Metal singers' vocal ranges
Reported catalog ranges for 39 Metal singers run from D#1 to D#7, with a median span of about 3.4 octaves. Operatic clean highs alongside growls and screams, with range measured on the pitched singing.
What sets Metal singing apart
Metal vocals range from operatic clean singing with high sustained notes to harsh styles such as growls and screams, which use distortion rather than pitch to carry intensity. Harsh vocals are hard to pin to a note, so it is the pitched singing that a range figure can describe.
Hard Rock keeps to clean belted lines, without the harsh techniques and the operatic extremes.
How ranges sit in Metal
- The median reported catalog span across these profiles is 41 semitones, 8.5 semitones wider than the library median of 32.5.
- Largest reported span here is Mike Patton (D#1–D#7); the lowest listed endpoint belongs to Mike Patton at D#1 and the highest listed endpoint to Mike Patton at D#7.
- Catalog voice labels here, most common first: tenors, baritones, mezzo-sopranos, sopranos, bass-baritones, countertenor.
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
Singers Amy Lee through Maynard James Keenan
- Amy LeeE3–E6E3–E63.0 oct
- Andy BiersackD2–F5D2–F53.3 oct
- Bruce DickinsonE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- Chester BenningtonG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Chino MorenoF2–A5F2–A53.3 oct
- Corey TaylorE2–A5E2–A53.4 oct
- David DraimanA#1–G#5A#1–G#53.8 oct
- Devin TownsendF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Elize RydE3–F#6E3–F#63.2 oct
- Floor JansenE3–E6E3–E63.0 oct
- Geoff TateE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- Glenn DanzigC#2–D#5C#2–D#53.2 oct
- Ian GillanG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- James HetfieldE2–C5E2–C52.7 oct
- Jonathan DavisA1–F#5A1–F#53.8 oct
- King DiamondF2–D6F2–D63.8 oct
- Klaus MeineG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- Lzzy HaleG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- M. ShadowsD2–A5D2–A53.6 oct
- Maynard James KeenanF2–A5F2–A53.3 oct
Singers Michael Kiske through Ville Valo
- Michael KiskeF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Mike PattonD#1–D#7D#1–D#76.0 oct
- Myles KennedyA#1–D6A#1–D64.3 oct
- Noah SebastianA2–D5A2–D52.4 oct
- Oli SykesD#2–G#5D#2–G#53.4 oct
- Ozzy OsbourneG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Peter SteeleF1–G5F1–G54.2 oct
- Rob HalfordF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Ronnie James DioF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Ronnie RadkeD2–G5D2–G53.4 oct
- Sebastian BachF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Serj TankianF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Sharon den AdelG3–D6G3–D62.6 oct
- Simone SimonsG3–C#6G3–C#62.5 oct
- Tarja TurunenF3–E6F3–E62.9 oct
- Tatiana ShmaylukA2–G5A2–G52.8 oct
- Till LindemannE2–F4E2–F42.1 oct
- Tobias ForgeD2–G#5D2–G#53.5 oct
- Ville ValoF#1–B5F#1–B54.4 oct