Key Changes

[newvillefan]

Here's an interesting one for you. After Karen's aborted solo album, and the criticism of her singing in a higher range, I think one view of some fans was that upon them getting back together for MIA, Richard acquiesced to her desire to sing some material in slightly higher keys than before (Back In My Life Again, Beechwood, Make Believe It's Your First Time, Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night etc).

I was listening to the original 1976 TV special medley tonight, and my Ipod played the 1980 MMM closing medley right after. Both start with 'Sing'. And the 1980 medley has this song in at least 3 semitones higher than the original. I had never noticed that before.

What do you think? I'm intrigued as to whether it was by pure chance (maybe to fit in with the melody range of the medley), or whether by this time Karen's range meant she was more up for singing in this higher range. 'Touch Me When We're Dancing' as the 1981 single doesn't feature her singing anywhere near her rich lower register.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I have often wondered about this as well. If MIA was to be their comeback album why is it that we don't hear Karen being showcased in that rich lower register of which we've heared "the money is in the basement" If MIA was to be an album that the world was to say look the Carpenters are back, why do we not hear songs that feature Karen in a key that made her famous?

Surely Richard as well as John Bettis knew what key to place Karen in to re-create that magic that made them famous with songs such as Rainy Days and Superstar etc...yet with the comeback album we have songs such as Beechwood and I Believe You, Strength of a Woman in a much higher key. It's almost like Richard was appeasing Karen from what was before. But did recording Karen in a more mature sound require Richard to place Karen where she was in MIA? Richard has stated he really disliked the solo album, yet he is placing Karen in a key (mostly in the entire album of MIA) in a range that's quite different from earlier years such as Horizon.

At times I really hear no difference between Karen on her solo album and Karen from MIA with regard to key range and it really sounds nothing like Horizon or their earlier era.

I'm not saying I don't like Karen in the range because I do however I am trying to look at this from Richard's point of view and I don't get it.

 

[Harry]

Remember that Karen was no shrinking violet. She had input into what key she wanted to sing songs in. It may be that she felt her upper range wasn't being exploited enough and wanted to spread her wings in that direction.

Harry
...from the sunny Southernmost point in the US - Key West, Florida...

 

[no1kandrfan]

Very interesting point. Of course we never had another original album after MIA, but NOW, the 'last' song she ever recorded, was in a very high range - although it there are keys in the lower register as well.

Did it have anything to do with the anorexia? I know people have gone on record as saying it never affected her voice - God knows NOW is better than a lot of things, but it was still in that higher range. Perhaps it was a result of her age and illness?

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

Richard had loved female lower register before Karen started to sing.
I love Karen's lower register and Richard's low back-up at "Only Yesterday" on "Horizon".
At "Passage" they challenged recording different sound, and ecorded "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina". I loved the song when I first listened. But Richard seemed not to like the range of the song better than he liked it at the time when they recorded.

"Because We're In Love" on "Made in America" and "Now" on "Voice of the Heart" have wide range. So Richard loved wider range at later recordings?

Talking about "Sing", this song has Richard's lead part in the lowest part, doesn't it? When Karen sang lead by herself like in medley, the key had to change higher?

One of Karen's boyfriends said something like Karen sang in higher when they drove. Mike?
I'd like to think Karen loved to sing in higher range when she was happy.... like.... when she started to be Carpenters again, when she sang "Now" for the upcoming album.

Sakura

 

[goodjeans]

I'd like to think Karen loved to sing in higher range when she was happy.... like.... when she started to be Carpenters again, when she sang "Now" for the upcoming album.

...or like when she was recording her solo album.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Very interesting point. Of course we never had another original album after MIA, but NOW, the 'last' song she ever recorded, was in a very high range - although it there are keys in the lower register as well.

Did it have anything to do with the anorexia? I know people have gone on record as saying it never affected her voice - God knows NOW is better than a lot of things, but it was still in that higher range. Perhaps it was a result of her age and illness?

I never noticed "Now" to be in a particularly high key. The verses certainly aren't ("Now, now when it rains I don't feel cold"...). I certainly hear somewhat higher notes in it ("The winds might blow through me...") but it's nicely balanced between the two. Don't know that I'm hearing it get into areas that her solo record did, though. Richard has made it known that he didn't like her doing that on her solo record.

Having said that, she certainly seems to be using a "different set of pipes" for "Now". She sounds more delicate on it, less strong to a degree.

Ed

 

[Chris May]

I've always argued the point that Karen, to ME anyway, sounded different vocally on "Now". I realize this was a work-lead, but for instance, listen to the recording of "Trying To Get The Feeling Again" from the Horizon sessions. That was a work-lead, but her voice (minus the imperfections) still sounded warmer, and less "edgy" as it did on "Now". I notice this on the recording of "Your Enough" as well. Same edge, same sound. Beautiful yes, but a bit "thin" sounding to me. Both recordings cut toward the end.

 

[Dave]

Could the lower register that Cher sings in actually have been an influence on Karen? Seems as though she was known for singing in a low-range before The Carpenters came along...



Dave

 

[newvillefan]

I've always argued the point that Karen, to ME anyway, sounded different vocally on "Now". I realize this was a work-lead, but for instance, listen to the recording of "Trying To Get The Feeling Again" from the Horizon sessions. That was a work-lead, but her voice (minus the imperfections) still sounded warmer, and less "edgy" as it did on "Now". I notice this on the recording of "Your Enough" as well. Same edge, same sound. Beautiful yes, but a bit "thin" sounding to me. Both recordings cut toward the end.

I totally agree Chris. I think Karen's vocal had lost the soft warmth of the mid 1970s, by the time she came to record the cuts in 1982. I'm not sure what to put it down to, because the recording techniques were the same as always. Maybe it was her illness that had taken its toll on her rich sound.

On these 1982 tracks, she doesn't even sound as warm as she did for the 'Made In America' sessions.