will be totally jealous of.

And if you’re a Soprano, we’ll just stare in awe as you shatter glass with a C6.

The point is that the getting the most out of your voice type depends completely on how hard you work at it.

That’s why taking regular weekly singing lessons with a qualified voice teacher is the quickest way of maximizing your vocal abilities.

How Can I Put This to Use With My Own Voice?

I created a free voice types quiz you can use to find your own voice type. It includes some of the most important factors you can use to find your vocal classification.

That way, you can start learning songs and know that they’ll be in a good range for you.

Now I want to hear from you.

Leave a comment below and let me know your voice type and any questions you have.

I respond to every comment.

A text box featuring the voice types quiz with a button which reads "start quiz"

Expand Vocal Range

Want to Nail Those High Notes?

Every singer wants to expand their range. Expand Your Range Fast will show you how to finally hit high notes in your voice without straining. Expand your range by 5 notes or more!

Learn More

141 Comments

  • by Paula Starche Posted October 12, 2015 1:18 pm

    Until you explained the percensttage of voice types, I had assumed the opposite. And I understand better how the exercises work to get me to my true voice range by reading some of your other articles. Thanks!

  • by Lele Posted December 26, 2018 6:53 am

    Thank you for such an informative article! I’m so excited to know my real range 😀

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted December 29, 2018 7:08 pm

      So glad you found it helpful Lele!

  • by Ronald Posted December 27, 2018 6:49 pm

    I HIGHLY DOUBT ANYBODIES TESSITURA STRETCHES OVER 2 OCTAVES.

    E2 – E4 IS THE COMMONLY CITED RANGE FOR A BASS, I.E. THEY ARE THE EXTREMES, NOT THE COMFORTABLE RANGE. MOST MEN MAKE THE SWITCH TO HEAD VOICE BETWEEN C4 AND F4.

    TESSITURA IS USUALLY MEASURED IN SINGLE OCTAVES OR LESS AND CAN RANGE FROM SINGER TO SINGER.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted December 29, 2018 7:09 pm

      Hey Ronald, thanks for your comment. While individual tessitura will vary by the singer, two octaves is a standard comfortable singing range.

    • by MATTHEW PALM Posted February 18, 2020 1:36 pm

      I actually have a tessitura of Bb1-f#4… I am a low bass and am very comfortable in hitting all my notes. I have been working on it for a while.

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted February 18, 2020 3:17 pm

        That’s awesome Matthew!

    • by John Posted June 3, 2020 1:54 am

      My tessitura is from about E or F2 (though I don’t usually sing baritone) to G5 or just, A5. I can vary the volume, timber and vabrato, usually I sing softly with vabrato, but I’m able to do a powerful baritone or tenor voice, up to about e5. I can pitch and sing from C2 to A5, but have no control of the timber and little of the volume above THAT. I can regualy sing C6 and recently hit D6. I tried both you voice type test under both genders, I was a tenor, but the can sing way above the highest note I could choose. As a female, with the dim Sims gone ( along with the trouble they cause) I was Soprano, the highest note I chose was G5, though I can sing higher, that is really THe top of my tessitura or maybe a. And doing it is a buzz.

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted June 4, 2020 10:19 am

        That’s amazing!

  • by Alexa Posted January 27, 2019 9:03 pm

    Well, according to your article I’m something between a tenor and baritone… I’m a female so idk man

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 28, 2019 12:28 pm

      Hey Alexa, thanks for your message.
      Like I said, these ranges are just guidelines for determining voice type.
      So if you’re finding that your range is closer to a Tenor, you would probably be classified as a Contralto.
      Go and sing some Eurythmics or Lana Del Rey!

    • by Evey Posted November 19, 2020 3:19 pm

      Alexa–I’m down in the baritone range too and I’m also female, lol. I have been classified as a contralto and I love my low voice 😀 Learning more about it from this article was really cool.

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 30, 2020 3:02 pm

        Awesome Evey! Way to go for those low notes.

      • by Helen Spicy Tune Posted October 20, 2022 2:24 am

        Wow how can u do that?! I’m also female but I’m only down to the tenor range (I’m classified as alto)

  • by Ray Posted February 17, 2019 5:41 pm

    Thanks! Very well done!!!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted February 18, 2019 11:34 pm

      You got it Ray. So glad it helped you!

  • by Michelle Posted April 15, 2019 12:25 pm

    Im not a singer, but maybe you can answer this for me. I just discovered The singer Orville Peck. He seems to have the widest vocal range of any singer I’ve heard. I’m really curious about the exact range & whether it spans 6 or 7 octaves.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted April 16, 2019 10:21 am

      Hey Michelle, maybe you can give me some idea of what song you’re curious about? I listened to “Dead of Night” and it sounds like a pretty typical 2.5-3 octave range. He sounds like a tenor to me. Hope this helps!

  • by Boudica Posted May 1, 2019 3:31 am

    You list Freddie Mercury as a tenor, but He sang as a baritone as well:

    Ensueno:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ7OLCPsiiE

    The Golden Boy:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPizyP4x30I

    (For some reason I CAN’T TURN off the caps in this comment, so my APOLOGIES for posting in caps)

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 3, 2019 8:28 am

      Hey Boudica,

      Thanks for your comment.

      Yes, Freddie could sing in the Baritone range, but his voice type was a Tenor.

      You can tell by the amazing clarity and lightness of his voice.

      A true Baritone would sound much heavier and darker.

      Love the songs you shared.

  • by Bea Posted May 5, 2019 4:18 pm

    When Whitney Houston and Beyonce got up to soprano? They are mezzo-soprano. Yes they can sing HIGH NOTES, but as you said the most important is the TESSITURA.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 9, 2019 2:47 am

      Hey Bea, thanks for your comment! I would still definitely categorize Houston and Beyonce as Sopranos.
      There’s some flexibility in thinking about what kind of Soprano they are.

      But I really like to think about the weight of the voice.
      As in: how big of a voice is this?

