What is the difference between being on key and on pitch?

What is the difference between being on key and on pitch?

Hi I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. Today I’m doing this video from Brooklyn, NY. I’m visiting family here for the holiday season, approaching the New Year in a few days, and this afternoon I’m in my daughter’s apartment in Brooklyn.

So the back gound’s a little bit different. The video’s a little bit darker. I’ve got a candle for light and another lamp in front of me. So that does change things a little bit.

I hope you enjoy this video on singing on pitch and singing in key.

What’s the difference between being on key and on pitch?

Hi, I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. I recently received this question.

Question: “Can you please do a video on singing on key? I'm a beginner and don't even know what this means. I understand what pitch matching on a piano is but not what singing in key is. So could you do a ...video on this? What is the difference between being on key and on pitch?”

Answer: People often use " on key" and "on pitch" interchangeably. Technically there's probably a difference.

Western music is written and performed in different keys. For example, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" might be written in the Key of C Major. If, while you are singing, it was too low or too high, you can raise or lower the key. Up a whole step would be the key of D Major. Down a 1/2 step would be the key of B major.

The tune you hear would be the same, except the key is raised or lowered. In any of these Keys, B major, C Major or D Major, if you sing one wrong note, you would be singing in the correct key, but singing an incorrect pitch. If you miss several notes, you incorrectly sing several pitches. This creates a dissonance.

For example the key of C. [Demo] Key of C. Now if I sing the incorrect pitch in the Key of C it might sound like this. [Demo] So I got back to the key, but within that I missed several of the pitches.

Now I could sing, [Demo] So I sang again in the key of D but I missed a pitch or two there. Or I could sing it in the key of B. [Demo]. So I missed a pitch but I was singing in the key of B.

The pitch that is being played and the incorrect pitch you are singing fight against each other and it sounds wrong to the listener. If you only missed a few of the pitches, it could be said you were singing in the right key, but sang several of the pitches incorrectly.

If you sang all of the notes incorrectly so the listener couldn't recognize the tune at all, it might be said: "the singer sang so off pitch I couldn't recognize the tune or the melody, nor was there a recognizable key.”

For example if I said: [Demo] I wouldn’t recognize that as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

In other words, there were so many wrong pitches the key couldn't be determined either.

On the other hand, if you missed several pitches but sang most of them right, it could be said, " I could tell you were in the Key of C, but you were off pitch on several notes."

Key of C [Demo] So we might recognize the key, but there were several pitches off.

You can be off pitch on several notes in any key.

Singing on the right pitch is important. Even marginal singers, if they can sing on pitch, can have a great career and huge numbers of fans.

But singers who miss the pitches don’t succeed.

Go to the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about your vocal type. Download the free exercises and start practicing them.

If you do not sing them on pitch, you will not maximize the benefit from the exercises. You must be careful to match the pitches of the exercises with your voice gain the most benefit.

I’ll see you inside the next video.
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Chuck Gilmore

Help us caption & translate this video!

Join Singers Impact:

[theswiscokid]

Every single music teacher I ever had could not explain the difference. As a 29 year old learning the violin and how to sing, thank you for a clear answer on the topic

[ScattMatt]

I'm 15 and been singing for 2 years.I just want to thank you for all the help you've given me, you really made me fall in love with singing.

[almorris]

Great basic explanation. You sing individual notes aka pitches within a range or key.

[gomennsaii]

I love your rendition of twinkle twinkle little star, 10/10

[kouroshbahmani]

Thank you for the clarification. So we can conclude that "pitch" is the same as "note". I also wish you a happy new year full of health and fun!

[mckeymuse]

I have to preform soon and this was really helpful, thank you!

[SpecialAbonnent]

A good explanation and putting the text in the description is cool a thing to do (Good examples and the video is not too long)

[VinDcator]

Great editing. But, first, you explained it perfectly.

[TotalSinging]

Too bad I didn't know you were coming. We could have met for a coffee.

[Arahansannihilation]

I'm confused as to which key is a person singing in, ex. In the key of A, it could be an A3 or an A4 range or is it irrelevant as long as it's in A.

[erwinredondo]

Good day Sir Chuck!
Can you also explain what is the belting?
Thank's!

[evethebean]

What does it mean if they say “there was a lot of key changes when you sing”

[bryan]

Okay I need help I can't seem to find this answer say we are in the key of G and the chord Is G and the melody is B, A, G, A. What if I play that same melody in the same key but instead its F#, E, D, E. Is there a certain name for this or is this wrong?

[SilentRio]

Your website looks like "power tosing" which has whole other connotations in British English!!

[Umedsinh-SODHA]

Still working though you are on holidays now a days.
again I salute for love towards Singing

[michaelcraig]

How how does a person always sing in tune, on key, on pitch, or whatever you want to call it? How to actually do it.

[konch]

So basically if a song consists the notes of C-D-E in that order (key of C) and i mistakenly sing C-D-C instead of C-D-E does that mean that i am on key but off pitch? Thanks in advance

[sickheadofficial]

i have a male body and my speaking voice doesnt sound too high but judging from the notes i can sing comfortably i am definitely in alto range. can this be?

[babykiss]

plz Make A Video On How To Fix The Vocal Blockage.

[VAPSPRESENTS]

So is Key the same as Resonance?


Because I wanted to know the difference between RESONANCE and PITCH.
Thanks.