If auto-tune was HUMAN, look no further. Karen Carpenter was on a DIFFERENT PLANET.

[@Mark-Marine]

No one I knew, regardless of musical taste, did not listen to The Carpenters. Now, some wouldn’t admit to it openly, but they all loved her voice. Why? Because we had ears - and that’s all you needed to appreciate Karen.

[@jimdep6542]

I've never known anyone who didn't like her, regardless of what kind of music they listened to.

[@vamboroolz1612]

As a lifelong blues and blues rock fan I am happy to ‘admit’ to loving Karen Carpenter. If she doesnt hit you in the heart then you have my sympathy.

[@cremersalex]

I was never ashamed of loving the 'Carpenters', not even during my wildest Proggy years.

[@laurabryannan]

When "We've only Just Begun" came out, I was 12, and listening to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath. I absolutely LOATHED The Carpenters. Now that I'm in my 60s I can definitely appreciate the quality of her voice, but I still dislike Carpenter's music.

[@EP65]

Indeed, we listened.

[@ivannovotny4552]

Karen was amazing singer and also - let's not forget - incredible drummer.

[@billywright8252]

Hard to square Karen's pitch ability with drumming, the least tonal of instruments. But there it is. She was a unicorn.

[@janetbreckon8211]

True! Such a loss. R.I.P.

[@laurieharper1526]

@@billywright8252 Drums "the least tonal of instruments"? Hardly.

[@benjaminhawthorne1969]

Yes! I heard that she loved playing drums so much, that she was quite reluctant to leave them behind and take the mic at the front of the stage. I suppose that this was before Levon Helm, Phil Collins and Don Henley showed us that with a headset microphone, one could sing lead WHILST playing the drums! 😁

[@john26660]

@@benjaminhawthorne1969 It had to do with her insecurities. The drumset offered her a barrier.

[@radzsing]

Her voice is so rich, clear and beautiful. The Auto-Tune audio processor software was released on September 19, 1997. That alone explains why music from the early 90's, 80's, 70's and before still sounds so amazing. Those folks actually had talent.

[@mnewm21]

some did some didn't but usually where those didn't they didn't try to hide it they rolled with it and it became as essential a part of their sound and the other instruments involved. Think of your punk bands and even a lot of the singer songwriters the singing wasn't the strength but their voices were used to tell the stories and very effectively. You also learned to sing within the sweet spot of your range. Everything was different when you couldn't just process your voice to digital perfection!

[@bingbangbong3159]

Stick Aiken waterman were doing something in the 1980s to make everyone sound good.

[@mnewm21]

@@ascotalexanderbruce training and practice still require a base ability and a lot of the new "singers" don't have a base ability...when I went to school you were encouraged to improve in areas that you ability in, now you are encouraged to do what you want, regardless of ability 🤣 if my teachers had heard some of the "singers" of today in their music class they would have encouraged them to play an instrument or quietly moved them into manual arts!

[@albertschepis]

@@mnewm21 That's funny: "Nice dear but how are you a sewing?"

[@kittenfuud]

​@@albertschepis 😂 Thanks for that

[@dc5046]

I love your calling Karen Carpenter's voice "the best of the best". I concur.

[@raymondoakford8357]

And Allison Krauss.

[@danx1216]

its okay I prefer Lind rondsat much more!

[@zx7-rr486]

I'm 51 and obviously knew of Karen as famous singer when I was a kid in the UK (I watched her on Bruce Forsyth's show 😂). As a rock guitarist myself I kinda put her in the easy listening box. Only recently did I discover what an ace drummer she was, and how precise her vocals were. Some of her early live shows with her on drums singing like an angel are awesome. It's reàlly sad they pulled her more and more away from the kit as their fame grew. Even on the Carpenters Ultimate Collection (greatest hits) there is no mention Karen played drums!! If I had been their manager I would have made a BIG deal out of it.. photos of her on the kit on albums.. playing drums more in concerts ..and getting more of her drums on the records (they pulled in a session drummer, who unbelievably recorded more drums on Carpenters records tha she did...).

[@dc5046]

@@zx7-rr486 I heard that one year in the early 1970's, Karen Carpenter was actually voted Best Drummer - over someone like John Bonham. Don't think I'd go that far, but her vocals were out of this world.

