Wanted to add that Bob is a wonderful vocal coach. I am so grateful for his guidance. He is genuinely passionate about hearing his students progress and reach vocal goals. He gave me tools, that worked for me, to unlock a part of my voice I didn't even think existed! Thank you!!
I began singing at 56 years old and decided to do ‘sing a longs’ as a way to challenge myself to sing a variety of ranges, my versatility to do so has become a strength…
Sounds great, good for you! I found that through coaching other singers, and demo-ing songs for them, my range and versatility have skyrocketed as well.
If your’re close(flat and can’t quite reach them) to a few of the higher notes in the vocal melody , and you’re playing guitar, you can tune down a 1/2 step.
The energy point is the most important. Even if you can hit all the notes in a song, if you're reaching to the top of your range, while the original singer is comfortably sitting in the middle of theirs, it isn't going to sound right. Weirdly enough, changing the key - even dramatically - to where your effort matches that of the original will make your version sound much more like the original than it would if you hit all the exact pitches, but the energy is different.
6:20 this really helps me, I am a trans girl and have gone through (the few years or so) of testosterone based puberty making my voice lower (current range roughly G2-C5) I know I am only 14 and so I will more than likely be able to sing higher in the future it's just very disheartening and makes me feel like my voice has been ruined (I used to sing all the time) and I'm very grateful to hear this
Thanks for your comment. Your voice is probably somewhere between the two sexes now. Know that I know both men and women with a range a lot smaller than yours that I've seen improving their range a ton. I'm not trans, but teaching many female students forced me to practice my high singing, and I can now comfortably demo almost anything, also for my female singers. This was definitely not the case when I started out. So trust and practice. You'll get your high notes :)
Start with singing along the notes of a keyboard or piano to define the range of your voice. Once you are aware of the hihghest and lowest note you easily can reach within this range you have the perfect start for writing a song. I do this every time when I have to record a song for a new singer.
Been singing since I was a child..Then stopped singing for 30 years..A few years ago folks asked me to sing at a party..Now I can't stop..I rehearse a song by singing acapella into my phone...I then sit down at the piano and. play backing with it to find out what key I'm singing in..If it's within my range I stick with it..if not I go a little lower and or higher..I normally back myself on a separate track and sing the original song acapella when I record for YT...Mostly folk, a little classical and country numbers I choose to sing ...I compare singing to painting.. Everybody can sing ..everyone van paint..I neve worry singing in front of an audience.. .
I honestly don’t like singers that stay in one range , and don’t pick a range where they can hit the second octave during a chorus or bridge . I think it’s best to stay lower , so you have someplace to go to in other parts of the song.
@@bob.smeenk Very worthwhile video. it took me years as an amateur singer/guitarist to realise that half the songs in my repertoire weren't a good match for my voice. These days I have much more awareness of transposing and using capos. Karaoke site you recommend looks very interesting!
Will any of the transpose apps work with a phone or do you need a laptop? I've got some low songs that could use bumping up. I want to make the point that low notes can sound very dynamic and moody too. Also, when you're singing a 3-hour set, one must be wise and pace the voice. Choosing songs that showcase your voice without hitting the top of your range in every song. High notes are not the only entertaining factor in vocals. Singing a mid-range song with lots of tone and warmth can be just as engaging. Doing this also breaks up the set and surprises the ear of the listener. Singers that choose to belt out every song can actually become quite boring to listen to.
Couldn't agree with this more. It's also one of my own pitfalls. When I first unlocked my high range, all the songs I wrote needed to go there 😂 Must have been annoying to listen to 😅 For mobile use I prefer Moises. They have a great app that syncs your songs to desktop/mobile/any device. If you use Timestretch you could process the audio file on your desktop, then download it and send it to your phone. But if you'd later want to change the key, you'd have to use Timestretch again. So my advice: try Moises. It's amazing.
