Vocal range notes are written as a letter plus an octave number, and C4 is middle C. The number goes up by one at every C, and A4 is the 440 Hz tuning note. So a range of E3 to E5 means your lowest note is the E below middle C and your highest is exactly two octaves above it. Get your own two notes with the free singing range test, then look them up below.
What Are Vocal Range Notes?
Vocal range notes are the lowest and highest pitches you can sing, such as E2–C5. Common voice ranges include Bass (E2–E4), Baritone (A2–A4), Tenor (C3–C5), Alto (F3–F5), Mezzo-Soprano (A3–A5), and Soprano (C4–C6).
They describe possibility, not comfort.
How to Read a Note Name
Singers use scientific pitch notation. A note name has up to three parts:
- Letter: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. After B the letters start again at C.
- Sharp or flat (optional): C#4 is one semitone above C4. D♭4 is the same piano key written another way, so A#4 and B♭4 are one note.
- Octave number: which octave the note belongs to. It changes at C, not at A, so B3 is the key directly below C4, and A3 is lower than C4.
Some keyboards and apps label middle C as C3, so check what your source calls middle C before comparing results.
What Is an Octave?
An octave is the distance between one note and the same note higher or lower in pitch (e.g., C3 to C4). Each octave contains 12 semitones, and the upper note vibrates exactly twice as fast: A3 is 220 Hz, A4 is 440 Hz and A5 is 880 Hz.
Why Middle C Matters
Middle C (C4, about 261.6 Hz) is the reference point for most vocal charts. Male voices usually sit below it; female voices usually sit above it, but overlap is normal. This is why ranges like A2–A4 or C4–C6 appear so often.
Singing Notes From Lowest to Highest
These are the octaves singers use, from lowest to highest. Inside every octave the order is C, D, E, F, G, A, B, which is why G5 is lower than A5 but B4 is lower than C5. Frequencies assume A4 = 440 Hz and are rounded.
| Octave | Starts at | Its A | Who sings here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | C2, 65.4 Hz | A2, 110 Hz | Low bass notes; most male ranges start between E2 and A2 |
| 3 | C3, 130.8 Hz | A3, 220 Hz | Middle of male voices; lowest female notes |
| 4 | C4 (middle C), 261.6 Hz | A4, 440 Hz | Top of most male ranges; middle of female voices |
| 5 | C5, 523.3 Hz | A5, 880 Hz | Tenor high C, then the upper female range |
| 6 | C6, 1,046.5 Hz | A6, 1,760 Hz | Soprano high C and above, often sung in the whistle register |
Note Lookup: Hz, Voice Types and How High Each Note Is
Find your note in the first column. “Voices that include it” uses the commonly cited ranges on our charts: bass E2–E4, baritone A2–A4, tenor C3–C5, contralto E3–D5, alto F3–F5, mezzo-soprano A3–A5 and soprano C4–C6. Sources differ slightly, and real singers often go past these edges.
| Note | Hz | Voices that include it | For a male voice | For a female voice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E2 | 82.4 | Bass (its lowest note) | Very low | Far below the range |
| A2 | 110 | Bass, baritone | Low | Far below the range |
| C3 | 130.8 | Bass, baritone, tenor | Low to middle | Below the range |
| E3 | 164.8 | All male types, contralto | Middle | Very low |
| A3 | 220 | All male types, contralto, alto, mezzo | Middle | Low |
| C4 | 261.6 | All seven types | Upper middle | Low to middle |
| E4 | 329.6 | All seven (top of bass) | High for a bass | Middle |
| A4 | 440 | Baritone (top), tenor, all female types | High | Middle |
| C5 | 523.3 | Tenor (top), all female types | Very high: tenor high C | Middle to high |
| D5 | 587.3 | Contralto (top), alto, mezzo, soprano | Head voice or falsetto | High for low voices |
| E5 | 659.3 | Alto, mezzo, soprano | Head voice or falsetto | High |
| F5 | 698.5 | Alto (top), mezzo, soprano | Falsetto | High |
| G5 | 784 | Mezzo, soprano | Falsetto | High |
| A5 | 880 | Mezzo (top), soprano | Rare, falsetto | High: top of the mezzo range |
| C6 | 1,046.5 | Soprano (top) | Very rare | Very high: soprano high C |
| A6 | 1,760 | Beyond the standard ranges | Extreme | Extreme, usually whistle register |
Not sure which note you just sang? See which note you are singing in real time, or measure your pitch in hertz and match it to the Hz column.
Is It a High Note? Quick Answers
“High” depends on the voice. As a rule of thumb, for men anything above A4 is high and C5 is a milestone. For women, notes from about E5 up are high for most voices, and A5 to C6 is the upper part of the soprano range.
Is C5 a high note?
For a man, yes: C5 is the tenor high C, the top of the commonly cited tenor range. For a woman, C5 is one octave above middle C and sits in the middle of the soprano and mezzo ranges. C#5 is one semitone higher and reads the same way.
Is A5 a high note, and how high is it?
Yes. A5 is 880 Hz, one octave above the 440 Hz tuning A. It is the top of the commonly cited mezzo-soprano range and sits in the upper part of the soprano range. Few men reach it without falsetto. A#5 is one semitone higher still.
