How to Find Your Vocal Range
First of all, why would you want to find your vocal range?
A few reasons. When looking at songs and determining if it needs to be transposed so you can sing it, knowing your vocal range is helpful.
Another reason it would be nice to know your vocal range is to examine how your voice changes over the years. This could be part of a science experiment.
The first step to finding your vocal range is to acquire a piano to use for the purpose. Other instruments or digital keyboards may suffice, but at this point a piano is your best bet.
Play middle C. If you can’t find it, here are some simple instructions how to.
Note the three black key groups and the two black key groups. ‘C’ on the piano is to the left of each two black key group. Find the C in the middle (not counting the highest C). This is middle C. Sing the note if you can.
Count up from C. The keys on the piano are in alphabetical order from A to G. Once the key G is hit, the next key is A, then B, and so on.
Middle C is C4. It is the fourth C from the left.
Let’s have an example on measuring your range. Count down from C4 (middle C) to G. Sing the note if you can. If you can, go down a note until you can’t sing any lower. Let’s say the lowest note you could sing was F, the F immediately below middle C. This would be F3. Now sing higher and higher. Let’s say that you stop at the B above middle C. This would be B5.
From this information, your range is F3-B5.
The best way to know what number a note name is, is to count up from the lowest note that you are looking for on the piano. The first F would be F1, then F2, and F3.
To determine whether you are soprano, mezzo soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, or bass, see below.
If you can sing from about C4 to C6, you are considered a soprano. If you can sing from about A4 to G5, you are a mezzo soprano. F3 to D5, you are an alto. These are the measurements for women.
The measurements for men are: C3 to A5 is tenor, G2 to F4 is baritone, and E2 to E4 is bass.
