song keys for maximum participation
DESCRIPTION
List of worship songs and the best keys for congregational singing.TRANSCRIPT
Song Keys for Maximum Participation in Worship
For maximum participation in worship, we need to sing songs in keys that the average singer can sing, (see my post on A Real KEY to Producing Spectators). Too often, worship leaders produce a culture of spectators by singing in keys beyond the capabilities of the congregation. Below is a list of the current top 100 CCLI worship songs. The Ideal Keys are the ones best suited for congregational singing of that song. The Key Range shows acceptable keys (lowest to highest), but may not be the best. LifeWayWorship.com has the songs available in the keys shown. An audio of every song is available to stream by clicking on the audio link on the blog page: klamm.ws/songkeys. Criteria for determining the keys is located below the table.
Kenny Lamm, Senior Consultant, Worship & Music Ministries, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Song Rank Ideal
Keys Key Range
LifeWay Worship
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman)
59
Eb, E
Eb-‐E
Eb, E
Above All (Lenny LeBlanc, Paul Baloche) 52 Ab, A G-‐A G, A Agnus Dei (Michael W. Smith) 70 G, Ab, A G-‐A G, A All Because Of Jesus (Steve Fee) 60 A, Bb Ab-‐Bb A, Bb All Who Are Thirsty (Brenton Brown, Glenn Robertson) 88 F, G Eb-‐G F, G Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, John Newton)
8 D, Eb D-‐Eb D, Eb
As The Deer (Martin Nystrom) 74 C, D Bb-‐D C, D Awesome God (Rich Mullins) 87 em, fm cm-‐fm em, fm Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Cary Pierce, Jon Abel)
96 F Eb-‐G F, G
Beautiful One (Tim Hughes) 34 C Bb-‐C# C, D Before the Throne Above (Charitie Lees Bancroft, Vikki Cook)
84 (D) (D) C, D, Eb
Better Is One Day (Matt Redman) 41 Eb D-‐Eb Eb, F Blessed Be Your Name (Beth Redman, Matt Redman) 4 Bb A-‐Bb A. Bb Breathe (Marie Barnett) 43 G, Ab, A G-‐Bb G, A Came To My Rescue (Joel Davies, Marty Sampson, Dylan Thomas)
89 Bb Bb Bb, C
Christ Is Risen (Matt Maher, Mia Fieldes) 99 C, D* C-‐Eb Eb, F Come Now Is The Time To Worship (Brian Doerksen) 21 D, Eb C-‐Eb D, Eb Days Of Elijah (Robin Mark) 29 Ab, A G-‐Bb Ab, A Desert Song (Brooke Fraser) 83 bm, cm bm-‐dm cm, dm Draw Me Close (Kelly Carpenter) 63 Bb A-‐Bb A, Bb Emmanuel (Bob McGee) 98 C, D Bb-‐D C-‐D Enough (Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio) 58 F, G F-‐G G, Ab Everlasting God (Brenton Brown, Ken Riley) 7 Bb A-‐Bb A, Bb Forever (Chris Tomlin) 12 G F-‐G F, G
Song Rank Ideal Keys
Key Range
LifeWay Worship
Forever Reign (Reuben Morgan, Jason Ingram)
14
A, Bb, B, C
A-‐C
A, Bb
Friend Of God (Michael Gungor, Israel Houghton) 51 Bb, B, C Bb-‐C Bb, C From The Inside Out (Joel Houston) 18 Bb A-‐Bb A, Bb Give Thanks (Henry Smith) 45 F, G F-‐G F-‐G Give Us Clean Hands (Charlie Hall) 62 F F-‐F# F, G Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) (John Wilbur Chapman, Mark Hall, Michael Bleecker)
54 Ab, A Ab-‐Bb Ab, A
