I'd always assumed "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" was comprised solely of Richard's voice. But as I was listening to Christmas Portrait for the first time since last year, my ears caught what sounded like Karen singing a part. It's noticeable in several places, but especially on the word "earth". Is that indeed Karen's voice, or is it simply Richard doing an impressive imitation?
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear": Is that all Richard?
- Thread starter Tony
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newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Some time ago Harry posted the audio for Richard's solo song When Time Was All All We Had with the pitch changed and it sounded just like Karen.
Mark-T
Well-Known Member
Really? that's be a fascinating listen- as would Harry doing the same thing to I'm Still Not Over You for example.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I love Richard's vocals on this track and the track An Old-Fashioned Christmas, 2 of my favorite Richard vocals from Christmas.
DowneyDiSampson
Well-Known Member
Their voices really were very similar.
And technically in at least two places, (9) parts for a total of (18) voices. If you own a copy of Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, go into the discography and read the entry I wrote on this recording if you want a good laugh.Nope! All Richard...(8) parts doubled for a total of (16) voices
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
An amazing vocal (and technical) feat - but it would have sounded much better and less mechanical (and thus more realistic) if Richard and Karen had sung it together, one part each undoubled...just a thought...Nope! All Richard...(8) parts doubled for a total of (16) voices
Two voices vs. 16? I think that would have ruined it, but that's just me.
The Carpenters were modern recording artists who liked to do studio work more than they liked live performing. And, their multitracked voices were the very foundation of their sound. So using the "tech" to get the 16 voice arrangement was just something in Richard's toolbag. If he did it your way it wouldn't sound like a Carpenters song.
The Carpenters were modern recording artists who liked to do studio work more than they liked live performing. And, their multitracked voices were the very foundation of their sound. So using the "tech" to get the 16 voice arrangement was just something in Richard's toolbag. If he did it your way it wouldn't sound like a Carpenters song.
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
Actually, two voices was one too many - how about if Karen had sung this by herself, a cappella?
No, but it would have sounded like the Carpenters...
If Richard insisted on singing this and if he wanted an "ensemble sound" he should have hired one - say a group of young people from Cal St Long Beach...it would have sounded real, and not like something AI created...
Matthew S
Well-Known Member
I don’t think it sounds anything like the AI examples we’ve heard lately. And I think he recorded this after Karen died so she couldn’t have sung it.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I think the point that JohnFB is making is that Richard’s diction, pronunciation and delivery is so mechanical that it sounds like it was created by AI. And I have to agree. That’s what killed the Time album IMHO.
Matthew S
Well-Known Member
I find it quite enjoyable, have listened to it on repeat many times during the holidays. The vocal arrangement is amazing and quite an accomplishment. It sounds nothing at all like mechanical sounds, or Time for that matter,
to me. I have some of your same feelings about the diction in places on the Time album. There are some things that bother me there (first verse of Calling Your Name Again as an example.) But to me this isn’t the same at all.
Technically, eighteen voices on a couple of the chords, (9) parts ...Nope! All Richard...(8) parts doubled for a total of (16) voices
Matthew S
Well-Known Member
Wouldn’t that be amazing to capture on paper for a choir!
