Why is it so much easier to sing without the recording, than it is to sing along with the original song/singer?

[partlycloudy]

I'm a beginner (practicing on my own for about six months but I'm planning to start lessons soon, just as a hobby/for fun tho) so this is something I anticipate can probably change in the future, but so far, I've found it much easier to sing without any accompaniment (I also play guitar, but I mean even without that) than to sing along with the original recording. I don't really get why, because esp. as a beginner, it would seem it'd be more helpful to have the original singer's voice to guide the notes I'm supposed to sing, but it's honestly easier if I just turn the recording off altogether and just sing it. Why is that? (edit: If I record it and play it back, it does sound mostly in key, occasionally flat but it's mostly in tune, so I'm pretty sure it's not just that.)

[kickingtone]

I can think of two main reasons.

 

The simplest reason relates to how loud you are playing the original as you sing. Feedback from your own vocals helps you to control your voice. The less you can hear yourself, the less feedback you get, and that can diminish your control.

 

Another very similar effect is caused by subconsciously confusing the sound of the original as feedback from your own voice. When you play your own vocals back, you may find that the original was "doing all the hard work" and your own voice was a surprisingly lazy passenger, lol.

 

I recommend a two-pronged approach.

 

1. Turn the volume of the original down just to the point that it does not interfere. Hopefully, you can still hear it at that point!

 

2. Reserve some practice for learning to sing with distractions. Find the volume at which the original begins to interfere and practise to gradually increase it over months. You can do the same thing even with a different song from the one you are singing. This will help strengthen your "mind's ear" (how strongly you are hearing in your head what you intend to sing) and your ability to pick out and track your own voice from a mix (for feedback). This practice will feed through even to improve your a cappella singing.

 

Singing is a feedback loop. Listening and hearing is probably the most important skill.

[partlycloudy]

Thanks, I think some of that is still a part of it, but I found the real reason in this case seems to be, that I was singing the songs in a different key without the recording, than with the recording. Oops

[kickingtone]

^

oh...ha ha you mean you were singing it in a key that was easier for you? (lol, how did you find that out? I'm joking)

 

So what is the difficulty? Is it the range of the notes in the original songs? Surely it doesn't happen with every song?

[partlycloudy]

Yeah, higher or lower key depending on the song but it doesn't happen with every song. I was just unaware of it. If I sing with the recording then I can sing it.

[kickingtone]

Yeah' date=' higher or lower key depending on the song but it doesn't happen with every song. I was just unaware of it. If I sing with the recording then I can sing it.[/quote']

 

I'm confused now. I thought that you said that it's more difficult with the recording.

[partlycloudy]

Yup. It's more difficult with the recording. Why are you confused?

[kickingtone]

So...

 

You only assumed you were singing in the original key without the recording, and you were finding it easier. Hence the title of the thread.

 

Then you discovered that what made it easier was only the fact you were changing the key.

 

And, in fact, the recording helps you to sing it in the original key.

 

So, it is after all the other way round; The actual original is easier with the recording?

 

 

[partlycloudy]

So...

 

You only assumed you were singing in the original key without the recording, and you were finding it easier. Hence the title of the thread.

 

Then you discovered that what made it easier was only the fact you were changing the key.

 

And, in fact, the recording helps you to sing it in the original key.

 

So, it is after all the other way round; The actual original is easier with the recording?

 

 

 

No, it's more difficult to sing with the recording.

[1001gear]

 

No, it's more difficult to sing with the recording.

 

Absolutely. For instance, try singing along with yourself. More than likely nothing will sync; pitch, rhythm, timing, vibrato, timbre... nothing. Now make it a professional recording...

[kickingtone]

If I sing with the recording then I can sing it.

 

 

No, it's more difficult to sing with the recording.

 

Sorry. It's making no sense to me.

 

 

[davie]

If it's more difficult to sing along to the original recording or accompaniment then there is probably a few reasons why.

 

1. Unless you have perfect pitch, sung the song many times, or have a pitch reference (eg. pitch pipe), it is not really possible to be singing in the original key without accompaniment. When going from acapella to using accompaniment, you might not be used to singing in that range, it would be lower or higher than what you're comfortable with.

 

2. When singing acapella you don't have a tempo or rhythm guide, timing tends be more free-flowing. For example when doing acapella some singers might have the tendency to hold some notes longer, or a singers tempo can change from one section to the next. Whereas with accompaniment, you're pretty much have to be locked in with the tempo and sing in the correct rhythm of the singing or else it may seem off.

