I’m not sure I’ve posted a link to this before or not, but it is very helpful.
Part of the challenge of introducing new songs to corporate Christian settings is that many of the male composer/singers present their material in keys higher than most men are comfortable with. Particularly since pretty much everyone these days sings the melody/alto line which means men don’t sing the tenor or bass lines that would better suit most of their voices.
A lot of older hymns have already been transposed down from the higher keys of previous generations.
This is why only your dog can hear most Chris Tomlin songs.
(Conversely, popular female composer/singers may be in keys lower than women normally use.)
Some producers note that their congregational scores are lower than the scores they use to record their albums.
Others just leave you to figure out why your congregation can’t quite manage that song you love falsettoing along to on your car stereo.
This page from US Baptist blog Renewing Worship suggests ideal congregational keys for the top 100 songs (as then) listed with CCLI.
For instance they suggest
10,000 Reasons be sung in E♭ or E rather than the original G. I don’t think D is too low.
How Great Is Our God in A♭, A or B♭ rather than C
Indescribable in F or G rather than B♭
This is worth checking out, particularly if you use the CCLI Song Select tool which can transpose a lot of sheet musical scores before you print them out.
mgpcpastor's blog 