Glory To God Forever (Steve Fee, Vicky Beeching) 25 Ab, A G-‐A A, Bb God Is Able (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan) 65 Ab, A G-‐A Ab, A God Of This City (Aaron Boyd, Richard Bleakley, Ian Jordan, Andrew McCann, Peter Kernaghan, Peter Comfort)
78 Bb A-‐Bb Ab, A
God Of Wonders (Marc Byrd, Steve Hindalong) 33 F, G F-‐G F, G Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas Obediah Chisholm, William Marion Runyan)
53 C, D Bb-‐D D, Eb , C-‐D
Hallelujah (Brenton Brown, Brian Doerksen) 94 G, Ab, A Eb-‐A G, Ab Happy Day (Ben Cantelon, Tim Hughes) 32 ((Bb)) ((Bb)) Bb, C He Is Exalted (Twila Paris) 73 Eb, F Eb-‐F Eb-‐F, F, G He Knows My Name (Tommy Walker) 76 D, Eb, E D-‐F D, Eb Here I Am To Worship (Tim Hughes) 5 E, F Eb-‐F Eb, F Holy Is The Lord (Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio) 17 F, G F-‐G F, G Hosanna (Brooke Fraser) 23 E, F D-‐F E, F Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) (Paul Baloche, Brenton Brown) 19 F, G F-‐G F, G How Can I Keep From Singing (Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Matt Redman)
85 E, F Eb-‐F Eb-‐F
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Stuart Townend) 28 E, F, G D-‐G F, G How Great Is Our God (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash)
1 Ab, A, Bb G-‐Bb A. Bb
How Great Thou Art (Stuart Wesley Keene Hine) 26 A A-‐Bb A, Bb , How He Loves (John Mark McMillan) 15 (A, Bb) (A-‐Bb) A, Bb Hungry (Kathryn Scott) 93 D D C, D I Am Free (Jon Egan) 57 ** ** Eb, F I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever (Martin Smith) 95 Eb, F D-‐F Eb, F I Give You My Heart (Reuben Morgan) 39 F, G Eb-‐A F, G I Love You Lord (Laurie Klein) 67 Eb, E, F,
G Eb-‐Ab Eb-‐F
I Will Follow (Reuben Morgan, Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram)
49 E, F Eb-‐F E, F
I Will Rise (Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Jesse Reeves, Matt Maher)
66 G F-‐Ab G, Ab
In Christ Alone (Stuart Townend, Keith Getty) 10 Eb D-‐Eb D, Eb
Song Rank Ideal Keys
Key Range
LifeWay Worship
Indescribable (Laura Story)
44
F, G
Eb-‐G
F, G
Jesus Messiah (Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash)
9 G F-‐G F, G
Jesus Paid It All (Alex Nifong, Elvina M. Hall, John Thomas Grape)
77 Bb A-‐Bb A, Bb
Joy To The World (Unspeakable Joy) (Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Matt Gilder, Isaac Watts, George Frederic Handel)
90 A, Bb A-‐Bb A, B
Lead Me To The Cross (Brooke Fraser) 38 cm, dm bm-‐dm cm, dm Lord I Lift Your Name On High (Rick Founds) 24 G F-‐G F, G Lord Reign In Me (Brenton Brown) 64 Bb, B Ab-‐C Bb, C Love The Lord (Lincoln Brewster) 82 F, G Eb-‐G F, G Majesty (Jack Hayford) 86 Ab, A, Bb G-‐Bb Ab, Bb Marvelous Light (Charlie Hall) 72 B, Bb B-‐Bb Ab,Bb Mighty To Save (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan) 2 G, Ab F-‐Ab G, Ab My Savior My God (Aaron Shust, Dorothy Dora Greenwell)
97 Bb, C A-‐C Bb, C
O Praise Him (David Crowder) 100 G, Ab, A F-‐A G, A Offering (Paul Baloche) 69 E, F Eb-‐G F, G One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails) (Brian Johnson, Christa Black, Jeremy Riddle)
91 (Ab) (Ab) G, Ab
