Singing with a CD

Subject: Singing with a CD
From: LukeKellylives (Chris)
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 05:58 PM

Why is it so different when you sing with a CD playing from your computer or radio than it is when you actually sing with someone? When I sing along with a CD, I go off key, can't get my voice to sing it naturally, and always jump between octaves. Anyone else notice that these things happen? It even happens when I THINK I sound ok with it. Someone told me how awful I sounded when I sang along with a recording, and then I did it by myself and they said that it was a huge difference.

Why is it any different from when you actually sing?

Subject: RE: Singing with a CD
From: mick p r.m s.c
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 06:37 PM

Chris, We are halfway through recording a CD. Our group have been together for five years and have sung in countless venues in that time. We thought we had this singing thing sussed. How wrong we are. Try recording yourself singing. Most if not all recordings are "mastered" this is possibly why they are so hard to sing a long to. Cheers Mick. But I could be wrong!

Subject: RE: Singing with a CD
From: Stewart
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:29 PM

Chris - You're probably trying to keep up to the tempo and styling of the song on the CD, and not putting your full attention to just singing the song as you would if singing by yourself.

Mick - Try recording live performances. I much prefer listening to live (rather than studio) recordings. When you are recording yourself, you're probably thinking about doing it perfect, not making any little mistakes, etc. When you're singing live you're more relaxed and it comes out much better.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Singing with a CD
From: Songster Bob
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 10:20 PM

Jumping octaves? The singers on the CD are in their key, not yours. When you sing with others, you pick a good key for all of you.

And a CD has tempo, volume, arrangement, and all that going for it, unlike "live" singing, where it all )usually) goes to hell before coming back together.

Bob