Short answer: There are six main singing voice types. Women: soprano (about C4–C6), mezzo-soprano (A3–A5) and contralto (F3–F5). Men: tenor (C3–C5), baritone (A2–A4) and bass (E2–E4). In a choir these are grouped into four parts, SATB: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Each type covers about two octaves; what separates them is where those octaves sit and how the voice sounds.
Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass? Find Your Choir Part
Typical ranges: Soprano C4–C6, Alto G3–D5, Tenor C3–C5, Bass E2–E4. Choose your lowest and highest comfortable notes to see which fits you.
- Soprano C4–C6 · 262 Hz–1,047 HzHighest female voice; bright and light
- Alto G3–D5 · 196 Hz–587 HzLower female choir part in SATB music
- Tenor C3–C5 · 131 Hz–523 HzHighest common male voice; bright and ringing
- Bass E2–E4 · 82 Hz–330 HzLowest male voice; deep and resonant
Typical classical ranges; many voices go beyond them. Range is one part of voice type: tone colour, tessitura and where your voice changes register matter too.
The 6 Voice Types at a Glance
| Voice type | Typical range | Sound | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soprano | C4–C6 | Highest; bright and clear | Female |
| Mezzo-soprano | A3–A5 | Middle; warm and full | Female |
| Contralto | F3–F5 | Lowest female; dark and rich | Female |
| Tenor | C3–C5 | Highest common male; bright, ringing | Male |
| Baritone | A2–A4 | Middle male; warm | Male |
| Bass | E2–E4 | Lowest; deep and resonant | Male |
A seventh type, the countertenor, is a man who sings mainly in head voice or falsetto, roughly in the alto range (about E3–E5). The six ranges above are this site’s standard, used by every tool and chart; see them on one keyboard in typical vocal ranges.
Female Voice Types
Soprano
The highest voice, usually singing the melody in choirs and the leading roles in opera. Sopranos are divided into lighter, more agile voices (coloratura, soubrette) and fuller ones (lyric, spinto, dramatic). Range, sub-types and famous sopranos are in the soprano voice guide.
Mezzo-soprano and contralto
The mezzo-soprano sits in the middle with a warmer colour; the contralto is the lowest and rarest female voice, dark and rich. The difference is mostly about where the voice is comfortable, not just the lowest note, as explained in mezzo-soprano vs contralto.
Alto
Alto is a choir part, not a solo voice type: the lower female line in SATB music, usually sung by mezzo-sopranos and contraltos (and by countertenors). What an alto voice is, and how it compares with a soprano, is covered in the alto voice guide.
Male Voice Types
Tenor
The highest common male voice, with a bright, ringing top that many pop and rock singers are known for. See range, types of tenor and why some women sing tenor in the tenor voice guide, and how it differs from the voice below it in tenor vs baritone.
Baritone
The most common male voice: between tenor and bass, warm and flexible. Many men who think they are tenors or basses turn out to be baritones.
Bass
The lowest voice, the foundation of choral harmony. Basses have a deep, resonant sound and a rich low range around E2; the opposite end of the voice scale from the soprano. The contrast with the highest male voice is explained in tenor vs bass.
SATB: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Most choir music is written in four parts, from highest to lowest: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Sopranos usually sing the melody, altos and tenors fill in the harmony, and basses sing the lowest line. Because there are six solo voice types but only four choir parts, mezzo-sopranos may sing soprano or alto, and baritones sing tenor or bass depending on the piece. Larger choirs split each part into first and second (S1, S2, A1, A2 and so on). Part ranges are listed in choral vocal ranges.
| Choir part | Typical range | Usually sung by |
|---|---|---|
| Soprano | C4–A5 | Sopranos, some mezzos |
| Alto | G3–D5 | Mezzo-sopranos, contraltos, countertenors |
| Tenor | C3–A4 | Tenors, high baritones |
| Bass | E2–D4 | Basses, baritones |
How Voice Types Are Decided
- Range: the lowest and highest notes you can sing comfortably.
- Tessitura: where your voice sounds and feels best for long stretches.
- Register changes: where your voice shifts from chest to head voice; higher voices shift higher.
- Timbre: the colour of the voice, bright or dark, light or heavy.
Range is the easiest to measure, but two singers with the same range can be different types. In pop, rock and musical theatre the labels are used more loosely than in classical singing, and a singer may be called an alto or a tenor because of the songs they sing rather than a formal classification.
Voice Types in Pop vs Classical Singing
Classical singers are classified carefully, because opera roles are written for specific voice types and sub-types, and a light lyric soprano would struggle in a dramatic role. In pop, rock, R&B and musical theatre the labels are looser. Singers use microphones, choose their own keys and move freely between chest voice, mix and falsetto, so a pop singer may be called a tenor or an alto simply because of where their songs sit. That is also why famous singers’ voice types are often debated: the same voice can be described differently depending on the style being judged.
Can Your Voice Type Change?
Your basic voice type is set by the size and shape of your vocal folds and vocal tract, so it changes slowly, but it does change. Boys’ voices drop about an octave at puberty; young adult voices keep settling into the late twenties; women’s voices often deepen slightly after menopause. Training also changes what you can do: a baritone may develop a strong top and be re-classified as a tenor, and a light soprano may darken into a mezzo. Test your range every few months if you are training.
Which Voice Type Am I?
Measure your lowest and highest comfortable notes and compare them with the six types: the voice type test does this with your microphone and shows how closely you match each type. To see your range and the famous singers with the closest range, use the vocal range calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 6 types of voices?
Soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto (usually female), and tenor, baritone and bass (usually male).
What is the most common voice type?
Baritone for men and mezzo-soprano for women.
What is the rarest voice type?
The contralto among women and the true bass (especially the very low basso profondo) among men; countertenors are also rare.
What voice types do most men and women have?
Most men are baritones and most women are mezzo-sopranos; true tenors, basses, sopranos and contraltos are less common.
Is alto higher than tenor?
Yes. The alto part sits about a fifth above the tenor part, although the two ranges overlap around middle C.