[@s44577]

Forty years on, I cannot listen to Karen without still feeling a profound loss. Thank you for featuring her again Fil, I so appreciate your enthusiasm for her voice and music. Truly the greatest. ❤

[@moreygloss9248]

She was not national, or even international, but a *global* treasure. We'll wait a long time before we hear a voice that's as much like a cool drink of water on a hot day.

[@johnpjones182]

Have you heard singer Tori Holub? Remarkably similar voice to Karen Carpenter!

[@LadyNariel]

Same. I was born almost two years after Karen's passing, but I grew up listening to the Carpenters and loved her voice, so beautiful that it got me emotional even as a child. When I was old enough to understand that she was gone, I started experiencing the same as you, can't listen to them without feeling that loss. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one 💜

[@Juttutin]

I was 13. She was recovering. The world was relieved. And then, she was, just, gone.

[@albertschepis]

@@johnpjones182 Yes, she has nice tone and choice of songs to do. She's very similar to Karen, but I'll be more interested to hear her as she matures. I'd like to see her focus more on specifically singing for perfection rather than performing for the camera.

[@rev5]

Yes, she had a wonderful sound to her voice, never a wrong note, so smooth and tender and a little smokey even, BUT, as a singer myself I can tell you her phrasing, innunciation, and breath control is unmatched. Try to sing along with her and you'll see. In "I'll Say Goodbye to love" she sings the phrase "Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by and all I know of love is how to live without it," 10 seconds or so absolutely with no effort and without a breath. Try to sing it with her. She makes it sound so easy, but it is not. That is greatness.

[@albertschepis]

Yes. I'm not a singer but that is an excellent example of the special skills she had that professionals notice. I love that about her and your comment.

[@yvonnevanwaegeningh-tiggel4577]

Totally agree. Great example. That's a very difficult line to sing without effort or breath in between...

[@chrisstout8451]

@@Spo-Dee-O-Deeholding a single projected note is not nearly as hard as a phrase of notes and changing characteristics. Not a good analogy.

[@JohnLemon1974]

I had to go and listen to that track after your comment. Unbelievable. ❤

[@minhtrando]

@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee You are comparing a pop artist with operatic artists, that's not really fair to Karen. The Carpenters sang mostly pop, they obviously didn't have, and didn't need these monstrous belting, uncomparable agility,... to impress people. The comment didn't spark any comparison to other artists, so why do you need to bring up singers from other genres?

[@WaynesPokeWorld]

One of the most extraordinary voices in my opinion ❤

[@Jake-Brumberry]

Agreed!

[@CraigHolty]

Hands down 👏🏼

[@ColeenTapis]

Unbelievable natural talent.

[@Yesica1993]

She's about as perfect as humanly possible! I feel bad that I was too young and took her for granted for a long time. It was not until I began taking voice lessons myself, as an adult (after losing my voice due to poor technique) that I realize the skill and gifting it took to do what she did.

[@BlackWidowBenji]

Stunningly beautiful 🌹

[@tr5947]

Karen Carpenter was not only great at pitch, but also at phrasing and putting out the emotional content of the song. And one of the things she never did was the kind of held note caterwauling that gets undeserved applause these days. She was so special and gone much too soon. Considering some of the songs that came out of '80s, that would have been an incredible decade for her as she was on the verge of reinventing her musical personality. Thank you, Fil for giving Karen the flowers she deserves.

[@cheshacat]

Her voice is like poured silver, smooth and precious.

[@stella448]

I'm a singer, and I didn't need the tech to tell me (although wonderful confirmation) she was THE BEST! It's a real shame that she didn't think so, God bless her though and what beautiful sound and music she left us all💕💕💕

[@janicefranklin5078]

Karen Carpenter had such a clear, clean & angelic quality to her voice. I wasn’t necessarily a fan of her genre of music, but she was definitely a phenomenal singer.

[@julieabrahamsen8637]

Achingly beautiful

[@MostlyBuicks]

Yes, not many people can understand talent and taste are two different things.

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

@@MostlyBuicks Great point!

[@notmyname3681]

Emmylou Harris is similar. She sings with incredible precision and clarity with one of the purest voices I've ever heard.

[@grouchocatman]

"We've Only Just Begun" makes me give up my will to live, but her voice is extraordinary.

[@alextirrellRI]

I'm so pleased you picked Karen for this demonstration!

[@glamgal7106]

I'm also glad that Karen was picked for this analysis. Right now, my bird is whistling after hearing her LOL.

