Vocal Range Calculator
Turn two notes into a vocal range. Pick your lowest and highest comfortable notes (note name plus octave, C1 through B7) and get the span in octaves and semitones, the frequencies in Hz at A440 equal temperament, and the closest classical voice type from bass to soprano.
Example: with Lowest note C · Lowest note octave 3 · Highest note C · Highest note octave 5 → Vocal range: 2 octaves (24 semitones) — C3 to C5.
- Closest voice typeTenor (C3-C5 typical) is the closest classical range
- Frequencies (A440)130.81 Hz (C3) up to 523.25 Hz (C5)
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Range = semitone distance between the notes (scientific pitch notation, where middle C is C4). Frequencies use equal temperament at A4 = 440 Hz. Voice types are the standard classical six; real voices are classified by timbre and tessitura, not endpoints alone.
How to find your two notes
Sit at a keyboard (a piano app works) and sing down on an open 'ah' until the note stops speaking clearly — no fry, no whisper. That is your lowest usable note. Then slide up until the highest note you can sustain without strain; falsetto or head voice counts, but note which register it was. Name both in scientific pitch notation, where middle C is C4 and the octave number changes at each C. Untrained voices typically span about 1.5 to 2 octaves; trained singers commonly reach 2.5 to 3.
The calculator counts the semitones between the notes (12 per octave) and converts each note to its frequency with the equal-temperament formula at A4 = 440 Hz. Every semitone multiplies frequency by 2^(1/12), which is why a two-octave range means the top note vibrates four times faster than the bottom.
What a voice type really is
Bass, baritone, tenor, contralto, mezzo-soprano, soprano — the standard six are defined less by absolute endpoints than by tessitura (where the voice sits comfortably) and timbre. This tool matches your endpoints to the closest textbook range, which is a solid first guess, but plenty of baritones can touch tenor notes and vice versa. If you sing seriously, let a teacher classify you; misclassifying yourself upward is the classic route to strain.
How it’s calculated
Each note maps to a MIDI number: midi = (octave + 1) × 12 + note index (C=0 ... B=11), so C4 = 60. Range = high − low in semitones; octaves = semitones ÷ 12. Frequency f = 440 × 2^((midi − 69)/12) Hz (equal temperament, A4 = 440). Voice type = the range among Bass E2-E4, Baritone G2-G4, Tenor C3-C5, Contralto E3-E5, Mezzo A3-A5, Soprano C4-C6 minimizing |low − type low| + |high − type high|.
Endpoint matching ignores tessitura, timbre, and register breaks — the things an actual voice classification is built on — so treat the type as indicative, not diagnostic.
Classical voice types (typical ranges, A440)
| Voice type | Range | Frequencies |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | E2 - E4 | 82 - 330 Hz |
| Baritone | G2 - G4 | 98 - 392 Hz |
| Tenor | C3 - C5 | 131 - 523 Hz |
| Contralto | E3 - E5 | 165 - 659 Hz |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3 - A5 | 220 - 880 Hz |
| Soprano | C4 - C6 | 262 - 1047 Hz |
Standard classical ranges as published in vocal pedagogy references; frequencies computed at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament.
Common mistakes
- Counting vocal fry or a breathy whisper as your lowest note — use the lowest pitch you can sustain at speaking volume.
- Mixing up octave numbers: the number increments at C, so the note below C4 is B3, not B4.
- Straining for one show-off top note; range is what you can sing musically, not squeak once.
- Assuming endpoints alone set your voice type — tessitura and timbre matter more, so confirm with a teacher before buying repertoire.
Frequently asked questions
How is vocal range calculated?
Convert both notes to MIDI numbers with midi = (octave + 1) × 12 + note index, subtract to get semitones, and divide by 12 for octaves. C3 to C5 is 72 − 48 = 24 semitones, exactly 2 octaves.
What is a normal vocal range?
About 1.5 to 2 octaves untrained, and 2.5 to 3 for trained singers. Famous four-octave-plus ranges are rare outliers, and usable, beautiful range matters far more than raw span.
What do the octave numbers mean?
Scientific pitch notation: middle C is C4, the C below it is C3, and the number increments each time you pass a C going up. A bass low E is E2 (about 82 Hz); a soprano high C is C6 (about 1047 Hz).
How do I get the frequency of a note?
f = 440 × 2^((midi − 69)/12) Hz, where 69 is A4 at 440 Hz. Each semitone multiplies frequency by the twelfth root of 2 (about 1.0595), so an octave exactly doubles it.
Can I increase my range?
Usually by a few notes in each direction, mostly by freeing tension and developing head voice or mixed registers rather than pushing chest voice higher. Work with a teacher — forcing the extremes is how singers get hurt.