Fascinating article re this technology -
In concert, but not live
Backing tracks, other tricks find a growing role onstage
I would love to hear my own voice through that software.
Not sure you would Rev - the effect is obvious to anyone hearing it once. Cher’s ‘Believe’ had it in spades as does almost anything by Posh Spice - but they would claim to use it as an robotic effect - hmm. IMO Shania Twain is the worst culprit.
I’ve used it to correct recordings of out of tune guitars, but voice, dunno.
It may be obvious, but it still has to be an improvement…
But “Believe” (ugh, that song is so annoying) used the pitch-changing to get deliberately unnatural effects. Is it really noticeable when used as directed?
I don’t see anything wrong with using that type of software in the studio to correct one’s vocals, since I think the real art is not necessarily in the performance, but in the composition and the final recording, which may be based on live performance or on sequencing or whatever. However, I’m making the assumption that the “artist” is the one writing the songs or arranging or producing them. If the “artist” does none of the above, but merely sings someone else’s song, backed by someone else’s arrangement, to provide fodder for endless tweaking by someone else, then that person is less of an artist and more of a pretty face or marketable attitude to sell records.
As for live performance of rock music with prerecorded tracks, I don’t see a problem with it if a lot of what goes on is live. Sometimes a band can’t get a full orchestra together, or more than one guitarist who can play in the same style, or whatever. But then again, I really like the imperfect and spontaneous sound of a band just playing all the instruments they can handle, and making an effort at a dynamic and constantly changing live performance, rather than a reproduction of what you hear on the record. I’m thinking of any of the great live performances in the '60s (Jefferson Airplane was the first band that came to mind). I loved Jimi Hendrix’s studio version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with a ton of effects and lots of overdubs giving it a nice baroque psychedelic sound, but it would have been lame if he had gone on stage at Woodstock and replicated that recording with a lot of backing tracks, rather than creating something new with a bunch of other musicians.
Obviously, hip-hop is different. It started out as rap set to beats from preexisting records because that’s what the people making it could afford. And despite what some people say, turntable scratching is definitely a live musical performance that takes a lot of skill. Of course, you’re still free to think it sounds like shit.
We’ve had enhanced breasts, lips, etc. for quite awhile. Enhanced voice was bound to happen.