How is vocal range determined?

Question

For instance, would a woman be classified a soprano for how high she can go? Or, an alto for how low she can go?

Thanks for all the answers! I'd been wondering about that for quite awhile. And since all the answers are so good, I'm not gonna pick one.

Thanks again!

Answer 1

It depends on what part she is singing in the song

Answer 2

It depends on what notes you can sing. I have a friend who sings soprano parts in opera, but she also has a range that goes lower than many altos. In her case, the fact that she can sing higher than altos is pretty much her determining factor.

Basic Ranges (approximate, varies from singer to singer)

Soprano- C4 (middle C) to C6
Mezzo- G3 to A5
Alto- G3 to D5
Tenor- B2 to D4
Baritone- F2 to F4
Bass- C2 to C4

These are all about 2-octave ranges. Most singers can sing more than this. So sit down with a keyboard and see which notes you can comfortably sing. For example, my range is from an E3 to an A#6, which means I am a mezzo. A male friend of mine can do an E2 to a D4, and that makes him a baritone.

Answer 3

While range is considered when determining voice type, for serious classically trained singers vocal quality is more important. Range can be increased with training but the quality of the voice is more singular (pardon the pun) to each person.

Some people also use the position of the passaggi, or breaks, in the voice to help classify singers.

Of course for choral singing range is the most important factor.

Answer 4

Yes to both of your secondary questions. Essentially, a person's range is determined individually, by their abilities. It would be stated by the highest and lowest notes he or she can sing well (not screech.)