TRADITIONAL VOCAL RANGES

The following are a list of the approximate optimal ranges associated with traditional voice parts in
singing. This is a good reference, however I nd that it pertains much more to trained voices than it
does to the many beginners who participate in community choruses and oral tradition singing. I nd
it works best to limit song ranges further to maximize accessibility for all, so I’ve included more on
that below.

From highest to lowest:

SOPRANO - Middle C up to High A - C (an octave and a half to two octaves above middle C)

MEZZO (2nd SOPRANO) - A3 (A below Middle C) up to High F-A (F5-A5)

ALTO - G3 (G below Middle C) up to High D-F (D5-F5)

TENOR - C3 (an octave below Middle C) up to C5 (an octave above Middle C)

BARITONE - A2 (an octave and a half below Middle C) up to A4 (the A above Middle C)

BASS - E2 (second E below Middle C) up to E4, (the E above Middle C)

Our vocal ranges are determined in large part physiologically. Those with long vocal chords sing
lower and those with shorter vocal cords sing higher. I nd that men who are true basses or women
who are true tenors (very low - below alto range) are pretty rare. On the other hand, I nd that most
people have the capacity to sing quite a bit higher than they are practiced singing, when given a little
training and encouragement.

Traditionally, Soprano, Mezzo and Alto are associated with female voices and Tenor, Baritone & Bass
are associated with male voices. In a choral setting, particularly in community choruses and the oral
tradition community singing movement, these lines are very often not con ned to gender.
I encourage my singers to try all the parts and see which feels best in their voice, and I encourage
them to explore and see what they can do! I invite men to ip up into their falsetto sometimes, and
women to relax into their bassiest bass.

In an e ort to blur those lines more intentionally, I use the words High, Middle (or Middle High &
Middle Low) & Low in my chorus rather than the traditional names.

In general what I notice is that singers with more experience and training have solid access to about
a 2 octave range, and those with little experience tend to stay in about a one octave range. Placing
beginning singers in your “middle” section is a good start, and It is a great service to your them to
o er private lessons or exercises during your groups that help them expand their range and
discover new capacities!

© The Bird Sings and Littlebird Songleader Flight School

 HELPING YOUR SINGERS EXPAND THEIR RANGE
Here are some exercises and encouragements you can use in a group setting to help your singers
nd more capacity and con dence in their high and low ranges:

● For low notes and ranges, encourage singers to RELAX. Pushing hurts and doesn’t work!
Invite them to sing lighter (softer) and breathier and let the tone dilute out. Have them place
a hand on their chest and focus more on nding a palpable resonance and vibration in their
body that feels good, more than focusing on singing the note.
● For high notes and ranges, support singers through the e ort it takes to get there! Most
singers are simply not accustomed to the energy it takes to make high notes. This can be
scary for those who feel vulnerable when sharing their voice, because high notes really
require a commitment to let your voice out. Help take them up in steps by encouraging them
to open their mouths as big as they can and really “deliver” their highest note up to a point.
Have them pick a spot far in front of them on the wall and then send that note there through
their nose or forehead. This helps them pull their tone forward. Another image I use is that of
a bellows or strong belly hug helping to propel their note up and out. Make sure your singers
are squeezing their core in when singing out.
● For expansion into both low and high ranges, more breath energy is required. Make sure
your singers are set up for success by knowing the basics of belly breathing and that they are
getting really good, full inhales with expanded bellies.
● Invite elemental, spiritual and bodily connections associated with range. I often share in
groups that low notes are grounding. Use them to invite an earth connection and bring
balance to anxious or overwhelmed energies. High notes are activating! Use them to
energize and cultivate a spirit connection, bringing balance to lethargic, stagnant energies.
● Many beginning singers nd it more challenging to hear and match pitch in their lowest and
highest ranges. Encourage them to really keep listening, and to practice slowly sliding up or
down to notes until they nd a resonance.

ORAL TRADITION SINGING PITCH RANGES

In my teaching, here are approximate pitch ranges I use - they work ideally for about 85% of my
singers. The singers who are sometimes challenged in the unison range are high voiced men.

Unison songs: F3 (F below Middle C) up to D5 (an octave +1 above Middle C). The vast majority of
songs I share are in keys between G3 and Middle C.

2 part songs: LOWS: F below Middle C up to G above Middle C. HIGHS: A below Middle C up to D5.

3 part songs: LOWS: D# or E below Middle C up to E above Middle C. MIDDLES: G below Middle C
up to A above Middle C. HIGHS: Middle C up to E5 (E an octave +2 above Middle C).

4 part songs: LOWS: D# or E below Middle C up to Middle C. MIDDLE LOWS: F# or G below Middle
C up to F above Middle C. MIDDLE HIGHS: B below Middle C up to B above Middle C. HIGHS: D
above Middle C up to E5 (E an octave +2 above Middle C).
© The Bird Sings and Littlebird Songleader Flight School