Easy songs to sing for beginners: pop, classical, musical

I recommend to practice singing with easy songs. But why? Why choose a song that you can already sing? Shouldn’t you take a difficult song and improve yourself?

But no. Easy songs are the best when you are learning a new vocal skill. For example, if you are working on closing your vocal cords properly (which is later essential for belting), you want to take something super easy, where you don't have to focus on big jumps in the melody or super complicated riffs or high notes. Then you can focus on the skill you need, not on how hard the song is.

Criteria of an easy song

What is an 'easy' song is often misunderstood. Many lists with easy songs have a range of well over an octave and/or big jumps. These songs might still be easy to remember - but they can be hard on your vocal cords, especially for beginners.

So here are my criteria

• A short range
• Few or no big jumps
• Not too slow nor too fast
• Catchy! If the song is catchy enough it might be easy enough to sing even if it doesn’t meet the other criteria.
• Not chromatic: so songs with notes that 'make sense' in the major or minor scale of the song. No 'odd' notes.
• No growling or screaming

A list of easy pop/rock songs

With my students I often use the following five songs with a short range: less than an octave. So if you're a beginner, or if you have vocal issues like a cold - which I had when I recorded below video - you don't have to worry about high or low notes. You can simply focus on the technique you want to practice.

Extremely short range songs (pop/rock)

All the below songs are under an octave, some have only three notes!

One Octave pop/rock songs

One octave songs can be easy enough range-wise, to build new habits, to practice on, to learn new technique. As long as the other criteria listed in the beginning of this article are met - no big jumps, not chromatic. etc. Here's a short list with one-octave songs that are good for practicing.

How to sing an easy karaoke song as the other gender!

It can be tricky to sing a karaoke song that is orginally sung by a woman if you are a man - and vice versa. Even if you have the same gender, it can be tricky to sing it if the singer has a different vocal range. For example, if you're a bariton and they're tenor.

That doesn't mean you can't sing the songs. You can make it easy. Two hacks:

1. Go on YouTube and type: '[name of the song] + karaoke + female/male version'. Or '[name of song] + karaoke lower / higher key'.
2. Use software that changes the key of a song. Karafun and MagicSing do that (see my review of karaoke apps). Second option: x-minus.pro. A website that is free.

Which key is best for you? Check with your teacher.

Easy classical songs

Below classical songs are sometimes not easy to remember - but the range is short. Curious for more short range classical songs of under an octave? Check out my course.

Easy musical songs

Below musical songs are within the range of one octave. Curious for more short range musical songs of under an octave? Check out my course. I also have a list of jazz/soul songs.

Easy songs for learning how to sing in tune

When you want to learn how to sing in tune, you want to stay in your lane. You want to focus and train your mind to control the vocal cords. Fewer notes in a song makes this easier. Also, sometimes the out-of-tune singing is a vocal cord issue: they don't have the range. So it's not a mental thing, and that's were the short range songs come in handy.

The five easy songs I use most often in my singing lessons are:

• Wind of change by The Scorpions: 7 note range
• Hotel California by The Eagles: 7 notes
• Michel by Anouk: 6 notes
• Take my breath away by Berlin: 6 notes
• I want love by Elton John: 5 notes

If you have any issues with singing in tune - either on an occasional note here and there, or it's a core problem - here's what you do:

Go to my article on how to sing in tune, learn what you have to do to work on it, and when it comes to working on a song - definitely choose an easy song. Don't sing difficult songs in the beginning, just don't go there. Again, you are building a skill, in this case, singing in tune. So focus. 

Tips to practice the easy song

1. Unless you know the original key of a song suits you - try to sing without the original recording. Rather start singing where it’s comfortable for you.
2. Another important tip: you know it's an easy song if you can singing while feeling little to no strain in your throat. If strain is something you struggle with constantly, my above easy songs video is your place to start. Choose the song that bothers you the least.

I also made a formula to learn a song. It partly depends on which type of learner you are.

What is your favorite Easy Song?

Let me know in the comments what song you would want me to add in this list.