Dark, warm and full
An alto voice has a deep, velvety color that sounds strongest from about G3 to C5. In a choir that warmth is the glue between the melody and the men. Even on higher notes an alto tends to sound rich and round rather than silvery.
Alto Vocal Range Am I an Alto?
See the alto vocal range from F3 to F5, how alto relates to contralto and what altos sing in a choir, then sing into your mic to check how much of the alto range your voice covers. Free, no sign-up, in your browser.
- Reference range F3 – F5
- Alto and contralto explained
- Audio stays on your device
Alto range test
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Quick reference
Alto vocal range: notes, Hz and register shifts
The lowest standard female voice in numbers. Look at the bottom of the range and the register shifts: that is where an alto differs most from a mezzo or soprano.
| Measure | Notes | Frequency | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical alto range | F3 – F5 | 175 – 698 Hz | The lowest standard women's range |
| Contralto extremes | D3 – Bb5 | 147 – 932 Hz | Reached by some trained contraltos |
| Comfortable tessitura | About G3 – C5 | 196 – 523 Hz | Where an alto sounds richest |
| Lower register shift | Around G4 – Ab4 | 392 – 415 Hz | Chest voice carries higher than a soprano's |
| Upper register shift | Around D5 | 587 Hz | Head voice starts lower than a mezzo's |
| Choir alto part | About G3 – C5 (D5) | 196 – 587 Hz | Inner harmony below the sopranos |
Alto is strictly a choir part; the matching solo voice type is contralto, and this site uses "alto" for both. Register shifts follow widely used teaching placements for a contralto and vary from singer to singer. C4 is middle C and A4 is 440 Hz.
How it works
Am I an alto? How to check in three steps
The alto range test above compares your voice with the alto range, F3 to F5. For altos, the bottom of the range matters most, so give your low notes time.
Step 1
Warm up, then start low
Hum or lip-trill for a couple of minutes, then press Start. Begin on a relaxed low note around F3 or G3 and step up slowly, holding each note for about two seconds until it locks in. Speak a few words first if you are unsure where your low notes are.
Step 2
Check your alto match and lowest note
The result shows how much of the F3 to F5 alto range you cover and your overlap with mezzo-soprano and soprano. A steady, clear note at or below G3 is the strongest range clue for alto, because the bottom changes little with training.
Step 3
Sing an alto line to confirm
Pick a hymn or simple choral piece and sing the alto part, which mostly stays between G3 and C5. If that feels like home while the soprano line tires you within a verse, you belong with the altos.
Quick reference
Contralto range and the kinds of alto voice
Contraltos typically sing F3 to F5, and some reach D3 at the bottom or Bb5 at the top. Within that range, voices differ a lot in weight and agility.
| Type | Sound | Where you hear it | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choir alto (alto 1 and 2) | Any lower women's voice | SATB and SSAA choirs | Mostly mezzos, plus contraltos |
| Coloratura contralto | Dark but agile | Rossini opera | Isabella, Arsace |
| Lyric contralto | Lighter, smooth, warm | Oratorio and art song | Messiah alto arias, Gluck's Orfeo |
| Dramatic contralto | Deep, dark, powerful | Verdi and Wagner | Erda, Ulrica, Mistress Quickly |
| Male alto (countertenor) | Light, pure head voice | Cathedral choirs, Baroque opera | Oberon in Britten's Dream |
True contraltos are rare, and opera has few roles written for them; mezzo-sopranos sing many of those roles today. Isabella is in Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri, Arsace in his Semiramide.
Highlights
What an alto voice sounds like
Altos are often described as warm or rich, but the real markers are where the voice is strongest and where it changes gear.
Chest voice that carries higher
Contraltos can carry chest voice up to around G4 or Ab4 before it shifts, several notes higher than a soprano. That makes belting and speech-like singing feel natural, and it is one reason many altos believe they can't sing high until they learn to use head voice.
An earlier switch into head voice
The upper shift sits around D5, so notes above it feel lighter and need more care. With training many altos still sing up to F5 or beyond. A free, light top is a sign of good technique, not proof that you are secretly a soprano.
Alto notes in a choir: what altos actually sing
In four-part SATB music the alto line sits under the sopranos' melody, mostly between G3 and C5. It is an inner voice: altos hold harmony notes, move in small steps and fill in the chord, which takes a good ear because the line rarely sounds like the tune. In SSAA women's choirs the part splits into alto 1 and alto 2, with alto 2 taking the lowest notes, down to about F3.
