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.
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.
Useful for learning new vocal technique
Easy songs are the best when you are learning a new 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.
A fantastic way to learn to sing in tune
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.
My favourite five easy pop songs
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
A list of easy pop/rock songs
All the below songs are under an octave, some have only three notes!
Song | Artist | Range (notes) |
---|---|---|
Knockin' on heaven's door | Bob Dylan | 3 |
Sweet Home Alabama | Lynyrd Skynyrd | 3 |
Losing my religion | REM | 4 |
sweet dreams | Eurythmics | 4/5 (keep the vocalizing parts in the same octave) |
only wanne be with you | Hootie and the Blowfish | 4/5 |
The roof is one fire | Bloodhound gang | 5 |
I want love | elton john | 5 |
bohemian like you | the dandy warhols | 5 (without the whoo hoo part) |
all the small things | blink 182 | 5 |
the times they are a'changing | bob dylan | 5 (don't do as Bob, but sing in the middle of your range, not the top 🙂 |
pure shores | all saints | 6 |
chasing cars | snow patrol | 6 |
here comes the rain again | Eurythmics | 6 |
michel | anouk | 6 |
take my breath away | berlin | 6 |
mad world | gary jules | 6 |
californication | red hot chili peppers | 6 |
here comes the sun | the beatles | 6 (major/minor changes are hard) |
Curious for more short range songs of under an octave? Check out my course Make Singing Click
Easy karaoke songs (men and women)
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:
- Go on YouTube and type: '[name of the song] + karaoke + female/male version'. Or '[name of song] + karaoke lower / higher key'.
- 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.
Song | composer | book/piece | range |
---|---|---|---|
o cessate di piagarmi | scarlatti | 28 italian songs and arias | 7 notes (melody chromatic and bit difficult) |
nun wandre maria | wolf | 6 | |
delizie contente | cavalli | 28 Italian Songs And Arias | 7 (long, might be hard to memorize. Chromatic. But beautiful!) |
o leggiardi occhi belli | anonymous, 17th century | 28 Italian Songs And Arias | 7 (Long, Might Be Hard To Memorize. Chromatic. But Beautiful!) |
der gärtner | wolf | 7 | |
die ihr schwebet | wolf | 7 (difficult melody) | |
die forelle | schubert | 7 (B section extends song over octave, but still relatively simple | |
alma del core | caldara | 28 Italian Songs And Arias | 7 |
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.
Song | musical | range |
---|---|---|
Edelweiss | the sound of music | 7 notes |
stay awake | merry poppins | 7 notes |
all that jazz | chicago | 1 octave |
Do re mi | the sound of music | 1 octave (some jumps but catchiness makes up for that) |
Now that you have your song - how can you sing it better?
Well, you can probably use some vocal technique, and there's nothing like an easy song to practice new technique with.
Where to start? I made a crash course for you called Learn from the Best that will show you the 9 techniques all good singers use. Do all of those things, and marvel at the results!
I think you’re a great teacher from how I see you work with that girl
Thanks Clayton, I appreciate that. Do you mean how I worked with Helena? It was a great lesson. Anyway, which song are you going to choose to work on?