You want to sing and love rock music, but all your favourite singers have impossibly impressive rock voices. Don’t worry, I have five no-pressure rock songs to get you started on your singing journey and have you sounding great at the karaoke. I’ve picked five songs covering different ranges and eras, so hopefully, there will be something for everyone.
All The Small Things - Blink 182
Range: (B3 - F4) - Best for Higher Voices
“All The Small Things” is a song written by Tom Delonge, lead singer of Blink-182 for his girlfriend. Recorded in 1999 and released on January 18, 2000, it was part of their third 3rd studio album ‘Enema of The State’ and is anode to Tom favourite band, The Ramones, who are also on this list. The song might be towards the top of the range for lower/mid voices. (Don’t worry, I have some pieces coming up for lower voices. But with a range of B3 -F4, it will sit pretty snuggly in a tenor voice without venturing too high. It is repetitive and catchy, so easy to remember. The phrases are short with lots of breaks, so you have plenty of time to breathe, and this one isn’t about having a great tone or being perfectly on pitch, so deliver it with energy, and it will work.
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
Range: A3-F#4 with potential to move top note down to a D4 - Best for Mid to High Voice
“Kryptonite" is the debut single of the American rock band 3 Doors Down. It was initially released as a demo but was picked up by several radio stations from November–December 1999 and eventually became a hit. The song was written by the band's vocalist and drummer, Brad Arnold, in a mathematics class when he was fifteen and was one of the first songs he ever wrote. The song has a small range from an A3-F#4, and the melody is relatively simple. Most of the song sits on or under a D4. There is one F# in the piece that can be replaced by a shouted “yeah” or sung on a D4 instead if it is a little high. The song will be easy for most higher singer but could be around the break for mid to low singers, so it might be one to try out depending on your range or drop down a key. This one has lots of room for breathing and can be fun to play around with how he falls off the notes at the end of each phrase. It’s a great first step to playing with vocal style.
I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
Range: E3 - C#4 - Best for Mid Voices
"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It is one of the band's best-known songs, initially released on their fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978. I Wanna Be Sedated" was written by Joey Ramone about chilling out after a busy time on the road. This song sits in a comfortable mid-range for most men. It has a lot of space for breathing, a lot of repeated notes and a steady rhythm. He does some interesting flips with his voice which can be fun to play with if you have already started playing with vocal style. However, they aren’t required to make it sound good. There are some small runs at the end of some phrases which might need a little attention. This is an excellent song to take the first steps towards vocal agility. But, if you don’t feel ready yet, don’t worry, it sounds great with or without them. This one is all about having fun and rhythm so if you can keep that steady beat you are onto a winner.
Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
Range: G2 - D4 - Best for Mid & Lower Voices
“Sultans of Swing” is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, written by frontman Mark Knopfler. The lyrics were inspired by a jazz band playing in the corner of an almost empty pub in Deptford, South London. At the end of their performance, the lead singer announced their name, the Sultans of Swing; Knopfler found the contrast between the group's shoddy appearance and surroundings and their grandiose name funny. Although this looks like it has a big range, it is partially spoken, and therefore perfect if you struggle with pitching. It can be an excellent start to getting used to exploring pitching your voice without having to sing overly. And if you can’t reach all the higher or lower range, it doesn’t matter. You can either speak those parts or sing them in the lower or higher octave, so there is a lot of wiggle room to fit the song to your voice.
Knockin’ on Heavens Door - Bob Dylan
Rannge: G3 - B3 - Good for all ranges. Lower singers might take it down a step to avoid the break.
“Knocking on Heavens Door” is a song by Bob Dylan, which Guns N Roses also covered. The Bob Dylan version is the best one to look at as it is a little easier. It was initially written for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and pretty much became an instant hit across the world, reaching the Top 10 in several countries. Some higher ad-libs go up to a G4 if you are feeling extra adventurous. However, these are not required to make this song sound good. The basic melody sits over three notes, so pitch-wise, there isn’t a lot to deal with, and generally, this sits on the upper mid-range for most men. If you have a low voice, you might want to take it down a step, and there are lots of karaoke tracks on youtube that cover different ranges. This song has short phrases with lots of room for breathing and sounds good in most peoples voices and is just a classic!
