How to Find Your Vocal Range for Singing
Knowing your vocal range is an essential part of becoming a successful vocalist. Singing range helps to identify appropriate musical choices based on your voice type. A mezzo-soprano shouldn't sing soprano literature since the music doesn't lie well in the voice and the vocalist can harm her vocal cords. The passagio -- the point at which registers change -- between soprano and mezzo-soprano are slightly different. Composers write based on the average passagio and range of a vocalist. Failure to adhere to these guidelines and singing outside your range can cause injury.
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Instructions
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Prepare your voice for singing with a proper warm-up. Buzz by placing your lips together and blowing through the center of your lips. Start by playing the pitch middle C on the piano. This pitch is located to the left of the double set of black keys in the center of the piano. Buzz up the first five pitches on the piano by matching pitch, then buzz back down through the five pitches to return to the original note.
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Find the lowest note in your register by starting on middle C and singing down to the lowest note in your register. Go in the opposite direction to find the highest note in your register. Write these notes down.
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Locate your lowest passagio. Starting on the lowest note in your range, begin singing half steps with the piano until you notice a change in vocal register. You will feel a physical change in your register when you pass the passagio. Take note of where this change occurs, and write down the exact note.
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Identify your register by matching your passagio and total range with the typical ranges of other voice types. For men, you will classify as a bass, baritone or tenor. Women can be altos, mezzo-sopranos or sopranos. Select the register that fits your range most closely; vocal ranges are not set in stone and vary slightly.
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Tips & Warnings
Basses can sing from the second F below middle C to E just above middle C. He will have a passagio that falls between G below middle C and A just below middle C.
Baritones have the same low note as a bass, but they can sing up to a G above middle C. HIs passagio falls between B-flat just below middle C and B.
Tenors have a range of C below middle C to G just above middle C. His passagio falls between C-sharp a half step above middle C to E.
Altos sing between E below middle C and the E on the top space of the treble clef staff. Her passagio will fall between E-flat and E above middle C.
Mezzo-sopranos have a range from A below middle C and E on the top space of the treble clef staff. Her passagio will fall between F above middle C and F-sharp.
Sopranos sing between middle C and A above the treble clef staff. Although, many can also sing much higher. Her passagio will fall between F-sharp above middle C and G.
References
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