Sopranissimo (from Italian ''Sopra'' "above" and ''-issimo'' "extremely") is a term used to describe a voice, instrument or pitch higher than the
sopranino range, which is itself higher than
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
. The term ''
piccolo
The piccolo ( ; ) is a smaller version of the western concert flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" or piccolo flute, the modern piccolo has the same type of fingerings as the ...
'' ("small" in Italian) is also often used for this range.
Examples include the sopranissimo
ukulele
The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...
,
and
sopranissimo recorder
The garklein recorder in C, also known as the sopranissimo recorder or piccolo recorder, is the smallest size of the recorder family. Its range is C6–A7 (C8). The name is German for "quite small", and is also sometimes used to describe the so ...
. The
soprillo
The soprillo, also known as the piccolo saxophone or rarely sopranissimo saxophone,
is the highest pitched and smallest saxophone.
The soprillo was developed as an extension to the saxophone family in the late 1990s
by German instrument maker ...
, or piccolo saxophone, is sometimes referred to as a sopranissimo.
References
Pitch (music)
{{Music-theory-stub