[@HappyOne3]

I always felt her voice was velvet

[@OW79]

You'd wish she was your mom singing you lullabies before falling peacefully asleep

[@rmoore1686]

Velvet is a good description of Karen Carpenter’s voice.

[@rturney6376]

🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@b-radg916]

My word is pure.

[@NoOne-bp2jw]

That's exactly how I described her voice on another video.

[@Zenbuck2]

In my late teens I was a snotty, angry punk rocker. At the time none of us would ever cop to listening to or liking and respecting the Carpenters. It would have seemed very uncool. But in secret, we all actually enjoyed listening to the Carpenters, and years later we were able to admit to each other how great they were. Karen's voice was effortless and otherworldly and intimate. This video proves natural singing by a talented musician never needs autotune. It ruins good voices, and allows the untalented to be presented as good singers.

[@irhonda31]

I like your description of Karen’s voice.

[@harrisonRL]

😂the inverse is true in my daughter's case… she listens to current “Artists” to fit in with her peer group and secretly listening to classic rock, jazz and some classical music on her own time. In all fairness, current it's not all bad, there are great artists but rarely heard on mainstream music sources.

[@andreafaulhaber9930]

Haha! There's a really bad a** cover album of the carpenters that of course everyone loved!

[@HolgerJakobs]

It's the same with ABBA (more popular in Europe and Australia than in the US at the time). For all those hard rock and punk rock fans, they were too soft, too _commercial_ and those people never admitted to listen to them. Nowadays, after growing up, they really appreciate their voices, the harmonies, the talent. They are in a way similar to the Carpenters. Just listen to their 2022 album _Voyage_ with the great harmonies and voices sounding just a bit different from the 1970s.

[@steviejayg]

Same

[@wistman-folk]

Watching old videos of Karen singing live is my regular detox from modern overprocessed music. Simply one of the most beautiful voices of all time, and even more incredible to witness her singing the way she does while also playing drums. She was also surrounded by absolutely incredible musicians - worth seeking out and relishing everything they did together. Her star will shine bright for as long as people listen to music.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Their band was so incredibly tight.

[@MikeD_]

I still can almost imagine a world where Karen got the help she needed, and she was still touring regularly for our enjoyment. She'd be in her 70s, but still young enough that I'm sure her voice would be in fine shape, especially considering her vocal strength.

[@crowdedenz87]

I’d absolutely love that thought too, the sun never sets on a legend.

[@heidichristensen7919]

I was thinking the same. Makes me so sad that is no longer with us.

[@serenityinside1]

@@heidichristensen7919😔💔

[@TimmyJoGiven]

And considering that she did not abuse her vocal mechanism with unnecessary yelling as is popular in modern pop.

[@catherineschulz3232]

On infinite other timelines!

[@corilia9529]

She was extraordinary!

[@margaretmuenchau5450]

I saw Karen carpenter live in El Paso, Texas when I was 16 or 17. You know how there is always noise at a concert, people talking etc..when she started to sing, you could have heard a pin drop. That’s how wonderful she was. Everybody, I mean everybody just was engrossed in hearing her voice.

[@alejandroponce8120]

Beautiful and really cool fact!! I love to learn that!

[@sn4pdr4g0ns]

I wish people had that kind of respect today. Hard to hear anything at ANY concert. I went to Tove Lo, and Anna Bates opened for her. The entire small venue talked right over her. It was so rude. I wish we could implement a "no cheering" rule until the end, like in an opera or something. Especially for people with such rich voices!

[@robinmoore7202]

She’s my favorite female singer. Thanks for this!

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Mine too, Robin!

[@glamgal7106]

This was definitely a refreshing change. Karen Carpenter was an amazing singer. Sad that she was gone too soon.

[@mattwuk]

Fil, I appreciate you banging your head against the wall to make the point that music is sacred and beautiful, and forgive me for saying it shouldn't be abused like it has been. Thanks brother for calling out fakery in a world of bollox 👊

[@lydiabentley3413]

I liked your comment with a little humour & well said

[@user-uy5md3fn6c]

She has perfect pitch, but more importantly for me, there is something about her voice which is so intimate and warm. The videos where they have isolated her vocals are breath taking.

[@ruthlafler5622]

Richard said she did not have "perfect pitch" but they both had perfect relative pitch.

[@Moluccan56]

So, you’re saying she could identify F# when it was played on a piano? Or name any note when she heard it?

[@McGhinch]

I would rephrase that a little: She had an almost perfect synchronisation of imagined, heard, and reproduced pitch.

