Choosing the Right Music is the Key!

From my experience in the music industry, one of the most crucial aspects of entertaining an audience is choosing the right material. Whether you're a full-time artist or a weekend performer, your choice of music is everything. No matter what style you play, you can't sing everything. Finding the appropriate music and key is essential, and that's what I'll focus on today.

Whether a song highlights the vocals or the musicians, the principle remains the same. Sing a song poorly, and you're doomed. Perform a popular number with notable music or solos and play it shabbily, and you'll lose your audience. While the average person in the crowd isn't a musician, most can still distinguish good from bad, especially with familiar music.

I'll cover this topic in two parts: choosing songs as a singer and choosing songs that feature the band. Although I come from a country background, the points I'll cover apply to any type of music.

There are a few singers out there who might seem capable of singing anything and everything, but it's unlikely you can do the same. You need to know your range and your "sweet spot," and find music that highlights your strengths. It's essential to find songs that fit, even if that means performing them in a different but more suitable key. While some songs are best performed in their original key due to signature riffs or solos, most songs are adaptable to other keys. Find the key that fits you. Create your own version if the riffs don't translate well. It's much better to perform a song in a different key with different licks, as long as you perform it well. Even major artists sometimes lower the key from the recorded version to make it easier to sing. A common mistake is performing a song in its original key with the proper licks, but out of the singer's range. This is where a producer or professional consultant can help if you're unsure. Even if you're not going into a recording studio, a quality producer/consultant can help find the right songs or keys to present you at your best.

The same applies to the performance of songs, though most are best kept in the original key. If it's not just an instrumental, it needs to be sung well. A song like "Don't Stop Believin'" is a crowd favorite for sing-alongs, but the better the audience knows the song, the more they can spot a bad performance. Musicianship must be spot-on. As a musician, tone is extremely important, especially for popular tunes. Even if you have the licks down, if your tone is off, the crowd will notice. They may not know what it is, but they'll sense something is off.

These are my favorite types of songs to perform. When done well, you can set yourself apart from the average band and build your fanbase. While I'm talking about performing cover tunes, the same goes for songs you want to record, which requires the right producer. That's a more in-depth conversation, so I'll address that in upcoming blogs.

I also recommend you choose material that fits your image or band persona. Again, no one can sing everything, so keep it within your musical spectrum.

Bottom line: choose the right song, in the right key that fits the singer and the band, and you will shine!

Musically yours,

Randy Hess

Musician/Producer/Consultant