Pet peeve #775: Church music that can't physically be sung.
If you write a song, and you're the only one who is ever going to perform it, then feel free to put it in the 'right' key for your voice. But you know, if you're going to write music for the masses, maybe you should put it in a key that's friendly to the average singer. Seriously. We sang a song this morning in what I call "The Key of Chris Tomlin." If you aren't familiar with Tomlin, it equates to "The Key of Sting." He sounds great singing it. He is also an alto. The rest of us are left fumbling with trying to either sing an octave lower or harmonizing and hoping that some woman out there is picking up the melody. I knew we were in trouble when I heard my friend Marty, who has the vocal range of Prince, started choking off notes. I'm not knocking Tomlin as a worship leader and songwriter, I just wish you didn't have to be a dolphin to sing his stuff.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
How about we do this one in the Key of EEEeeeEEEeeeEEE
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4 comments:
Oooo rockin out to "Not To Us" at your church?
I'd like to be a dolphin. Um, just because...
AGREE. So much church music is written for soprano on the female side. Why not alto? There are probably more sopranos that can sing alto than vice versa. I ask my band re-key if it's going to be a problem.
Next time I'm standing next to you and Marty in church I'll imagine a dolphin head on Marty's shoulders just for grins!
Thankfully yesterday's selections were much more "low end" friendly.
A huge congratulations again on your news. Kinda makes me wish I could take a sabbatical to photograph the whole thing! Thankfully your wife is a great photographer too.
BTW, hurry up and do a bunch of crap you like to do by yourself, your days are numbered! ;-)
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