Basic Music Theory 35
Home, Home on the Ranges
Range refers to the notes an instrument is able to play, from lowest to highest. Each example below
shows the range of an instrument from its lowest note to its highest note. There are some exceptions,
like pedal tones (very low notes) for brass, a low B foot for a flute, you can put your foot into the
bell of a baritone sax and get a half step lower, and other such tricks, but for now don’t worry about
those unless you want to.
There are many symbols below which you don’t know yet, but don’t worry about that for now.
You’ll learn them soon.
Since voice is an instrument, I’ll show vocal ranges first. I’m doing this mostly to show you that all
instruments use leger lines. You didn’t believe me, did you?
While you look at these examples, compare the ranges of the instruments. Notice that the highest
note for a soprano is higher than the highest note for an alto; or notice the guitar is able to play lower
than the violin.Staff 4.5 Ranges for Voice: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Staff 4.6 Ranges for: Violin, Guitar, Bass.
Staff 4.7 Ranges for: Trumpet, Alto Sax, Flute, Bb Soprano Clarinet.
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