      With Whitney, it’s pretty easy to see that she has a really light and flexible voice.
      With Beyonce, I could definitely see her as more of a mezzo.

      Thanks again!

    • by Jamie Posted September 22, 2020 7:54 pm

      Whitney is a spinto soprano, not a mezzo soprano. She’s constantly miscategorized as a mezzo when she’s a psinto soprano.

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted September 27, 2020 11:58 am

        Hey Jamie, I think we have a difference of opinion here.
        You’re referring to the Fach system of vocal categorization.
        I’m actually speaking in contemporary commercial music terms.

        In CCM, we recognize 6 main voice types that I’ve listed here.

  • by Wil Posted June 13, 2019 2:18 pm

    I know i’m a countertenor, but the lowest note i can reach is C2. I want to be able to use my lower register, but singing that low currently sounds to breathy and i am stuck using my throat. Is there actually anyway to learn how to properly sing that low or should i stick with my higher ranges?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted June 13, 2019 6:28 pm

      Hey Will, thanks for the question.
      I would have to hear what you’re doing down there to know for sure.

      In many cases, I wouldn’t worry about singing lower than a C2, especially if you have tons of high notes.

      There’s plenty of great male tenor music that never gets close to that low.

  • by PiEtra Posted June 17, 2019 7:32 pm

    Hey! Is there any possibility to a girl to be a tenor? I was Classified as contralto but my tessitura mAde me sing with the tenors and it feels much betTer. I can reach preety low notes (my lowest note is A1) and it is Completely impossible for me to sing anYthing hIgher than G4

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted June 18, 2019 2:07 pm

      Hey Pietra, thanks for the question.
      Technically, you would still be classified as a Contralto just because it’s the lowest for your gender.
      That doesn’t mean that you can’t hit the same notes as a Tenor, just that you have the same vocal weight and sound of a Tenor.
      Hope that helps!

  • by Rose Posted July 12, 2019 7:01 am

    I would like to point out that Alto is not a voice type. You only use it to refer to the lower female part in choral music (which is sung by mezzos and contraltos). Also, Beyoncé definitely has a heavier vocal weight than Lady Gaga (as you can hear on the song “Telephone”) so she cannot be a soprano if Lady Gaga is a mezzo (if anything, their voice types are reversed). Bing Crosby was definitely a baritone, even though he spent a lot of time singing in a “bass” range.

    Oh, and I’ve already been classified as a soprano. The problem is, I still don’t have that high C.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted July 13, 2019 11:40 am

      Hey Rose, thanks for your comment. I would argue that the Alto is definitely a voice type since almost every singing technique and genre acknowledges it. The alto’s vocal folds and tube length (glottis to lips) will be a bit bigger and longer than that of the Mezzo and Soprano.

      As far as Gaga and Beyonce, I would say that it can be subjective depending on which song you hear. I definitely think Gaga has more weight in her voice than Beyonce IN GENERAL.

      But it’s great that we can have an informed conversation about this.

      Regarding your high C, consider taking a lesson, I’m sure we can get that for you!
      https://ramseyvoice.com/book-singing-lessons/

    • by Jonathan Posted December 31, 2019 4:45 am

      Hope you don’t mind me chiming in,but although Beyonce can sing 1 note lower than Lady Gaga,mother monster is definitely closer to an alto than she is,as her lower notes are darker,richer and contain more natural fuller embodiement. and beyonce used to be a higher mezzo from her dc days up until around 2015 or so,when she slightly transitioned into more of a mid-mezzo,yes beyonce’s lower notes,especially below f3 are smooth yet smokey and somewhat nina simone-esque,but lady gaga definitely bears more natural clarity,control,darkness and power regarding lows,by a margin that is. but their overall vocal prowess is on par,from different perspectives. and sorry for all upper case,my keyboard has all capital settings now

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted December 31, 2019 3:20 pm

        Thanks for the awesome analysis Jonathan! Totally agree since the voice changes as you age.

    • by Jamie Posted September 22, 2020 7:55 pm

      Yeah, Alto is not a fach. It’s just a description.

      • by Matt Ramsey Posted September 27, 2020 11:58 am

        Hey Jamie, I think we have a difference of opinion here.
        You’re referring to the Fach system of vocal categorization.
        I’m actually speaking in contemporary commercial music terms.

        In CCM, we recognize 6 main voice types that I’ve listed here.
        Alto is definitely one of them.

  • by Morgan Posted July 13, 2019 12:49 am

    Hey so a big Discu on freddie mercurys singing voice. In the range of freddie mErcury he had around fOur And Half ocTaves from his studio recordings and sang in tenor. But he was actually naturally a baritone Rather than tenor. And he knew That As well. He didnt Sing many famous songs untill the album with monserAt becauSe he was afraid pEople woUldnt RECOGNISE His voice.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted July 13, 2019 11:42 am

      Hey Morgan, thanks for your comment. I would argue that Freddie was a Tenor that could sing in the Baritone and Bass range as well. You can hear the lightness of weight in his speaking voice here:https://youtu.be/azfHrtgaLgc

      And while that’s not the only criteria for matching voice types, I would say that it’s a pretty good starting place.

      Remember, just because you can sing Bass notes does NOT mean you’re a Bass.

  • by ANON Posted August 15, 2019 10:10 pm

    ***SORRY FOR THE CAPS, TRIED EVERYTHING BUT IT WON’T GO TO SMALL.

    ANYWAYS, I KINDA FIND THIS WHOLE ARTICLE, THOUGH INFORMATIVE, TO BE … NOT QUITE AS IT SHOULD BE.

    BUT BEFORE I CONCLUDE, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW: … “AT WHAT AGE DOES ONE REACH THEIR VOCAL PRIME? OR THE PEAK OF THEIR VOICE TYPE RATING. LIKE IF SOMEONE STARTED OUT AS A SOPRANO AT AGE 20, DO THEY STILL REMAIN A SOPRANO AT AGE 50 AND BEYOND, WHEN THEY’VE GONE THROUGH ALL THE CHANGES THE VOICE NEEDS?