[@ruthlafler5622]

@@Moluccan56 no, that's perfect pitch. Perfect relative pitch is being able to accurately move from pitch to pitch.

[@Moluccan56]

@@ruthlafler5622 Exactly. People don’t understand what Perfect pitch is.

[@RalphOnofrio]

My drum teacher,Jim Anthony,was the drummer in 1971...They would play live most of the time, but,even when they used backing instrumental tracks on some TV shows,Richard insisted on doing the vocals live...When Jim got the Carpenters gig,I took over his gig playing 6 nights a week....The beginning of my pro career as a drummer..He had lots of stories.

[@albertschepis]

Please do share some that you can remember.

[@RalphOnofrio]

Most facts I learned would not be for public domain.I would be uncertain of backlash.Needless to say

[@bobcoats2708]

That’s a great story, sir! Thank you.

[@JohnDavis-xk5fi]

⁸They should have let Karen play the drums. She was pushed to stop playing. She was better than any drummer they could have hired.

[@russellzauner]

She was adjusting her own delay to match the rooms she was in. Superhuman.

[@nankerphelge3771]

Right. Fil says that the tiny differences were artistic choices and perhaps that is true, but oftentimes the singer doesn't make a conscious choice, that is just how it comes out that night.

[@strigoviro5785]

What a beautiful "tribute" to one of the most flawless vocalists in musical history. Karen Carpenter's music is a touchstone to my musical history and even 41 years after her death I can still feel her musical magic and the memories it evokes. It's heartwarming to have her talent highlighted and introduced to a younger generation. Again, your work and expertise is much appreciated. Your joy and smile are contagious. All the best, Fil! (SV-USA)

[@LONESTARINDIE]

Her voice is like fine wine. So natural & pure. A real talent, & so was her brother.

[@asquare9316]

Not sure why, but I've always suspected that Richard had something to do with her eating disorder.

[@mikeh6356]

​@@asquare9316the entire family did. richard was clearly the golden child and karen didn't know how to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her family. ultimately it was her choice to keep killing herself, they tried to help her all they could at the time.

[@thefitzs]

​@@asquare9316he admitted in an interview that he used to call her "fatso," as an older brother would do to a slightly chubby younger sister who's annoying him. The thing is, I can't find a single photo of her at any age where she was at all overweight.

[@UK_Lemons]

We all know Karen had a wonderful voice but this analysis shows just how good she really was. Incredible that a natural voice can be this consistent and accurate.

[@FransJCMartins]

Timing, pitch, vibrato, all subtly different. True artist. No lip sync involved here, just raw talent 😊

[@alan2a1l]

It’s possible that the tape speeds varied between the different recordings. She had perfect pitch. All other things being equal, if she went under or over, it’s because that’s how she felt it. As I heard it, Karen was initially singing soprano, but her brother Richard had her sing an octave lower and it was golden. It also meant she was incredibly relaxed singing in her alto range and her voice was almost always in perfect condition. Just saying I agree with you, Fil. She was amazing, the best. And her accuracy of intonation made her so easy to listen to. There was never any sense of strain or uncertainty. That and her beautiful phrasing and timing you’d expect from a virtuoso drummer, and it’s such a joy to listen to. I wish she could have known what an inspiration she would be to so many, across generations.

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

What a stroke of genius Richard's idea of having her drop down an octave was! Wow...what a gift that wound up being to the world. Thank you for bringing that up. It's something I never knew, and I imagine many others didn't, either.

[@AlanTauber-DrumConnection]

Karen is still my favorite singer of all time! ❤

[@johnmatthew102]

My grandparents, parents, and long-haired hippie self all loved the Carpenter's songs. That didn't always happen during the 70's music scene, but her greatness cut through the generations.

[@JCWiley2300]

Tom Nolan in a 1974 Rolling Stone cover story stated: “[Karen's] is a voice of fascinating contrasts, combining youth with wisdom; chilling perfection with much warmth.” He was spot-on.

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

That sounds about right, doesn't it!

[@Stopanimalabuse-u2l]

My favorite female artist from the first time I heard her in my teens. Gone too soon, but never forgotten. Thanks, FIL, for helping keep her amazing talent in front of people.

[@jeffhickman10]

Once in a lifetime voice. It will never happen again. Happy to have been around for it.

[@thefitzs]

Cool perspective. I agree.

