# Is there any app, device, or other way to find out what key I sing in? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686 "2016-07-11T21:16:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/1 "2016-07-11T21:16:02Z")
I can carry a tune, but I have no idea what my range or key is as I’ve never trained or sung professionally or in a choir. I’m auditioning for a musical and I have to choose a specific key for my sheet music. Unfortunately most of my friends are as musically illiterate as I am. Does anybody know of an app or a device or a type of dog or whatever that can give you an idea of what key you sing in? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/2 "2016-07-11T21:36:01Z")
It seems odd to me to ask someone what key they sing in, because while one’s vocal range is essentially constant, the key they sing in will vary from song to song. There’s no such thing as only one key that suits a singer’s voice for every song. It would make more sense to me if they asked you to choose your sheet music by vocal range rather than by key. You can google “vocal range” and find information about what constitutes an alto, a tenor, etc. On YouTube you can find videos to sing along with to find the low and high points of your range, and thus figure which applies to you. Try “finding vocal range.” ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/3 "2016-07-11T22:11:14Z")
[Note Recognizer for Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.robertloeberdevelopment) [Sing That Note for iPhone](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sing-that-note!/id681899860?mt=8) ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/4 "2016-07-11T22:15:53Z")
Sing the Do-Re-Mi scale in various ranges that are comfortable to you, and then match the low-Do and the high-Do to known tones on an instrument or tuner. Agreed that specifying a key to sing in is a weird request, as a song key does not imply any particular vocal range. That is, unless the songs are already picked out, and they are just asking what alternate key, if any, to transpose the selected music to; I suppose that might make sense. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/5 "2016-07-11T22:18:12Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this concerns the art of making music, let’s move this over to Cafe Society (from General Questions). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/6 "2016-07-11T22:25:12Z")
The OP is very strange indeed. Do you sing everything in the same key? You seem to not even know what a key is. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/7 "2016-07-11T22:28:55Z")
I’m wondering if Sampiro is trying to find out if he’s a tenor, baritone, etc? ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/8 "2016-07-11T22:34:44Z")
I’ve been told I sing in the key of F flat. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/9 "2016-07-11T22:44:43Z")
These are the instructions: “You must bring sheet music in the correct key. (Many times people select a piece of music and if they don’t know music MAY be surprised when the musician starts to play in a higher or lower range than they expected. Often they ask the accompanist to transpose and our lady doesn’t do that.)” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/10 "2016-07-11T22:55:16Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > These are the instructions: > > “You must bring sheet music in the correct key. (Many times people select a piece of music and if they don’t know music MAY be surprised when the musician starts to play in a higher or lower range than they expected. Often they ask the accompanist to transpose and our lady doesn’t do that.)” I’m no expert, but I suspect what that is referring to is that you may be used to singing _that song_ in a different key than what it’s written in on the sheet music. ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/11 "2016-07-11T22:58:07Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > These are the instructions: > > “You must bring sheet music in the correct key. (Many times people select a piece of music and if they don’t know music MAY be surprised when the musician starts to play in a higher or lower range than they expected. Often they ask the accompanist to transpose and our lady doesn’t do that.)” That makes more sense. If you cannot read sheet music: 1. Pick the song you wish to sing. 2. Acquire the sheet music to the song, and get someone who does read sheet music to play it for you, to make sure that it isn’t too high or too low for your comfort. 3. If it’s too high or too low for your comfort, find an alternate copy that is written in a high or lower key, depending on your needs. What can happen is that someone may hear a recording of a song and decide they want to play or sing it. So they obtain a copy of the sheet music and are surprised that the sheet-music copy does not necessarily match the recording they heard, or else doesn’t match how they prefer to sing it when left to their own devices (some different notes/accompaniment, higher/lower key, etc…) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/12 "2016-07-11T23:33:16Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > The OP is very strange indeed. Do you sing everything in the same key? You seem to not even know what a key is. He doesn’t, and he admits to being unfamiliar with the right words in OP. But _we_ do (some of us), and can either give him a nudge in that direction if we think it’ll help the intended meaning of the OP, which is range/tessitura. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/13 "2016-07-12T01:47:21Z")
If I understand this correctly, you are going to sing a song (or several songs?) of your choice for your audition, and you are to provide sheet music for their accompanist to play said song(s). This sheet music must be in the key(s) you will sing in so the accompanist can play it as written and doesn’t have to transpose on the fly to match your voice. Choose your song(s) and get someone knowledgeable to help you determine the right key for you. (If there’s more than one song, they may well be in different keys – figure the keys on a song by song basis.) Once you know the correct key for your voice, find a music store or maybe an online sheet music service and get copy in that key. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/14 "2016-07-12T02:08:50Z")
Sampiro: if you name the song you want to sing, if it’s a popular song we could help you find the key it was recorded in, if that’s how you know it. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/15 "2016-07-13T04:41:47Z")
See if the song you want is on [musicnotes.com](http://www.musicnotes.com). Many of the pieces there are available in several keys (selectable in the lower right pane), and you can preview by hitting the triangular Play button in the upper right. Sing along with the preview and see if it’s too high or too low. If so, adjust the key until you find one that works. You don’t necessarily have to buy the sheet music through there, but it is pretty convenient. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-app-device-or-other-way-to-find-out-what-key-i-sing-in/759686/16 "2016-07-14T03:32:03Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Sampiro: if you name the song you want to sing, if it’s a popular song we could help you find the key it was recorded in, if that’s how you know it. Along these lines, this site may be of some help. [http://www.songkeyfinder.com/popular](http://www.songkeyfinder.com/popular)