Thanks for sharing how to sing in the perfect key and choose the right energy sounding key for your singing voices. You can sing and record your own voice to see what is the best key to sing using any available smartphone software app tools like Moises, pitch autotune, pitch changing keys for your voice, etc ... Lastly, let us all learn some good vocal skill techniques to improve our singing voices in the long run.
Hey, I'm new to your channel. I'm from Indian subcontinent. I'm 30 years old. I'm planning to train my voice as hard as possible. I'll follow your videos from now on.
A “captain obvious” vid is all I expected from this UA-cam suggestion, but got a refreshingly pleasant surprise and a gem in this one ❤🎉! Singing a song in its original key is often why covers do NOT do it justice, but people don’t consider changing keys unless something is out of reach. To this man’s great point that he vocalized so beautifully with Bruno Mars’ song example, if you want to convey the same intended emotional intensity, you find the spot in YOUR voice that matches it, even if your range allows for many alternatives. And I hope musicians who instrumentally support singers get to hear this info too and stop giving such hard time when for ex., a girl can sing low but still wants to raise a male song by 5-8 semitones. What’s best for the vocal delivery is best for the song and therefore best for the band and the audience 😊amen! Checking out this vocal model system now, looks very insightful, thank you! ❤
Very good advice Bob. I wish you every success with your channel. One friendly piece of advice re video production. Let your presentation flow and don’t become preoccupied by editing out ‘ums and ahs’’ and other minor errors. This will result in a more natural feel for the YT viewer and avoid the present jerky presentation (in parts). Your app and website tips for editing tracks were especially useful. Have a 🎉
Haha great! I think karaoke bars should also have the option to let singers choose their keys. It would make for a much better experience for everyone involved :P
I'll add it to my "to record"-list. But it might be awhile. Have you looked at other channels talking about this? There's a ton about that online already.
@@bob.smeenk I've watched thousand videos of it but none of them worked for me, i believe your approach to it would be a big help and make a difference, not only for me. Thanks! i'm looking forward to it.
Tricky genre in general. Apart from changing keys to make the songs more comfortable, you'll have to work on singing past your Break Pitch in Mode B and C. Specific tips other than the ones in my videos are difficult, as I don;t know how you sing. If you haven't seen my ABC Voice Model video that might help.
I wish there is no hope for me .. and I have played in bands for 20 years and written all the songs just wish once I could sing one of my songs .. the bands love my songs but won't let me sing .. I do play pretty great guitar as well
Yep true. Sometimes artists records studio versions in different keys then they use for their life performances. And some singers find that when they get old, they can't sing as high anymore, so they lower the pitch of their songs. No shame in it, but yes, they do. And we can all use it sound better :)
Reminds me of the video The Downward Spiral of James LaBrie, which shows Dream Theatre's vocalist voice changing in live performances through the years (also I think he got serious vocal damage)
Hmm I'll have to check that out. I went through a Dream Theatre phase some yeras ago :) But yeah, this sadly often happens with aging/touring vocalists.
sorry my spelling was bad there i meant mainstream artists don’t always sing there songs in the original keys live a lot of them ( i think you understood what i meant , cheers pal .
I’ve been doing this for 48 years…..nothing new. Unless you are blessed with a wide range you are better off finding your best key. Not always popular with all the band! But it’s the way pros work.
An important remark: Its ok to transpose your key up to 3 semitones higher or lower. In case you go further with the transposition you notice that the sound of music is starting to sound bad even if you can sing comfortable. Notice that every song is written for a certain singer and his own voice type. Even if you are able to reach all the notes with no strain it is still possible that this song is just not for you as you can’t repeat the same emotions, your can sound worse even with the right technique. To avoid this, write your own songs or spend years trying to find the best singer to repeat after.
Thanks! I agree. Also: I still use the transpose function for more semitones to quickly find the perfect key. It doesn't sound great, but it's functional! Then if I, or one of my students wishes to perform that song in that key, we make a custom backing track or play it live.
