Voice harmonics problems

[Ze Ramalho]

When I sing, the notes displayed always jump around, regardless of the setting on the microphone tuning wizard (It happens set as even and odd harmonics, even harmonics or odd harmonics).

How does this selection of harmonics work?
What can I do to solve this?

Thanks

[Quentin]

What about the microphone volume level? Is it set high/low enough. When you sing, it should reach 2/3 of the meter. If it's only reaching half-way, you should tun the mic up a bit, if it's reaching the max level, the sound coming in is distorted so you'd have to turn the mic a bit down.

[Ze Ramalho]

I have tried different settings in the microphone volume range but the notes displayed still are a mix between the notes that I sing and higher harmonics of those notes.

[Quentin]

What type of microphone are you using? Have you tested the program with another microphone? When I use it with a simple headset mic, or even the microphone Apple builds into their Mac's screens, it works perfectly.

[Ze Ramalho]

I have used two similar cheap headset microphones and both had the exact same problem.
You can sing scales and the program identifies each note?
I am singing a note at a time, holding the note till I figure out if I am in tune or not (kind of memorized the harmonic series in order to do that). When I sing a note with a breathy voice the notes are shown more accuratelly, but when my voice start ringing just a bit, the display start showing more higher harmonics than the actual note I am singing.
What kind of mic would you recomend me. I have a computer running windows.
Thanks

[Quentin]

You still have to hod the notes before they are entered on the staff, either by using the [Ctrl] key, or by activating the "Auto-insert" function and setting a delay for when the program will enter the tone on the staff (can be set under TOOLS>PROGRAM SETTINGS>EFFECTS/MICROPHONE>AUTO INSERT).

I really don't think the problem comes from your microphone because, as I wrote earlier, I got it to work on both Windows and Mac with really cheap microphones. I am certain the solution lies in the microphone tuning wizard. I would advise you not to leave the microphone tuning wizard until it shows the correct notes in the preview box (the grey square where tones are displayed with their letter). If the tones are not shown correctly in the tuning wizard, they won't be recognized correctly in the exercises either.

[paulstapp]

I too have the problem of jumping. also a problem of not being able to tell it in a way it listens to me what my range is.

Aurelia doesn't give me any of these problems when I work with the singing aspect .

I am a student and I tell my fellow students who need the tuning aspect to buy Aurelia unless they have the money - then buy both Ear master and Aurelia.

Paul Stappenbeck

my equipment

Shure sm 58

protools m-audio profire 2626

Maybe that is your problem, Quentin, your are using cheep stuff.

[Quentin]

Hi Paul,

I am sorry you had this bad impression of EarMaster's voice input functions. As far as I'm concerned, I find it great and also use it with the guitar.

I took the example of a headset microphone because that's what most people would be using. If you want to know, we have also tested it with external audio interfaces and both dynamic (SM58) and condenser (the Neumann type, only not Neumann... ) mics, and it works as it should.

I have just made a little test: A SM58 into an Alesis IO2, in the Microphone Tuning Wizard, the sensitivity set at 4/6, volume reaching 2/3 of the VU meter. At step 4, I chose Even & Odd Harmonics. I am a very poor singer with a shaky voice. However, when I sing a C#1 and hold it, C#1 is the only tone displayed in the grey preview box. No bouncing around between diffrent tones. When going into the Interval singing exercise, my C#1 is as steady as in the preview box of the mic tuning wizard. Again, I can't stress enough that if things are not set up correctly in Windows/Mac and in the Mic Tuning wizard, it won't be working either in EM.

When comparing with other programs, you also have to keep in mind the type of technology at stake: automatic pitch detection with instant notation as in EarMaster vs. offline pitch analysis, which is much easier to produce.

Your voice pitch range is set in the Interval Singing exercise setup window, under KEY AND ROOT MOVEMENT>ADVANCED>EDIT...