Sing & See lets you actually see your voice! The software
contains some nifty algorithms that analyze your voice as you are singing
to work out what pitch you're singing and what overtones are in the sound.
Then it shows that information on the screen in a series of useful displays.
One of the cool things about Sing & See is that it has a piano keyboard built in so that you can play a starting note or even a tune - the piano keys can be controlled by clicking on them with the mouse or by the computer keyboard. Then, when you sing a note, the piano key that you've sung lights up in red. If you can sing a perfect scale, then you can get each key lighting up in turn (if you're like me some of the notes aren't very steady...)
The software has two versions - the Student Version has pitch feedback only
while the "Professional" Version also has spectrogram feedback which lets
you see the overtones and resonances in your voice. For most singers I'd
say that the Student Version is all you need - it lets you get your voice
"in tune". Even if you're past the stage of "singing out of tune" it's very
revealing what the pitch display can show :) Like if you're not supporting
the tone very well you can see the pitch dropping off at the end... SO it
can be very useful for ironing out technical issues even for more advanced
singers.
Note that this singing software differs from the other packages reviewed
here in that it isn't a tutorial system - it is meant to be used together
with a voice coach (or I suppose one of the tutorial systems listed
here). However, if you're keen you can get the Teaching Manual (it's meant
to be for teachers using the software in their studios but actually it is
quite good as a self-study guide for singers to work through the extensive
range of vocal exercises included. There's some excerpts on the site which
show
you
how it is set out).
If you're looking for a singing tutoring system you'd be better to get one
of the other programs on this site - however Sing & See would be a good program
to complement whatever vocal tutoring you go with. It can give you that feedback
about your voice that you otherwise don't get when learning at home. It seems
that quite a few singing teachers are using it now and getting their students
to buy it to use during their practising - for that very reason that it helps
them "get in tune" while they're practising.
Cost
Student Version - $49
Professional Version - $99
Teacher's Version (with book) - $169
Book - How to Sing and See - $79
I just saw that their prices have come down in the last
couple of years - it was $139 for the Professional when I got it but now
it's at $99. Also, I
found
a cheaper version of the book for sale
on www.createspace.com for only $49 (click
here)