@@messiah-lo5vm I must have missed the 3 semitones rule and it doesn’t make sense to me. When did the vid say that? For example, a girl singing Wicked Game originally in the key of Bm raised it to Gm and blew the judges away on the Voice. With her high voice no way she’d have the same vocal break placement nor the needed intensity if the song was only changed by 3 semitones. In fact, even alto/contralto women and some male voices would have a hard time singing in that key.
Ok maybe if this about digitally transposing the exact same backing track then maybe the instrumental will sound a bit odd, but if a person is having live accompaniment with instruments playing in the new key, then sky is the limit. If someone thinks they need to raise a karaoke key +7 it may be handy to know that it’s the same as lowering by -5, and to raise +9 = -3, which may help those who may not realize that the octave is 12 semitones and so the intervals are inverses of each other, just adding up to 12. That way the backing track won’t sound as distorted.
@@Indigo-lucky Yep I was doubting if I should include that in the video. I thought it would make the video too dense/complicated. But maybe I was wrong, and definitely very useful to know.
Demi Levato's notes are not high. I do the high notes of Ariana Grande and Sarah Brightman. I say no to most songs because 90 percent of them are too low for me.
fascinating! try to sing opera’s soprano! wish you the all the best! xd:) or try to make your own songs that perfectly match your range and your temperament.
Well using this system you can also raise the pitch of course. Then all those songs that are too low for you will become viable as well. Shame to discard them, just because they're too low.
They are high if you were to fully chest-belt them, like the C mode. With a head voice technique or mixed (like A and B here I guess) I think a high female voice can sing anything, some male songs with no transposition at all, just an octave higher. My observation and experience… if I like a song I never let it slide, can always find a way to make it work! If you depend on outside platforms that don’t offer transposition flexibility then I guess it can be definitely limiting for any singer.
When singing along with a singer from the same sex they're a bit bigger. When singing along with other sex they're a bit smaller. I think it won't be that far off on average ;)
I partly agree. If you know about this, it's not useful. But for many singers (just read the comments) this is new/useful information. Not everyone is beyond ground level understanding of singing already ;)
So helpful! Love that he doesn't just say, "Pick a key where sound the best." -> he gave 3 crystal clear steps! WOW!!!
The energy matching is my favourite one. Once you get a bit of practice with it, you can find keys very easily.
Wanted to add that Bob is a wonderful vocal coach. I am so grateful for his guidance. He is genuinely passionate about hearing his students progress and reach vocal goals. He gave me tools, that worked for me, to unlock a part of my voice I didn't even think existed! Thank you!!
Thanks Andrea! I really enjoyed our coaching session today! 😀
This is why I like my capo more than life itself
Haha amen!
I began singing at 56 years old and decided to do ‘sing a longs’ as a way to challenge myself to sing a variety of ranges, my versatility to do so has become a strength…
I have been singing since I was a kid but now I want to take some training and I am about your age too.
Sounds great, good for you! I found that through coaching other singers, and demo-ing songs for them, my range and versatility have skyrocketed as well.
If your’re close(flat and can’t quite reach them) to a few of the higher notes in the vocal melody , and you’re playing guitar, you can tune down a 1/2 step.
Yep, also a viable option. And I love the sound of a guitar tuned down ♥️
The energy point is the most important. Even if you can hit all the notes in a song, if you're reaching to the top of your range, while the original singer is comfortably sitting in the middle of theirs, it isn't going to sound right. Weirdly enough, changing the key - even dramatically - to where your effort matches that of the original will make your version sound much more like the original than it would if you hit all the exact pitches, but the energy is different.
Well put. I totally agree :)
Great tip about using the capo and transposing chords on guitar and piano. So useful for changing up songs without the tech!
You're welcome!
So very helpful! Thank you! Best regards from a German singer.
Bitte sehr! :)
6:20 this really helps me, I am a trans girl and have gone through (the few years or so) of testosterone based puberty making my voice lower (current range roughly G2-C5) I know I am only 14 and so I will more than likely be able to sing higher in the future it's just very disheartening and makes me feel like my voice has been ruined (I used to sing all the time) and I'm very grateful to hear this
Thanks for your comment. Your voice is probably somewhere between the two sexes now. Know that I know both men and women with a range a lot smaller than yours that I've seen improving their range a ton.