    DEPENDING ON WHAT ANSWER IS GOING TO BE GIVEN, I’D LIKE TO SAY THAT BEYONCE, MARIAH CAREY AND WHITNEY DIDN’T BELONG ON THE LIST OF SOPRANOS. JUDGING BY THEIR VOICES NOW. PLUS, IT WAS DUE TO THEIR GREAT TECHNIQUES THAT ALLOWED THEM TO REACH THOSE NOTES WHICH WERE PROBABLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN SOPRANO DOMAIN.

    EITHER WAY, IT’S JUST MY THOUGHT ON THE MATTER.

    SO I’D LIKE YOURS ON THIS TOO;

    WHAT IS MY VOCAL TYPE IF MY FULL RANGE GOES FROM A VOCAL “FRY’D” G1 TO A NOT SO OKAY B7 (WHICH I CAN’T DO UNLESS I PUT IN MUCH EFFORT). BUT A STABLE RANGE OF E3(F#3 AS MY MOSTLY EASILY SANG LOW NOTE) TO A C#6 IN MIX AND HEADVOICE ALBEIT IN GOOD DAYS (WITH A5 BEING THE CONSISTENTLY HIT HIGH NOTE) AND AM A GUY.

    THANKS.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 17, 2019 10:30 am

      Hey Anon, great questions. Lots to unpack here.

      First, range is not the ONLY indicator of a singer’s voice type.

      Like I mentioned in the article, vocal weight, tessitura and bridge location are also very important.
      So, when you were wondering about singers like Mariah and asking if they’re still Sopranos, I would say yes.

      Just because someone loses a few notes at the top of the voice does not mean that they are a different voice type, since the vocal weight, timbre and bridge locations are about the same.

      Also, the correct classification of a singer’s voice type assumes that they’ve had some vocal training.
      I have a lot of male students who have never sung above an E4 before because they didn’t know how to sing through their bridge.
      So they went through their whole lives thinking that they were Basses when really they’re just untrained Tenors.

      In answer to your other question, the voice continues developing throughout the young life and begins to settle into it’s final range around the age of 40. Then the voice begins to change as we get older.

      Finally, I wouldn’t count vocal fry or whistle register in your range. So just based on your “stable range” (what I would call tessitura), it sounds like you’re some kind of tenor. But again, it’s important to take into account how heavy your voice is and where your bridge begins.

      Hope this helps!

  • by Sophie Posted September 29, 2019 6:31 pm

    Im a 14 year old girl who auditions many times a week and am often asked to put my voice part on my resume, but since my vocal range is so large, i am not really sure. i am huge musical theatre belter ranging from d3-c7, can you help me?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted October 1, 2019 9:44 am

      Hey Sophie, thanks for your message! Although range is not the only determination of your voice type, it can help.
      With the extremely high end range that you listed I think you’d be safe in assuming you’re some sort of Soprano (Mezzo or Soprano).

      Also listen to your vocal tone. Does your voice sound heavy, light, brazzy, whispery? These can also be clues to your voice type.
      Generally the heavier and thick the voice, the lower the voice type (Lady Gaga is a Mezzo whereas Ariana Grande is a Soprano).

  • by Ismael Posted October 17, 2019 9:56 am

    So, I’m a man, my tessitura is like d2 to d4 but I do not sound like a bass at all, I sound like a baritone, I sound like john legend, like, exact same, if it isn’t a little higher pitched, so I do not understand, my range is like f*1 to eb7, so yep I truly need help haha. and also, i’m a sopranist, i do Ariana Grande high belts easily with my falsettos, up to b5 if i trained for like 10 minutes. So yep, what do you think, cause even a bass does not have a tessitura like mine!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted October 17, 2019 3:20 pm

      Hey Ismael, thanks for your question! Yes, that’s quite a range you have.

      If I understand correctly, you have a comfortable singing voice from d2 to d4, then can belt your falsetto voice up to around a B5. Good stuff!

      Based on the info, I would say you’re some sort of Tenor. Either Tenor or Baritone. If you feel like your voice is as heavy as John Legend, then perhaps baritone.

      However, I would say that the most important thing for you right now is developing your mixed voice so you have a smooth transition at that D4 up to the B5. It should sound like one single voice all the way through. Rather than stopping around a D4 and having to push or strain up to the B5.

      Here are some exercises to help you do that: https://ramseyvoice.com/fix-vocal-break/

  • by Ren Posted November 22, 2019 9:52 pm

    Hello iDOL, THIS IS SO INFORMATIVE AND EXCITINGLY OF GREAT VALUE TO MY SINGING WITH MORE CONFIDENCE…MINE IS BARITONE TO countertenor but i guess the most comfortable is at the tenor range probably due to glamor on the songs of those artists there. thanks a lot and god bless

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 23, 2019 12:27 pm

      Hey Ren, thanks for your kind words! Yes, if you can hit Baritone and Countertenor notes, most likely you’re a Tenor.
      Keep up the great work!

  • by Anon1 Posted November 25, 2019 9:17 pm

    Thank you for the article Matt, it was so informative on helping my understand voice types! I’ve started singing much more often in last year or so, as I find playing my bass is more fun that way, in addition to singing when my friend and I jam along together. Also, sorry for all caps lock, it seems to be stuck like this for some reason.
    I’m having some trouble classifying myself. First off, my range seems to be quite normal, being about e2 – B5 (c6 at a push, but it’s very hard). i find that I can go lower to about a1/b1, but it’s hard to CONFIRM, and below my chest voice so I’m not sure it even counts really.
    Range aside, i’m more interested in my vocal type. My tessitura matches your stated tenor; C3-C5 IS EASY FOR ME TO SING, WITH MY NORMAL SPEAKING AND THEREFORE CHEST VOICE BEING AT ABOUT A C3 AND NEEDING A DEFINITE HEAD VOICE AT ROUGHLY A4. I’ve noticed I have lightly darker timbre THAN THE TENORS YOU’ve listed, which makes me think I could just be a BARITONe that sings a bit higher. Some people I know seem to think i’ve got a deep-ish voice – I’m constantly mistaken for my dad on the phone, and his voice is deeper than mine I’d say. However, i see myself to have quite a light SPEAKING voice, but not that high in PITCH. So I was just wondering what you thought in regards to my voice and what type you personally would say I’m most similar to. I’d like to be able to know what I CAn call myself as a starting singer, and find songs that suit my singing better while jamming with it friends!
    I understand you probably get questions like this every day though, so I apologise if this comment looks very familiar. Again, thank you for writing this article!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 26, 2019 5:51 pm

