Voice Ranges

Voice Ranges

Here are the voice ranges associated with opera:

Voices and ranges:

Soprano – highest female voice whose range falls between middle c and a c above the staff

Ex:

 

 

Mezzosoprano – female voice which is between that of an alto and a soprano and whose range is from middle c to a g above the staff.

Ex:

 

Alto – the lowest female voice whose range is from an a below the staff to an e on the fourth space of the staff.

 

Ex:

 

Tenor – the highest male voice whose range is from an e on the first line of the staff to a g above the staff on the treble clef.  An important note is that the tenor voice sounds an octave lower than it is written.

Ex:

 

Baritone – the male voice is between the tenor and the bass voices.  The range is from a b on the second line of the bass clef to a d above the staff on the bass clef.

Ex:

Bass – the lowest of the male voices which is usually not developed until after the age of 16 or 17.  The range of a bass is from a d below the staff on the bass clef to a c above the staff on the bass clef.

Ex:

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12/11/2002