Editing Contralto (section)

{{Short description|Low-pitched female singing voice}}
{{Other uses|Contra-alto (disambiguation){{!}}Contra-alto}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Voice type}}
A '''contralto''' ({{IPA|it|konˈtralto}}) is a [[classical music|classical]] female [[singing]] [[human voice|voice]] whose [[vocal range]] is the lowest of their [[voice type|voice types]].<ref name=McKinney>{{cite book
|title= The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults
|last= McKinney
|first= James
|year= 1994
|publisher= Genovex Music Group
|isbn=978-1-56593-940-0}}</ref>

The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the [[mezzo-soprano]], and almost identical to that of a [[countertenor]], typically between the F below middle C (F<sub>3</sub> in [[scientific pitch notation]]) to the second F above middle C (F<sub>5</sub>), although, at the extremes, some voices can reach the D below middle C (D<sub>3</sub>)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voiceteacher.com/contralto.html |title=Training the Contralto Voice |last=Jones |first=David L. |date=2007 |website=The Voice Teacher |access-date=2018-07-24 }}</ref> or the second B{{Music|flat}} above middle C (B{{Music|flat}}<sub>5</sub>).<ref name=McKinney /> The contralto voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, lyric, and dramatic contralto.