Hello friends,

Do you change the key of your covers or do you think if you cannot sing it in the original key, the song must not be covered ?

Just wondering,
AL.

Another thing you can try that works to lock in with your vocal range is a capo--

THEE DIRTYBEATS said:

Totally agree: play a song in whatever key works best.  It's not always what's best for the singer, either.

Case in point:

When THEE DIRTYBEATS covered The 13th Floor Elevators' "Fire Engine", we did it "B". 

Now, the original version, in "E", is very cool;  but we really admired the intro Television added (see their 1978 live album "Blow Up"), with that insane chromatic chordal build.  And Television's version was in "Bb".   

As we worked up the song in Bb, we found a terrifically vicious downslash effect could be achieved on the I-IV transition if the IV chord was actually an open E rather than a barred F.  So we transposed the song again, this time *up* a half-step, from Bb -> B.

You can hear that guitar downslash at 0:54 (it's wonderfully noisy, if you're into that sort of thing) at http://theedirtybeats.bandcamp.com/track/fire-engine.  Changing the IV to E also freed Jamie to add a soaring thing to his fuzz solo.  While the higher key forced me out of my comfort zone as singer, it kept me on edge and reaching, which for a highly charged rock performance isn't necessarily a bad thing.     
 
We similarly fooled with "Shape Of Things To Come", originally recorded in F# by Max Frost & The Troopers.  We did it in E, because my guitar solo just fell out that way.

-A

THEE DIRTYBEATS maximum vintage garage
http://www.theedirtybeats.com

Totally agree: play a song in whatever key works best.  It's not always what's best for the singer, either.

Case in point:

When THEE DIRTYBEATS covered The 13th Floor Elevators' "Fire Engine", we did it "B". 

Now, the original version, in "E", is very cool;  but we really admired the intro Television added (see their 1978 live album "Blow Up"), with that insane chromatic chordal build.  And Television's version was in "Bb".   

As we worked up the song in Bb, we found a terrifically vicious downslash effect could be achieved on the I-IV transition if the IV chord was actually an open E rather than a barred F.  So we transposed the song again, this time *up* a half-step, from Bb -> B.

You can hear that guitar downslash at 0:54 (it's wonderfully noisy, if you're into that sort of thing) at http://theedirtybeats.bandcamp.com/track/fire-engine.  Changing the IV to E also freed Jamie to add a soaring thing to his fuzz solo.  While the higher key forced me out of my comfort zone as singer, it kept me on edge and reaching, which for a highly charged rock performance isn't necessarily a bad thing.     
 
We similarly fooled with "Shape Of Things To Come", originally recorded in F# by Max Frost & The Troopers.  We did it in E, because my guitar solo just fell out that way.

-A

THEE DIRTYBEATS maximum vintage garage
http://www.theedirtybeats.com

It depends. If you're playing in a covers band, try to sound like who you're covering, that's what the sots want. If it's a one-off cover in an otherwise original band, express yourself.

I agree with Bunt agreeing with Shaun. I do think though, that some songs are written in the key they were meant to be played in. But like Shaun mentioned. You'll know if it works or not just by listening as you play.
The other important thing about covers is to play them as you remember them and not necessarily as they actually were recorded.

I agree with Shaun. Make it your own song.

Do what ever you want with a song.  Why limit yourself to a preconceived notion of what the song is supposed to sound like.  The key of a song is generally written where the previous singer was most comfortable or to accommodate bad horn players.  Sometimes a song won't sound good if the key is changed but that is rare and you will be able to tell.