Because true contraltos are scarce, choirs fill the alto section mostly with mezzo-sopranos, and some traditions use men: English cathedral choirs and many early music groups put countertenors on the alto line. That's why alto describes a part more than a voice. In classical solo singing, the voice type itself is called contralto; our mezzo-soprano vs alto guide explains how to tell the two voices apart.
New to the alto section? Learn your line from a piano or a part recording before rehearsal, keep one ear on the bass line as well as the melody, and sing low notes at a speaking-level volume rather than pushing them.
Famous contraltos and how to train an alto voice
Classical music's best-known contraltos include Marian Anderson, Kathleen Ferrier, Maureen Forrester, Ewa Podleś and Nathalie Stutzmann. Their repertoire shows what the voice does best: 'He was despised' from Handel's Messiah, Brahms's Alto Rhapsody, Mahler's 'Urlicht' and Elgar's Sea Pictures. In popular music Cher, Toni Braxton and Karen Carpenter are often named as contraltos, though pop labels are loose.
Training an alto voice is mostly about freedom at the top and ease at the shifts. Practice slides that cross G4 and D5 gently, letting chest voice blend into a mixed sound instead of breaking. Keep low notes relaxed: a pushed, swallowed tone may feel deep, but it carries poorly and tires the voice.
- Build head voice: light 'oo' sirens and lip trills up to F5 make the top easier, even if you rarely sing there.
- Don't belt everything: chest voice feels strong for altos, but carrying it too high strains the voice. Mix in head voice above about A4.
- Pick the right key: alto-friendly songs keep the melody between about G3 and C5. Transpose rather than strain.
- Track the bottom of your range with the lowest note test every few weeks.
Last updated October 21, 2026
Use cases
Music that suits an alto voice
Where a low, warm female voice does its best work.
Choir alto line
Inner harmonies in hymns, gospel and classical choral works. The alto part is often where a chord's color lives.
Jazz and torch songs
Standards in lower keys and smoky ballads sit right in the warm alto tessitura.
Folk and singer-songwriter
Speech-like melodies in a low-middle range let an alto's natural tone do the work without forcing.
Oratorio and art song
Messiah, Bach cantatas and art songs in low-voice editions are written with this color in mind.
FAQ
Alto questions, answered
Short answers about the alto and contralto range, choir parts and the test.
Still have a question?
The quickest way to find out is to try it yourself. It only takes a minute.
The alto vocal range is usually F3 to F5, about 175 to 698 Hz, making it the lowest standard female range. Choir alto parts mostly stay between G3 and C5. Some contraltos reach down to D3. Untrained altos often cover a little less at the top.
You are likely an alto if your voice sounds warm and strong from about G3 to C5, you can sing F3 or G3 with clear tone, and long passages above D5 tire you quickly. Run the test above for your alto match, then sing an alto line in a hymn to see whether it feels like home.
The contralto range is usually F3 to F5, the same span this site uses for alto. At the extremes some contraltos reach D3 below and Bb5 above. True contraltos are rare; most women who sing alto in a choir are mezzo-sopranos.
Alto parts in SATB music mostly use notes from about G3 to C5, sometimes D5, below the soprano melody. In SSAA choirs, alto 2 can go down to about F3. The line usually moves in small steps and fills in the harmony.
Yes. Men who sing in the alto range, usually in head voice or falsetto, are called countertenors or male altos. English cathedral choirs and early music groups have used them on alto lines for centuries. See our countertenor page for their range and roles.
Yes. Many altos can sing up to F5 or higher in head voice. What makes someone an alto is where the voice is most comfortable and resonant, not the highest note it can touch. Altos usually feel the top sooner because their upper register shift sits around D5.
It listens through your microphone, tracks each note you hold for about two seconds, and compares your lowest and highest steady notes with the alto range of F3 to F5. You see your notes, Hz and octaves, your alto match as a percentage and your overlap with the other six voice types.
No. Pitch detection runs in your browser, so your voice is analyzed on your own device and never sent to a server. No account is needed.
Find out if you are an alto
Sing from your lowest steady note to your highest and see how closely you match the alto range, F3 to F5. Free, no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded.