How many semitones should a man lower a female song?
Short answer
Most men sing a female song an octave lower rather than in the same octave. Start in the original key, one octave down; if the low verse sinks below your range, raise the backing track 2–5 semitones. Lowering by 5 and raising by 7 give the same key, one octave apart.
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Explanation
Typical male voice types sit roughly an octave below female voice types, so a man singing along with a female recording naturally lands an octave lower.
An octave is 12 semitones. Moving the backing track down 5 or up 7 produces the same key; only the octave you sing in differs. The same is true of -7 and +5, or -8 and +4.
Smaller pitch shifts sound more natural. When two shifts give the same key, choose the smaller one, such as +5 instead of -7.
| Singing in the original octave | Singing an octave lower | Melody vs. original |
|---|---|---|
| -5 | +7 | 5 semitones lower |
| -7 | +5 | 7 semitones lower |
| -8 | +4 | 8 semitones lower |
| -9 | +3 | 9 semitones lower |
| -10 | +2 | 10 semitones lower |
Find your key
- Sing the verse and chorus an octave below the original key.
- If the verse is too low to sound, raise the backing one semitone at a time from +2.
- Stop just before the chorus becomes strained, then recheck the highest and lowest notes.
Frequently asked questions
Are -5 and +7 really the same key?
Yes. They produce the same key, with the sung melody one octave apart. The smaller backing shift usually sounds more natural.
Does this work for a woman singing a male song?
Yes, in reverse: sing an octave higher, and lower the backing a few semitones if that is too high.
What if no key fits both the verse and the chorus?
The song's range is wider than yours. Set the key for the chorus top note and sing the low passage softly, or choose another song.
Can MR Maker shift a song by +7?
MR Maker's key range is -6 to +6. For +7, choose -5, which gives the same key, and sing in the original octave.
Make a backing track from your own file
Upload an audio file you are authorized to use (MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, AAC, OGG or MP4, up to 50MB). Conversion costs 1, 2 or 3 credits for low, medium or high quality; changing the key adds 1 credit.
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Sources
Each source was opened and checked on the date shown.
- Vocal range — Wikipedia (checked )
- Semitone — Wikipedia (checked )
- Transposition (music) — Wikipedia (checked )