      Hey Anon, this is a great question!
      Yes, you seem to fall in the general range category of tenor, but as you said, the vocal weight is the most important thing to consider.
      For that reason, I would say that you’re probably some sort of Tenor. Perhaps a dramatic (deeper) Tenor.
      Hard to say without a recording.

      But based solely on your range, I would say Tenor sounds right!
      Thanks again.

  • by Katie Posted December 10, 2019 10:42 pm

    hey matt,
    i have a christmas program coming up where i have to belt an “ohhhh yeahhh,” pretty close to the top of my range. Any tips for helping it sound rich & not strained?
    thanks so much for the article!!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted December 11, 2019 2:35 pm

      Hey Katie, thanks for your message. Yes, I would try to keep the mouth-shape or vowels that you’re singing on the “ohhhh yeah” as similar to each other as possible.

      You may think about making the “ohhh yeah” sound a little closer to “uhhh yih” but still try to enunciate the original lyrics.
      You’ll notice that the resulting sound makes the two words closer to each other, than a big change from an “o” to “Ae” vowel.

      Let me know if that helps!

  • by Monica Posted December 30, 2019 4:54 pm

    Hello,
    I am not a professional singer but i enjoy singing. I think I am an alto as I can sing from an e2 to a g5 and my first bridge is around a4. my question is: I have no sound at all above a5, just a very light sound ( impossible to use for singing) in my B5 flat. Is it this the confirmation that I am an alto? or is it some kind of fault in my voice? in addition to that i cannot pull my chest voice upper than a b4 flat. thanks in advance.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted December 30, 2019 5:07 pm

      Hey Monica, great question! You may very well be an Alto, but many Sopranos will even have a break in their voice in the range that you’re talking about. Regardless of your voice type, the most important thing is to work with singing techniques that help you expand and refine the range you have. Check out these exercises for more: https://ramseyvoice.com/expand-vocal-range/

  • by Anonymous Posted January 5, 2020 7:28 pm

    Haha, contralto here! Recently been working on my voice after being inspired by Nick Pitera. He’s an amazing countertenor-baritone. Go check out his YouTube. I’ve got a vocal range of a2-F5 as of now. Hoping to keep working on it!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 6, 2020 9:34 am

      That’s awesome! Keep up the great work!

  • by Joelle Laramée Posted January 28, 2020 9:22 am

    Hello, I’m a beginner and in my sixties, my voice began in the tenor range ( I am a trans woman ) and I have succeeded in bringing it up in the lower female range but then here, after answering the questions, it placed me in the mezzo-soprano voice range. I feel most comfortable between F3 and around F5.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 28, 2020 2:49 pm

      Hey joelle, a good rule for categorizing trans voice types would be to look at the equivalent voice type from the original gender. So for example, if you’re M-F, then you could go from Tenor to Alto. Or from baritone to Contralto, for instance.

      In your case, it’s awesome that you’re comfortable in the F3 to F5 range. As long as it’s comfortable, then Mezzo Soprano is a possible classification. Not super common, but I’ve seen lots of exceptions to this.

      The first example I gave is more common. Hope that helps!

  • by Lily Green Posted March 27, 2020 11:51 am

    I am a natural Alto, I think. I can hit a low f3 all the way to a high c6 is that UNUSUAL? I’m only in High school and my choir teacher says I have an amazing voice, but I get really self conscious when I sing what should i do?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted April 1, 2020 2:57 pm

      Hey Lily, I know that it’s hard to feel confident in your singing voice when you’re first starting out.
      In my experience, the best thing to do is take some voice lessons to work on the things that aren’t perfect.
      You’ll see your confidence skyrocket once you fix them!

  • by aec Posted April 29, 2020 8:28 pm

    THanks for this awesome article! i’m a female and my tessitura is f3 to around c5, but my range is from c3 to around c6. what vocal type would i be? i’m guessing alto or contralto but im not sure. my voice is naturally soft and to me, doesn’t sound like it has a lot of weight when listening to recordings of myself. the notes with the most weight are from f3 to g4 and when i sing high notes it doesn’t come out very strongly and it sounds forced. when i practice singing i usually sing low parts- haven’t practiced high notes a lot so that could also be a factor
    for my low notes, i can hit c3 and d3 but it comes out very soft and can’t be used for singing, and e3 is like half a full note and half a note that doesn’t fully project out. as for my high notes, after e5 my voice starts becoming strained and by c6 i just fully lose my voice, which is one of the reasons i don’t sing high notes. my bridge is around a4 but i dont really know a lot about bridges…
    my voice is also sort of raspy and i can’t make it sound buttery and smooth which sucks and i dont know how to try to get it to not sound that way. i honestly kind of like it raspy because it does sound nice but i really wish i could go between raspy and smooth because different songs need different tones. is there anything i could practice to have it not be like that? thanks once again for this awesome article 🙂

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 2, 2020 1:38 pm

      Hey Scarlet, it’d be really tough to know for sure without hearing you.
      I know that sounds like a copout, but if you book a lesson and I’ll literally be able to tell you in 30 seconds of hearing you sing.

