Autotune - what is the obsession with this bloody thing?

[SusieP]

It's everywhere.

You guys are soon to get Simon Cowell's latest show The X Factor. Sorry, but it's coming.

It's just like American Idol but the auditionees are split into categories and each judge gets to mentor a category, so there is extra rivalry to add to the buzz of who will win. The judges compete with each other. Oh joy.
We've had it on telly now for a few seasons and the latest started this weekend.

And they are now using autotune on the auditionees!

If you aren't sick of hearing DSB being butchered by talentless wannabees already, here it is again -
not the idiot guy, ignore him [if you can ] but on the girl - it's so bloody annoying. She sounds like a f**king robot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvSEpZEAqfY


Damn autotune.
Damn it to Hell.

[Babyblue]

The girl was really good.I have heard alot about the show can't wait to see it.But really they need you on the show hon.You can show them what talent really is.

[SusieP]

The show is a joke.
Sob stories, set up and fake splitting up of duos into solos - yawn.

With the exception of Leona Lewis the winners haven't really achieved that much except to have the Press photographing them every five minutes and writing nonsense about them.

Thanks for the compliment, babyblue,

and,

OK I'd like to make big money from singing, but there's just something so tawdry & vulgar about this show, that I'd really much rather remain in obscurity and just scrape a living from singing.


I don't know why I bother recording it.
I really don't.

[cyndy!]

auto-tune works really well on the news.

1) watch this news story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520

2) then watch it auto-tuned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKsVSBhSwJg

[SusieP]

auto-tune works really well on the news.

1) watch this news story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520

2) then watch it auto-tuned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKsVSBhSwJg

hee hee hee you are a bad ass, miss cyndy!


Send this to Simon Cowel and this guy will get a record contract for sure.

[Babyblue]

auto-tune works really well on the news.

1) watch this news story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520

2) then watch it auto-tuned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKsVSBhSwJg

That is still so funny.

[Andrew]

Damn autotune.
Damn it to Hell.

Yep....evil.

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

[kgdjpubs]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

[Deb]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

Sadly, that's very true.

[Andrew]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

That's absolutely right. No substitute for doing it tough to start off...live performance is the only way to grow.

[BobbyinTN]

I'd rather hear a few flat notes than the overly auto-tuned crap.

However, they even use it on good singers in the studio just to save time.

I'm for it in small unnoticable does, not when it's so evident even tone-deaf people can hear it.

[SusieP]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

Yeh, and when such people audition in front of Cowell he dismisses them and says stuff like, "sorry you are too clubby,'' or ''you sound like a lounge singer'' and stuff like that. He is only interested in people who have a 'look' he can market. And if you look at the acts he promoted before he became a celebrity you will see that he has shit taste in music and bugger all musical knowledge.

And another thing............... in those days record company people actually got off their arses and went all over the place to actually see people perform live rather than expecting them to stand in front of a baying mob as if they were in some ancient Roman Arena standing before the lions and gladiators.

[BobbyinTN]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

Yeh, and when such people audition in front of Cowell he dismisses them and says stuff like, "sorry you are too clubby,'' or ''you sound like a lounge singer'' and stuff like that. He is only interested in people who have a 'look' he can market. And if you look at the acts he promoted before he became a celebrity you will see that he has shit taste in music and bugger all musical knowledge.

And another thing............... in those days record company people actually got off their arses and went all over the place to actually see people perform live rather than expecting them to stand in front of a baying mob as if they were in some ancient Roman Arena standing before the lions and gladiators.

Cowell doesn't know anything about music, he knows about marketing. I never could understand the people that would say, "well, he's an asshole, but he's right". No, he's not right 95% of the time and fuck him and his attitude. Now ever show has to have an asshole Brit on the panel and it really is getting old.

[kgdjpubs]

Yeh, and when such people audition in front of Cowell he dismisses them and says stuff like, "sorry you are too clubby,'' or ''you sound like a lounge singer'' and stuff like that. He is only interested in people who have a 'look' he can market. And if you look at the acts he promoted before he became a celebrity you will see that he has shit taste in music and bugger all musical knowledge.

And another thing............... in those days record company people actually got off their arses and went all over the place to actually see people perform live rather than expecting them to stand in front of a baying mob as if they were in some ancient Roman Arena standing before the lions and gladiators.

Cowell doesn't know anything about music, he knows about marketing. I never could understand the people that would say, "well, he's an asshole, but he's right". No, he's not right 95% of the time

The way the music industry is these days, it is ALL about marketing. Talent is a distant second, and it's been that way since the start of MTV and television. The days of Roy Orbison with an incredible voice, and basically no stage presence whatsoever are long gone. They are selling an image--ANYTHING else is secondary. Got issues with live vocals? there is autotune or lip-synching. Can't write songs? got that covered also, and we don't have to pay you royalties either.

All they are interested in is if you can prance around and entertain an audience (ie have stage presence). If you actually have musical talent, so much the better. If you have the image, they can give you everything else you need to get you on the radio by dictating what you will say, what you will sing, how you will dress, etc. Don't think for one minute that the music industry is naive about this.