 

3. The backing track or accompaniment might simply be difficult to follow. If a song has complex harmonic content or a very busy sounding arrangement then it might make things more challenging. Or lack of a rhythm or beat instrument might make timing more difficult as well.

 

4. A singer might just not be familiar enough with the song and need to listen back to it more.

[partlycloudy]

 

Absolutely. For instance, try singing along with yourself. More than likely nothing will sync; pitch, rhythm, timing, vibrato, timbre... nothing. Now make it a professional recording...

 

It usually does. I was surprised, but it's mostly repeatable. With songs I'm familiar with, I tend to keep them in the same key and tempo each time.

 

 

[partlycloudy]

If it's more difficult to sing along to the original recording or accompaniment then there is probably a few reasons why.

 

1. Unless you have perfect pitch, sung the song many times, or have a pitch reference (eg. pitch pipe), it is not really possible to be singing in the original key without accompaniment. When going from acapella to using accompaniment, you might not be used to singing in that range, it would be lower or higher than what you're comfortable with.

 

Thanks for such a detailed and helpful response (as usual) Davie. I think it's this reason more than the others, but certainly a busy arrangement contributes with some songs. I figured out I was basically automatically transposing songs into the key I found most comfortable.

[1001gear]

 

It usually does. I was surprised, but it's mostly repeatable. With songs I'm familiar with, I tend to keep them in the same key and tempo each time.

 

 

You'll see eventually.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Thanks' date=' I think some of that is still a part of it, but I found the real reason in this case seems to be, that I was singing the songs in a different key without the recording, than with the recording. Oops[/quote']

 

Most people do when they don't have a point of reference for the pitch.

 

That's the first thing that showed me I was a bit "different" than a lot of people - as a kid, I'd immediately notice when people "weren't singing it right" when they tried singing a popular song without the original recording - I didn't realize that it was a matter of them singing in the "wrong" key at the time since I didn't have any musical training that young, but I could recall the original key and sing it at will long before I knew anything about music, even as a small child.

 

It sounds like the key of the original may not be in a comfortable range for you, which would explain why it's easier to sing it by yourself. Otherwise, I think you're correct - having the original recorded vocal as a guide is generally helpful, although if you're really trying to "double" the original exactly, that does bring in all kinds of variables besides the original key - not just matching pitch, but timing and phrasing, inflection, musical dynamics and accents, etc. From my years of working in recording studios I can tell you that some people are "naturals" when it comes to doubling a vocal track, while others struggle with it. In fact, most people have at least some difficulty - it's definitely a learned skill for most folks, and something that you get better at with lots of practice.

 

 

[partlycloudy]

 

You'll see eventually.

 

When do you predict?

[partlycloudy]

Most people do when they don't have a point of reference for the pitch.

 

That's the first thing that showed me I was a bit "different" than a lot of people - as a kid, I'd immediately notice when people "weren't singing it right" when they tried singing a popular song without the original recording - I didn't realize that it was a matter of them singing in the "wrong" key at the time since I didn't have any musical training that young, but I could recall the original key and sing it at will long before I knew anything about music, even as a small child.

 

It sounds like the key of the original may not be in a comfortable range for you, which would explain why it's easier to sing it by yourself. Otherwise, I think you're correct - having the original recorded vocal as a guide is generally helpful, although if you're really trying to "double" the original exactly, that does bring in all kinds of variables besides the original key - not just matching pitch, but timing and phrasing, inflection, musical dynamics and accents, etc. From my years of working in recording studios I can tell you that some people are "naturals" when it comes to doubling a vocal track, while others struggle with it. In fact, most people have at least some difficulty - it's definitely a learned skill for most folks, and something that you get better at with lots of practice.

 

Ah, that's very interesting! I definitely don't have perfect pitch, so I find it fascinating when people who have it describe how they experience this.

 

In this case, I would definitely say the comfortable key was the reason I was doing it, but that makes sense with the doubling.

[1001gear]

 

When do you predict?

 

Well the dawning is inevitable. When is up to you. As your abilities and awareness grow, so will your requirements of getting it right. Singers especially often have the need to get it jeeyuuuussst right. If you need examples, listen to choral music. Chanticleer is a good example. They are so tight I still wonder if they aren't using autotune and other digital enhancement.