  • by JM Posted May 2, 2020 11:39 am

    I have heard of real bass singers. the singers you classified as bass singers don’t sound like bass singers. they can be baritone ones. check this out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQoe78XYLU0

    tim duncan, jd summer, aluisio junior, tim storms, julio cezar, tim riley, george younce, ken turner, tim foust…

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 2, 2020 1:39 pm

      Hey JM, yes many singers can “pass” for different voice types because they have an extensive range.
      And yes, there are “true” basses out there. They’re just a more rare voice type.

  • by Michelle Brooks Posted May 3, 2020 1:03 pm

    Such an informative article on all the different voice ranges and types. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every word!! I also downloaded your free cheat sheet… thankyou. Apologies for writing in caps…i can’t seem to get lower and upper case. I noticed YOU’RE Based in the states, I only wish you were here in Melbourne Australia so I could get some lessons. Thankyou so much for the INFo

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 5, 2020 11:11 am

      Hey Michelle, thank you for your kind words!
      As a matter of fact, I teach many singers in Australia through online lessons.
      Feel free to try one if you’re interested: https://ramseyvoice.com/book-singing-lessons/

  • by Robin Posted May 24, 2020 1:37 pm

    I sang along with your range and voice type videos, and according to those I have, comfortably, a range of Ex.F3-B5. I used to be training for opera as a Mezzo, and did a lot of work on blending my head and chest voice, but I’m severely out of practice. Please, Please tell me, WHAT voice type am I now, and can you recommend some jazz or blues standards?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 25, 2020 9:35 am

      Hey Robin, my guess is that you’re still a Mezzo Soprano.
      Maybe “Mezzo Out of Practice” is the correct voice type?

      Yes, people’s voices tend to lower a bit over time.
      But if you’re younger than 60, most likely you’re just a Mezzo that needs to get back into a good training regimen.

  • by Robert Ross Posted June 5, 2020 12:23 pm

    Does falsetto count when determining vocal range, tessitura, and vocal type?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted June 6, 2020 12:51 pm

      Yes sir! But just remember that the voice types ranges listed refer to a “trained voice”.
      Falsetto may happen when an untrained singer can’t go past a certain note.

      But if they did some training, they may be able to hit much higher notes.
      And THAT new range would reveal the true voice type of the singer.

      For example, when I first started singing lessons, I couldn’t sing past an F#4 without falsetto.
      That didn’t mean that I was a Baritone. I was just an untrained Tenor.
      Now that I’ve been doing training for a while, I can comfortable hit a G5.
      This is much closer to the true Tenor range I have.

  • by Samuel Posted July 22, 2020 6:24 pm

    I can sing a c#2 to a D#4 in chest and sing e4-a4 in head voice comfortably. what will be my voice type. I start feeling tensed when singing from e4 with chest voice.But i’ve started learnING to sing in mix AND i can sing the e4-F#4(not all comfortable but It’s better and The sound is lighter compared to when i’m singing g3-b3)

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted July 22, 2020 8:20 pm

      Hey Samuel, it sounds like you’re a Tenor.
      With some training, you should be able to extend that much higher!

    • by Garba abubakar Posted February 22, 2021 1:16 pm

      Thank you so much for helping me out
      Now I can be proud of my voice and prove to my friends who are saying I am a woman in music
      My vocal range is C2 to F6
      Thank you very much for helping

  • by Ally Posted August 1, 2020 8:43 pm

    I have a really low voice for a girl. I don’t know how to expand! Every time I do a warm up and go a little high, my voice is hoarse for days! Help!?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 2, 2020 7:41 pm

      Hey Ally, if you’re doing some exercises to hit higher notes and your voice is sore, you are doing something WRONG.
      Good singing techniques may challenge you but they should never hurt.
      Consider taking a lesson so we can see what’s going wrong: https://ramseyvoice.com/book-singing-lessons/

  • by ak Posted September 19, 2020 3:20 pm

    I took the vocal range quiz/app and i got eb4-bb4. i am a girl. What voice type would that be?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted September 27, 2020 11:55 am

      Hey ak, my guess is that you weren’t really singing as high as you could.
      Remember, you can sing in falsetto on that top note! It’s all a part of your range.

  • by Raiyan Posted October 2, 2020 3:25 pm

    thanks, this is very helpful

    maybe if I was in the same country as you I would consider taking lessons with you

    Once again, thank you!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted October 8, 2020 8:16 am

      Hey Raiyan, you’re welcome!
      Don’t worry, you don’t have to be in the same country.
      I teach online lessons to students all over the world. Just navigate to the book singing lessons page.

  • by Ezekiel Posted October 2, 2020 10:00 pm

    Do you have any ongoing WhatsApp lesson group sir?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted October 8, 2020 8:17 am

      Hey Ezekiel, actually, my complete singing course Master Your Voice offers personal feedback and custom exercises to improve your voice.
      I also teach singing lessons online on Skype, Facetime, Zoom and more! Just navigate to the book singing lessons page.

  • by Krassimir Raykovski Posted October 9, 2020 10:38 am

    I’ve been pretty sure I got a bass voice. Now that misunderstanding is properly fixed when I found I got a tenor voice. So let’s squeeze it Out! 😃

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted October 9, 2020 5:34 pm

      Well done Krassimir! A lot of people are confused about it.

  • by Joy Posted November 4, 2020 12:54 pm

    This was a lot of fun! I’m not surprised by the results but I do have a question that I’m thinking you might be able to (finally!) explain. I understand head voice and chest voice and break. But here’s how my voice works. It seems I almost have two seperate voices. I have what I call my “real” singing voice, which seems to operate with a normal head and chest situation and break. Then there’s my low voice which is totally different and feels like it comes from my stomach. There is no head or chest here, and I cannot shift from this to the more complete voice. I have to choose one or the other. is this a thing that goes on with people and I just don’t know because of my limited training?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 10, 2020 10:02 am

      Hey Joy, it sounds to me like your “low” voice is just a quieter version of your “real voice”.
      I have that also. But unfortunately, that voice doesn’t have the power to carry.
      Instead, you’ll want to train your “real” voice, break and all!

