Short answer: the lowest note ever produced by a human voice is G−7, listed at 0.189 Hz, by bass singer Tim Storms (Guinness World Records, 2012). The lowest note by a woman is C♯1 (measured at 34.21 Hz) by Joy Chapman (2021). In normal singing, E2 is a low note for a bass, and G1 or A1 is extremely deep.
Here you will find the deepest notes ever sung, how low typical voices go, and a quick check of whether a note like G1, A1, C2 or E2 counts as low. To find your own lowest note, use the free vocal range test; to read the exact hertz of a note you hum, try the voice Hz test.
Lowest Note Ever Sung: The World Records
| Record | Holder | Note | Frequency | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest vocal note by a male | Tim Storms (USA) | G−7 | 0.189 Hz | 2012 |
| Lowest vocal note by a female | Joy Chapman (Canada) | C♯1 | 34.21 Hz measured | 2021 |
Tim Storms’ G−7 is seven octaves below G0 (24.50 Hz), the lowest G on a piano. The attempt in Branson, Missouri, was witnessed by two college music professors and an acoustician and measured with low-frequency acoustic equipment, because a pitch that low cannot be heard; it is a slow series of pulses produced in the vocal fry register. Storms also holds the widest vocal range record, 10 octaves, largely thanks to this low end.
Joy Chapman’s C♯1 is different in kind: at 34.21 Hz (a slightly flat C♯1, which is 34.65 Hz in exact tuning) it is a note you can still hear, lower than the bottom string of a standard bass guitar.
Is G1, A1, C2 or E2 a Low Note?
| Note | Frequency | How low is it? |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 110.00 Hz | Lower end of most untrained male voices |
| F2 | 87.31 Hz | Comfortable low note for baritones |
| E2 | 82.41 Hz | Yes: the traditional bottom of the bass range, and the low string of a guitar |
| C♯2 | 69.30 Hz | Yes: low for any voice; strong basses reach it |
| C2 | 65.41 Hz | Yes: very low, the classic low C for a true bass |
| A1 | 55.00 Hz | Extremely low: basso profundo territory |
| G1 | 49.00 Hz | Extremely low: reached by oktavists and a few deep basses |
| E1 | 41.20 Hz | Lowest string of a standard 4-string bass guitar |
| C♯1 | 34.65 Hz | Female record (Joy Chapman, measured 34.21 Hz) |
| A0 | 27.50 Hz | Lowest key on a piano |
| G−7 | 0.189 Hz (listed) | Male record (Tim Storms); far below hearing |
So yes: E2 and C2 are low notes, and G1 or A1 are exceptionally deep for any singer. Convert any other frequency with the frequency to note converter, or see all notes in the musical note frequency chart.
What Is the Lowest Note a Human Can Sing?
There are three honest answers:
- Record limit: G−7 (0.189 Hz), produced with vocal fry techniques and confirmed with instruments.
- Deepest musical singing: roughly the first octave (G1, F1, occasionally lower) from oktavists and basso profundo singers.
- Typical low note for men: around E2 to A2, depending on voice type.
Humans generally hear pitch down to about 20 Hz. Below that, sound is felt as rumble or pulses rather than heard as a note, so the record-breaking lows are measured, not listened to. More on this in the science of pitch perception.
The Deepest Voice Types
Bass
The lowest standard voice in a choir, usually singing from about E2 to E4. See how it fits with the other parts in SATB vocal ranges.
Basso profundo
A very deep bass that can sing below C2 with a full tone. It is rare in opera and more common in some choral traditions.
Oktavist
A bass singer from the Russian Orthodox choral tradition who doubles the bass line an octave lower, reaching into the first octave. Names often cited in this tradition include Vladimir Miller and Mikhail Zlatopolsky.
Contralto: the lowest female voice
Contraltos usually sing down to about F3, and some go lower. Joy Chapman’s C♯1 is far beyond any classical contralto part.
The lowest notes for every voice type are listed in vocal range notes, and typical male spans are in average vocal range for men.
Lowest Notes in Music, for Comparison
| Source | Lowest note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Standard guitar (low E string) | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 4-string bass guitar | E1 | 41.20 Hz |
| 88-key piano | A0 | 27.50 Hz |
| Large pipe organ (32-foot pipe) | C0 | 16.35 Hz |
Voice and instrument ranges side by side are in frequency ranges for instruments and voices.
How Singers Produce Very Low Notes
- Long, thick vocal folds: the main reason some men sing much lower than others; it is largely anatomy.
- Relaxed, lowered larynx: gives a darker, fuller tone at the bottom of the range.
- Vocal fry: a loose, creaky vibration that can go far below the modal voice; it is how the record-breaking lows are made.
- Subharmonics: the folds vibrate in a pattern that repeats every second or third cycle, producing a pitch an octave or more lower.
Can You Train to Sing Lower?
A little. Relaxing the throat, warming up with gentle descending slides and practising early in the day (when the voice tends to be lower) can add a few usable low notes. Your vocal fold size sets the floor, so the bottom of the range moves much less with training than the top. Never force low notes with pressure; a quiet, relaxed tone goes lower.
For the other end of the scale, read about the highest note ever sung; for singers ranked by total octaves, see the 7-octave vocal range singers list. Everything else is in the vocal range hub.
Lowest Note: Quick Answers
Who has the lowest voice in the world?
Tim Storms holds the Guinness record for the lowest vocal note, G−7 (0.189 Hz), set in 2012.
What is the lowest note a woman has sung?
C♯1, measured at 34.21 Hz, by Joy Chapman in 2021 (Guinness World Records).
What is the average lowest note for a man?
Most men reach somewhere between E2 and A2; basses tend toward E2 or below, tenors toward A2 or C3.
Is vocal fry the same as a low note?
No. Vocal fry can produce very low pulses, but a sung low note needs a steady, recognisable pitch.
What is the deepest vocal range?
Among voice types, the basso profundo and the oktavist are the deepest, singing with a full tone around and below C2. Among measured records, Tim Storms’ low end is the deepest ever documented.