Is G5 or F5 a high note?
Yes, for most voices. F5 (698 Hz) is the top of the alto range, and G5 (784 Hz) is high for mezzos too, though inside a trained soprano’s range. For men, both are falsetto notes.
Is G5 higher than A5?
No, A5 is higher. Inside each octave the letters run C, D, E, F, G, A, B, so A5 is two semitones above G5 (880 Hz against 784 Hz). The trap is at C: B4 is lower than C5, because the octave number changes at C.
Is D5 a high note for a female?
It depends on the voice type. D5 (587 Hz) is the top of the commonly cited contralto range and upper-middle for altos, while mezzo-sopranos and sopranos usually sing it comfortably. E5, one step up, is high for altos.
Is A4 or C4 a high note?
For men, A4 is high and C4 is not. A4 (440 Hz) is the top of the baritone range, while C4 (middle C) sits in the upper middle of most male voices. For women, both are low-to-middle notes. A#4 reads like A4.
Is A3 a low note?
For women, yes; for men, no. A3 (220 Hz) is the bottom of the mezzo-soprano range and low for most female voices, but it sits in the middle of tenor and baritone ranges. E2 (82 Hz), the bottom of the bass range, is low for anyone.
What Does My Vocal Range Mean? Read Any Note Span
Take your lowest and highest note and work through three steps:
- Count the octaves. Same letter, next number is one octave (E3 to E4). Count piano keys, black and white, for the extra semitones: 12 make an octave. Then see how many octaves count as a good range.
- Place it against middle C. A span that sits mostly below C4 points to a male voice type; mostly above points to a female one.
- Compare it with the spans below, then check comfort. Voice type depends on where you sound best and on your tone, not only on your two edge notes.
| Your span | Size | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| E2 to E4 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited bass range |
| G2 to G4 | 2 octaves | Between bass and baritone, often called bass-baritone |
| A2 to A4 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited baritone range |
| E2 to A4 | 2 octaves + 5 semitones | Baritone range with bass low notes |
| E2 to C5 | 2 octaves + 8 semitones | Wide male range: bass bottom to tenor high C |
| C3 to G4 | 1 octave + 7 semitones | Male span in the baritone and tenor overlap |
| C3 to C5 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited tenor range |
| E3 to E5 | 2 octaves | Female: contralto or alto. Male: tenor plus head voice or falsetto |
| F3 to F5 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited alto range |
| A3 to F5 | 1 octave + 8 semitones | Mezzo-soprano or alto; tone and comfort decide |
| A3 to A5 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited mezzo-soprano range |
| C4 to C6 | 2 octaves | Commonly cited soprano range |
| A3 to C6 | 2 octaves + 3 semitones | Wide female range: mezzo low notes, soprano top |
Example: E3 to E5
E3 (165 Hz) is the E below middle C and E5 (659 Hz) is exactly two octaves higher. For a female singer this span sits between the contralto (E3–D5) and alto (F3–F5) ranges, so the real question is alto or contralto. For a male singer it covers the tenor range and goes past tenor high C, which usually means the top notes are sung in head voice or falsetto.
Which Chart Do You Need?
This page explains single notes and note spans. To compare voice types side by side, use one of the charts:
- Every voice type on one chart: all six voice types, bass to soprano.
- Female voices only: soprano, mezzo, alto and contralto ranges.
- Male voices only: tenor, baritone and bass ranges.
Vocal Range Notes vs Tessitura
- Vocal range notes = all the notes you can sing
- Tessitura = the notes you can sing comfortably and consistently
Two singers may both have a range of C3–C5, but one feels best around E3–G4, while the other thrives higher. That difference decides song choice and voice type more than edge notes do. Read how tessitura works.
Lowest vs Highest Vocal Range Notes
A common mistake: “My lowest note is E2, so I must be a bass.” In practice that E2 may be quiet, unstable or unusable in songs. Your lowest and highest notes are often edge notes, not working notes. Choose songs that sit in your comfortable notes, keep edge notes short, and build the habits that protect your voice.
How to Find Your Vocal Range Notes Safely
- Warm up gently (never test cold).
- Sing down slowly to your lowest clear note.
- Sing up gradually to your highest sustainable note. Stop when tone thins or strain appears.
- Name each edge note with a tool instead of guessing: the test your highest note for your top, or a note finder with keyboard and staff view.
- Repeat on different days. One session is not enough.
With both notes in hand, check which voice type fits you; it also weighs where your voice feels comfortable.
Vocal Range Notes FAQ
What is middle C in singing?
C4, about 261.6 Hz. It is the reference point for vocal classification: most male ranges sit around and below it, most female ranges around and above it.
What does A4 = 440 Hz mean?
It is the international tuning standard. Every other note follows from it: each semitone multiplies the frequency by about 1.0595 and each octave doubles it, so A5 is 880 Hz and A3 is 220 Hz.
Can vocal range notes increase with training?
Yes, usually by a few notes, especially usable notes at the top. Gains come from technique, not force: see how to extend your range.
Do vocal range notes determine voice type?
No. They narrow it down, but tessitura, tone and where your voice changes register matter more.
Is a small vocal range bad?
No. Many great singers work within modest ranges. Fit your songs to your comfortable notes.