Karaoke Forums

DK cdg's change the keys from the originals at least on Standards or Traditionals.

I was working on an ABBA song once and my Legends cdg version was 2 semi-tones lower than the original. It took me a little time and numerous plays to realize this..

I played piano in the pit orchestra for a middle school production of "Li'l Abner", and the song "Put 'Em Back" is in C flat!  That's 7 flats!  Whoever wrote that arrangement must really hate musicians!  (Well, they may have had a different number of flats for some of the instruments--I know my hubby plays the clarinet and he reads things in different keys than I do.  But the piano part is in 7 flats.)  They could have just written it in B, which is the same thing as Cb but with 5 sharps.  Or better yet, they could have just put it in C!  That's only a half-step higher and has no sharps or flats in the key signature.  Anyway, I worked on the piano part really hard (and listened to recordings of the song) and it went fine.   I don't mind playing in tough keys--but that's one of the few songs I've seen, possibly the ONLY one, that had seven flats in the key signature.

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I love being a mom!

I can usually tell if it's in a different key.  However, I don't think transposing is cheating at all!  You have to do what is best for your voice (or for the person singing).  

I can usually figure out what key something is in.  Sometimes I don't get it right but my guess is only about a half-step away.  Often, I'll hear a song and think it's is in C and then I'll look at the music and it's in B.  (When I "C" that, it can "B" a real pain.    )

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I love being a mom!

Well. Naturally musicians know transposing IS NOT cheating.  Btw,  as I recall I honestly love you was written in an atypical key for just keyboard and solo vocal accompaniment,  I vaguely recall having to play that in Eb. Since it modulates it wasn't that bad..  Yeah,  In Jazz band if I'm playing piano naturally because of horns, I need to be able to play swing and blues fluently in Bb, and Eb..  We must transpose for the horns.. Which is what I like about play bass  sort've quicker to transpose.hehehe..   When you accompany an orchestra the key signature will be anybodies guess  LMAO ..  Especially if there's choral work.  I never enjoyed the Sight reading ability needed to play that level piano...  Between that and 2 octave major, natural minor, harmonic & melodic minor scales with even agility in all 12 keys, Hanon, and Bach... I decided to become a rock musician.

Classical wasn't fun for me... It was grueling to play at a level that'd enable me to play with local orchestras,  so because I play a multitude of instruments,  I took comp and conducting courses, and did some sit-in conducting since I can read all the clefs, and scores..  Plus I like having my a@@ facing the audience HAHAHAHA.. But to meticulously sight-read piano scores at the classical and even show level playing with an orchestra requires more theory than I wish to know on that particular instrument.. Dynamics are crucial as is everything..

Too traditional and tough for me..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Update to my previous message:

Last night I was at a karaoke place where they could change the key of a song, so I decided to sing "Barracuda" and asked them to lower the key.  It worked!  Yay!  

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I love being a mom!

It's one thing to think that for yourself, but quite another to put that on another person.

For me, I don't like to bring songs down in key because that would mean I have not worked hard enough to sing it in the higher key (i.e. the original key unless I'm sure it is in a higher key by mistake).  I'm a soprano, so a higher key shouldn't matter as far as singing it. But I have NO problem with changing a song's key if it means bringing it up higher so I can sing it. That's just my own personal thing.

I would certainly never call it "cheating" or tell anyone else they shouldn't change the key. That's just silly.  Of course in professional music you do change keys all the time, and it's great when it's available in karaoke as well. I love my key changer.

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

Micky, sorry to reply to a months-old post, but I just had to say this.

You said:
Who would want to sing a song that's not adjusted to it's key??? We each have our own natural key so why sing it on the original if it's not yours???? OK, I sing half a tone lower on most Elton John songs and you know what? I'm proud of it, I manage to get more richness because my natural key is half a tone lower! Don't get me wrong, I can sing on his key but I sound better on mine, you think he could say the same if he were to sing on mine???

Elton John doesn't hit those high notes any more, anyway! I saw him in concert a few years ago...he has lost them.

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

I don't think there is anything wrong with changing the key.  I know people that do it all of the time.  I know this thread is old but oh well.

TexasGal  :wave:

That is perfectly ok.  And I love the waving hand--it's one of my favorite emoticons on this board.  
*:wave: back at ya*

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I love being a mom!

Oh My, well if changing a key is cheating, just call me "The Cheater",  :dancin: HEY isn't there a song with that title, thank God for the ability to change. Any Bass/Baritone, with guts will try a higher key song, but we soon learn there are those that work and those that won't ... Even after a key change, But sometimes you get as close as you can, and IF you can stand it, them Sub it , and that what comes.. No shame in trying, Only in not trying..  :wave: I to know this is a litle late, but still trying to get caught up.. Your Friend ....Tom

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glow=yellow][scroll][shadow=red] Correction..."LIZ" says..  :whistle: You just can't go wrong with TomTom onboard !![/shadow] [/scroll][shadow=gold][/shadow][shadow=cyan][/shadow][/shadow]