As a fellow singer, let me ask you a quick question. Bluntly, do you sometimes have problems singing on key?
Don’t worry.
Many beginners (and even experienced vocalists) experience singing pitch issues from time to time.
Thankfully, there’s something you can do about it! This tutorial is all about learning perfect pitch to improve your singing.
Can Learning Perfect Pitch Help You to Sing Better? Learn to Sing on Key – Even in the Shower!
When you began to study singing outside the shower, I’ll bet you never thought there were so many things to conquer, did you? Neither did I at first.
I hope this blog post clarifies a few things you need to know.
As a new singer you might have trouble learning perfect pitch with certain songs.
Perhaps you feel you’re singing too high or too low for a song, or that you are tone deaf.
Is Learning Perfect Pitch Important to You? What is Singing Pitch Anyhow?
First of all, don’t confuse pitch and musical tone as these are two different aspects of singing.
While tone represents the quality of your singing (such as the strident, full, dark/bright, nasal or throaty type of singing voice), pitch is singing high or low (sound frequency).
Tone is controlled by emotions, or the mood that’s created when singing. By contrast, pitch is basically a measurement of how high or low you’re singing a song.
Technically, a person isn’t “tone deaf” but just unable to attain the pitch they want in the desired key.
Therefore, they simply go off key on certain high or low notes. They might be able to “hear” the tone of their voice just fine. But, they are not be able to hear the key to reach the right pitch.
So, what can you do if you find yourself in a vocal pitch dilemma?
Can You Really Learn Perfect Singing Pitch?
First, learning perfect vocal pitch takes a lot of practice. But, it is possible.
Some seem to catch on more quickly than others. And, there are always those with seemingly a “natural born” talent!
Basically, attaining the perfect pitch with your voice means you’ll be able to sing notes correctly (such as Middle C).
And, you can vocalize it without ever hearing the note played on an instrument or sung by someone else.
Instead of having to introduce the note on a piano, guitar, etc., someone will be able to ask you to start singing in Middle C. You will be able to accommodate immediately.
You’ll even be able to sing from sheet music without playing it on an instrument first! It’s called sight reading in the music world.
This is the ultimate goal for many chorus members and concert performers.
What Does Having Perfect Pitch in Singing Really Mean?
When you have perfect pitch, you’ll be able to name the key of a music piece simply by listening. You’ll be able to sing in a certain pitch without an external prompt.
And, you can identify each pitch or note by name when played on a variety of instruments.
You can eventually name or identify various tones of any given chord.
But, this does not mean that you will always sing on key!
Singing on pitch depends on how skilled you are at identifying the pitch and keeping it accurate throughout an entire song.
Is Learning to Sing Exactly On Key Necessary to Become a Great Singer?
Absolutely not!
There are actually very few great singers that have this ability. Most singers need to ‘hear” the pitch and be prompted by an instrument before they can start singing.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Even if performing in front of large audiences, hitting a cue chord is no problem.
Relative Singing Pitch Vs Perfect
Many singers develop relative pitch rather than perfect pitch. Wikipedia says:
“Relative pitch is quite common among musicians, especially musicians who are used to “playing by ear“, and a precise relative pitch is a constant characteristic among good musicians. Unlike perfect pitch, relative pitch can be developed through ear training.”
So, with relative pitch, a singer can hear one key on the piano or guitar. Then they will guess at the notes that are higher and lower than that particular pitch.
It’s not “perfect pitch“. But, it’s close enough to make a song sound great to the listening ear!
Matching Pitch
You can also practice “matching pitch” by hearing a note externally and then matching it perfectly with your voice.
If your voice doesn’t match the first time, then slide your voice up and down until it does match.
Do this over an over with each note and notice how the sounds blend when your voice does match the pitch.
With a little research, you’ll find many exercises and singing courses to help with learning perfect pitch or even relative or matching pitch.
One popular course is called Pitch Perfector. It’s wonderful at perfecting your voice and not expensive to buy. I was very impressed with this singing system and wrote a review page for you.
You can read my PitchPerfector review here..
I’m Practicing – Will I Always Sing on Key?
While mastering this skill doesn’t guarantee you’ll sing on key every time, it will certainly help you identify the key of songs.
It also helps you start off every song correctly.
Then you can work on other singing challenges such as..
- tone
- vocal warm ups
- breathing
- body posture
- singing with emotion
- and various singing techniques to improve your vocal skills.
The Best Way to Learn How to Sing on Pitch? No One Way, But…
Consider taking an online singing course for learning perfect pitch so you can complete lessons and exercises on your own schedule and at low cost.
Okay, you’ve learned a bit about perfect pitch in singing, and what it takes to begin. Now, it’s your turn!
Are you ready to learn more about singing and improving your voice? Keep reading…
About the on pitch singing video: Felicia Ricci illustrates how to sing on pitch in the video above. So, she explains the most common reasons why singers fall or sing flat (beneath pitch) which breaks down to:
- Not enough breath support, or, more commonly,
- not enough space in the face and mouth to allow the pitch to resonate.
- Staying on pitch for singing requires also that you anticipate jumps in notes, like ascending intervals.
And, it’s important to get your “landing gear” out and ready before you sing a note. If you’ve been told you have “pitch problems,” don’t worry. Learning how to stay on pitch is simpler than you think.
To learn how not to sing flat takes some practice. So, your vocal cords have more control, but it also is a mental process.
And, the more you utilize these mental cues, the better pitch you will have! As a professional voice finder, it’s my sworn duty to teach you how to find your singing voice!
These in tune singing tips are all about simple, achievable steps that make a difference to you.
Yes, everyone learns how to sing on their own timeline. And, certain vocal methods work better than others.
But, it’s important you understand your voice more than anyone else.
In fact, learning how to be a good singer is, in many ways, getting to know yourself. So, if you feel you don’t yet know how to sing like a professional, be patient.
And remember, every single baby step and daily vocal practice session helps. Get yourself ready to sing on pitch and end those flat notes now! Most of all, have fun when you sing!