[@kschantz]

Karen Carpenter was an amazing singer. Her voice just melts my heart.

[@andymonk2216]

Just hearing her beautiful voice takes me right back to the early seventies.

[@ushere5791]

thank you for appreciating karen so profoundly. she has always been one of my favorites. her voice was like warm honey--smooth, rich, and warm.

[@thomaslarsen7016]

Fantastic listening to her voice all these years after, thanks for remembering and advocating for not using all the autotuning. As Brian Downey, drummer of Thin Lizzy says: Live music matters

[@RobBrown88]

I’ve read that her voice was so accurate, in the studio they would sometimes lay two consecutive vocals on top of each other (overdubbing). It would give the vocal a richer sound. She was just incredible.

[@Mikalyn]

That is super cool. I have been in the studio before and the producer I was working with said " sing a double - but dont make it exactly the same, otherwise its the same as literally copying your vocal". Crazy that she was that good at "doubling". Perfect pitch and memory likely.

[@kromkake666]

Most pop records overdub vocals, it's definitely not unique to the Carpenters.

[@RobBrown88]

@ My point was they overdubbed with her two takes without any digital massaging. Pop records process the crap out of voices until they’re almost unrecognizable.

[@carolienmartens4416]

​@@kromkake666 yes, they do ... by copy/paste! BUT ... The Carpenters sang and recorded multiple tracks for their backing vocals, and than put it all together with the lead singing and the orchestration to get their phenominal sound. You might like to see the young singer Tori Holub, who recreated that technik. She recreated several Carpenters´ songs that way and visiualized it in her video´s. There you can actually see how many voices are singing at the same time, and every isolated voice is a recorded separatly, and than played all together. By the way, Fil of Wings of Pegasus did several video´s on Tori Holub too 😊

[@Mikalyn]

@@RobBrown88 I hear you - because I was a choir kid and was used to singing lines over and over again - my producer would tell me to not make the doubles "exactly the same" I remember him showing the tracks in Logic and I could see what he was talking about - the waveform of the tracks and how they were similar. I am sure your right that today no one would let a vocal track leave the studio without pitch correcting and tuning the vocals.

[@philporter9957]

There is no doubt she had THE best voice ever. The voice of an angel

[@alejandroponce8120]

Indeed and agreed. She was a category on her own. It is unfair to compare her voice to anybody else's.

[@evil4d]

Her voice just always gave me goosebumps, most iconic voice of all time.

[@lkj0822g]

Karen Carpenter was one of the most iconic female vocalists of the 70's. We lost her way, way too soon. "Superstar" was one of my all time favorites.

[@Deborah-so8mv]

Exactly.

[@veramilton833]

Karen Carpenter had the voice of an angel! Smooth as silk! Thanks for this one, Fil! Very enjoyable! 💜

[@DianaDenton-u8u]

Karen Carpenter is the best female singer of all time! I love her and miss her dearly ❤🎤🥁🎶🎼🎶🎶🎵

[@timdanyo898]

Her voice is directly soul connected. Astounding.

[@briandonovan5687]

Yes soul connected ! You are so right ! Best description I've ever heard

[@fsm6426]

When you cannot stop smiling that is a good sign that what you are hearing is special!

[@glamgal7106]

Yes, I've got a smile on my face now. I don't know if it was just me...but during this analysis, Fil was smiling like a child during Christmas! I can't say I blame him LOL.

[@alejandroponce8120]

​@@glamgal7106Not only that. He has done the best analysis of Karen's voice I have ever heard!

[@bentley684]

Everyone has already said everything I wanted to say. I'm old enough to remember Karen and you are all correct.

[@eggy1962]

Same here…..her voice has always been my comfort blanket

[@beamitchum6620]

Crystal clear and provides the basis for your analyses. Thank you, Fil. It makes much more sense now. Karen DID have an extraordinary voice and has been missed for these many years.

[@tomforsythe7024]

Carpenters did close 4-part harmony. They sang the two outside parts, then the two inside; that often meant singing notes a semitone apart, at the same time. Ridiculously difficult. The engineer thought they were doing something wrong, until he heard the whole chord together.

[@Omega30t2RG]

She was special and her voice was the sound of an era.

[@Lagaloggie]

I've always loved The Carpenters even during the time when critics were calling them pop lightweights. My collection of their songs moved with me from vinyl LPs to cassettes to mp3s on my iPod to mp4s on my iPhone. Her alto is glorious and dripping with emotions, proves to me that you don't have to always scale the octaves and oversing to deliver a great song. Her take on "Superstar" is sublime

[@JackGowen77]

I met her when I was 11. She wrote me a beautiful note. Sweet girl.

