Singer-songwriters' vocal ranges
Reported catalog ranges for 56 singer-songwriters run from A1 to E6, with a median span of about 2.6 octaves. Songs written for the writer's own voice, usually in a narrow, speech-like range.
What sets Singer-Songwriter singing apart
Singer-songwriters write for their own voices, so the melodies sit where the writer is most comfortable, often in a narrow, speech-like range that serves the lyric. Idiosyncratic tone is normal here, and a modest span is usually a choice rather than a limit.
Folk is the shared older repertoire this grew from, written to be sung by anyone.
How ranges sit in Singer-Songwriter
- The median reported catalog span across these profiles is 31 semitones, 1.5 semitones narrower than the library median of 32.5.
- Largest reported span here is shared by Jeff Buckley (E2–D6), Tom Petty (C2–A#5) and Tom Waits (A1–G5); the lowest listed endpoint belongs to Tom Waits at A1 and the highest listed endpoint to Jewel and Sara Bareilles at E6.
- Catalog voice labels here, most common first: tenors, baritones, sopranos, contraltos, mezzo-sopranos, 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
Singers ANOHNI through India.Arie
- ANOHNIA2–F5A2–F52.7 oct
- Benson BooneG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Billy JoelF2–C6F2–C63.6 oct
- Bob DylanE2–A4E2–A42.4 oct
- Bruce SpringsteenF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Caetano VelosoA2–C5A2–C52.3 oct
- Calum ScottB2–C#5B2–C#52.2 oct
- Charles AznavourD3–B4D3–B41.8 oct
- Christopher CrossD3–A#4D3–A#41.7 oct
- David KushnerF2–G4F2–G42.2 oct
- Dermot KennedyE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- Ed SheeranG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Elton JohnF2–F5F2–F53.0 oct
- Emmylou HarrisG3–D5G3–D51.6 oct
- Fiona AppleC3–A5C3–A52.8 oct
- George EzraG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Gigi PerezE3–C#5E3–C#51.8 oct
- Gracie AbramsF3–E5F3–E51.9 oct
- India.ArieA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
Singers IU through Nick Cave
- IUD3–C6D3–C62.8 oct
- James ArthurA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- James BayG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- James TaylorF2–A4F2–A42.3 oct
- Jason MrazF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Jeff BuckleyE2–D6E2–D63.8 oct
- JewelE3–E6E3–E63.0 oct
- Joan BaezF3–B5F3–B52.5 oct
- John DenverG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Joni MitchellE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- Kacey MusgravesG3–D5G3–D51.6 oct
- Lana Del ReyC3–D6C3–D63.2 oct
- Leonard CohenD2–E4D2–E42.2 oct
- Lewis CapaldiF2–E5F2–E52.9 oct
- Lizzy McAlpineE3–C#5E3–C#51.8 oct
- Natalia LafourcadeF3–A#5F3–A#52.4 oct
- Neil DiamondD2–G#4D2–G#42.5 oct
- Neil YoungG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- Nick CaveD2–G5D2–G53.4 oct
Singers Noah Kahan through Tracy Chapman
- Noah KahanB2–A4B2–A41.8 oct
- Norah JonesF3–C5F3–C51.6 oct
- PassengerD#2–A4D#2–A42.5 oct
- Paul SimonA2–D5A2–D52.4 oct
- Phoebe BridgersC#3–E5C#3–E52.3 oct
- Regina SpektorF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- Rufus WainwrightA2–D5A2–D52.4 oct
- Sam FenderF#2–F5F#2–F52.9 oct
- Sara BareillesB2–E6B2–E63.4 oct
- Sarah McLachlanF3–B5F3–B52.5 oct
- Shawn MendesG2–E5G2–E52.8 oct
- Stephen SanchezC#3–F#5C#3–F#52.4 oct
- Sufjan StevensB2–A4B2–A41.8 oct
- Taylor SwiftA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Tom PettyC2–A#5C2–A#53.8 oct
- Tom WaitsA1–G5A1–G53.8 oct
- Tori AmosE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- Tracy ChapmanD3–D5D3–D52.0 oct