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It's That Time Of The Year


PeterT

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It's that time of the year, when thoughts turn to Christmas. Mulled wine, minced pies, Carol Singers nailed up along the drive.....(oops; sorry, wrong show!).

 

Christmas Carols. I always have problems with these, at any Church, or similar, service. They are seldom in the right keys for me. I think that my voice is "roughly" described as Baritone. On occasions when I lead popular carols, my notes indicate that I pitch many of them in the keys of E',F,F#. Fine for me, and most other people seem to manage.

 

Other people have told me that C and F are "popular" singing keys. To find the "common denominator" for carols at a pub session, which keys would other singers/musicians recommend? I can then happily play, and let others do much of the leading (leaving the Boar's Head Carol for myself! :) )

 

Regards,

Peter.

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Peter,

 

That’s an interesting question, and I think it has several answers. The simple answer is that if you are leading the singing, you should be comfortable. That’s been my philosophy anyway.

 

There is really no right key to pitch anything, in an absolute sense. Also, every song has it’s own range (highest note to lowest note) and ideally everyone should be comfortable in that range regardless of the key.

 

However, you might want to consider everyone's needs. I’ve found that a mixed crowd of singers will feel most comfortable in the octave from C to C. Low C to middle C for the men and middle C to the one above that for the women. (The two genders tend to sing in parallel octaves). So, think C to C. Much over C feels high (E or F) and much under feels low (F or G). Some songs have a wide range so with them you might want to give special attention to get them pitched so everyone can sing melody. If harmony singing is what’s up then, hey! everyone can find their own comfort spot.

 

The Boar’s head in hand bear I

With lots of beer and cider nigh!

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Well, I just now finished uploading some Christmas MP3s, all which have songsheets in the same keys -- some have two sheets, because I had to change keys.

 

My friend and I sang (just in unison, at least for this time) and her mother did some reading (no singing).

 

I have a big book of Christmas carols. At first, I simply went 'by the book,' literally, because it suited me fine for the most part. But, I am more of a soprano, and my friend says she is a contralto. So....

 

It soon became apparent that even just a few tones too high were....too high!

 

I made us some new songsheets, in lower keys. (I'm really the only one that needed them, but, whatever.)

 

The MP3s are all in whichever is the lower of the two keys, given the songsheets with chord symbols.

 

So, I have in my files a bunch of Christmas songs done in a comfortable range for a contralto. (Gotta click on 'Christmas Song Sheets' and then go from there.)

 

We're kinda amateur, here....I know that...we're a bit out of practice. But, just wait until Easter! :D

 

 

edited for typo

 

oops...back much later for another edit...

Just want to say that I'm not totally sure I used keys comfortable for a contralto. Maybe. Basically, my friend said she was a contralto and not a soprano, so I lowered the keys. But, they may actually be higher than what is actually considered contralto.

Edited by bellowbelle
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So, I have in my files a bunch of Christmas songs done in a comfortable range for a contralto. (Gotta click on 'Christmas Song Sheets' and then go from there.)

Hi Wendy,

 

One or two surprises, in that you have used tunes with which I am not familiar. I feel that Christmas is just around the corner!

 

Regards,

Peter.

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Hello Peter,

 

You could pick up a copy of The Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols edited by Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parrott. The carols are pitched in keys that work well for most. Their realization of Stille Nacht is charming, true Austrian flavor. They then present a version most folks are more familiar with. A real joy just to look through.

 

Enjoy the coming season. I've already pulled out my copy and am getting ready for Dominique and Mark's second annual Christmas morning caroling visits. It was such fun last year, particularly after a few early morning libations at neighbor's homes. Hopefully I keep me wits about me and not incur "the look" from me darlin' for my "enchanced" accompaniment :blink: .

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It all depends on the voice I suppose.

A normal bass part from West Gallery carols usually fits into the range from the bottom F up to a D above middle C (as written and before anyone tries dropping a tone etc.) I'm comfortable from the C below the F up to a G so can't sing all of a normal bass part as it is too high!

When I pick a key for singing I usually see if I prefer to sing to the C/G or the D/G and that determines which key I play in. Very occasionaly I find that I prefer to use the Bb/F when I have a tune with a large range and that is the best pitch for it.

If I'm trying to accompany a scratch choir a quick rehersal will tell whether C or G will do and I make a note which concertina to use for which carol.

 

Robin Madge

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I feel that Christmas is just around the corner!

Bah, humbug!

Now, now, Mr Grumpy. It will soon be all over for another year!

 

I remember, some years ago, that the Christmas decorations went up, in Croydon, on 1st October :o . It turned out to be the hottest October day on record. This year, the decorations went up two days ago; still a bit early for my liking.