I'm not trans, but teaching many female students forced me to practice my high singing, and I can now comfortably demo almost anything, also for my female singers. This was definitely not the case when I started out.
So trust and practice. You'll get your high notes :)
Great Info love you!
❤
Start with singing along the notes of a keyboard or piano to define the range of your voice. Once you are aware of the hihghest and lowest note you easily can reach within this range you have the perfect start for writing a song. I do this every time when I have to record a song for a new singer.
Yep. Shame of you write someone a song and they can't sing it :P
Been singing since I was a child..Then stopped singing for 30 years..A few years ago folks asked me to sing at a party..Now I can't stop..I rehearse a song by singing acapella into my phone...I then sit down at the piano and. play backing with it to find out what key I'm singing in..If it's within my range I stick with it..if not I go a little lower and or higher..I normally back myself on a separate track and sing the original song acapella when I record for YT...Mostly folk, a little classical and country numbers I choose to sing
...I compare singing to painting..
Everybody can sing ..everyone van paint..I neve worry singing in front of an audience..
.
I like this! Using your intuition by just starting out a-capella. I might steal that from you :)
And I love that found your love for singing again!
This is absolutly laudable!! No bullshit, actual advice and free usefull apps?? Im all for it :))))))
Haha love this. Could be my motto :) I try to release one of these every Thursday
I honestly don’t like singers that stay in one range , and don’t pick a range where they can hit the second octave during a chorus or bridge . I think it’s best to stay lower , so you have someplace to go to in other parts of the song.
Yep! Better than to be straining to just get the basic melody for the whole song :)
Dit is heel leerzaam dankjewel Bob!!
Graag gedaan :)
So good, I watched it twice!
😁♥
@@bob.smeenk Very worthwhile video. it took me years as an amateur singer/guitarist to realise that half the songs in my repertoire weren't a good match for my voice. These days I have much more awareness of transposing and using capos. Karaoke site you recommend looks very interesting!
@@startingfingerstyle Getting the key right makes such a big difference to the sound and our confidence :)
Heel leerzaam Bob, en duidelijk uitgelegd. Thanks!
Graag gedaan :)
Will any of the transpose apps work with a phone or do you need a laptop? I've got some low songs that could use bumping up.
I want to make the point that low notes can sound very dynamic and moody too. Also, when you're singing a 3-hour set, one must be wise and pace the voice. Choosing songs that showcase your voice without hitting the top of your range in every song. High notes are not the only entertaining factor in vocals. Singing a mid-range song with lots of tone and warmth can be just as engaging. Doing this also breaks up the set and surprises the ear of the listener. Singers that choose to belt out every song can actually become quite boring to listen to.
Couldn't agree with this more. It's also one of my own pitfalls. When I first unlocked my high range, all the songs I wrote needed to go there 😂 Must have been annoying to listen to 😅
For mobile use I prefer Moises. They have a great app that syncs your songs to desktop/mobile/any device.
If you use Timestretch you could process the audio file on your desktop, then download it and send it to your phone. But if you'd later want to change the key, you'd have to use Timestretch again. So my advice: try Moises. It's amazing.
Thanks for sharing how to sing in the perfect key and choose the right energy sounding key for your singing voices. You can sing and record your own voice to see what is the best key to sing using any available smartphone software app tools like Moises, pitch autotune, pitch changing keys for your voice, etc ... Lastly, let us all learn some good vocal skill techniques to improve our singing voices in the long run.
You're welcome :)
Well done, great, inspiring and engaging guidance! Cheers
Thanks Zvika!
Hey, I'm new to your channel. I'm from Indian subcontinent. I'm 30 years old. I'm planning to train my voice as hard as possible. I'll follow your videos from now on.
