Skip to content
are duets always in...
 
Notifications
Clear all

are duets always in the same key?

10 Posts
4 Users
0 Likes
3,990 Views
(@velsing)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 34
Topic starter  

Hi

I'm learning a song with two parts, which I'd like to sing as a duet with my niece. However we are both amateur singers, who have not learnt to change our voices to different keys. We generally adjust the guitar work, using a capo, to suit our voices. Thing is, i can sing in one key, and she sings in another. How would the song sound if we played it in two keys. i.e i play my guitar part in one key and sing in my key, then she plays her guitar part and sings in another key?

Any suggestions

Thanks


   
Quote
(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

It will sound horrible if you sing and play the same song in different keys to each other. Music in two keys at the same time (called bitonality) does exist, but it's not what you'd call singalong, easy listening campfire music - It's more like the movie background music to the highly confused and disturbed mental state of a psychopath about to engage in a killing frenzy.

Assuming that's not the effect you want to convey to your audience, I'd find a compromise key that you can both sing that particular song in. If she can sing it well in one key and you in another, then, with the help of the capo if necessary, the key half-way between those two keys should be ok for both of you.


   
ReplyQuote
(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

Singing in unison would be difficult because of the difference in vocal ranges, and singing parallel octaves would lack excitement.

You're really looking to sing in harmony in the same key. Uber-moderator Nick is a humungeously experienced singer and Noteboat is our resident music theory guru, and between them they should be able to get you through how to write it.

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


   
ReplyQuote
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

i just youtubed bitonal music, and the first one that popped up was actually pretty cool. a piece for two pianos by a guy called benjamin britten. of course, it was written specifically for two pianos, and wasn't just one piece played a few steps apart on two separate pianos. some people hated it, though.
in any case, playing a straightforward guitar strumming song in two keys will probably just sound like mud, although some key combinations will end up with some mud and some jazzier chords.
for singing melodies, you should probably let the higher voice sing a melody that has the same rhythm, but sort of finds its way around by ear for the notes that fit best. the chords you are playing will also suggest harmonies.

if you want some inspiration, the beach boys ''pet sounds'' has some of the wickedest harmonies ever recorded.


   
ReplyQuote
(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

As far as I understood from the original question, the two parts are already written. They're not looking to recompose or re-harmonise the song. They just want to play and sing their parts together. As they can't manage it in each other's preferred key for the song, they just need to find a compromise key somewhere between the two.


   
ReplyQuote
(@velsing)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 34
Topic starter  

Thanks for the responses guys.

Fretsource is right in that the song is already written. But let me be more specific. We intend to do a cover of cat stevens 'father and son'. Now we are both learning to play guitar, so we are not in the category of being able to write music, etc. Maybe it was also misleading to use the term 'duet.'

What we wanna do is this:

The song has two parts, one in which the singer assumes the persona of a father, and the other, a son. In the original version, cat stevens sings both parts. HOwever, he raises the pitch of his voice when singing the sons parts, (but the chords are the same.)

Now what I am planning is this:
At no point will we be singing together, or playing guitar at the same time. I will do the fathers parts(playing and singing) then she will do the sons parts (playing and singing).
So this may not be really a duet. In fact it doesn't even sound great when i sing the song on my own. But anyway I'm teaching her to play the guitar though I'm still learning myself. She's a bit shy to sing on her own, but she's willing to try this together. So I'm just trying to encourage her.

Also this is something we will perform in friont of a handful of friends and family maybe. It may not sound great, but we also don't want it to sound like crap!

Hope this clarifies things and you guys can offer me more suggestions.

Thanks again


   
ReplyQuote
(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

This song is tailor made to suit your different vocal ranges. By singing in the same key, she, being younger and female, will automatically sing it an octave higher than you, exactly as Cat Stevens does when changing between the two characters of the song. The only problem is to find a key you can agree on. Tell us your, and her, preferred keys for this song and we'll tell you where to stick the capo to find the compromise key that I mentioned earlier. If you're not sure what the key is, tell us the first chord. (On the word "time") as that happens to also be the key of this song.)
Also, I don't think you or she should stop playing guitar while the other one is singing.


   
ReplyQuote
(@velsing)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 34
Topic starter  

Well i know the song is in G and I've always been singing it in G. It sounds reasonable.

Now she's still learning the song so we're still trying to figure out which key will suit her best for this song, but it just doesn't sound right when she sings it in G. There is another song which sounds decent when she sings it. That song is in the key of C, but when she sings it, it sounds best when we capo on the second fret. So I'm assuming a good key for her would be D, right?

Now maybe you could suggest an alternative.


   
ReplyQuote
(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

There is another song which sounds decent when she sings it. That song is in the key of C, but when she sings it, it sounds best when we capo on the second fret. So I'm assuming a good key for her would be D, right?

That just means that D is a good key for her for that other song, but not necessarily for "Father and Son".

What's the problem when she tries to sing Father and Son in G? Are some notes too high for her to reach? - if so then lower the key to F, E, Eb or D. If you can sing it well in G, then you should also manage F or E no problem and maybe even D at a push. Or are some notes too low for her? In that case raise the key to A, Bb, B or even C. Again, as you can sing it well in G, you should be able to manage it in A or Bb, and maybe even B or C. Somewhere in there, there has to be a key that both of you can manage. Try them out to see which key works for both of you.

If you need to raise the key a little, the capo at the appropriate fret will take care of that for you.
If you need to lower the key a little, then you need to transpose the chords to the new key as the capo won't do that. (unless you put it way up at the 9th or 10th fret, which isn't desireable).

If you need help transposing the chords to a lower key, let us know.


   
ReplyQuote
(@velsing)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 34
Topic starter  

I just tried experimenting with the capo on frets 2 and 4 and discovered that i can sing it in those keys as well. I will be able to transpose, but i' suspect it might be difficult for me to sing in a lower key. also my guitar work is less than desirable. i still struggle with bar chords so playing in certain keys will be difficult.

anyway i guess a little more experiomentation is required from both of us and we should be able to find something that works.

thanks for all suggestions. Will let you know how we get along.


   
ReplyQuote