Adjusting melodies
I’m generally against altering an existing melody. After all, a melody, song, or composition was designed that way for a reason. BUT—there are exceptions to that rule in my opinion. If something is vocally difficult due to factors like age or vocal strength, you can make a few adjustments here and there.
However, if you find yourself needing to change too much of the melody to make it work, then that song may not be the right fit for you. It’s important to know your limits and work within them.
Adjusting the key is often the first solution, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. When a melody has big leaps between low and high notes, it can be tricky to find a key where everything feels comfortable.
For example, if you have a song where the verses are very low, but the chorus soars to extreme heights, shifting the key could result in either struggling with the high notes or losing power in the lower parts.
In such cases, making small melodic adjustments is often the smarter choice.
Here are a few options:
✔Raise the lower sections slightly without changing the overall key.
✔Reroute or modify the higher notes—perhaps transition them to falsetto if it suits the style.
✔Adjust the timing or phrasing to make difficult notes easier to approach smoothly.
This way, you maintain the song’s integrity while adapting it to your vocal needs.
Here’s an example where you can slightly adjust the melody of a song if, for instance, the lower parts are difficult to reach or sustain. Small tweaks like this can help you maintain the essence of the song while keeping it vocally manageable.