Have fun!
Thank you so much Bob. Your tips really work and can be applied to every song.❤ It.
Good to hear! This is such an unlock for many of my students :)
A “captain obvious” vid is all I expected from this UA-cam suggestion, but got a refreshingly pleasant surprise and a gem in this one ❤🎉! Singing a song in its original key is often why covers do NOT do it justice, but people don’t consider changing keys unless something is out of reach. To this man’s great point that he vocalized so beautifully with Bruno Mars’ song example, if you want to convey the same intended emotional intensity, you find the spot in YOUR voice that matches it, even if your range allows for many alternatives. And I hope musicians who instrumentally support singers get to hear this info too and stop giving such hard time when for ex., a girl can sing low but still wants to raise a male song by 5-8 semitones. What’s best for the vocal delivery is best for the song and therefore best for the band and the audience 😊amen! Checking out this vocal model system now, looks very insightful, thank you! ❤
Also just subscribed✅👍🔔
Amen right back at ya! 😀
I'm working on hold my hand by lady gaga... Its really hard to do the everything will be OK line it's the second line
Good luck! You'll get it :)
Very good advice Bob. I wish you every success with your channel. One friendly piece of advice re video production. Let your presentation flow and don’t become preoccupied by editing out ‘ums and ahs’’ and other minor errors. This will result in a more natural feel for the YT viewer and avoid the present jerky presentation (in parts). Your app and website tips for editing tracks were especially useful. Have a 🎉
Thanks David! When editing, I'm trying to find a balance between pace and naturalness/flow. Maybe I should lean more towards the natural side.
watching this to know my key and pick more appropriate songs at karaoke lol
Haha great! I think karaoke bars should also have the option to let singers choose their keys. It would make for a much better experience for everyone involved :P
Thank u
:D
Great videos!! I just Subscribed!
Thanks! Many more to come!
How to develop vibrato video please.
I'll add it to my "to record"-list. But it might be awhile. Have you looked at other channels talking about this? There's a ton about that online already.
@@bob.smeenk I've watched thousand videos of it but none of them worked for me, i believe your approach to it would be a big help and make a difference, not only for me. Thanks! i'm looking forward to it.
❤
Any insight on how to sing 1980's hair metal and glam for a guy that has a normal male voice?
Tricky genre in general. Apart from changing keys to make the songs more comfortable, you'll have to work on singing past your Break Pitch in Mode B and C. Specific tips other than the ones in my videos are difficult, as I don;t know how you sing. If you haven't seen my ABC Voice Model video that might help.
We didn’t know we needed the holy guacamole chills!
Oh yes, but you do!
Can I get lessons ?
Of course! Go to www.bobsmeenk.com/vocal-coach for more info :)
I wish there is no hope for me .. and I have played in bands for 20 years and written all the songs just wish once I could sing one of my songs .. the bands love my songs but won't let me sing .. I do play pretty great guitar as well
I've heard that story before...did you record your songs (singing yourself)?
Awesome informative video!
Glad you like it!
also what i wish he would mention is they don’t always sing the songs on theirs original key
Yep true. Sometimes artists records studio versions in different keys then they use for their life performances. And some singers find that when they get old, they can't sing as high anymore, so they lower the pitch of their songs.
No shame in it, but yes, they do. And we can all use it sound better :)
Reminds me of the video The Downward Spiral of James LaBrie, which shows Dream Theatre's vocalist voice changing in live performances through the years (also I think he got serious vocal damage)
Hmm I'll have to check that out. I went through a Dream Theatre phase some yeras ago :) But yeah, this sadly often happens with aging/touring vocalists.
sorry my spelling was bad there i meant mainstream artists don’t always sing there songs in the original keys live a lot of them ( i think you understood what i meant , cheers pal .
Yep!
Melodyn 😂❤️
😁
I’ve been doing this for 48 years…..nothing new. Unless you are blessed with a wide range you are better off finding your best key. Not always popular with all the band! But it’s the way pros work.
