How To Choose A Song Key

In this webinar, Charmaine unpacks the topic of how to choose a song key for your worship songs and sets. She explores the concept of the “congregationally-friendly” key and walks through some important questions to ask—original key vs your comfortable vocal range, age/gender demographics creating dynamic song journeys, and finding balance in your worship sets.

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Responses

Lindsey Danvers December 18, 2021

Hi Charmaine, thank you for your great teaching I am getting so much from the lessons etc. I now lead worship which I absolutely love and praise God for His amazing timing as Ian 63! I am from a musical theatre background although have sung all sorts of styles, but I am a Belper! However I would like to be able to hit the high notes without having to belt all the time as can be a strain. Can you suggest some exercises or warm ups that would help me get that ping in my voice? Bless you. Lindsey

Charmaine Brown December 28, 2021

Hi Lindsey! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the lessons! Everything I teach in the Discover Your Voice and Master Your Voice courses is designed to help singers get the “belt” sound without straining, so I would encourage you to go through those lessons!

SteffanieO February 27, 2019

We are doing Bethels “Ain’t No Grave” for Easter. The original is Bm. I really need to drop the song a half step to Bbm to have the freedom in my voice to do what needs to be done in the song in the higher parts. I realize Bbm may seem really low but if I do it in the original there are higher parts I have to leave out. After watching this it seems that the right choice is to go with the lower key where I can give the song the dynamics it needs rather than sticking with the original and sacrificing dynamics. Thank you for the insight.

Charmaine February 27, 2019

Definitely the right decision! I would say it’s almost always better to sacrifice a bit on the low stuff… just “speak it out”… with a bit more vocal fry/edge in the tone… so that you can power it out on the higher notes and not have to sacrifice in those bigger parts of the song!

AMAZING song! Hope it goes super well!!

KarenL October 17, 2018

Just wanted to thank you for posting this on the “regular” website, since I am not a FB fan 😉

And thank you for your suggestions. I just want to underline that we can’t be afraid to change the key of a song, so that the congregation, but more importantly, the worship leader an actually sing it.

Charmaine October 19, 2018

Hey Karen! Definitely some important factors!

cccbucks April 26, 2018

Hi Charmaine, my name is Andrew and I am one of the worship leaders at my church and this is an area where I am very determined to grow. I have benefited so much from your program, thank you so much. One thing I wanted to say is that I hit a wall when I have watched similar videos and yours. I am a visual learner and during the male/female ranges portions I get lost and I have come to the conclusion that for those like me it would be great to have visual aid, say a pdf of a keyboard with the highlighted sections/parameters of the different male/female ranges as well as the “no go zones” to follow along with you. Maybe even another video where a few different songs are chosen and walked through that process of male/female ranges while simultaneously employing that visual aid I mentioned above. Just a suggestion. Thank you for your time.

Charmaine April 30, 2018

Hi Andrew! Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂

1. Mattbishton January 20, 2021
  
  Hi thanks for the video, this was insightful. I have a question, if that’s ok, when you say singing a key higher or a key lower, is this based on the congregation aiming to sing the same way I.e. as high as the leader. Just as some songs can be song in lower octave.. sorry hope this make sense
  
  1. Mattbishton January 20, 2021
    
    Ohh haha you have mentioned it in the second half of the video! Sorry need to pay more attention! Thanks

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