Auto-Tune Abuse

Ace · 09-23-2009, 06:18 PM

How many of you are familiar with auto-tune?
I was actually unaware of how heavily it was used until about a month ago.

This is something that will definately bring about the destruction of meaningful music, if it continues in the rampant pace with which its being used today.

I thought it was mainly used by those pop and techno idiots that wanted to add a little something extra to their vocals, but it's actually being used to correct any out of pitch perfomances in the studio.

Anyone else got any input?

I feel blindsided by it, even though I can't say I'm too surprised.

LoathsomePete · 09-23-2009, 06:23 PM

I can understand and appreciate it's use in small doses, but an abuse of it is truly annoying. Recording an album is an everlasting thing, as long as there is a means to play the album, it will always remain the same (unless physically damaged). With this permanence I can understand an artist's desire to make it as perfect as they can, and if that includes fixing a few places in their audio recording where they go out of tune then so be it. This argument is very similar to the one about overdubbing on instruments, specifically guitars. Some artists like Billy Corgan love this method of recording to death (for instance the song "Soma" contains 42 overdubs) however my opinion is if they can't replicate it live then it's all for not.

+81 · 09-23-2009, 06:24 PM

Fortunately I don't hear too much of it's overuse but I am aware of it. I think it's a cool effect that's kind of been played out.

Ace · 09-23-2009, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

I can understand and appreciate it's use in small doses, but an abuse of it is truly annoying. Recording an album is an everlasting thing, as long as there is a means to play the album, it will always remain the same (unless physically damaged). With this permanence I can understand an artist's desire to make it as perfect as they can, and if that includes fixing a few places in their audio recording where they go out of tune then so be it. This argument is very similar to the one about overdubbing on instruments, specifically guitars. Some artists like Billy Corgan love this method of recording to death (for instance the song "Soma" contains 42 overdubs) however my opinion is if they can't replicate it live then it's all for not.

Amen.

I guess I could understand and be okay with it in a studio environment, especially when trying to make sure everything was as perfect as possible.
But I couldn't condone its use if the artist couldn't naturally reach that peak, unaided, and in a live performance.

If a singer can't replicate the performance without the aid of auto-tune, then its nothing but garbage.
If you know the artist is capable of performing the vocal the same way, I could potentially justify the use of autotune to correct pitch in records.
Especially if there isn't much time to record the vocals.

I wonder which bands use autotune live....I already know quite a few that use it in the studio, a few of which, really surprised me.

asshat · 09-23-2009, 06:44 PM

.....it should be destroyed...and replaced with the vocodor.

Ace · 09-23-2009, 06:44 PM

It has to be risky to use live....unless it has some sort of properties to make it work similar to a limiter, volume wise.
Maybe its only activated under extreme circumstances.

I'm not really familiar with it. Just seems that it could be risky, especially if you accidentlly sang a note that was incorrect and autotune escalated the effect to make the sound even worse.

mr dave · 09-23-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace

This is something that will definately bring about the destruction of meaningful music, if it continues in the rampant pace with which its being used today.

define 'meaningful music'.

this quote is the same line of crap people dumped onto synthesizers when they hit big in the mainstream in the early 80s.

it's new technology that has proven to be (and will continue to be) successfully used by many (but never all) acts. music grows and evolves in the same way society and culture do, regardless of the opinions of the individuals that seek to define or control it. the issue is that it challenges established norms which in turn challenges individual tastes, and we all know how much people 'really' like change.

Ace · 09-23-2009, 07:43 PM

Autotune could be useful to correct slight pitch problems in vocals, but if used in the long run, I think it could be devasting to the core
of what music really is.

Music, for me, is an area where honesty should be expressed through both the artistic and personal sides of the band in question.
I'm just someone who personally prefers an open and honest song, rather than one that has been engineered to perfection in the studio.

Technically speaking, with autotune, anyone could be a great singer.
If all you had to do was correct the notes you messed up on, you could pretty much fake anything you wanted to, and get away with it.

