Folk singers' vocal ranges
Reported catalog ranges for 52 Folk singers run from D#1 to C#7, with a median span of about 2.4 octaves. Melodies made for ordinary voices: a comfortable middle range, plain tone and clear words.
What sets Folk singing apart
Folk songs were passed on by ear and sung by ordinary voices, so their melodies usually fit a comfortable middle range and put the words first. Plain, unforced tone and clear diction matter more here than power or reach.
Singer-Songwriter grew out of this tradition, but there the melody is written by the singer to fit one particular voice.
How ranges sit in Folk
- The median reported catalog span across these profiles is 29 semitones, 3.5 semitones narrower than the library median of 32.5.
- Largest reported span here is Yma Sumac (B2–C#7); the lowest listed endpoint belongs to Avi Kaplan at D#1 and the highest listed endpoint to Yma Sumac at C#7.
- Catalog voice labels here, most common first: tenors, sopranos, baritones, contraltos, mezzo-sopranos, basses, bass-baritones.
Most profiles' figures are commonly cited spans from the catalog, not recordings checked note by note; a few have reviewed or disputed sources. Open a profile for what its sources support.
Where would your voice sit on this chart?
The free range test runs in your browser in about two minutes and reports your lowest and highest notes in the same note names as every bar below.
Every voice on one axis
full voice, up to the cited ceiling above it: falsetto · head · whistle no full-voice ceiling cited whistle register listed
Singers Alison Krauss through Jewel
- Alison KraussG3–D5G3–D51.6 oct
- AuroraD#3–E6D#3–E63.1 oct
- Avi KaplanD#1–C#5D#1–C#53.8 oct
- Bill WithersF2–A4F2–A42.3 oct
- Bob DylanE2–A4E2–A42.4 oct
- Bruce SpringsteenF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Caetano VelosoA2–C5A2–C52.3 oct
- Cesária ÉvoraD3–A#4D3–A#41.7 oct
- Dermot KennedyE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- Dmitri HvorostovskyG2–A4G2–A42.2 oct
- Ed SheeranG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Édith PiafB2–D5B2–D52.3 oct
- Emmylou HarrisG3–D5G3–D51.6 oct
- George EzraG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Ivan RebroffF1–F5F1–F54.0 oct
- James TaylorF2–A4F2–A42.3 oct
- Jason MrazF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- JewelE3–E6E3–E63.0 oct
Singers Joan Baez through Passenger
- Joan BaezF3–B5F3–B52.5 oct
- John DenverG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Johnny CashE2–E4E2–E42.0 oct
- Joni MitchellE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- Justin VernonF2–F5F2–F53.0 oct
- Kenny LogginsD2–C#6D2–C#63.9 oct
- Leonard CohenD2–E4D2–E42.2 oct
- Lizzy McAlpineE3–C#5E3–C#51.8 oct
- Mercedes SosaE3–E5E3–E52.0 oct
- Milton NascimentoG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- Miriam MakebaE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- Myles SmithB2–G4B2–G41.7 oct
- Natalia LafourcadeF3–A#5F3–A#52.4 oct
- Neil YoungG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- Niall HoranF#2–B5F#2–B53.4 oct
- Noah KahanB2–A4B2–A41.8 oct
- PassengerD#2–A4D#2–A42.5 oct
Singers Paul Simon through Zach Bryan
- Paul SimonA2–D5A2–D52.4 oct
- Phoebe BridgersC#3–E5C#3–E52.3 oct
- Salif KeitaB2–D5B2–D52.3 oct
- Sarah McLachlanF3–B5F3–B52.5 oct
- Sinéad O'ConnorF3–A5F3–A52.3 oct
- Stevie NicksE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- Sufjan StevensB2–A4B2–A41.8 oct
- Teresa TengD#3–B5D#3–B52.7 oct
- Tracy ChapmanD3–D5D3–D52.0 oct
- Tyler ChildersE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- Van MorrisonG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Vance JoyB2–A5B2–A52.8 oct
- Vicente FernándezA2–C5A2–C52.3 oct
- Willie NelsonG2–F4G2–F41.8 oct
- Yma SumacB2–C#7B2–C#74.2 oct
- Youssou N'DourA2–D5A2–D52.4 oct
- Zach BryanG2–F#4G2–F#41.9 oct