Range (ambitus) is the distance between the lowest and highest sound an instrument or voice can produce. It defines the expressive limits and character of the instrument: the double bass has a low range, the piccolo flute a high one, and the piano an enormous one, over seven octaves.
Human voices are divided by range into types: soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto (female), tenor, baritone, bass (male). A composer must know the ranges well in order to write music comfortable and effective to perform. Extending the range is a constant challenge for virtuosos (singers' extreme high notes, the pedal tones of the winds). Range is one of the basic characteristics of any musical instrument or voice.