[@M_SC]

😮

[@just_passing_through]

I will never tire of listening to Karen’s voice. Every single note warms my heart.

[@robertfindley921]

Her voice was like being swaddled in your mother's arms while she sings you a lullaby. She has to be in the top five all time. Awesome Fil! If Karen couldn't do it, no one can!

[@hopsiepike]

I feel the same way about Ella Fitzgerald. A warm hug that lets you know it’s gonna be ok.

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Great explanation once again, Fil! Karen is my favorite female vocalist. I'm not surprised that she is this accurate!

[@TheSteelworker]

I saw a documentary about her a long time ago that said she would sing almost in a whisper voice and they had to turn up her amp to get the volume. Also, she always practiced singing everywhere she went in a whisper voice. She is the GOAT and I have always loved her voice. There is none better-

[@Spo-Dee-O-Dee]

The great singers can do it without an amp.

[@jw4321]

As a contemporary of Carpenters ( choosing one as a wedding first dance) my wife and I loved their music and extraordinary talent. Is wonderful to see Karen's remarkable voice still appreciated.

[@JFish-df2ep]

She was SO good. The shadow of her singing in the back that you put is absolutely haunting. What a talented and beautiful human being she was. Thank you for doing this.

[@tammydoolittle6054]

I love Karen Carpenter! She was and still is my favorite female singer of all time! Her voice was beautiful, smooth and clear. She definitely was extraordinary indeed! Thank you, Fil, for this amazing analysis video! Love and Rock! ❤

[@interdiction2]

I saw them at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in (I think) 1974. I snuck a camera in and got some snaps from about row 5. I still remember the concert and Karen's gorgeous voice. It is so sad that we lost her far too soon.

[@rlrudedog]

Karen was just a few years older than I was. She was around eighteen when I heard the group. Then seeing them on a TV show I thought I was dreaming or crazy. First was watching a female playing drums. On a national broadcast was about remarkable. Then hearing her voice live almost like on the radio. Noticing how pretty and friendly on TV. I fell over heels for her and the group. Now, knowing how the press would press on how her hips looked on TV and how she died, it is hard for me to listen to her songs. I start crying before one end. Richard and Karen were a class act like back during early 1900s. Back and now showing just how great Karen's voice was tells why her songs we that good. Thanks, Fil.

[@sheelfjohnson]

People were so outspokenly brutal about women's bodies in the 70s. I read that Carol Burnett now regrets letting them do so many jokes about her body in her sketches. I always thought she was so stunning as a girl and it made me sad when they made the cracks about her bust size. Sorry to go off on that tangent, but I sure wish they had kept their traps shut when it came to Karen. We all thought she was beautiful and so talented. 😔

[@AmyCheverette]

Karen had such a beautiful and serene voice!

[@close2u2000]

It's a damn shame. She was so good. Thanks for doing these.

[@sandraarnold7528]

I sat in the front row at the palladium in London when the Carpenters played there in the late 70’s she was Magic! such an irreplaceable voice of an angel ❤️

[@smitastic7030]

I still can't get over how smooth she could sing, incredible!

[@ericwarncke]

Weve Only Begun was written by Paul Williams, one of the great songwriters on our Planet.

[@richardvoogd705]

Wasn't it originally a jingle for a TV commercial, or have I muddled my recollection?

[@zigman8550]

@@richardvoogd705 You are correct. It was a jingle for Crocker Bank in California.

[@gdj6298]

Paul Willams: (paraphrasing) "Richard phoned and asked if there was more, was it a complete song........what do you say when Richard Carpenter asks you that?......you say 'yes' then go and write the rest of it !"

[@archstanton1628]

Karen Carpenter and Alison Krauss, that's the two for me. Amazingly accurate that pair.

[@SuziQ.]

Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, Alison Krauss, and Olivia Newton John. Sam Brown recorded a breathtaking song (Stop).

[@notmyname3681]

Was thinking of Alison Krauss and, of course, the incomparable Emmylou Harris who is just otherworldly.

[@paulmackenzie1850]

Wonderful analysis. You explain everything so clearly. Her voice was truly amazing...

[@mikew4646]

Her talent and pitch awareness was paramount to achieving those lush stacked and dense harmonies with Richard. Great video.