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

PS - did you go to Chippenham Folk Festival in the year in which they had an out of season Christmas party? (that's end of May, for anyone wondering!).

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Hopefully I keep me wits about me and not incur "the look" from me darlin' for my "enchanced" accompaniment :blink: .

Hi Mark,

 

I think that I would prefer to call this a "free" accompaniment.

 

We will "go for it" in the pub session without the benefit of any practice. The other benefit, as far as I am concerned, is that our carol sheets only have the words. So, key etc. might have to be negotiable (hence the reason for me starting this thread).

 

[makes mental note to remind two musicians to bring trombone and sax.] :)

 

Regards,

Peter.

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As a choral singer, my observation is that a curiously large part of the Christmas repertoire is in G major or E minor. These are choral arrangements. So I suppose that means that when you put the tunes in a sensible key for everyday baritones and mezzos to sing they would be in F major or D minor.

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A normal bass part from West Gallery carols usually fits into the range from the bottom F up to a D above middle C (as written and before anyone tries dropping a tone etc.) I'm comfortable from the C below the F up to a G so can't sing all of a normal bass part as it is too high!

Hi Robin,

 

An interesting posting, as it's made me run off to do something which I haven't done for about 20 years; check my vocal range.

 

As far as I recall, your normal singing voice is somewhat deeper than mine; borne out by your comment that the West Gallery bass part is too high for you. Being musically illiterate (or semi-literate), I'm still struggling to work out your actual range. Are you saying C (octave A2) up to G (octave A3)? :unsure:

 

I worked out that, for my range, I can hit G (octave A2) up to C (octave A5). However, my working range will be less than that, since I can't project much volume below about C (octave A3). Oh the joys of singing unaccompanied traditional song, where I can pitch it where I feel comfortable (Jody's advice). :)

 

Ivan's posting probably explains why I'm happy singing in F.

 

Regards,

Peter.

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Silent Night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman down, Oh Come allYe Faithful, It came upon a midnight Clear and Oh Little Town of Betheleham start. and know for the really exciting news.... I am just reading the music, instead of marking it up with numbers and push draws, like I have been doing. Occasionally having problemswith the third row, as my previous boxes were twenty buttons, but he, I'm not having to make cheat sheets.

 

Alan

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Silent Night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman down, Oh Come allYe Faithful, It came upon a midnight Clear and Oh Little Town of Betheleham start. and know for the really exciting news.... I am just reading the music, instead of marking it up with numbers and push draws, like I have been doing. Occasionally having problemswith the third row, as my previous boxes were twenty buttons, but he, I'm not having to make cheat sheets.

Just think, Alan, by this time next year, it will be a doddle. :)

 

Keep at it!

 

Regards,

Peter.

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What's a doddle in Yank english? :lol:

Hi Alan,

 

I did wonder........ :unsure:

 

It will be very easy for you! :)

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

PS - I do love our occasional "English" problems on this Forum. Best one was Alan Day's posting about heffers, a few months back.

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Silent Night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman down, Oh Come allYe Faithful, It came upon a midnight Clear and Oh Little Town of Betheleham start.

Whilst the categories are not necessarily mutually exclusive, Oh Come and Midnight Drear are hymns not carols; and I have my doubts about Little Town. See wikipedia, carol = festive song with dance-like or popular character. In the case of Oh Come, I have a latin breviary which includes it (as Adeste Fideles) with the music written out in plainchant notation.

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Silent Night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman down, Oh Come allYe Faithful, It came upon a midnight Clear and Oh Little Town of Betheleham start.

 

Alan

The recorded tunespage has videos of Bazza playing Ding Dong Merrily on High and God Rest you Merry Gentlemen on Anglo. I think these tunes work really well. We recorded them last year on Christmas Day - ah, a Chrismas Dinner to remember.

Edited by Tom C
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:D I shall be out this coming weekend playing carols and other jolly tunes at a local 'Victorian' weekend. I've found that if I play the tunes in C or thereabouts most people can join in and sing. Often if I play while the general public are just strolling past they carry on singing down the street, if I'm playing a waltz they end up dancing past which looks lovely when they're in Victorian costume. If the weather is inclement I shall retreat to the shelter of the local pubs ( in the plural :D ) and start impromtu sing songs, as long as it's carols we shouldn't fall foul of this governments draconian licensing laws ( morris dancing, the music for same and traditional carols being exempt from the terms of the Act)

Who would think that just playing the wrong tunes on a concertina in public and having people join in to sing could have me branded a subversive criminal by comrade Blair's Big Brother State, Silent Night is allowed but not Jingle bells as it's a 'comercial' tune :blink:

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