• From: Nova Scotia
  • Registered: 2008-01-05
  • Posts: 21

Topic: woman singing

i am new to guitar, started in sept 07,  love it......however, my singing sucks, i never really thought my voice was all that low until i tried singing with my guitar.  (i don't seem to have this problem when i am singing along with a cd) i want to belt out the song but my voice is low and i seem to be straining and of course it sounds terrible.  is there a way to change the chords to fit my voice.  for example, i've been playing "suds in the bucket" i'm okay with that song until i get to the chorus, then it seems to go up and i cannot do that. can anyone recommend anything,  different chords, capo etc,  i need help...

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

Re: woman singing

My wife has the same problem. Since I've only been playing guitar for a little over 2 1/2 years it gets to be a problem for me to find the right key. I've learned, thru trial and error, that my wife is more comfortable singing in the key of "G" as she can get more projection without straning. What I do is look for the song under the Chordie format and either change the key thru the transpose function or, again by trial and error, I've learned to transpose the chords myself. I don't know the key of the song you mentioned but I do know the song. To transpose the chords I find its easer to use the "Nashville Numbering" system and assign all chords a number.  If the song is in the key of "D" the chords would be:

1..........2..........3..........4..........5..........6..........7..........1
D..........E......F#/Gb......G..........A..........B.....C#/Db......D

To transpose the chords to the key of "G" the chords would be;

1.........2..........3.........4.........5..........6..........7..........1
G........A..........B.........C.........D.........E......F#/Gb.......G

In each of these progressions the 1st, 4th and 5th chords are Major chords.
The 2nd, 3rd and 6th chords are minor chords.
The 7th chord is a dimished chord.

This principle will work for all chord progressions so give it a try.

By using a capo you can change the key of a song while using chords you are familar with. An example of this would be;

If you know how to play in the key of "E" in a 1 - 4 - 5 progression the chords would be E, A and B. (easier to play a B7 chord)

By placing a capo on the 1st fret you can play the chords of E - A - B7 but the chord voicings would be F - Bb - C7.

By moving the capo to the 3rd fret when you play the chords E - A - B7 the chord voicing would now be G - C - D7.

Placing the capo on the 5th fret same chords but you are now playing in A.

This goes right on up. To use a capo or to learn to transpose chords it just takes a little time and effort. It is worth it!

There are better qualified people than me in this forum that can help you with this but I hope you can get something from all my rambling.

Nela

NELA's Website

3 Reply by cytania (edited by cytania 2008-04-25 12:04:43)

  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Re: woman singing

Great post NELA, as I see it options are;

1) Tune guitar down so all strings are a semitone or tone slacker. Problem here is you can't quickly change to another song in regular tuning.

2) Use the capo to raise pitch

3) Transpose the chords using Chordie's wonderful services and keep the guitar open in regular pitch. The previous two methods can give you an idea of how many steps in which direction you need to go.

Some songs are 'singer's songs' they are big, showy and range across the octaves, you often see this kind of song on American Idol and yep, the contestants often get pitchy or fail to carry it. Even these songs can be tamed by reinterpreting them but we're getting into singer's stuff here...

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: woman singing

Thanks for the compliment, Cytania. I've been learning as I go and I know that there are more qualified people than me to answer the above post from Joy123. It's kinda been a battle for me as I never seem to have any one to play music with since work keep me traveling. I'm usually home on weekend and thats the only time my wife and I get to practice. We are doing mostly older country songs and a few gospel songs as they are generally 3 to 4 chords and kinda easy to transpose to other keys. There is a group that gets together every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month and My wife and I usually get to do 2 or 3 songs there. There is a "country store" by our house that has music every Friday and Saturday night and, on occasion we get to do a couple of songs there. Our biggest problem is without us playing or practicing with others we have  no idea of how we sound. We do get compliments from time to time so I think we are ok, but.



