How should we choose the key for a song we’re performing? Should we try to stick with the original key that the song was written in, or should we change it to adapt it to our vocal range? A student asked me this question last week, so I thought I’d share my answer with you. 🙂
Often, composers choose a key based on the character and “mood” of the song; so, in that sense, the key is an important part of the song itself.
For example, Beethoven almost always used E flat major for music that has an epic/majestic feel to it, like the Emperor Piano Concerto or the Eroica Symphony. Changing the key of these compositions would definitely take away from their character and power.
The difference is much less noticeable and relevant in pop music, though, where different keys are used almost interchangeably (in karaoke keys are changed all the time!)
If the song you want to sing is too low or too high for you, my suggestion would be to pick a key that’s comfortable for your vocal range, and not worry too much about sticking with the original key.
Singing in a comfortable range allows your voice to soar and makes it easier for you to express feelings through your singing. So, ultimately, you’ll be able to do the song more justice than by stubbornly trying to sing in the original key.
HOW DO YOU PICK THE RIGHT KEY?
1. Find the sheet music of the song
2. Skim through it to identify the lowest and the highest notes in the song
3. If you need to raise the song to a higher key, take it up a step or two and then check that the highest note in the song is not too high for you.
4. If you need to lower it, take it down a step or two and then check that the lowest note in the song is not too low for you.
5. Sing the song through once in the new key to make sure that everything works well for your voice
All that said, I also want to mention that it’s always a good idea to work on extending your vocal range, so that you can be more flexible and sing in keys that may not be ideal for your voice, especially if you sing in a duet or a small ensemble and have to take into account everyone’s needs.
