Finding the Key You Sing In

[JoelP2600]

I've got a friend of mine who wants to order a CD with a song which is just the music so she can sing along with it. (I don't recall the song).. But she want's to know what Key she sings in..

I believe this is possible.. I've found songs in D and A are easiest for my self.

Any hints on figuring this out for her??
I can play guitar and shift the key of songs around until I hit it right... Is that what you'd do??

[dthumb]

Originally Posted by JoelP2600

I've got a friend of mine who wants to order a CD with a song which is just the music so she can sing along with it. (I don't recall the song).. But she want's to know what Key she sings in..

I believe this is possible.. I've found songs in D and A are easiest for my self.

Any hints on figuring this out for her??
I can play guitar and shift the key of songs around until I hit it right... Is that what you'd do??

You might want to try using a capo first if you find that you like to play in a certain key and she's not real comfortable with it, may be just a little sharp or flat. Gives you some options for fine tuning .

[SteveS]

Originally Posted by JoelP2600

I can play guitar and shift the key of songs around until I hit it right... Is that what you'd do??

That's the ticket.

[sully]

You can sing in any key, as long as the notes are within your vocal range.

The vocal range is the key question. Some songs I can sing in the key of A, some I can't, if they're digging too low or climbing too high...

[Dub Martin]

Have her sing a favorite song a capella and hold the last note of a verse or refrain. While she's holding that note sound a guitar string and slide up the fingerboard until you find that note. That is most likely the key she's singing in. If the last note is an A, for example, she may be in A major (3 sharps) or she may be in A minor (no sharps or flats). Your ear will have to tell you whether it's major or minor. It's possible to have a song that doesn't resolve to the tonic note but most of the songs we learn will follow that convention.

Depending on the song, you may have to sing in other keys in order to keep your voice in your comfortable range.

[JoelP2600]

Originally Posted by Dub Martin

Have her sing a favorite song a capella and hold the last note of a verse or refrain. While she's holding that note sound a guitar string and slide up the fingerboard until you find that note. That is most likely the key she's singing in. If the last note is an A, for example, she may be in A major (3 sharps) or she may be in A minor (no sharps or flats). Your ear will have to tell you whether it's major or minor. It's possible to have a song that doesn't resolve to the tonic note but most of the songs we learn will follow that convention.

Depending on the song, you may have to sing in other keys in order to keep your voice in your comfortable range.

This is a very good idea.. It's just natural that what she sings in would actually be her key. I'll try this out.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by JoelP2600

...Any hints on figuring this out for her??
I can play guitar and shift the key of songs around until I hit it right... Is that what you'd do??

Hi Joel...
Helping someone determine their range is a matter of having them sing downward to a reasonable note, making a notation of it, and then having them sing higher in similar fashion till they can not reasonably sing any higher. You will be greatly assisted if you know what notes they are singing.

If not, have a pianist assist. They know notes.

First have them sing a song or two so their vocal chords are warmed up.

Pick a song like ''God Bless America'' (an octave plus one whole step range) or ''My Country Tis of Thee.'' (one step short of an octave range). Over the years these have been kind of standards for choir tryouts because they are familiar. (Star Spangled Banner is an octave plus a perfect fifth marathon). Twinkle Twinkle is another that only deals with 6 notes of range.

Just give the singer a medium high note and turn them loose acapella and then work up and down to find the extremes of their range.

Knowing a singer's range will be helpful in knowing what keys they should sing in, and which songs are beyond their capabilities. Many popular songs have a wider than normal range, and require more ability.

Professionally recorded CD backgrounds usually publish the ranges available on the cover.

Vocal lessons and practice will expand people's ranges.

[JoelP2600]

Egad's I think we got it.. Close anyway.

My friend has a really great voice and quite a wide range right now.
But we determined with 3-4 songs, the key of C seems to be the best key for her, We tried a number of other songs in other keys but there was always something that was too low or too high.

Once I adjusted the songs to the key of C, even if I had to capo like 6 frets, she was able to sing them with no problems. We then were also able to note other songs she does very well, and here favorites, and they were consistantly key of C songs.

I realize key of C is very common, so it wouldn't be surprising to find C songs that she could do well.. But she also expressed that older hymnals, lots of Bb and F's, she can't do, and there were problems with G songs too, which we commonly do. C isn't just a cop-out.

[dudley doright]

Originally Posted by JoelP2600

Egad's I think we got it.. Close anyway.

My friend has a really great voice and quite a wide range right now.
But we determined with 3-4 songs, the key of C seems to be the best key for her, We tried a number of other songs in other keys but there was always something that was too low or too high.

Once I adjusted the songs to the key of C, even if I had to capo like 6 frets, she was able to sing them with no problems. We then were also able to note other songs she does very well, and here favorites, and they were consistantly key of C songs.

I realize key of C is very common, so it wouldn't be surprising to find C songs that she could do well.. But she also expressed that older hymnals, lots of Bb and F's, she can't do, and there were problems with G songs too, which we commonly do. C isn't just a cop-out.

I always sings in what I call the key of "Out of key"!

[ljguitar]

Good job Joel...
It was nice of you to pursue that with her.

[dthumb]

Originally Posted by JoelP2600

Egad's I think we got it.. Close anyway.

My friend has a really great voice and quite a wide range right now.
But we determined with 3-4 songs, the key of C seems to be the best key for her, We tried a number of other songs in other keys but there was always something that was too low or too high.

Once I adjusted the songs to the key of C, even if I had to capo like 6 frets, she was able to sing them with no problems. We then were also able to note other songs she does very well, and here favorites, and they were consistantly key of C songs.

I realize key of C is very common, so it wouldn't be surprising to find C songs that she could do well.. But she also expressed that older hymnals, lots of Bb and F's, she can't do, and there were problems with G songs too, which we commonly do. C isn't just a cop-out.

If your friend has a problem with "keys" its most likely in the way she hears the song or a difficulty in transposing pitch in her head. Sounds like she's got the lungs for it all. She should probably try expanding a bit. "G" should be no problem. F. A and D require a litle more work. See what she can do with Eb. Just drop a half step and play in E. Works for alot of things.