Singin Guru – An Xperience Column

Singin Guru – An Xperience Column – by Jeff and Crystal Moore.

Dear Singin’ Guru,

I’m a vocalist in a cover band that’s just getting started. Our guitarist wants every song to “sound just like the record.” I know we want to be faithful to the original, but some of the songs are too high for me. I asked if we could lower the song, but the guitarist said it’s “cheating” to change the key. I need some ammunition to go back and argue with him. Can you help?

Sincerely,

Am I a Cheater?

Dear Mr. Cheater,

Performing a song in a key other than the original is NOT cheating. Changing keys can be essential, especially if your band is adjusting to a different vocalist or needs to accommodate a singer’s voice on any given day. Any touring band will tell you that they may drop or raise a song by up to three steps depending on the condition of the singer’s voice.

Songs are often written in specific keys to suit the instrumentalists or vocalists performing them. Some guitarists might sweat bullets playing in G#, but feel right at home in the key of G. Keyboardists may prefer playing in C rather than wrestling with Eb. It’s all about comfort and sound quality. Think about it—when Johnny Cash covered Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” he shifted the key. Was Cash cheating? Absolutely not! He made the song work for his voice so he could give the best performance.

It’s also about the instrumentalist’s skill level. Is your guitarist able to transpose the chords (in other words, change all the chords in a song to a higher or lower key)? Is their chord vocabulary big enough? Does the guitarist have some basic knowledge of music theory so they can transpose? That may be one of his issues.

Mr. Cheater, you can also expand your range. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t sing in a different key, but everyone can benefit from a wider vocal range. Similarly, all guitarists who struggle with transposition can learn enough music theory to help them change keys. Acquiring these skills are all part of musical growth. Keep on singin’, Mr. Cheater, and hold your ground on this one (just don’t get kicked out of the band!).

Yours Truly,

The Singin’ Guru

Dear Singin’ Guru,

My sister heard me practicing my karaoke song and said I sounded like Fran Drescher from the Nanny. While I welcome constructive criticism, I wanted to punch her out (but I didn’t ….). What can I do?

Signed,

The Nanny Singer

Dear Nanny,

First of all, congratulations on your impulse control!

This nasal quality occurs when too much sound is resonating in the nasal cavity, but this isn’t all good or bad. The goal is to balance nasal tones with resonance to get the best sound. The problem is an inability to reduce heavy nasal tones.

First things first: try the pinch test. Pinch your nostrils closed and sing a note. Keep holding the note and then release the pinch. How different do they sound? If they sound a lot different, you’re probably singing with too much nasal resonance.

Next, you’ve got to increase your body awareness. What does it feel like when you sing with too much resonance in your nasal cavity? If you know what it feels like when you’re singing nasally and when you aren’t, you can then start to control it. Try this: sing a verse and a chorus of a song and try to sound as nasally as possible. Channel that inner Nanny! Then sing it as you normally would. How different is the sound? What do you feel when you sing nasally and when you don’t? If you can identify the feeling that comes with reducing nasal tones, you can build on that. Focus on reproducing that feeling with other songs.

Other suggestions: breathe from your belly (also called diaghragmatic breathing). Fill your lungs from top to bottom and tighten that core like you were Bruce Lee. Keep your tongue relaxed and lying on the floor of your mouth. If the back of your tongue is lifted, it can block the sound from reaching your oral cavity, which increases nasality. Open your mouth wider when singing. This will naturally force more air out of your mouth rather than through your nasal passages.

It takes time to reduce this nasal sound, so be patient. And tell your sister to keep her pie hole shut!

Most Sincerely,

The Singin’ Guru

Contact Peak Music if you are a guitarist who wants to learn how to change keys on the fly, a vocalist who wants to expand their range and decrease nasal tones, or a musician who wants to take their playing to the next level. Peak Music’s ultimate goal is to help you become the musician you always wanted to be! Book a free consultation at www.PeakMusicStudios.com.

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