  • by Kyo Posted November 16, 2020 12:10 am

    I’m confused with my voice type. I know I’m somewhere between bass and baritone and definitely not a tenor because my voice is low and heavy. When I started singing after hitting puberty, I caN only sing about an octave , I think it was only within G2 – A#3. And I don’t have head voice and even falsetto won’t come out. I practiced a lot and now I can sing in my chest voice FROM C#2 to D#4 and my head voice reaches somewhere between C#5-D#5 though this range is not that Impressive. I can hit an E4 and f4 occasionally IF only I’ll sing too much (but cannot support). Recently I’m practicing mixed BUT I’m still not good at it and sometimes I can hit a G4 with my mixed voice but it’s still inconsistent because sometimes it won’t come out. AM I A Bass or a Baritone?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 30, 2020 2:59 pm

      Hey Kyo, I can’t give you a definite answer without hearing you.
      But I can tell you that it sounds like you’re an “untrained” Baritone or Bass since the head voice is new to you.
      As you keep working on that, your range will expand.

  • by Santo Posted November 18, 2020 7:29 pm

    My range is from a D2 – bb5 (c6?) – e6. I’m really solid in the lower end but my voice pops in the upper register. My voice is steely but unlike bigger, Dramatic and spinto voices i’m very agile. I think I might be a dramatic Legerro tenor but i’m not sure. What do you think?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted November 30, 2020 3:01 pm

      Hey Santo, unfortunately it’s hard to define the fach unless I can hear you.
      It definitely sounds like you’re a Tenor though.

  • by Nick Hamlin Posted December 21, 2020 8:12 pm

    I literally scoured the entire interwebs (including YOUTUBE) looking for someone with a video that has examples of ranges. Everything I found was like “Oh, you’re a Baritone if you feel comfortable with an A3” but no one knows what an A3 sounds like unless you have a strong background and at that point you probably already know your vocal range. THis is absolutely perfect!!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 5, 2021 11:36 am

      Thanks so much Nick! I’m so glad you found it helpful!

  • by Anon Posted January 9, 2021 3:19 pm

    Hello Matt! Sorry for the caps, i’m not sure why this website won’t let me use LOWERCASE letters.

    I’ve been SINGING for quite a while (at least 5 years) but i still don’t Know my voice type. Reading your articLe PROVIDED me lots of info. However, i’m not sure what to do to figure out my type of voice.

    The first few years of me singing, i had a higher piTch, softer airy voice, that sort of thing.

    Currently, I Can sing deeper and lower, (with a stRain someTimes depending on how long I attempt to hold the music note) with less of a high Pitch squeaky voice that I used to have. I find myself able to somewhat change… the volume?/voice range, but I can’t sing as softly or higher as I used to before.

    So…I guess i just want figure out what type of voice i have, how to reach my potential Voice without breaking or straining, what to do now after I find out my voice type, and how to be my own voice.

    What do you think?

    • by Anon Posted January 9, 2021 3:26 pm

      Oh I also forgot to mention this.

      Recently i found out that singing adele songs are very great warmup songs for me to sing. I find myself…. maYbe sinGing well when singing her songs? I’m not too sure about other artists, but i know for sure now that Adele songs are the best for me at the moment.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 11, 2021 1:08 pm

      Hey Anon, did you try the quiz here? https://ramseyvoice.com/voice-types-quiz/

      • by Anon Posted January 14, 2021 5:46 pm

        I took the quiz, and I was pleasantly surprised for my result of a Mezzo Soprano.

        Now that I have an idea on what voice type I am, what Should I do next with this info?

        • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 26, 2021 8:22 am

          Hey Anon, you should sing the songs of other singers with the same voice type!

  • by Amarachi udeh Posted January 15, 2021 2:41 pm

    I have soprano, and I love it😄😄😄😄😄

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 26, 2021 8:22 am

      Yay!

  • by Bruce E Gant Posted January 27, 2021 11:29 am

    I’m pretty sure I’m a baritone-can reach e2 and e4, break is g4. If i have to hit g4 a lot in a song could be a problem though. can falsetto beyond g4 at least to the next e or f. i have a light voice in all areas of range, though. often at odds with the guys I work with – If springsteen does it in c, it will be in a for me. i’ve been looking at some of your videos for improving tone but won’t know how well it works in real life until clubs/concerts re-open. Oh yeah, i’ve been playing, (singing some) for many years – now fighting off hearing loss and tinnitis (often as loud as the rest of the band playing) and hoping to know by ‘feel’ if i hit the right note like some of the singers i worked with that probably think a staff is something that moses carried around ;). how can I make my voice a little ‘warmer’ for lack of a better word?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 28, 2021 6:22 am

      Hey Bruce, I’m sorry to hear that it’s been a rough time for you.
      Yes, can’t wait for the world to reopen!

  • by Vickie Posted January 30, 2021 6:34 pm

    I am a female, but my voice has been described as “sMoky” and “deep”. When i worked in a call center i would get creepy callErs that would comment on my voice. According to your article i am a man…which my two children would likely beg to disagree wIth. LOL. I am mosT comfortable in the b2-A4 range but can Reach From G1 To about B5. I couldnt Find my break by going Up the scale, but i know i have one becuase when i am singing along Sometimes i will hear/feel it. For my playlist of songs to sing along with when cleaning i have John Legend and Michael Buble and Annie Lenox and cyndi lauper. So…i am not really sure. I have not Been in choir since i was a teenager, well over 25 years ago, and i Was an alto then. My mother was wIth the men and sung tenor, with the Barbershop group she was involveD with she sung bass. I wonder if there is a geneTic and age component to Voices and range, Especially for untrained voices? Interesting Article.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted March 13, 2021 1:03 pm

      Hey Vickie, it sounds like you’re an Alto!

  • by Peter Posted February 22, 2021 6:04 am

    Hey, i need a bit of a help, im a male, 16 years old, I can sing comfortably with my falsetto from d3-a5 (sometimes i can hit a c6) but my chest voice lies on b2-e4 (i sometimes can hit a F4-G4) does falsetto count with the vocal range or not? and what would be my range??

