FORUM
Join the conversation with worshippers across the globe
Female worship leaders - what keys do you use?
Started by Vics on 15 October 2008 - 11:27am
| 15 October 2008 - 11:27am | |
 |
Ladies, I thought it would be helpful if we shared what keys we normally lead in. My basic rule is that I go down a fourth (so c - g, bflat - f, d - a). It's led to all kinds of horror moments with bass players transposing on sight, vocalists groaning away on harmonies, congregations looking blankly at me - but my basic premisis is that if I can't sing it, you can't expect me to lead! Anything you'd like to share? Vics |
Hi Vics,
I avoid transposing unless I have to, but do transpose if the song goes higher than a D' anywhere...! And I don't really have one blanket transposing guideline - it totally depends on the song and the ranges of notes.
For example 'Praise Awaits You' is a song which doesn't go from really low to really high anywhere - but I do have to transpose it down from B to A.
However, with songs like 'Majesty' or 'You Never Let Go' which seem to go from really low to really high - that's a totally different story. And sometimes the result is that if I can't sing it, I'm not going to try.
I've also realised that my voice range gets much better as I get more into a worship set. So if I start with a song I can sing without too much effort that is pretty comfortably in my vocal range, a few songs in my voice is more warmed up and I can sing the more difficult songs in terms of vocal range. The congregation is more 'warmed up' too, and so if I do make any mistakes they are far less noticeable.
It also helps to have the support of a good backing vocalist who compliments your singing well.
Hope that helps!!
http://brunettekoala.wordpress.com
I assume that we're talking about leading an average Sunday morning or evening congregation.
Rule of thumb that I use is no long notes above a B or C, because above here, people's voices will crack and they'll get embarrassed and disengage from the time of sung worship. I would generally stick to the lower notes earlier in the morning, because people's voices are less awake...
this means looking at the lead sheets of each song and transposing appropriately.
Thankfully, I've been blessed with a fairly wide vocal range when pushed, so I'm able to get to the high notes most of the time. But if there's anything that isn't possible to sing, then I'll take it down a bit! I think for some songs that are like capo 4 in G or something I put down to capo 2 or just un-capoed (if that's a word).