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Voice key?

How does one know what key they can sing in?

For instance .. The the slinky long legged ultra cool bird sashays up to the pianist an says in c# .......

I haven't tried it (to lazy to dig out a mic) .. But if a mic is plugged into the gnx then you bring up the tuner .. will it tell you where your at?

Comments

  • Ususally the singer has practiced the tune before, and knows what key he is most comfortable in...Don't know about the tuner function with a mic??
  • Just try singing in a few different Keys. Play the 1 4 5 chords in the Key you want to mess around with say C or D maybe E whatever just try messing around over the changes to get a feel. It really does also matter where the melody is written within the Key Higher Melody's are obviously harder to hit that is if your range is anything like mine. :)
  • First things first - sit down and figure out what your range is. Find your comfortable lowest note and then your comfortable highest note. That will give you your range. Then take a look at the melody line in a song. It helps if you can reads music, obviously. IF the low note is higher than your low note, calculate the difference in half steps. Example: Let's say my low note is a G. I look at the song and the low note is a C. To put this into my so-called key, I would need to lower the melody by 5 half-steps, or a fourth. If the highest note lowered by a fourth is then still in your range, you can do the song.

    So the idea is not really knowing your key, it is that you need to know your range, and then adjust the key of the particular song to fit a new key in your range.
  • I sing in 3 keys : B-A-D :roll: :lol:
  • \ednrg\ wrote:
    I sing in 3 keys : B-A-D :roll: :lol:
    Count yer blessings. I can't even sing that well. :oops:
  • I can sing \"Pants On The Ground\" :lol:
  • \Manitou\ wrote:
    I can sing \"Pants On The Ground\" :lol:
    I sing like the love child of Rosie Perez and Gilbert Gottfried. I make Bjork sound like warm melty butter. :oops:
  • Figure out the lowest and the highest note in the song. Fit that within the most comfortable range of your voice.

    For example, let's say my range is as follows:

    chest voice: C3-B3
    head voice: C4-G4
    falsetto: A4-A5

    I know that the last few notes of the upper range (F-A) are rough. They are difficult to hit, wear out my voice, and don't sound as good as the lower ones.

    I also know that the bottom of the range can be tricky.

    So really, my comfort zone is G3-E5, just under two octaves. Plus, I also know that the switch to falsetto changes the tone of my voice and I want to avoid it whenever possible.

    Let's say I want to sing a song that's originally in A minor, with the bulk of its notes being A3-A4, and two times when it hits D5. Note that the highest note of the main range is the first note in my falsetto range, and I don't want to have to make that shift too often. So, I'll transpose the song a whole step down (G minor). The two times I'll have to hit a C5 is not a problem.

    In terms of actual examples of how to figure this stuff out: the bassist from my cover band has had me go through some songs in almost all of 12 keys until we found just the right one for him (ended up being A :evil: ) Our lead singer, on the other hand, generally knows exactly where she can sign a particular song, or if not I'll pretty much know which key she'd be comfortable with, based on experience.
  • \iliace\ wrote:
    I also know that the bottom of the range can be tricky.
    I can imagine, what with that back of the throat flem sound and heavy Russian accent. shrug.gif


    loudlaugh.gifcof
  • here uses a regular guitar tuner that has the mic on it to train voices. It works if you have one try it out. At some point you will learn what notes sound like and you will be off and running.
    TRY THIS EXERCISE:
    You could do something like this.. place the tuner on a firm table top close to your guitar. Hit the Open G string. Make sure the guitar is in tune. Then Hold the tuner up to your mouth and hit the g note with your voice. are you on key? I would start with the G as it is mid range and most of us can sing it.

    then work up the scale....try the A note then do the B then the half step to C then practice the D until you are on Key. Pay special attention to how to breath with your gut not your chest. Notice how your throat feels tight as you stretch to the higher notes. Practice opening your mouth differently and find your way through the higher notes. Once you master the D note work up to the E and stretch yourself!

    Peace N Out!!
  • 2 years of voice lessons, and studying opera...Don't even think about it anymore..

    If you're really interested get a vocal coach..
  • 2 years of voice lessons, and studying opera...Don't even think about it anymore..

    If you're really interested get a vocal coach..

    Opera??? I thought you were straight :lol::lol::lol:
  • Thanks all for your input...

    Ed.. FWIW I sing in B.A and D too! LoL
  • I know some bands will tune instruments lower just so the vocalist can reach the high notes. ie Judas Priest's Ripper Owens joined the band after Rob Halford left, I noticed on their live recordings they were tuned a whole step down. I think Mr. Owens has a good range, but they obviously didnt want to take any chances.

    Like when you hear the national anthem--it's very important to know your range so when you sing \"and the rockets red glare\" you don't sound like a sick cow.

    I guess bottom line, like everyone is saying, you just have to know where your comfort zone is. I know my past bands thought I was so great that they wanted me to sing solo---so low they couldn't hear me :lol:
  • I think my vocal range is around 200 yards.
    I can tell because after that my Labrador stops pretending like he can't hear me. shrug.gif
  • Well I figure my range is about 3 cents, so it probably isn't audible to the human ear! :roll:

    I was actually wondering if playing around with the middle A440hz would help dial in ... But then if you went to far either way, wouldn't it be like tuning up or down?

    Tou.. 200 yards! wow.. mine just stands there at 20yds and just looks at me like I'm speaking latin to him! :shock:
  • Just don't let your wife catch you singing to A minor. :lol:
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