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted March 13, 2021 1:14 pm

      Hey Peter, yes falsetto counts for the vocal range. However, when you said that your chest voice only extends to an E4, that’s something we would want to improve on. Consider checking out information on mixed voice: https://ramseyvoice.com/mixed-voice/

  • by sdr Posted February 24, 2021 10:11 am

    My range is f3-c6… at EVERY morning, my voice can go as low up to b2, but later in the day my lowest note becomes f3… my lowest tessitura is a3-g4, I can push my full chest voice upto an a4 with a little tension…. My voice doesn’t sounds too deep, but doesn’t sounds as light as yours too, it’s in the middle, however sometimes notes higher than g#4 sounds light sometimes & mid-low notes sounds neither deep or light, & low notes sounds deep… I’m a 13 years & 9 months old boy… My vocal break is, idk where it is but PROBABLY around f#4 or g4… my voice was about an octave higher in 2019 & earlier, but in 2020 I noticed that my voice got about an octave lower, but I HAVEN’T yet gone thru voice cracks… WHAT IS MY VOICE TYPE HELP!!! I wanna sign as high as c6 with mixed voice stuff, i mean, man I have a dream to become a rockstar & popstar like michael jackson type people… What is my voice type???

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted March 13, 2021 1:13 pm

      Hey sdr, there’s a lot to comb through here. Consider booking a lesson so we can get to the bottom of this.

  • by Matt Ramsey Posted March 31, 2021 7:40 pm

    Hi Mr Ramsey

    I discovered I can go from:
    G2-G4 chest voice
    G4-C5 head/mix voice
    C5-A5 falsetto (but I’m not sure it counts)

    My question is do we count head, mix and falsetto in our vocal range?

    Also with the information I provided what type would you classify me as?

    Thank you

  • by Aya Posted December 19, 2021 5:11 pm

    Hi. (Sorry about the all caps, it just won’t go away.) I have a question. Currently my vocal range is D#2-F#5-E6. (Before you ask my gender, I’m a trans girl.) I’m Comfortable from A2 to A5, so I rarely use the upper and lower ends of my voice. I do have some weight to my voice, but not a lot. what am i? THanks.

    (Keep in mind, i took the test and got mezzo, but I want to be sure.)

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 15, 2022 6:02 pm

      Hey Aya, an A5 is incredibly high for a Mezzo to sing. My guess would be soprano if the A5 is indeed accurate.

  • by Suzanne Munro Posted December 26, 2021 12:38 pm

    Very interesting article, as i have sung in choirs for much of my life and write for a lot of voice ranges (I found you whilst searching out ranges for a counter tenor) but just slightly confused as to why the descriptions of the ranges ( just one example being alto F4-F5) do not match what is on the stave underneath. I know ranges can be approximate, but the written ranges are fairly specific in this particular article, so not sure why the notations do’t match? No DOUBT a perfectly sensible explanation! Thanks,… otherwise an informative article!…i will go away and carry on with my piece for counter tenor!

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 15, 2022 6:01 pm

      Hey Suzanne, I’m not sure what you’re referring to when you say the notations don’t match.
      Perhaps you’re reading the notation an octave lower or higher than written?

  • by Anonymous Posted January 9, 2022 5:27 pm

    Hi. I’m a teenage girl who is obsessed with music and most things about it. I took the test several times and haven’t found a consistent result. Here’s A Description of my voice.

    I don’t have much weight. my vocal range is F#2-E5-B5 (G#7 if you count whistle extensions). I’m comfortable from B2 – C6. What am I? Thx.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 15, 2022 5:58 pm

      Hey Aiyanna, most likely a Soprano based on your range.

  • by bims Posted February 1, 2022 12:51 am

    HII SO I’VE BEEN SO INTO MUSIC FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW AND I’M A SPINTO SOPRANO. I’M SELF TAUGHT AND WISH TO DO THE BEST I CAN. I AM MOST CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WHEN I SING WITH MY MIXED VOICE AND I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO WORK HARD ON MY HEAD VOICE. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW I CAN DEVELOP MY HEAD VOICE INTO SOMETHING BETTER.

  • by WhoIsThis Posted February 5, 2022 3:32 pm

    I have a vocal question. I’ve taken tests and considered myself a bass. (F1 – G#4 – E5) I’m one of those cursive singers (like Khalid, SZA, and Billie EiLish) and want to know if this singing is Unhealthy.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted February 15, 2022 4:25 pm

      There is probably no vocal style that doesn’t have any bad habits to it.
      But if you’re feeling pain, then you want to find better ways of doing it.

  • by Tiffany Posted February 15, 2022 4:58 pm

    Thank you for the video it has helped understand singing more! I took the quiz and it said that I am a soprano, I can whistle and belt as well as rap fairly low for a girl. But honestly I don’t know how much weight my voice has. Any way you can help me find out?

    -Tiffany

    • by Tiffany Posted February 15, 2022 5:00 pm

      What I meant was I can whistle and belt. But I can also rap fairly low for a girl. Sorry!

      🙂

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 23, 2022 10:20 am

      Hey Tiffany, I would record yourself and listen to the quality of your voice. Who does it sound the most similar to on this list?

  • by Agil Posted March 9, 2022 12:43 pm

    Just took the test, and I’m a mezzo soprano. I tried an online vocal range test and I got F3-A5, but I’m kind of uncomfortable to sing below A3 and above f#5 sometimes and most comfortable with B3 and e5. I can’t describe my voice, it sounds like a kid though i’m alr 25. What’s weird people says my voice is good and soft lol.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 23, 2022 10:17 am

      Awesome Agil!

  • by zaphy sammy Posted April 25, 2022 8:05 am

    from your article sir, the highest voice singing note in any contemporary song is soprano?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 23, 2022 10:12 am

      Hey Zaphy, yes that’s correct.

