Strike the middle C key on your piano or keyboard. If you do not have access to a piano keyboard, you can use the virtual keyboard offered on the Virginia Tech website.
Listen carefully to the pitch quality of the note as it plays. If you need to sound the note again to get a good feel for its pitch, do so.
Mimic the pitch quality of the C note just played as you sing the word “Ah.” Do not move on to the next step until you are able to successfully reproduce the pitch of this note with your voice. Middle C falls within the singing range of most people. That’s why it’s a good starting point.
Strike the key immediately to the left of the note you just played. Listen carefully to the pitch quality of this note.
Sing the word “Ah” again. This time try to mirror the pitch of the new note just played. Do not move on to the next Step unless you are able to successfully sing in this pitch.
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you are no longer able to successfully and comfortably sing in the pitch sounded by the piano note you just played. The last note you were able to successfully mimic is the lowest note in your singing range. Make a note of it.
Strike the middle C key on your piano or keyboard again. Listen carefully to the pitch quality of the note as it plays. Mimic the pitch quality of the C note just played as you sing the word “Ah.”
Strike the key immediately to the right of the note you just played. Listen carefully to the pitch quality of this note.
Sing the word “Ah” again. This time try to mirror the pitch of the new note just played. Do not move on to the next Step unless you are able to successfully sing in this pitch.
Repeat Steps 8 and 9 until you are no longer able to successfully and comfortably sing in the pitch sounded by the piano note you just played. The last note you were able to successfully mimic is the highest note in your singing range. Make a note of it.
Determine how many octaves are in your singing range by counting the number of notes you were able to successfully sing comfortably, beginning with the lowest note. Press each note on the piano as you count. When you reach the eighth note, count that as one octave because there are eight notes in a single octave (C, D, E, F, G, A, B then C again). Continue to count. Every eighth note in your count is one additional octave. A one to two octave range is typical.