[@bobcoats2708]

This analysis helps me appreciate her even more. A transcendent talent that soars over today’s music.

[@michaelouellette272]

Loved her voice from the moment I first heard it. The tone, the smoothness, the control, the perfect vibrato. Just heavenly. Many famous artists, including Paul McCartney called her voice beautiful and perfect. One of a kind. A couple things perhaps already mentioned. She was a fabulous drummer and loved to play them. She was pressured from Herb Alpert and her brother Richard to stop playing them and be their "front woman". And BTW her brother Richard was no slouch. A very talented keyboard player, arranger, and singer. Their voices together were flawless. Timeless!

[@personalpandamonium]

Fil, this is unrelated but I listened to a couple Wings of Pegasus songs and you're super talented! I really enjoyed it!

[@NinjaKittyBonks]

Karen was an AMAZING singer and a great drummer, as well.

[@patrickjordan2233]

I remember watching her solo drum performance on TV as a child... really really good ♥️♥️

[@SuziQ.]

*Bonk

[@NinjaKittyBonks]

@@SuziQ. 🤗 🐈bonk to🐕and Ms. Suzi family 😺 PS> Kitty has spies ALL over the globe and will be following up, if not passed on appropriately 😼 😸

[@1717Wlt]

Thank you so much for continuing to bring attention to her singular talent.

[@mingusthurber5923]

Every time you have a Karen Carpenter article, I get butterflies in my stomach!🥰

[@paulswaim7257]

I actually saw the Carpenters in concert when I was in college (tells you how old I am). She was playing drums, her brother was on keyboards, and they had two of three other musicians accompanying them. Since this was over 50 years ago I don't remember everything about the concert, except that they flubbed the start of their first song, They stopped, she laughed, and they started again. The rest of the concert was flawless. This was also the first time I ever heard "Superstar" and "Rainy Days and Mondays". Apparently they were performing these songs in concert before they had been released. Another incredible female voice in my opinion was Annie Haslam of Renaissance. She seemed to have the same kind of pitch accuracy as Karen Carpenter, along with an incredible range. This group was criminally under appreciated. Would it be possible for you to have a look at her (and them)?

[@kwpres]

FWIW, Annie reformed Renaissance a few years ago and they are doing a Farewell tour. She's not the young lass she once was, but she still sounds better than so many female vocalists. I agree...she was AMAZING. Their one semi-hit was "Northern Lights."

[@LadyNariel]

Karen Carpenter was unreal, her voice was so perfect, so beautiful that it brings me to tears every time I start listening (Yes, I cried watching this video). Then I always remember how soon she was gone and in such a heartbreaking way, that I end up crying even more. I love listening to the Carpenters, but I can't do it too often because it makes me too emotional. Karen's voice, plus the beautiful music they made, and the lyrics, it's just too much for this almost 40 years old crybaby. Thought I'd get tougher with age, but nope, just got worse 😂 Thanks for these videos, Fil. I discovered your channel through the Taylor Swift one, so I've been here only for a few days, but I'm really enjoying your videos, you explain everything so easily and nicely.

[@evanmcdonnal]

Can’t wait to see what you have for Sunday. Keep up the good work Fil!

[@ArthurMorganEsq]

Karen was simply amazing! It's just truly mind-boggling how accurate she is...

[@brainrussell6811]

Fil's analysis-accuracy is amazing... pitch perfect... life changing for the non tone-deaf!

[@peterhodgkins6985]

While traveling westward from New England back in the early 70s, I remember sitting in the great Smokey Mountains on a cool clear night smoking some absolutely fabulous pot and listening to an AM radio in this old 1960s Dodge van with a traveling buddy. A Carpenters tune came on the radio, and being in a 'heightened' state of mind, I recall marveling at Karen's vocals in whatever song it was that was playing. I couldn't get over how utterly rich and perfect her vocals were! I searched the AM dial for another hour trying to find another Carpenter's song, but I was left with only that memory. But there was no doubt in my mind that I'd heard one of the very best ever. Then 50+ years later here I'm listening to Fil talk about Karen's near perfect voice... What a world. What memories. Thanks, Fil!

[@REN4eva]

I love your analyses videos, I find this very interesting. Can’t understand everyone who’s complaining and try to ignore facts. Keep on fighting for real singing! ❤

[@kirkku2457]

There's no other voice in the world like Karen Carpenter!