Open The Eyes Of My Heart (Paul Baloche) 13 D, Eb, E D-‐E D, Eb Our God (Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin, Jesse Reeves)
3 G, Ab G-‐Ab G, Ab
Our God Saves (Paul Baloche, Brenton Brown) 61 D D C, D Revelation Song (Jennie Lee Riddle) 6 D C-‐D C, D Sanctuary (John W. Thompson, Randy Scruggs) 81 D, Eb, E C-‐F D Shine Jesus Shine (Graham Kendrick) 68 Ab, A Ab-‐A Ab, A Shout To The Lord (Darlene Zschech) 20 Bb, B Bb-‐B Ab Sing Sing Sing (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Matt Gilder, Daniel Carson, Travis Nunn)
46 F, G E-‐Ab** F, G
Sing To The King (Billy Foote, Charles Silvester Horne) 37 Eb, E, F Eb-‐G Eb, F Stronger (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan) 56 Bb, B, C Bb-‐C Bb, C The Heart Of Worship (Matt Redman) 30 Eb C-‐F Eb, F The Stand (Joel-‐Houston) 22 A A Ab, A The Wonderful Cross (Jesse Reeves, Chris Tomlin, J. D. Walt, Isaac Watts, Lowell Mason)
40 C, D C-‐D C, D
Today Is The Day (Lincoln Brewster, Paul Baloche) 55 Bb, B Bb-‐B Bb, C Trading My Sorrows (Darrell Evans) 47 G, Ab, A F-‐A G, A Victory In Jesus (Eugene M. Bartlett) 80 F Eb-‐F# F, G We Fall Down (Chris Tomlin) 27 Eb, E, F D-‐F Eb, F Wonderful Merciful Savior (Dawn Rodgers, Eric Wyse) 92 Bb, C Bb-‐C Ab, Bb Worthy Is The Lamb (Darlene Zschech) 79 A, Bb A-‐Bb G, A
Song Rank Ideal Keys
Key Range
LifeWay Worship
You Are Good (Israel Houghton)
75
Eb, E, F
D-‐F
D, Eb
You Are Holy (Prince Of Peace) (Marc Imboden, Tammi Rhoton)
71 E, F E-‐F F, G
You Are My All In All (Dennis Jernigan) 36 F, G Eb-‐G F, G You Are My King (Billy Foote) 16 D, Eb D-‐F D, Eb You Never Let Go (Matt Redman}, Beth Redman) 31 A, Bb A-‐Bb A, Bb You’re Worthy Of My Praise (David Ruis) 48 Eb, E, F Eb-‐F Eb, F Your Grace Is Enough (Matt Maher) 11 E, F Eb-‐F Eb, F Your Great Name (Krissy Nordhoff, Michael Neale) 42 A, Bb Ab-‐Bb Bb, C Your Love Never Fails (Anthony Skinner, Chris McClarney)
50 F Eb-‐F F, G
Your Name (Paul Baloche, Glenn Packiam) 35 Ab, A, Bb G-‐Bb Ab, Bb Criteria for determining congregationally friendly keys:
The range should fit an average singer. The highest note should be a D with an occasional Eb allowable. The lowest note should be an A.
For songs with a small range that could be sung in a wide range of keys, the character of the song and the composer’s original key were considered to preserve the intended feel of the song.
Songs with a high tessitura may be pitched a bit lower even if the top note is a D. A few songs on the list have ranges beyond the scope of an average singer. Those key suggestions are
noted in parentheses with the best key(s) possible with the understanding that there are outliers in the melody.
I did not list choice keys in C# or F#, but if choice keys are on either side of one of these, you can certainly choose that key.
_______________________________________ **I Am Free in its original form has a range too large for an average singer. LifeWayWorship’s arrangements have altered the melody so that it is attainable by the average singers. In considering the original notation, I have not listed any key as a possibility.