Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Originally Posted By: pedwards2932
I think you are correct. My band has been doing Bob Segar tunes for years and I used to screech it out in the original key and blow my voice out. We moved them into a more reasonable key and no more blow outs and it sounds much better to me. I guess the key for me is to record it and evaluate. Then we'll see if anyone complains that I am doing it in the wrong key.


No one will likely notice the key. They will notice that you are screeching and can't sing it in the original key.....they won't know the part about the key, they just know you're butchering the vocal part and that equates to "you really suck" in their minds.

Always sing a song in YOUR comfort range. Transpose if necessary. But either own the song or don't sing it.


bottom line: THIS^

in our worship band our WL transposes the key all the time to fit his range AND to fit what the congregation will be able to sing along with. if we're singing songs the congregation can't sing because they're too high, then why do them?

that kind of applies for bar bands, too. there will be people singing along if they can reach the notes. if not - Herb's exactly right - they'll notice if YOU can't hit the notes with confidence and will not think anything except that "he can't sing."