[@rayc4244]

Karen had the voice of an angel. There have been many great women singers - but Karen stands above them all!

[@Linda-qp9kp]

She really was extraordinary. 🤍

[@ThrillingTwo]

Her voice is mesmerizing

[@CapstoneTider]

I remember Karen being the voice of the times as a kid. Hands down.

[@lmullens75]

Wow! I’ve always loved her voice, but didn’t know she was that accurate in live performances. A piano teacher I had once was coaching me on singing (like in the 80’s when I was in junior high) and she told my mom I sounded like Karen Carpenter. Now that I’ve been a music teacher most of my adult life, I really should have taken that as more of a compliment.

[@BasedInTeddington]

Graced with a voice that was 1 in 4.7 billion. (Googled world population in 1983!). Karen & Julie Andrews blow me away... both phenomenal. Thanks for taking the time to make these vids - we adore them! Sending kind thoughts & warm regards :)

[@rosalynadams3758]

Her voice had such a beautiful tone to it as well as being very accurate.

[@frederickc591]

What an amazing dig into the vocal phenomena that is Karen! Much appreciated!

[@debbier938]

Hi Fil, Wonderful analysis! Always great to look at Karen and her truly remarkable gifts as a singer. She is very much missed… but her music lives on.. RIP Karen. Debbie☮️

[@coenfilm]

Thank you Fil. She was beautiful and so was her voice.

[@TD-er]

And the funniest of all is that those recordings were fully analog. So any 'pitch error' might even be caused by the recording device not running perfectly stable at the same recording speed. Or the medium (e.g. tape) could get stretched over time with those stretches not being uniform. So those pitch shifts you might now see, could also be caused by the recording. One of the very few singers who were so good, even with today's high tech fakery you can't get close to what she could do naturally.

[@zonto22]

Very thoughtful comment. Thanks for sharing!

[@elizabethmiller7291]

That's because even though she was on or so close to being on the lines so often, even in just one song, her natural voice still didn't have any of that processing sound that autotune leaves behind.

[@christianhelwig]

Karen's voice was sublime

[@rockerbuck967]

My first musical memory was my mom playing "Close To You" when I was very little, and saying, "That song is about you." So I have a special love for Karen, and The Carpenters altogether. For the record, I'm 51 and anytime I hear that song it triggers me, but in a very good way.

[@Hidoc1]

i grew up listening to the carpenters i am a guitarist and Karen has the most beautiful voice but even before i was playing i thought her voice was just beautiful thank you for this

[@gumbycat5226]

Having watched so many of these by now, this is awe inspirig.

[@crunchyfrog555]

She is like Freddie Mercury in that she has great onal depth and variation. She can give so many changes in texture, and yet do the almost impossible feat of doing long notes smack bang static on the tone. It'd frankly god-like

[@Lilah1754]

Freddie, my favorite male singer, Karen my favorite female singer. Both missed a lot.

[@crunchyfrog555]

@@Lilah1754 I count myself lucky to have been born in 1967 and grew up in 1970s. I got into music very earyl thanks to older brothers. And I think I had the best times. Not only did we get some staggeringly great artists and music during the 1970s especially, but it was a time where I went through the end of the sixties, into glam rock, pub rock, and then punk happened. After that we had an explosion of various "new wave" and post punk things, before going into SKA and new romatic/electronic music. And then in the late 1980s acid house happened which to me was like a second punk. }I don't think there has been a more changeable time for music than those mere 30 or so years.

[@Lilah1754]

@@crunchyfrog555 Think I am a bit older than you, but I certainly agree, that the 60’s into the 80’s, was a time when music was absolutely wonderful. So many different genres of music happened during those times. So happy I still have most of my 45 records and long playing albums! Some of the best artists and bands were introduced to us during those times ! 👍

[@crunchyfrog555]

@@Lilah1754 Yup they were certainly different times. Not just for the fact you had tons and tons of truly great albums and artist but when those new genres came out they were a MASSIVE shift. I wish stuff like that would happen again. When was the last time you saw music influence everything from clothing, attitudes and all sorts in one go?

[@Lilah1754]

@@crunchyfrog555 🤔 I can’t remember!!

[@saraking6527]

Brilliant work Fil. Love the way you explain music and the way we hear it not the sanitary version the companies think is preferable

[@dagmar.6954]

I agree Karen was in a league by herself. She had amazing talent that few singers possess. She has always been in my top 5 female singers of all time.