The simple answer is the vocal range is too high or low. There doesn’t seem to be a key that always works for a vocalist (because the melody is the problem for a vocalist). Guitars leaders may have a favorite key to play in but still find they can’t sing every song in that key.
Find your Vocal Range
Go to a piano and sing your lowest to highest comfortable notes and you have found your vocal range. If you notice the notes of the melody of a song on the piano part you can see where the singer’s range will hit most of the time. If you don’t read music, find a piano player who does and ask them to find your range.
Does the Song’s Range Fit Yours?
Lots of songs seem to have the verse singable and then leap an octave for the chorus. So it’s important to look at where you sing most of the time and put the song in a singable key for the leader. Remember if your leader is a tenor it will be pretty high for women to sing and the congregation as well. For example I’m an alto. I can sing comfortably a low A below middle C and a D about high or treble C. So most of the notes should stay within that range. Again if you don’t read music, ask your piano player to find the best key for you by looking at the notes. Then choose a key where that range is comfortably sitting. It’s not the occasional note out of range that’s a problem. It’s when the melody line consistently is at the top of the range (or the bottom) that you should change the key. It’s a dance to make a singable key fit the level of your musicianship, so some songs may not work as well in your set. Every vocalist has to follow the key of the leader, so it’s great to learn to harmonize!
Do you have any questions on theory I can address?
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