What does singing "off-key" mean?

So you’re told that you’re “off-key” or you’re not singing on pitch.

What does this actually mean?

Let’s break this down today, and I’ll also share with you how to improve your pitch.

Real quick! For those of you who don’t know me. My name is Ivan, I love making music and also teaching singing to students all around the world. On this newsletter my goal is to make learning to sing simple. If that’s up your lane, consider subscribing. If you want to improve your voice faster, check out the links down below for ways to work with me

If you want to inspire our next episode! Drop in the comments below what you want me to talk about next.

So a good place to start here is

1. What is a key in music?

If you imagine a piano.

And say we play only the white piano keys.

Notice how there is this pretty recognisable sound? Like Do Re Mi?

This is something known as a C major or A minor scale depending on how you look at it.

Now what’s important is understanding that these notes are often the foundation of a song.

What I mean is that any note that a guitar will play, the bass even the vocal melody. They will usually be a note from this scale.

This is what we call “the key” of a song.

In other words, all the different instruments in a song, there’s a low chance of the bass, your voice hitting these black keys.

[See video for examples]

2. So then what does off key mean?

As you might have guessed off key, just means when you’re aren’t really hitting the notes in this key.

Say for example you’re in the key of C major.

And you’re trying to sing a G but you miss

Now you can do it by missing a lot and singing a G# which falls outside of the key

Or maybe you just slightly miss the G which we will usually say you’re too flat (too low) or too sharp (too high)

Both of this can give the feeling of singing “off key” or “off pitch”

3. Now is there a different between being on key vs on pitch

Now when most people are referring to this. It usually means the same things.

But there can be a little nuance.

For example you can be actually be in key but sing off pitch.

Say you’re in the key of C. And the melody is C, D, E

But you’re singing E, F, G by accident.

These notes are in technically in KEY but they aren’t the notes you should be singing.

But here’s the twist, if it’s done intentional and it sounds good to you. This can considered a harmony.

Now it’s also possible to sing notes outside of the key, but be on pitch. This is when we borrow notes from other kind of scales.

Ultimately, rules are more like a starting place. As you explore more and get more comfortable you can start to break them.

For those of us who are just starting off, I suggest focusing on singing the correct notes!

3. Okay so now that we know what it means to sing off key. How do we develop the ability to sing on key?

Now I’ve talked about this a few times.

But singing on pitch is a combination of a few things.

(1) Do you have the ear to hear/know the correct pitch?

This is where most people will focus their attention. So they do ear training etc.

But even if you can hear it, if you can’t control your vocal folds. You won’t be able to sing on pitch

(2) Having the right mechanics (the fundamentals)

This is where learning what it feels like to control the muscles that stretch the vocal folds can really help.

(3) Choosing something with the right complexity

Even if you had decent mechanics and you can generally hear the correct pitch. It’s relative to your skillset.

For example if a song is really hard. You can still fall out of the key. It can be hard to hear if you’re on key.

That’s why it’s important to start with something simple like a scale and gradually build up.

Anyway! That’s all. Let me know if there’s anything I missed. If you found this episode useful, please share or give it 5 star wherever you’re listening from. This really helps spread the word and means the world to me. If you’d like to study with me, links are down in description. Take care!

Extra Links/Resources

🌍 Book Private Singing Lessons here: https://calendly.com/singingsimply 

🌍 Step By Step Singing Course: https://www.singingsimply.com/courses/singing-fundamentals 

🌍 Stream my music: https://linktr.ee/singingsimply

🌍 Business/other inquiries: [email protected]