Yep. If you know, it makes total sense. But you have to find out about it somehow
Oh, ein Holländer bringt mir wertvolle Tipps über's Singen. Wir leben in einer verrückten Welt
Haha warum ist das verrückt? Passt das nicht mit das Holländisches stereotype? (
Dat guy is good
thanks😀
I never sing in my voice I’m always mimicking them 😅
Haha well imitating others is a great way to expand your own capabilities
An important remark:
Its ok to transpose your key up to 3 semitones higher or lower. In case you go further with the transposition you notice that the sound of music is starting to sound bad even if you can sing comfortable. Notice that every song is written for a certain singer and his own voice type. Even if you are able to reach all the notes with no strain it is still possible that this song is just not for you as you can’t repeat the same emotions, your can sound worse even with the right technique.
To avoid this, write your own songs or spend years trying to find the best singer to repeat after.
Thanks! I agree. Also: I still use the transpose function for more semitones to quickly find the perfect key. It doesn't sound great, but it's functional! Then if I, or one of my students wishes to perform that song in that key, we make a custom backing track or play it live.
@@messiah-lo5vm I must have missed the 3 semitones rule and it doesn’t make sense to me. When did the vid say that? For example, a girl singing Wicked Game originally in the key of Bm raised it to Gm and blew the judges away on the Voice. With her high voice no way she’d have the same vocal break placement nor the needed intensity if the song was only changed by 3 semitones. In fact, even alto/contralto women and some male voices would have a hard time singing in that key.
Ok maybe if this about digitally transposing the exact same backing track then maybe the instrumental will sound a bit odd, but if a person is having live accompaniment with instruments playing in the new key, then sky is the limit. If someone thinks they need to raise a karaoke key +7 it may be handy to know that it’s the same as lowering by -5, and to raise +9 = -3, which may help those who may not realize that the octave is 12 semitones and so the intervals are inverses of each other, just adding up to 12. That way the backing track won’t sound as distorted.
@@Indigo-lucky Yep I was doubting if I should include that in the video. I thought it would make the video too dense/complicated. But maybe I was wrong, and definitely very useful to know.
@@bob.smeenk yea people get easily overwhelmed but maybe it can be a little handy follow up video… bite-sized pieces 😀
Demi Levato's notes are not high. I do the high notes of Ariana Grande and Sarah Brightman. I say no to most songs because 90 percent of them are too low for me.
fascinating! try to sing opera’s soprano! wish you the all the best! xd:) or try to make your own songs that perfectly match your range and your temperament.
Well using this system you can also raise the pitch of course. Then all those songs that are too low for you will become viable as well. Shame to discard them, just because they're too low.
They are high if you were to fully chest-belt them, like the C mode. With a head voice technique or mixed (like A and B here I guess) I think a high female voice can sing anything, some male songs with no transposition at all, just an octave higher. My observation and experience… if I like a song I never let it slide, can always find a way to make it work! If you depend on outside platforms that don’t offer transposition flexibility then I guess it can be definitely limiting for any singer.
Left at word hack
Shame. You missed some lame jokes.
The odds are not 1 in 12.
When singing along with a singer from the same sex they're a bit bigger. When singing along with other sex they're a bit smaller. I think it won't be that far off on average ;)
Please check out a singer called Dimash. You will not be disappointed.
Thanks Geoffrey, he's amazing. Good luck finding a key that works for any normal persons voice and SOS 😂
But . . . Ed Sheeran IS a terrible singer
I'm surprised it took 21k views for this comment to appear 🤣
So that's the reason he's so successful...There are very few modern singers I like but Ed Sheeran is one of them.@@bob.smeenk
😁
Ed Sheeran terrible? How's that possible? Terrible in what
Sorry mate. This is not a pro tip. This is ground level understanding of singing. Just clickbait
I partly agree. If you know about this, it's not useful. But for many singers (just read the comments) this is new/useful information. Not everyone is beyond ground level understanding of singing already ;)