Is it easier to sing in some keys than others

[electrotar]

I find songs in c and em quite easy to sing with. Also Dm.

 

But a song in say D I find harder to sing.

[polishpaul]

^^^^

 

That answers your question.

[mosiddiqi]

I can sing equally badly in all keys.

[BydoEmpire]

In my humble opinion (shared by my wife who is an amazing an schooled singer) it depends what the melody is, not the key. Everyone has a lowest and highest note, so that's your range, and then you've got a 'comfortable zone' within that range. If the melody fits within that range I don't see how it would matter much. If a melody requires you to stretch your limit and reach higher or lower than you're comfortable it would be a problem, but that's not really a function of key. For instance, when I do a Chicago blues type of song, I like A or G. Singing that type of tune down to E or especially up to C is tough for me. I can't sing along with Buddy Guy or Joe Bonamassa doing a blues in C. However, I've written plenty of more rootsy, alt-country types of songs in E and C that I'm perfectly comfortable singing, but then the melodies I write for those songs are tailored for my limited range.

[electrotar]

I see, so the songs i cnat sing is due to me unable to sing that melody well.

[JonR]

 

I see, so the songs i cnat sing is due to me unable to sing that melody well.

Well yes, but that could be down to a few things.

 

If your voice is generally OK - if you can some songs well enough - then what makes one song easier than another is likely to be its range, not its key (which is what BydoEmpire is saying).

Basically, can you hit the highest note in the song, as well as the lowest note?

If you can't, then you should transpose it (change the key) until you can.

If your voice is untrained, then you may have a limited range - the distance between the lowest and highest notes you can comfortably reach (with enough confidence to hold those pitches) might be too small for some songs, whatever key you transpose them to. Eg, you might have to lower a key so you can hit the highest notes - but then find you can't get down to the bottom ones; or vice versa - raise it so you can get the lowest notes, then be unable to hit the high ones.

Such songs will be not be possible for you, unless (maybe) you go for voice lessons to extend your range.

 

Even if the song's range is good for you - all its notes are within your own range, or you can transpose it so they are - other things might present difficulties (especially if your voice is untrained), such as very long notes (do you have the lung power?), or big jumps in the melody, or very rapid sequences of notes.

 

Songs that are easy to sing tend to have a narrow range (less than one octave), consist mostly of 2nds (scalewise moves) and 3rds, with plenty of breathing spaces. These things are totally unconnected with the key of the song.

Just because one song in C is easy for you doesn't mean any song in C will be easy. Likewise, just because one in (say) E is hard doesn't mean every song in that key will be hard.

[1001gear]

Some musicians also confuse the modal quality - usually in ones choice of licks, as keys. Harp players to blame? Anyway, singing upon this premise might also relate to the question. (?)