# Singing

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 15, 2011, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288 "2011-12-15T09:40:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/1 "2011-12-15T09:40:50Z")

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Do you sing and if so how proficiently?

Would others agree?

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### Author: ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/2 "2011-12-15T10:12:37Z")

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Quite good.

No.

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### Author: ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/3 "2011-12-15T14:00:08Z")

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I can carry a tune but my singing voice doesn’t sound that great tonally. I can hit all the notes but that’s where it ends. It’s good enough for bar karaoke that I won’t embarrass myself. Others would agree.

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### Author: ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/4 "2011-12-15T14:41:26Z")

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I can carry a tune and even rise above average at times, but not to the point where I lose sleep weeping for my lost career. Nor does anyone else. 🙂

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### Author: ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/5 "2011-12-15T14:42:40Z")

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I sing constantly in the car or when I am alone. It sucks because I can hear perfect pitch and remember songs after 2-3 listens, and love to sing - but I can’t sing worth a damn. ☹

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### Author: ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/6 "2011-12-15T14:45:30Z")

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I sing in a chorus and I often get compliments on my voice from others in the group, so I think I do all right. I’d never be able to make a career of it, though.

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### Author: ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/7 "2011-12-15T15:13:42Z")

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I’m competent and in a chorus at work, which will be performing noon to one today and also the Thursday before Christmas. The best is one of our sopranos.

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/8 "2011-12-15T15:16:40Z")

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I sing very badly and I know it. The wife is an excellent singer and knows it as well.

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### Author: ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/9 "2011-12-15T18:21:07Z")

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“Capably” is the word I’d use. The only time I sing in front of other people these days is the hymns at church. I was a dedicated chorus member in high school.

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### Author: ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/10 "2011-12-15T18:42:17Z")

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I sing well enough to have made money at it from the time I was 13 until I was 54, briefly full-time but mostly part-time. Rock, folk and pop music alone and in bands. Now I only sing in church and in prison (but, as Alton would say, that’s another thread).

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### Author: ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/11 "2011-12-15T19:19:51Z")

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> [@Dung\_Beetle](#):
>
> I can carry a tune and even rise above average at times, but not to the point where I lose sleep weeping for my lost career.

I can carry a tune and even rise above average at times, and I occasionally lose sleep weeping for my lost career. I love singing above almost anything else, but sadly, even after training, I am just not good enough to make a profession of it. People who hear me do tend to say I have a good voice, and just the other day, someone who heard me speaking told me that he could hear in my voice that I must be a singer.

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### Author: ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/12 "2011-12-15T19:28:46Z")

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I have been asked to continue singing, rather than being asked to stop. I take that as a vaguely positive sign of some sort, but that’s about as far as it goes. I have no illusions of being a great singer.

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### Author: ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/13 "2011-12-16T00:43:01Z")

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I have a good strong “basso” voice with excellent intonation. But at my age (66) and with my health issues, my biggest challenge is breath control. Until a couple of years ago I had no vibrato; then it suddenly appeared . . . but way too fast. I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to slow it down.

What this means is that my voice is good for choral singing, but I’ll never sing a solo.

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### Author: ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/14 "2011-12-16T05:50:36Z")

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I love to sing (hence my username) and have been told that I’m good at it. At the risk of sounding vain, I believe I do have a good voice. Not that I’d ever risk my dignity singing for Simon Cowell–I’d much rather perform at a karaoke bar!

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### Author: ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/15 "2011-12-16T07:22:23Z")

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I’d like a private soundproofed karaoke room; I think I can improve much. When I first got kidnapped to a karaoke bar and had to sing at gun point (hyperbole), I was horrible. But after a few more times I wasn’t too bad though it was tough finding songs I can sing within my vocal range as I can’t go up very high.

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### Author: ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/16 "2011-12-17T04:53:15Z")

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I like to think I can sing well enough that people enjoy my renditions, and I have been complimented more than once. Unfortunately, I don’t get enough opportunities to exercise those muscles, lately, so they are getting quite a bit out of shape.

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### Author: ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/17 "2011-12-17T13:50:14Z")

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I can sort of sing country tunes, but I don’t like most country. I enjoy rock and show tunes, but can’t sing worth a damn.

This doesn’t stop me from singing, it only stops me from singing when I’m not alone. If I’ve enjoyed an adult beverage or two, though, I’ll generally sing as my husband is driving me home. I have a ridiculously low tolerance for alcohol.

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### Author: ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singing/606288/18 "2011-12-17T14:52:39Z")

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One of my mottos: I sing loud, not good. I love to sing and am one of those people at work with the headphones and the out-of-tune warbling. My co-workers had standing orders to tell me if I got too loud. Those good people would sit there and suffer in silence if I hadn’t explicitly told them to tell me to shut the hell up.

I used to be a pretty good singer. A soloist in my Glee club sort of good. And then the smoking and the drinking and the glavin. . . I now sound like pure crappola. I don’t care!

_And I–yi-I-yi-I  
Will always love you-oo-oooo!_
