Pitch

Hello :)

I am just wondering about how to find the individual pitches of the melody when we lower the key of a song? Sometimes even in the original key, trying to find the pitch of the vocals with a online tuner it doesint pick up the right one (possibly because of the backing track)? 

Thank you!

You can lower the original track so you still have the guide vocal helping you. But in order to determine the pitches, you'll need the isolated vocal or sheet music. You can purchase sheet music in any key from https://www.musicnotes.com/!

Hi Camille, I see, thank you! :)

Hi Camille, 

Would you be able to help on whether these are the right notes for this phrase "we barely understood" in Whitney's when you believe? It seems the key and pitch is not consitent between music notes vs other resources. 

Is it suppose to be d4  d4 b3  b3 d4 c4# or  d4  d4 b3  c4# d4 c4#? 

at this part          https://youtu.be/c0i8Q_7s9XI?t=43 

What key is this song in?, seems like there are multiple keys in this song = as wiki mentions "Houston's verse is written in the key of B minor and features a basic chord progression of A-G₁, and the song modulates to D major for her chorus" ( i was confused thinking it is one key throughtout for songs)?

Thank you :)

Mai

Most songs do stay within one key for the whole song, but you're correct - this one does modulate!

I'm hearing the second melody you wrote as the one she's singing: d4  d4 b3  c4# d4 c4#.

Sure, I see. Thank you so much for that, Camille. I was wondering with a more complex case:

The original pitches of the first phrase in verse 1 are B3 F#4 F#4 B3 E4 but i find it easier to sing 1-2 semitones lower at e.g A3 E4 E4 A3 D4. However, for the chorus I cant sing 2 semitones lower than the chorus's E3 so I am thinking of just singing with the original pitches for this part but a little lower for the verse.

Formally, Is it generally acceptable to do this? 

[Verse 1]

Though hope is frail 

it's hard to kill.  The original pitches are  A3 B3 A3 F#3 E3 F#3. 

I was also wondering if you have experienced something similar  with tuner apps like Sing sharp and how well they pick up pitches, when your trying to sing a note like C#4 but it slightly flickers between C#4 and a note above or under this, maybe like a D4-C#4. Does it mean we are still singing on pitch or the note shoud show up steadily?

Thank you from Mai

its help me to sing better yes or no?

Hi, Alisha! What's your question?

Sure, I see. Thank you so much for that, Camille. I was wondering with a more complex case:

The original pitches of the first phrase in verse 1 are B3 F#4 F#4 B3 E4 but i find it easier to sing 1-2 semitones lower at e.g A3 E4 E4 A3 D4. However, for the chorus I cant sing 2 semitones lower than the chorus's E3 so I am thinking of just singing with the original pitches for this part but a little lower for the verse.

Formally, Is it generally acceptable to do this? 

[Verse 1]

Though hope is frail 

it's hard to kill.  The original pitches are  A3 B3 A3 F#3 E3 F#3. 

I was also wondering if you have experienced something similar  with tuner apps like Sing sharp and how well they pick up pitches, when your trying to sing a note like C#4 but it slightly flickers between C#4 and a note above or under this, maybe like a D4-C#4. Does it mean we are still singing on pitch or the note shoud show up steadily?

Thank you from Mai

Pitch apps will "flicker" particularly when you're using vibrato. As long as you're mostly singing the correct pitch, you're probably okay - but it's impossible for me to say without hearing you!

And to answer your question about changing keys for just a portion of the song: unfortunately, no - you either move all pitches up or down by the same degree.