As for how I practice songs, I will print the song out (from the Chordie song list) in the key I believe the song to be recorded in. I will then listen and play along until I get comfortable playing the song. Then I will transpose, usually to the key of "G" and get my wife to sing. After a little practice we're off and running. To me transposing a song to another key and using a capo are 2 different ways to accvomplish the same thing. In transposing the chords you are bringing the song into a key you can sing too. In using a capo you are still bringing the song into a key you can sing too but you are also being able to play the same chords you are most familar with. A lotta old time musicans call the capo a "cheater" and don't like them. Yesterday as I was driving home I was listening to an interview with Glen Campbell - like him or no he is one great guitar picker - and he was saying how he got started as a session player in California was in his knowing how to use a capo. All the other musicans were "readers" and only played from the sheet music printed. By using a capo he was able to change keys faster, play more familar chords and by playing in a higher octave compliment the music more. A capo is really used as your index finger would be in playing a barre chord. Everyone needs to learn barre chords (and I practice everyday) but a capo is a great tool, as well.


nela

NELA's Website

5 Reply by 3CF (edited by 3CF 2008-04-25 15:20:05)

  • 3CF
  • 3CF
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: NJ USA
  • Registered: 2008-04-17
  • Posts: 37

Re: woman singing

http://www.cyberfret.com/misc-wisdom/capo/page5.php
Here is a link to a capo chart. The chart will allow you to place a capo on a given fret and you can play in any key you like.
Key of C is pretty common for most people to sing in that is Singer friendly. You can even mess around with the positioning of the capo on the guitar neck to get a voicing that might compliment the key you are singing in however, the chords you are playing on the guitar may not exactly be the chords you would play in the key you are singing in i.e.(your playing in the key of D and you place the capo on 7th fret and actually play in G. This will give you a pretty cool effect when you also add a few guitars to the mix. Allows you to build a WALL  of guitars all complimenting each other but playing different chords, dynamics. On the chart, located at the top, it shows the fret you would place the capo on and on the far left hand side of the chart this shows you the chord you will play. You take the top and side and intersect the two Like Battleship, the board game, this will give you the Voicing, of the chord sound you are making. I hope this helps. Good luck.  3CF

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.
Henry Van Dyke

3CF's Website

6 Reply by 3CF (edited by 3CF 2008-04-25 15:21:16)

  • 3CF
  • 3CF
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: NJ USA
  • Registered: 2008-04-17
  • Posts: 37

Re: woman singing

I also use very creatively a Cut Capo to get some pretty cool sounds that you cant get in std tuning. That is another story if like to here let me know. Peace…. 3CF

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.
Henry Van Dyke

3CF's Website

  • G S E
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Detroit Lakes , Mn , USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-30
  • Posts: 330

Re: woman singing

Joy ,
   Another idea is to do what I do . I usually keep one guitar tuned down one full tone , ( from top string tune :
D , G , C , F , A , D . )
   Then if I want to play in standard , I just capo 2nd fret .
   You do need a chromatic tuner to do this ( or you won't be able to get the C )
Otherwise tune the top string to D then relative tune the rest . Hope this helps .

                 Jerry

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "
  • From: Nova Scotia
  • Registered: 2008-01-05
  • Posts: 21

Re: woman singing

wow, what a wealth of information this site is,  thank you all for your suggestions,  i appreciate it

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

Re: woman singing

Willie Nelson plays Uncloudy Day in the key of "F". The "F" chord is kinda hard for beginners so to get around that place a capo on the 3rd fret and form a "D" chord - this "D" chord actually has a voicing of "F". With the capo on the 3rd fret all the chords for the "D" progression will have the sound of all the chords in an "F" progression.

The "B" chord is the most hated chord there is (or so I been told) (A shaped
barre chord).
To make it easy place a capo on the 2nd fret, form a "A" chord on the 4th fret - u are now playing a "B" chord voicing. You can use all the chords for an "A" progression and be in the key of "B".

Me, I got a whole lot more to learn about the capo and barre chords and the more u learn the will find ways to use them to your advantage.

Nela

NELA's Website

  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: woman singing

joy123 wrote:

i am new to guitar, started in sept 07,  love it......however, my singing sucks, i never really thought my voice was all that low until i tried singing with my guitar.  (i don't seem to have this problem when i am singing along with a cd) i want to belt out the song but my voice is low and i seem to be straining and of course it sounds terrible.  is there a way to change the chords to fit my voice.  for example, i've been playing "suds in the bucket" i'm okay with that song until i get to the chorus, then it seems to go up and i cannot do that. can anyone recommend anything,  different chords, capo etc,  i need help...

Lots of good info but if you are new to the guitar then some might be a bit confusing...I play fingerstyle guitar and my wife sings...we will find a key that's friendly for her to sing in...then I'll capo or tune the guitar to find a chord pattern that's friendly to play in. ie: Lots of gospel is in Eb. I'll put a capo on the 1st fret and use a D chord...

hope that helps

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.