How to Choose Songs You Can Sing: Range, Tempo, Breaths and Chorus Height
An easy song to sing fits your vocal range, has a comfortable tempo, leaves room to breathe, and is one you already know well. Checking these first usually helps more than going by popularity or taste alone.
What makes a song easy to sing?
Six things decide it. A song doesn’t need to tick every box. The more it matches, the easier it is.
| What to check | Easier song | Harder song |
|---|---|---|
| Range | Stays inside your voice | Lots of very low or very high notes |
| Tempo | Words fit comfortably | Too fast to keep up |
| Breaths | Pauses between phrases | Long phrases back to back |
| Word count | Few words per bar | Dense, rapid words |
| Chorus height | Reachable without straining | Highest notes held for long |
| Familiarity | You’ve heard it many times | New to you, melody hard to follow |
How do you know if a song fits your range?
A song fits your range if you can sing all the way through the chorus without strain. Check it in this order:
- Find the song’s highest and lowest notes.
- Compare them with the range your voice can reach.
- Sing through to the chorus.
- If your throat feels tight or sore, stop, then lower the key or pick another song.
A few edge notes are usually fine, but many in a row will tire you out. Lowering the key often makes a song singable. You can check your own range in How to find your vocal range and key.
How do you judge tempo and breathing?
The simplest way to judge a song’s tempo and breathing is to sing it through once. Slow songs hold notes longer, which can use up your breath. Fast songs with dense words are hard to keep up with. Pick songs with gaps in the middle of phrases, so you can plan where to breathe.
Which songs should you avoid at first?
Songs to skip when you’re starting out include:
- Songs pitched high throughout, with a long-held top note in the chorus
- Songs with long stretches of rapid words
- Songs with almost no place to breathe
- Songs with big pitch jumps and a melody that’s hard to remember
- Songs you’ve rarely heard
Keeping a few well-known songs that sit in your range gives you a safe pick every time.
Singing at home?
Hitokara lets you sing songs straight from Apple Music. Try a few and see which ones feel easiest.