Sing Hosanna

I am taking singing lessons now, and I'm confident my tutor can help me reach those elusive D, E and F5s, without the horrible warbles and squeaks.

I'm an alto, which is actually quite awkward in my position.  I am quite happy to sing around F3-A5 all day, but a congregation wouldn't.  So you need to achieve as close as possible to the perfect key, you can't lead by squeaking, or groaning.

Unfortunately, the leaders who wrote most hymns and choruses want to produce a song in a key which generates the most sound - and this would be soprano for the women, bass/baritone for the men.  Beautiful effect, but just like women are not all size 10 and not all men have size 14 feet, most untrained singers are comfortable C4-to C5, and you then need to find the key to suit you, and the congregation.

Difficult task.

This week I had to bring down two songs which are normally in G to Eb.  This can of course, cause problems to musicians, but this week is just me, the other guitar and the clarinet (who has to transpose anyway, in this case, I think it's F).  Darlene Zschech, inspired writer, but my gosh she does like to use B4-F5 frequently, and this makes transposing a minefield.  I had to bring one of hers down to F, but this caused a note as low as F3.  Needs must, sometimes.  You can, of course, with a well known song, allow the congregation and your support to carry you sometimes, but there's a danger of the congregation taking over.  At times like that I hand it to God, knowing He has it in control, even if my voice is losing it.