Stubbs wrote: Recently I decided I'd like to be able to sing along to some of the songs that I like (without frightening the neighbours) and jam along with my guitar, which led me to a singing teacher in Knysna.

So I've been to 4 lessons - he had me working on pitch and incorporating the diaphragm and lower back muscles when singing to produce a 'fuller' sound - and now wants me to bring in a song that I can start practicing with him.

I have a range of an octave, starting at the low A (piano). Any suggestions? Off the top of my head I thought the Ryan Adams version of Wonderwall might be good (possibly a bit high? but good practice for the techniques I've been learning).

But of course I'm open to ideas so fire away!

Aerosmith's Dream On? That seems like something that can really get your voice warmed up.

Don't worry too much about keys - those can always be changed. My advice is to sing something that you want to sing, based on whatever your criteria for wanting to sing a song are. Try a few out before hand, even if only roughly. It happens to me from time to time that I get it in my head that a certain song is something I want to sing, but when I do sing it I found out that somehow the lyrics don't sit well with me - so I forget about it and try something else.

If you don't think you have the range for the song, even after adjusting the key, don't worry - you might be surprised at what you can achieve with a bit of coaching. I've recently finished a spell of singing lessons, and the teacher and I worked on things from various angles. There were two songs that I'd wanted to sing but hadn't felt able to. Notably Fairport Convention's "Crazy Man Michael" which I could play in Em but found a bit of a stretch to sing, or could sing in Dm but had to rearrange it and found one passage very hard to play. I ended up doing a plausible job of singing it in Em - best of both worlds.

X-rated Bob wrote: Don't worry too much about keys - those can always be changed. My advice is to sing something that you want to sing, based on whatever your criteria for wanting to sing a song are. Try a few out before hand, even if only roughly.

+1

Thanks guys, good advice. I will keep it in mind!