Kaimon

1.) Well, you can't tell if their singing out of tune. If you've never heard the song, how could you possibly compare it pitch wise? It could sound completely out of tune and strange to our ears, but it could very well be what the original song sounds likes. We could assume that it could be out of tune, but we'd never be certain unless we heard the original.

2.)It really depends.

The key of a cover will depend on whatever the covering artist wants, but the spacing between each note is still equal to the spacing of the notes in the original key of the song in order for it to be in tune. So while it's different notes, the relations between those notes are the same. So it's not out of tune (provided that the instruments are also playing in the same key, or it's just the singer by themselves).

But say you there were a group of you singing the same song. Even if the relative spacing between notes are correct, if you're singing in a different key from everyone else, it's going to be out of tune.

I hope any of that made sense.

shanali4

Thanks for the Reply

One thing, I can't understand the meaning of "Spacing between Notes" and "Relation between notes". Since. I am beginner and I don't much about music. Please explain in non-technical wording.

Kaimon

Okay, say you start on a note. Musically, the smallest space to the note right next to it is what's called a "half step". So let's say we play one note and go up one half step and play that note.

Now we'll pick another note at random, one different that we played before. We also go a half step and play that note. The two sets of notes we played are made of completely different notes, but we hear them as going up the same amount.

So it's pretty much you apply that concept to two versions of the same song with different keys. As the songs go along at the same time, the notes are different, but as the go to the next note, they go up or down the same amount of steps.