When it comes down to it, a singer is judged by their live perfomance, as far as I'm concerned. If they can't sing live, they can't sing at all.
You can make it pretty in the studio all you want to, but at the end of the day, you're only as good as you really are.

I would rather listen to an artist give his passion to a song, than hear a computer generated, robotic quality in the vocal.
I'm not going to define meaningful music, because that is subjective.
But to me, music would be meaningless, if you had the means to transform it into something its not.

I would rather my music be real, than something created by a program in a studio.

Edit: In response to the synthesizer point....

That is something that is used to enhance or alter the sound of an instrument. You can make the argument that autotune does the same thing for vocals, but I hope I'm about to stiffle that.

Technically speaking, you still have to be able to PLAY that instrument, in order for the synthesizer to work..

With autotune, you don't have to technically be able to sing well.
You can just sing, and autotune will do the work for you.
Nothing has been invented yet that will make your fingers move to the appropriate frets on a guitar, so that you play all the right notes.

That is the big difference. I think the question you should ask now, is "what defines a great singer".

upbeat4life · 09-23-2009, 09:42 PM

This settles the debate over auto-tune for me. When someone can make a coherent (and sometimes damn catchy) song out of newscasters SAYING the news, then it just proves that you don't have to have any musical ability to make a song with auto-tune.

sidewinder · 09-23-2009, 09:47 PM

What really bugs me about autotune is not its use to correct things, but as a vocal effect that's completely overused and annoying. Not that I listen to the type of music where it's prevalent, but I have the misfortune of overhearing it once in a while.

I also understand the argument that (when used to correct) it's making people that can't sing sound like they can, making pop stars out of talentless *******s as if we didn't already have enough of those. But for the most part I can tell when music isn't sincere and I don't listen to that crap so it doesn't really affect me.

I just don't want to hear autotune.

09-23-2009, 06:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
LoathsomePete Cardboard Box Realtor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hobb's End Posts: 7,648	I can understand and appreciate it's use in small doses, but an abuse of it is truly annoying. Recording an album is an everlasting thing, as long as there is a means to play the album, it will always remain the same (unless physically damaged). With this permanence I can understand an artist's desire to make it as perfect as they can, and if that includes fixing a few places in their audio recording where they go out of tune then so be it. This argument is very similar to the one about overdubbing on instruments, specifically guitars. Some artists like Billy Corgan love this method of recording to death (for instance the song "Soma" contains 42 overdubs) however my opinion is if they can't replicate it live then it's all for not. __________________ Last.FM 101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

09-23-2009, 06:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
asshat king of sex Join Date: May 2009 Location: canada Posts: 331	.....it should be destroyed...and replaced with the vocodor. __________________ Rye Catcher II: Electric Boogaloo http://oldhickory666.blogspot.com/

09-23-2009, 09:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
upbeat4life Groupie Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 29	This settles the debate over auto-tune for me. When someone can make a coherent (and sometimes damn catchy) song out of newscasters SAYING the news, then it just proves that you don't have to have any musical ability to make a song with auto-tune. __________________ PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce

09-23-2009, 09:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
sidewinder Engorged Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,536	What really bugs me about autotune is not its use to correct things, but as a vocal effect that's completely overused and annoying. Not that I listen to the type of music where it's prevalent, but I have the misfortune of overhearing it once in a while. I also understand the argument that (when used to correct) it's making people that can't sing sound like they can, making pop stars out of talentless ******s as if we didn't already have enough of those. But for the most part I can tell when music isn't sincere and I don't listen to that crap so it doesn't really affect me. I just don't want to hear* autotune. __________________ last.fm \| my collection on RYM \| vinyl instagram @allthatyouseeandhear I'd love to see your signature/links too, but the huge and obnoxious ones have caused me to block all signatures.

09-23-2009, 06:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
+81 Rats off to ya! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: House of the Ju-Ju Queen Posts: 1,609	Fortunately I don't hear too much of it's overuse but I am aware of it. I think it's a cool effect that's kind of been played out.