Song Help Request How can I sing "in Key"?

quiltingshirley

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I know nothing about singing. I just open my mouth and sing which is probably the problem. I can hear any variation in pitch on my ukulele but not (my voice) when I'm singing out of key for what I'm (or others are playing --those I sing really soft). Help! Yesterday we joined some others (total of 5, 2 ukes, 2 guitars, & a fiddle) at a Senior Living Center to sing some songs. I was playing and singing from the Yellow Daily Uke book in the key it was written in (A) and didn't have a clue until I was stopped and told I was singing in a different key. As you can tell, I do need help. I can play most stuff but the singing is badddd. I doubt that my singing is even in time with the music Thanks for any and all help.
 
I'd recommend recording and listening to yourself. That way, you should be able to hear whether you are on time and in pitch. Listening to yourself from an outside source will sound different than the sound you hear in your head. With a little practice, you should be able to adjust so you are where you want to be. I'd recommend singing songs as well as playing single notes on your uke and practicing singing/matching the note played. Also, singing scales. Listening to yourself do these kind of exercises should help out a lot.
 
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Recording both songs and the single notes is a great idea. There is no way I want a repeat of yesterday so I will work at it. (Never noticed how bad I am at the Jams cause there's always lots of folks singing.) In my head yesterday I thought I was in tune but my uke had went out of tune. Thanks.
 
It sounds like your issue is matching pitch, which can be learned. "Key" is not actually relevant; if you can sing a song in one key you can sing it in any key (within your range, of course). But many people have not been trained in matching pitch; in other words, the note you are singing is not the note you mean to sing, or sometimes that you think you are singing.

I suggest you try practicing very slowly, giving yourself time to "find" the note, and listening to yourself. Play a note on an instrument, a piano if you have it, and experiment with matching the note. The most important part is NOT the matching of the note -- it's the LISTENING to yourself while you do it. I think mikelz77's suggestions are great ones, too. It's not unlike practicing any other instrument in this way -- you need to break it down and practice sloooooowly so you have time to listen and make adjustments.

By the way, if you are singing along with one instrument and it goes out of tune, the correct thing to do is to sing in tune with the instrument, not the sheet music! ;) Your instinct was right with that! (Obviously if there are other instruments that plan doesn't work, but still.)

Take your time nd have fun. You'll be surprised how quickly you see results. Let us know how it goes!
 
I did record and listen to myself with my IPad. What an experience -- not good. Hate my singing and even the way my hand moves while strumming, oh yes, and facial expressions. Wow! I'm awful. No wonder I've never recorded myself. Okay, I've gotten beyond that and it is helping. Yes, it's the pitch I'm not getting. I seem to be flat. I'm now practicing hearing and singing with the piano. It seems to be easier to do. Thanks for all your help.
 
Hee! We've all been there! There's always something you don't like, so good for you for not letting that stop you. I promise you, nobody else is worried about how you move your hand and all that stuff, and yet I absolutely understand that when we watch ourselves we can get obsessed over the silliest things! (Ummm... at least that's what I have heard...;) )

Keep up the good work! And let us know how it goes! Looking forward to seeing one of your videos some day soon.
 
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