# Singing in an empty building
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-in-an-empty-building/828446
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 26, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-in-an-empty-building/828446 "2019-01-26T16:18:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-in-an-empty-building/828446/1 "2019-01-26T16:18:58Z")
I imagine a lot of us have noticed how much better we sound when singing in an empty building or tunnel. What I am wondering is this. Besides the effects of reverberation on our sounds is their something else happening that makes it easier for us to stay at the right pitch. I have noticed many times that the improvement I get in the right setting seems much more dramatic than reverberation, it seems like I am actually much better at staying in tune and transitioning to different notes? Any studies on this?
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### Author:  [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing-in-an-empty-building/828446/2 "2019-01-26T16:40:52Z")
I suspect that being in such an environment enhances a person’s ability to actually hear themselves. The pitch that we think we’re producing in our heads doesn’t always match the pitch that’s actually being produced. I don’t know why that is, but it’s true. (I’ve been experimenting with this myself lately.) If you think about it, it’s not much different than musicians in a recording studio listening to what they’re doing on headphones. I know the intent is that you can hear the rest of the musicians that way without the mic picking it up, but I think having a more objective experience in your own performance helps as well.