Vocal Analyzer
The six voice types and their ranges
Three of the types are usually sung by men (bass, baritone, tenor) and three by women (alto, mezzo-soprano, soprano), though nothing stops anyone from singing any part.
| Voice type | Typical range | In hertz |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | E2 – E4 | 82 – 330 Hz |
| Baritone | A2 – A4 | 110 – 440 Hz |
| Tenor | C3 – C5 | 131 – 523 Hz |
| Alto (contralto) | F3 – F5 | 175 – 698 Hz |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3 – A5 | 220 – 880 Hz |
| Soprano | C4 – C6 | 262 – 1047 Hz |
How the test matches you
The test records every note you hold for 0.3 seconds, takes your lowest and highest, and compares that span with each type’s range. The fit is the share of the two ranges that overlaps: a perfect match is 100%, and a range that is much wider or offset from a type scores lower. Ties go to the type whose middle is closest to yours.
You need a span of at least 10 semitones before a ranking means much; the test asks for more until you get there.
Why range is not the whole answer
Choir directors and voice teachers do not assign voice types from range alone. They also listen for:
- Tessitura — where your voice sits most comfortably. A baritone and a tenor can share a top note, but the tenor stays up there with ease.
- Timbre — the colour of the voice: darker and heavier, or lighter and brighter.
- Register transitions — the notes where your voice shifts gears (the passaggio), which tend to sit at different places for each type.
Treat the result as a starting point. If two types score close together, try parts written for each and notice which one you can sing for a whole song without tiring.
Tips for an accurate result
- Warm up first; a cold voice loses notes at both ends.
- Step one note at a time rather than sliding, and hold each note briefly.
- Count only notes you could use in a song; skip creak at the bottom and strain at the top.
- Check your full span with the vocal range test, and your speaking pitch with the voice pitch analyzer.
Frequently asked questions
Am I a tenor or a baritone?
If your range reaches the C an octave above middle C (C5) comfortably and you are at ease singing around the top of the staff, tenor is likely; if your voice feels heavier and is happiest lower, baritone. The ranking shows how close the two are for you.
Can my voice type change?
Yes. Voices change through puberty, with age and with training, and some singers are re-classified after years of lessons. Retest every few months if you are training.
What if my range fits between two types?
That is common, and terms like bass-baritone exist for it. Pick the one whose music sits comfortably for you rather than the one whose extremes you can touch.
Is this test accurate for children?
The voice types here describe adult voices. Children’s voices are higher and still developing, so the ranking will be less meaningful.
Sources
- Voice-type ranges are the ones commonly quoted in classical voice teaching; they describe trained adult voices and overlap by design.
- A. de Cheveigné & H. Kawahara, “YIN, a fundamental frequency estimator for speech and music”, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 111(4), 2002. doi:10.1121/1.1458024 — the pitch detector this tool uses.
By Soluto, independent developer, not a clinician · Published · How this tool works and where the numbers come from