<p>If you mean that you cannot follow BOTH the tone of the music AND the Mandarin tone strictly at the SAME time, I'd say it's <em>normal</em>.</p>

<p>Simply sing the lyrics by glide, vowel and the <em>musical</em> tone.  It will be fine.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-12T09:25:36.277Z
2014-12-12T09:25:36.277Z
Henry HO
<blockquote>
<p>sing in [out of] tune</p>
<p>唱得合调子[不合调子]</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-24T18:58:12.743Z
2014-12-15T05:21:45.373Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
imrek
<h2>Out of tune</h2>

<ul>
<li><strong>跑调/走调/走音</strong>——年纪大了，王菲唱歌也开始走音了。要不我们就叫她跑调天后吧。</li>
<li><strong>音调不准</strong>——这架钢琴音调不准，和你唱歌一样。</li>
<li><strong>不着调/不合调</strong>——你唱歌挺不着调的。</li>
<li><strong>音准差</strong>——你唱歌音准太差了。<code>音准</code> is a professional term.</li>
</ul>

<p>The phrase 不着调 has later taken a metaphoric meaning to describe an erratic person or deed. 你这人挺不着调的，办事也不着调。 </p>

<h2>In tune</h2>

<p>Just take the negative forms and you're set:</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>着调/合调</strong>——你唱歌还挺合调的。</li>
<li><strong>音调准</strong>——你唱歌音调很准。</li>
<li><strong>音准很好/不错</strong>——这架钢琴音准很好，你唱歌音准不错。This is how a music teacher praises you.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-25T00:51:52.103Z
2014-11-25T04:28:03.210Z
2014-11-25T04:28:03.210Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>I sang Chinese karaoke last night... went alright... but couldn't sing in tune. I wanted to express this to my Chinese friends.... so I wanted to learn phrases/words related to singing and music, namely:</p>

<p>How do you say "Sing in tune", or perhaps "carry a melody"</p>

<translation><mandarin>
Singing in tune translation help
# Singing in tune translation help

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-24)

I sang Chinese karaoke last night... went alright... but couldn't sing in tune. I wanted to express this to my Chinese friends.... so I wanted to learn phrases/words related to singing and music, namely:

How do you say "Sing in tune", or perhaps "carry a melody"

**Tags:** translation, mandarin


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-11-25. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

## Out of tune

* **跑调/走调/走音**——年纪大了，王菲唱歌也开始走音了。要不我们就叫她跑调天后吧。
* **音调不准**——这架钢琴音调不准，和你唱歌一样。
* **不着调/不合调**——你唱歌挺不着调的。
* **音准差**——你唱歌音准太差了。`音准` is a professional term.

The phrase 不着调 has later taken a metaphoric meaning to describe an erratic person or deed. 你这人挺不着调的，办事也不着调。

## In tune

Just take the negative forms and you're set:

* **着调/合调**——你唱歌还挺合调的。
* **音调准**——你唱歌音调很准。
* **音准很好/不错**——这架钢琴音准很好，你唱歌音准不错。This is how a music teacher praises you.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-12-12. Score: 1

If you mean that you cannot follow BOTH the tone of the music AND the Mandarin tone strictly at the SAME time, I'd say it's *normal*.

Simply sing the lyrics by glide, vowel and the *musical* tone. It will be fine.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-11-24. Score: 1

> sing in [out of] tune
>
> 唱得合调子[不合调子]


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