Hi all,
My band have just been rehearsing a song by Primal Scream called "country girl" Theres only 3 chords in the whole song. F,Bb,C.
Unfortunately the chorus to the song is very slightly out of my singing range.
I would like to play it in a different key but don't know where to start.I have no problem changing the chords but would like to know how to work out which chords to change the song to.ie,which chords will give me the desired effect of singing in a slightly lower key.
I know I could sit your for half an hour or so trying different chords but I would like to know if theres a quicker way or a formula /theory for acheiving this.
Hope this makes sense!
Cheers
Bob.
My Band: http://www.myspace.com/thelanterns2010
playing whilst drunk is only permitted if all band members are in a similar state!
There is a quick way - figure out what key it's in. This one happens to be in the key of F... and that makes the chords I-IV-V (roots on the first, fourth, and fifth notes of the F scale - F, Bb, and C)
Now pick a new key. Say you want to do it in B....
Find the first note (B) the fourth note (E) and the fifth note (F#) of the B major scale. Those are your new chords.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
You could trying dropping the whole thing - each of the chords - down a half step (to begin with). Like E, A, B. Then sing that part again, and if it's not enough, try another half step Eb, Ab, Bb, or if those chords are too weird, go to D, G, A.
Try to envision the scale notes - like on a keyboard maybe - and the first chord, the F in this case, is a certain place, and then you just go to your left until you find a comfortable key. F down a half step is E, another half step-Eb, etc.
But just remember to drop all the chords the same exact amount.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the quick response guys.
You sort of answered my question.What I am trying to find out is if the key of a song is slightly too high for me to sing where do I go to drop that down a key as I believe its not as simple as just dropping the chords say from F to E because the melody for that song may require you to sing even higher in E than F.
Maybe it just question of trial and error until I find the right chords!
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks
Again
Bob.
*I should learn some theory i guess!
My Band: http://www.myspace.com/thelanterns2010
playing whilst drunk is only permitted if all band members are in a similar state!
Why not keep the chords the same and drop the vocal down an octave - or does it suddenly sound like a manic Pavarotti?
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
What I am trying to find out is if the key of a song is slightly too high for me to sing where do I go to drop that down a key as I believe its not as simple as just dropping the chords say from F to E because the melody for that song may require you to sing even higher in E than F.
Bobblehat - It IS that simple. If the vocal in F is just a little too high, lowering it to E will drop every melody note by exactly a half step. The melody WON'T require you to sing higher in E than in F - you've been misinformed somewhere along the line.
manic Pavarotti
Dude, that's a great band name!
there's a really clever tool for doing this, available from http://www.musicwheels.com/
I have one and its opening a few windows for me, it might be worth looking at?