  • by Collin staten Posted May 5, 2022 11:11 pm

    So I always thought i was a bass with a really extended range my (audible) chest range is e2-F#4 ish then mixed voice goes to about a4. but my head voice/falsetto goes all the way to a5. what vocal type would I be? my tessitura sits around g2-d4

  • by Collin Staten Posted May 6, 2022 7:24 am

    Hello Matt, I commented last night but I’m not sure if the comment posted but my (audible) vocal range is around F2-G4 in full chest voice, then I go up to an A4 in mixed voice, then I can go all the way to A5 on a good day in head voice. I do have a whistle register but I never classify that in range. What vocal type would I be? My tessitura sits between F2-D4. P.S by “Audible” range I mean full volume and can be heard in a choir setting without amplification.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted May 23, 2022 10:11 am

      Hey Collin, that’s great!

  • by EK Posted May 28, 2022 4:52 pm

    hi, idk my vocal range. this really helps though, and the quiz says i’m either an Alto or a mezzo-SOPRANO (took it twice) i have trouble with high notes and i’m getting better at lower notes now that my voice is getting deeper. . .any way to help me find my range without having to use an app? (sorry about the caps, btw, it won’t go away)

  • by Denise Posted June 13, 2022 10:29 am

    Hi! First, thanks for this article. It’s been really informative and helpful. I just had a second bout of COVID that had drastically changed my range. Most of my life, I’ve been a mezzo soprano. But now, it looks like I’ve changed to a contralto, with a new range OF C3 – C5. Which brings me to my question regarding the break in women’s voices. Until COVID, for me it was D5. I always had trouble singing that note, (even though this is not where I switched from head to chest. That was A3.) AND now I can’t reach it at ALL. Now, I’m struggling to identify when I cross FROM head to chest. Is there a good way to IDENTIFY IT?
    Apologies if this shows all caps. I’m on mobile, and this looks super weird.

  • by spiffles Posted July 20, 2022 10:40 am

    I can produce sounds ranging between F2 and F5, but I’m afraid only a small part of that range is usable in a song, unfortunately. I need to add mix to the mid and high notes. in fact it’s easier for me to sing the high notes in head voice (or is it falsetto) than mid-high notes in the chest voice. Guess that does make me a baritone

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 15, 2022 3:37 pm

      Sounds about right Adam!

  • by Adam Posted July 24, 2022 8:15 am

    Hey man! I just noticed I can belt up to F#4 in full chest voice with no issues whatsoever, but even a semitone above that I immediately break into falsetto. I’m not a trained singer (except some singing success exercises I’ve done on my own in the past, nothing approaching regularity or consistency). I can easily sing up to C5 but that requires mixed voice, I can even do a vibrato there. But my voice doesn’t sound full or rich, also kinda breathy and raspy when singing that high. Do you think I might be a low tenor? Your test determined me to be a baritone, but I wasn’t able to answer where my break is, and now I know taht haha

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 15, 2022 3:38 pm

      Hey Adam, in order to answer this, first you’ll have to be able to learn to mix your chest voice and head voice so that you can sing through that break with no issues. Once, you’ve done that, understanding and using your vocal range will be much easier.

  • by Elena Posted July 25, 2022 8:56 am

    Hello there, i am only a poor amateur singer but i need to know what type of voice i gave if my range is from B2 to A4. I am 34 years old now, during the high school i attended to mixed choir and i was told i was soprano. Anyway i haven’t worked out my voice in these years but now i would like to start doing something beautiful with it. My Chest voice is full, poweful, warm, my middle voice is soft and smooth and almost child like. Head voice i don’t KNow, it was probably the way i sang in that choir in my teenagehood, church-like choir. Best wishes and i hope for an answer. I like Amy lee, Dolores O’riordan, Lady Gaga, shania twain, Roxette, arkona as favourite Singers . I am a metalhead BUT I ALSo Love folk, medieval, traditional music.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 15, 2022 3:39 pm

      Hey Elena, I would have to hear you to know for sure.
      Based on your vocal range alone, I would say an Alto or Mezzo Soprano.

  • by Sasha Posted August 11, 2022 9:53 pm

    Hi,
    My vocal range is about C3-G5 and my break is around a G#4. I am a female, but I am able to sing very low, but then I can also sing fairly high. My voice sounds very different when I sing in my chest voice versus my head voice (I’m still working on my middle range). What vocal type do you think I would classify as?

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted August 15, 2022 3:42 pm

      Hey Sasha, it depends on your vocal weight and timbre. I think that you working on your middle range is a fantastic idea!

  • by Lina Posted August 30, 2022 2:55 pm

    Idk how to change the caps or how this worKslol

    But hi im female and Singing Again after a lil break and i think My voice either is changing (im 21 ) or have changed, After some trainIng i managed to get to E3/F3 comforTable but It doesnt feel like its my lowest if it makes sense
    I dont know how high i can go but it doesnt have a good sounding suppoRt as my lower
    I used to in soprano 2 after trying alto but that was quieT A While ago

    I still dont know if im meZzo or alto, my voice has a lot of weight But i can change the Tone of it pretty far atleast in my chest regrisTer
    I also didnt use my lower notes much when i was younger so i coudl be they arent as overused as my higher
    tho a lot fo people thought i had a low voice Before too apperantLy

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted September 19, 2022 9:31 am

      That’s awesome Lina! It sounds like you’re figuring it out!

  • by John morgan Posted November 21, 2022 6:31 pm

    Very informative presentation. I have one suggestion for your contralto example: Karen carpenter. she had a three octive plus range. Her transitions were so smooth, almost beyond description.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 4, 2023 10:18 am

      Great point!

  • by Robin Moore Posted November 28, 2022 4:29 pm

    This was such a wonderful ARTICLE. I remember feeling demoted when i was told i was a mezzo soprano instead of soprano. I never understood The change because i could hit the high notes. This article made me feel proud to be a mezzo. I also love the advice to sing songs that have the comfortable notes. Thanks for making each category feel special.

    • by Matt Ramsey Posted January 4, 2023 10:19 am

      It’s definitely not a demotion!

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