Alto vocal range: F3 to F5

Alto is the lowest of the higher voice types, with a typical range from F3 to F5. In classical singing it is called contralto.

What a alto sounds like

Rich, dark and full, strongest in the lower and middle notes. True altos are less common than choir seating suggests.

Where a alto is comfortable

An alto is most at home from about G3 to C5. The notes below middle C stay strong and clear, where higher voices fade.

The full range, F3 to F5, is a typical one. Choirs and teachers draw the lines a few notes apart, and trained singers often reach beyond them. What matters more than the outer notes is where you can sing a whole song without strain.

Are you a alto?

Many singers called altos in choirs are mezzo-sopranos who read harmony well. If your notes below A3 are solid and comfortable, not just reachable, alto is the right label.

The quick way to check is to measure. The voice type test listens to your lowest and highest notes through your microphone and tells you which type fits. If you only want the two notes, use the vocal range test.

Singers often described as altos

• Cher
• Tracy Chapman

Pop singers are rarely classified the way opera singers are, so these are the labels most often given to them, not official titles.

Practice tips for a alto

• Songs written for higher voices often work well a few notes down. Change the key and keep the melody.
• Work on head voice gently, so the notes above C5 do not have to be shouted.
• Lean on your low range: it is the part of your voice most singers do not have.

Alto compared with the other voice types

The next voice up is the mezzo-soprano (A3 to A5). The ranges overlap, so if you fall between two, go with the one where a whole song feels easiest.

For the full picture, read what is my voice type and how to find it.