• From: IRELAND
  • Registered: 2007-12-23
  • Posts: 30

Topic: Correct Singing Key

Hi everybody was wondering if anybody can help me. I have recently noticed that when I have my Capo on the second fret of my guitar that it sounds right for my vocal range. Does this mean that I have to play all songs with Capo on second fret and also what new chords am I now playing ??? If say I position my finger's to play E - Minor with Capo on second fret is it actually an E- Minor...

Love nothing but that which comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny..Marcsu Aurelius and the wild Elf....
  • From: Camden, SC
  • Registered: 2006-03-19
  • Posts: 95

Re: Correct Singing Key

That could mean that your key could be an F. As far as playing with a capo some people use it to make things easier.  You don't have to use it. If you have the capo on the second fret and play an Em chord shape the actual chord is a Fm.

Edward

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Correct Singing Key

you wanna try f# minor?

ebigham1 wrote:

That could mean that your key could be an F. As far as playing with a capo some people use it to make things easier.  You don't have to use it. If you have the capo on the second fret and play an Em chord shape the actual chord is a Fm.

Edward

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: Correct Singing Key

Ummm . . . seems to me Em played with capo on 2nd fret would be an F#m.

Because there is only one half-step between E and F, so a whole step (2 frets) above E is F#.
Likewise there is only one half-step between B and C, so a whole step (2 frets) above B is C#.

Astro5mile, use the capo as needed to move songs into your vocal comfort zone.  Your vocal range can be broadened with practice - your vocal chords and larynx will increase their strength and agility with use.  Better singing boils down to better breathing - don't hunch over you guitar and learn to draw a full breath (not a gut-buster, but rather a full and relaxed intake).  Be just as serious about your singing as you are about your playing . . . both take practice.

The capo simply raises the pitch of the notes - but does not change the character of the chords.  Major chords are still major, minors are still minor, etc.

You can also use chordie's transposing button to change a song's chord set into a key that is familiar to you.  For instance, if a song is in F and has F, Dm, Bb, and C chords you can transpose up 2-half steps to G and then the song would have G, Em, C, and D for the chords.  Transposing to a new key merely changes the scale you are playing in - it does not change the character of the chords.

Hope this helps - didn't mean to go on for so long . . . James

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: IRELAND
  • Registered: 2007-12-23
  • Posts: 30

Re: Correct Singing Key

James McCormick wrote:

Ummm . . . seems to me Em played with capo on 2nd fret would be an F#m.

Because there is only one half-step between E and F, so a whole step (2 frets) above E is F#.
Likewise there is only one half-step between B and C, so a whole step (2 frets) above B is C#.

Astro5mile, use the capo as needed to move songs into your vocal comfort zone.  Your vocal range can be broadened with practice - your vocal chords and larynx will increase their strength and agility with use.  Better singing boils down to better breathing - don't hunch over you guitar and learn to draw a full breath (not a gut-buster, but rather a full and relaxed intake).  Be just as serious about your singing as you are about your playing . . . both take practice.

The capo simply raises the pitch of the notes - but does not change the character of the chords.  Major chords are still major, minors are still minor, etc.

You can also use chordie's transposing button to change a song's chord set into a key that is familiar to you.  For instance, if a song is in F and has F, Dm, Bb, and C chords you can transpose up 2-half steps to G and then the song would have G, Em, C, and D for the chords.  Transposing to a new key merely changes the scale you are playing in - it does not change the character of the chords.

Hope this helps - didn't mean to go on for so long . . . James

Hi there thanks for the tip its been really helpfull. You have answered alot of questions thats been bugging me. thanks for taking the time out......... Astro5mile

Love nothing but that which comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny..Marcsu Aurelius and the wild Elf....
  • From: IRELAND
  • Registered: 2007-12-23
  • Posts: 30

Re: Correct Singing Key

ebigham1 wrote:

That could mean that your key could be an F. As far as playing with a capo some people use it to make things easier.  You don't have to use it. If you have the capo on the second fret and play an Em chord shape the actual chord is a Fm.

Edward

Thankyou this has been really helpfull.................

Love nothing but that which comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny..Marcsu Aurelius and the wild Elf....
  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Correct Singing Key

Transposing chords (Keys) for a song.

Rule of Thumb but not etched in  stone.

In a chord progression the 1st - 4th and 5th notes will be Major chords.

The 2nd - 3rd and 6th notes will be Minors chords.

The 7th notes will ne Dimished chords.

Write out all the chords starting with the key of the song.
IE) A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb -E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A

Now write out the chords that you want the song to be in.

Use the whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, wholestep, half step - to find the progression of Major -  minor  -  Dimished chords.

Match the 1st   -    4th   &   5th chords

Match the 2nd  -   3rd    &   6th chords

Match the 7th chords.

You just transposed a song. Kinda easy, huh?


Nela

NELA's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Correct Singing Key

whooosh i must have transported to the planet redundent let me repeat myself CAPO...2nd fret..E minor form and the winner is (tension mounts) F SHARP MINOR! WEEEEEEEEEEEE

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Correct Singing Key

Is you sure this ain't a Gbm, huh?

Nela

NELA's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Correct Singing Key

i be sure! since the key is a and there aint no gb in the a major scale if you want to call it gb be my guest

NELA wrote:

Is you sure this ain't a Gbm, huh?

Nela

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: Correct Singing Key

Hi Nela - we are neighbors, sort of!  I'm in Starkville, MS here in Oktibbeha County (translation from the Choctaw dialect = 'Land of Many Trailers').

Saw your tips on transposing and that method works just dandy, but is somewhat labor intensive.

A somewhat quicker method is to use a circle of fifths transposing wheel.  I have one I made out of paper plates . . . not real fancy, but it works just fine.

Here is a printable transposing wheel I just googled up on a nifty ukulele site:
http://www.tikiking.com/circle_of_fifths.html

I might print one of these out myself - but I'm rather fond of my paper plate creation . . . used to use it all the time before finding chordie and it's whiz-bang voodoo transposing gizmo.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Correct Singing Key

james you gotta check out the invention the lego rubic cube solver is a robotic server i have it on my favorites on my utube channel there are links to this vidio like a 3 yr old girl in china that solves the rubic cube in 3 min an 20 sec good viewing and the best is a one handed world record for rubicks in 17 sec flat

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: Correct Singing Key

Russell_Harding wrote:

whooosh i must have transported to the planet redundent let me repeat myself CAPO...2nd fret..E minor form and the winner is (tension mounts) F SHARP MINOR! WEEEEEEEEEEEE

One more time please? If I put my capo on the second fret and I play an Em...???

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello
  • From: Stockton Ca
  • Registered: 2007-10-19
  • Posts: 192

Re: Correct Singing Key

geoaguiar wrote:
Russell_Harding wrote:

whooosh i must have transported to the planet redundent let me repeat myself CAPO...2nd fret..E minor form and the winner is (tension mounts) F SHARP MINOR! WEEEEEEEEEEEE

One more time please? If I put my capo on the second fret and I play an Em...???

You get an F#m

  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Correct Singing Key

Brother James McCormick - we are closer neighbors than you think. I was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Nela

NELA's Website