God Dammit Enough With The Fucking Auto-Tune Already

[tds1273]

@Hostile_Dialect

Oh, come on! No Del tha Funkee Homosapien? No Deltron? No Hieroglyphics?

Oh yeah, Del definetly deserves to be on there, well into the upper half even. Good call.

[Una_Persson]

Um, yeah, GQ here - is there a specific device that makes the effect where the singer’s voice seems to switch to mono and slightly distorted/scratchy, like they were being played over an old radio from the 1930’s? I don’t think it’s the same effect as what I hear in things like Believe.

[Kaio]

@fachverwirrt

From what I recall, I would say that indeed that part was beyond the capabilities of a human, however talented. The leaps from top to bottom are simply too rapid. I would argue that singing the notes separately and splicing them together is not digitally altering her voice per se, so I wouldn’t say that there’s really any conflict there.

It certainly wasn’t fixed with auto tune or anything similar.

I’d agree – you can tell there’s some sort of manipulation going on, but mainly it sounds to me like the gigantic vocal leaps and trills were just too fast for a human. It sounds more rapid than a human voice – the tail end of the fast notes seem “cut off” and the change in pitch abrupt rather than a more human-sounding blend from note to note, if that makes sense – but otherwise sounds pretty normal.

The part in question starts at about 3:25.

@featherlou

Auto-tune is the music industry’s version of shaky-cam. Used judiciously, it’s an interesting effect to add to your palette of interesting effects. Overused and it’s crap.

Even the greats make mistakes in judgement sometimes, though - I submit the low-frequency vocal distortions from Prince’s “Rainbow Children” album for the jury’s perusal.

I do like it in moderation. But if it’s the only tool in your toolbox, get some new tools. Like a spice, it’s best used a pinch at a time for variety.

@panamajack

I don’t think this thread should be over without a link to this (Youtube):

I Need a Computer to Sing This Song

Actually this is extremely well-done, musically (not just digitally). The scoring is very rich and has a lot of depth. The non-altered vocals are very well-done too. I’m pretty meh about rap but I like this a lot.

[The_Tao_s_Revenge]

I’m a big fan of free speech but an amendment to ban auto tuned singing would be worth considering.

inb4 someone thinks I’m serious.

[Kaio]

@Kaio

I do like it in moderation. But if it’s the only tool in your toolbox, get some new tools. Like a spice, it’s best used a pinch at a time for variety.

Although I will also add that if you’re relying heavily on a computer instead of a vocal coach just to get the pitch right, you’re doin it wrong.

[HMS_Irruncible]

@Bongmaster

Sure, that’s true of most innovations. Certainly record scratching was an unintended consequence for the industry but that worked out well (in the 80s/90s). Same with the original beatboxes. But we’ve definately jumped the shark with the way Autotune gets used these days.

For the record, it jumped the shark way back. You’ve got to be a really pathetic hip-hopper to do something the Simpsons parodied 7 years ago as part of a Backstreet Boys riff.

[Patty_O_Furniture]

@Una Persson

Um, yeah, GQ here - is there a specific device that makes the effect where the singer’s voice seems to switch to mono and slightly distorted/scratchy, like they were being played over an old radio from the 1930’s? I don’t think it’s the same effect as what I hear in things like Believe.

This is easy enough to do with DSP software, I don’t think an appliance is necessary. Regard:

The ultimate lo-fi weapon, iZotope Vinyl uses 64-bit processing and advanced filtering, modeling and resampling to create authentic “vinyl” simulation, as if the audio was a record being played on a record player.

[tds1273]

Sorry, but I had to give this thread(particularly the hijack) the old worcester sauce embalming to say…

My post is my cite:Lil Wayne is not the best ever, nor of this generation. Q.E.D.

That’s all, thanks.

[cedman]

@MsRobyn

It’s software or a device that corrects the pitch in human voice so it’s less human and more “precise”. Cher used it on “Believe” which is why her voice sounds so weird.

Robin

The device in question must be an empty tin can hung over the mic. I thought that’s what she used on that song.

[Jurph]

For all of you who dislike the effect, please don’t dismiss it out of hand! Try a listen to Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek, where she uses the effect to sing all of the harmonies.