Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you ever ask yourself, “How can I tell when I’m singing in key?” or “How do I know if I’m singing in tune?” If you happen to be one of those people who has an innate sense of pitch, count yourself lucky. For everybody else, take heart! Performing in tune is a skill that you can learn, and the sing-along soundtracks below will help. Read more to learn what you need to listen for to be able to sing in key.
This website uses technical musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
How Can I Tell When I’m Singing in Key? By Learning How Your Ear Works!
Melodic Sound Model:
How you can tell when you’re singing in key (i.e., in tune) depends on if you tune melodically or harmonically.
- Our ears hear melody and harmony in profoundly different ways.
- When you tune up a melody, you need to listen to the distance between the notes.
What determines if the pitch will be in tune or out of tune?
- The melodies in your culture shape you perception of which pitches will be okay, and which won’t.
- Sing along with the specially tuned song track above while listening to the distances between the notes.
- Can you hear when the notes get farther apart, and when they get closer together?
When tuning harmonically, you need to listen for the buzz between the notes.
- Sing along with the song track below while listening to the buzz between your voice and the organ’s chords.
- The synth vocal line will help you keep on key.
- In addition to listening for the buzz in the harmonies, you also have beats and fusion that you can use as harmonic tuning cues.
For more info on buzz, beats, and fusion see, Harmony Is Tone Color.
Harmonic Sound Model:
How Can I Tell When I’m Singing in Key? By Training with The Intonation Flight Simulator!
You ask, “How can I tell when I’m singing in key?” You learn how to by taking advantage of the rest of the vocal tuning resources on this website:
The Intonation Flight Simulator:
- This link has all the posts with sing-along song tracks.
- The soundtracks’ special tuning system helps you learn how to hear and sing in key.
- Best of all, it costs nothing to use them.
Sing in Tune Like a Rock Star:
- This post helps you learn how to mimic vocal tone and nuance.
10 Elements that Impact Vocal Tuning:
- This link examines the key elements that shape vocal intonation.
Concluding Thoughts to “How Can I Tell When I’m Singing in Key?”
Singing melodic distances in tune often takes longer to master than harmonizing in tune. Therefore, I suggest you focus on harmonic vocal exercises at the start of your training.
The more you practice with the sing-along song tracks, the quicker you’ll be able to tell when you’re singing in key. Also, The Intonation Flight Simulator posts have a lot of good vocal performance tips. Have fun!
© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Glossary
How to Graduate from the Color Coded Sheet Music: Part 2
Has your child or student shown readiness to move on from color coded music notes? The "How to Graduate from Color Coded Music Notes" series will explain how it works. Read more to learn how to transition from the color coding to the clef mnemonics, empowering students to graduate from the color coded sheet music. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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The Top 10 Best Music Souvenir Gifts
Are you stumped for what to get the musicians in your life? Are you looking for musical gift ideas? Music souvenirs are perfect for music teacher appreciation gifts as well as presents for adult and kid musicians. Even for yourself! Click to learn about the top 10 best music souvenir gifts. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
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What Purpose Do Accidentals Serve in Reading Sheet Music?
“What purpose do accidentals serve in reading sheet music?” Sharps, flats, and naturals (collectively called accidentals) grew out of a problem that needed to be fixed in the mediaeval music notation. The music theorists of the time slapped their fix onto the preexisting notation system, and that fix is still with us to this day. However, having confused generations of budding musicians, the results of the fix leave a lot to be desired. Click to answer the question, “What purpose do accidentals serve in reading sheet music?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]
Do you have perfect pitch or wish you did? Why do certain musicians have this astonishing talent, and others don’t? And is perfect pitch singing really a musical superpower? Keep reading “Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]” to learn the secret that nobody talks about. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
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