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[musallio]

Hi guys,

I know someone has raised a similar issue (someone singing between the keys & the respondents said that could be due to the voice being used to instruments outside the normal scales of the "Traditional instruments" like the piano etc.)

This is a bit different:  The choir I have just joined has a problem of modulating up a key or a 4th or 5th, for 90% of the songs that are supposed to be in 1 key.

Sometimes they request that I give them the key/ lead. I do that, but there is always someone to take up the key. It's no use me remaining in the key because they never come back to it. So I modulate to the key they modulated to. But as soon as I modulate, in the next turnaround you can feel the pull from their voices to the next key.

Question is:

What exercises can I suggest to them that can help them maintain a key? (I don't mind modulating- I actually find it fascinating because I get used to playing various songs in different keys, but it can be frustrating when you hear 2 keys at once & one group singing in different keys.)


I have already suggested that each person tries to sing along with a cd/ recorded song, particularly ones that stick to one key.
The main player puts up the volume above them, but before I joined I remember it got so bad I had to signal to him from the congregation that he had to go a key up.

Thanks in advance for any training advise you might have.

[sonicfoxbody]

If you are referring to a rehearsal, teach them their individual parts. When starting a song have the sopranos, altos and tenors all sing separately while playing a single note. Do this a few times with each of them then try play/singing the song together. Also before each rehearsal try warming their voices up. Have them hear and make their voices shift to all 12 notes.


Now Sunday morning is a different ball game.

[musallio]

Thanx friend.

The off-key thing mostly happens during the rehearsals. We do try to make them sing the parts individually. I guess we will have to intensify on that & making them conscious of it is the beginning.

I remember a friend I respect who used to play a warm-up song, going up the keys- now I see the relevance of all that.
Thanks.

[sonicfoxbody]

Thanx friend.

The off-key thing mostly happens during the rehearsals. We do try to make them sing the parts individually. I guess we will have to intensify on that & making them conscious of it is the beginning.

I remember a friend I respect who used to play a warm-up song, going up the keys- now I see the relevance of all that.
Thanks.

In my previous church we used to meet in the backroom and warm up before each Sunday morning. This church I'm at LITERALLY 1/2 the choir shows up late so I can't do that here.

[kmccray]

I started playing for a church and they had a youth choir and a praise team.  The youth choir was not bad but the praise team had a problem with staying on key.  They had not had a musician for a while.  You could tell that they were not use to singing with music.  I didn't have a particular exercise to help them stay on key but I would stop them while they were singing and explain that they were off key and get them back on key.  Over time it worked itself out.  The funny thing was that the praise team leader was the main one who couldn't stay on key.  She would lead most of the songs and would start in one key and jump to three or four other keys before she finished the song

[musallio]

I started playing for a church and they had a youth choir and a praise team.  The youth choir was not bad but the praise team had a problem with staying on key.  They had not had a musician for a while.  You could tell that they were not use to singing with music.  I didn't have a particular exercise to help them stay on key but I would stop them while they were singing and explain that they were off key and get them back on key.  Over time it worked itself out.  The funny thing was that the praise team leader was the main one who couldn't stay on key.  She would lead most of the songs and would start in one key and jump to three or four other keys before she finished the song

Eish- sounds like what' happening now, only that the choir is the praise team as well. The problem is when a person or group with a powerful voice leads everyone off-key.

But the guys are enthusiastic & teachable, so the problem will also die out in time--soon!!