How Does Sound Quality Change ?

I recently went to the web to research how singers felt using "home recording"/computer recording - and it opened up an interesting "query"
( I removed the word "crap" several times!) lol
COMMENT:

My singing voice sounds different on "Audacity" ?
I've been recording me singing on a program called Audacity and it sounds really different from what I hear. People say I have a really nice singing voice and stuff like that but the thing is I feel like I sound terrible on the recording
So is the recording how I really do sound, or... ?

REPLYs :
#1
well from what i heard audacity isn't really that great but when i first started recording my voice i was really shocked on how it sounds --its just a matter of getting used to it

#2audacity is what everyone is hearing. you sound different to yourself than to everyone else.

#3
maybe it's just the speakers...try playback on another device.

#4
same prob here my voice sounds nice when i sing but as soon as i record it on my phone it sounds HORRIBLE.

And there we are... stuck between the digital and the acoustic world - Are singers really aware of their voice? Is it the shock of being played back on tiny speakers?
What is sound quality? Is quality to human ears based on the common denominator of just what is being heard the most? If people in one town heard nothing but "ring tones" - would they be turned off by the live/ acoustic sound of an orchestra ?
Now that each person can record sound in some fashion (and it's 's getting more and sophisticated) how will this effect our ability to hear? Below is an example of a mother wanted to record her daughter -but being frozen by the complexity of certain
software :

"would like to make a recording of my daughter singing and playing her
guitar. It would be great if we could record on the same tract more than
once then she could sing harmony with herself. I have looked at several
recoding studio applicationson the internet and have downloaded one from
Sony. Problem is they are too complicated for our simple task. Can anyone
recommend an easy to use sound recorder and mixer? "

Not only is are human ears being pushed by the software applications, but our mental
world now is one of mental acrobatics to learn more and more of the digital world..
And the web is still relatively new. People from all walks of life are able to reach into it and start manipulating programs to suit their needs within- the term "everyone can sing" - which was in use 30 years ago to attract amateurs to the art
of pop songs etc, is now a reality. One just has to get used to the sound!!! And bingo, it's a recording to play for your family and friends.

" As the Web passes through its first decade of widespread use, we still know surprisingly little about these complex technical and social mechanisms. We have only scratched the surface of what could be realized with deeper scientific investigation into its design, operation and impact on society. Robust technical design, innovative business decisions, and sound public policy judgment all require that we are aware of the complex interactions between technology and society. We call this awareness Web Science: the science and engineering of this massive system for the common good.[10] In order to galvanize Web Science research and education efforts, MIT and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom have created the Web Science Research Initiative. In concert with an international Scientific Advisory Council of distinguished computer scientists, social scientists, and legal scholars, WSRI will help create an intellectual foundations, educational atmosphere, and resource base to allow researchers to take the Web seriously as an object of scientific inquiry and engineering innovation."

Technology to Record Student Performances

There is something I wish was more available - and that is the understanding and hands on use of many Built in /on board recording units within keyboards -and portable recording units and how to download those records and save as files and Cd's
Recordings of student performances are effective tools for providing instruction especially for their own assessment. I have found that today , recording myself in small groups and ensembles can be a motivating learning experience - so why not for students? Of course!

I pose this question to the class..
Can we have a special class where each of us can bring to light a certain "something"
in the technical world that we need to know in a more hands on way - and more
clearly? Can we teach each other strengths that we may be individually better at?
Would some class member like to explain the "live" recording and saving to file/disk procedure- the best equipment to invest in etc.