Ambitus (music)
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- This article discusses the use of ambitus in the Middle Ages, for other uses, see Vocal range
The ambitus of a Gregorian chant is the range, or the distance between the highest and lowest note. Different chants vary widely in their ambitus. Even relatively florid chants like Alleluias may have a narrow ambitus.
Some church modes are distinguished by their ambitus. The plagal modes have the final in the middle of the ambitus, while the authentic modes generally go no more than one note below the final.
Ambitus can also be used to describe the notes that can be played on an instrument or notes used in a piece, without reference to how they are used (as opposed to register or tessitura).