This (read: image marketing) is also the reason why bands who are 50yrs old have very little chance in getting much publicity unless you are already well known (ie Springsteen). The music industry doesn't know how to target the adult audience, and it's very difficult to sell the image of some dumpy-looking middle-aged rock star to the teen and pre-teen market where most of your marketing is designed to reach.

[Andrew]

Yeh, and when such people audition in front of Cowell he dismisses them and says stuff like, "sorry you are too clubby,'' or ''you sound like a lounge singer'' and stuff like that. He is only interested in people who have a 'look' he can market. And if you look at the acts he promoted before he became a celebrity you will see that he has shit taste in music and bugger all musical knowledge.

And another thing............... in those days record company people actually got off their arses and went all over the place to actually see people perform live rather than expecting them to stand in front of a baying mob as if they were in some ancient Roman Arena standing before the lions and gladiators.

Cowell doesn't know anything about music, he knows about marketing. I never could understand the people that would say, "well, he's an asshole, but he's right". No, he's not right 95% of the time

The way the music industry is these days, it is ALL about marketing. Talent is a distant second, and it's been that way since the start of MTV and television. The days of Roy Orbison with an incredible voice, and basically no stage presence whatsoever are long gone. They are selling an image--ANYTHING else is secondary. Got issues with live vocals? there is autotune or lip-synching. Can't write songs? got that covered also, and we don't have to pay you royalties either.

All they are interested in is if you can prance around and entertain an audience (ie have stage presence). If you actually have musical talent, so much the better. If you have the image, they can give you everything else you need to get you on the radio by dictating what you will say, what you will sing, how you will dress, etc. Don't think for one minute that the music industry is naive about this.

This (read: image marketing) is also the reason why bands who are 50yrs old have very little chance in getting much publicity unless you are already well known (ie Springsteen). The music industry doesn't know how to target the adult audience, and it's very difficult to sell the image of some dumpy-looking middle-aged rock star to the teen and pre-teen market where most of your marketing is designed to reach.

Yep....sadly...

[SusieP]

Yep, MTV was the beginning of the end.

[Deb]

Yep, MTV was the beginning of the end.

Kinda true, LOL, I know I missed out on tons of other great melodicrock music back in the day from being a sucker for the whole Bon Jovi image thing.......he was hot and had catchy tunes. But definitely older and wise now, talent/substance/vocals are much more the criteria now. Popularity and image aren't much of a factor in my music choices anymore. LOL grew out of that.

[kgdjpubs]

Yep, MTV was the beginning of the end.

Kinda true, LOL, I know I missed out on tons of other great melodicrock music back in the day from being a sucker for the whole Bon Jovi image thing.......he was hot and had catchy tunes.

I always thought These Days was the best record Bon Jovi released. Very deep lyrically, good songs, and the best vocals Jon Bon Jovi ever did. I understand why they didn't do a follow-up to it, but I love that album for what it is.

But definitely older and wise now, talent/substance/vocals are much more the criteria now. Popularity and image aren't much of a factor in my music choices anymore. LOL grew out of that.

Popularity and image NEVER affected me. At the time, Journey or AOR/melodic hard rock in general wasn't exactly the favored music form to listen to. I never followed the trends, unless I actually liked the song/band. Give me good vocals, a good song and--especially--lyrics that actually mean something as opposed to being something to squawk about over the instrumentation. Get those together, and I'm happy. Somehow, it's harder than one might think to accomplish.

[Deb]

Yep, MTV was the beginning of the end.

Kinda true, LOL, I know I missed out on tons of other great melodicrock music back in the day from being a sucker for the whole Bon Jovi image thing.......he was hot and had catchy tunes.

I always thought These Days was the best record Bon Jovi released. Very deep lyrically, good songs, and the best vocals Jon Bon Jovi ever did. I understand why they didn't do a follow-up to it, but I love that album for what it is.

Love that album. One of my favorites from it.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nlDy6h-v9c

Surprisingly he also has some great songs and vocals on that Young Guns soundtrack that he wrote. Love that song Miracle.

But definitely older and wise now, talent/substance/vocals are much more the criteria now. Popularity and image aren't much of a factor in my music choices anymore. LOL grew out of that.

Popularity and image NEVER affected me. At the time, Journey or AOR/melodic hard rock in general wasn't exactly the favored music form to listen to. I never followed the trends, unless I actually liked the song/band. Give me good vocals, a good song and--especially--lyrics that actually mean something as opposed to being something to squawk about over the instrumentation. Get those together, and I'm happy. Somehow, it's harder than one might think to accomplish.

LOL, you weren't a teen girl back then. I'm assuming you're a guy. I still love a catchy tune. But I agree songs and especially vocals are more important. Grew out of the image factor, LOL install Perry's or Martin's pipes and delivery on Quasimoto and he'd become a fave too. Especially if the vocal tone is pleasing to the ear and song is very emotively delivered (whether it be with soul/ballad or passion/rocker). Perfect example is that Still They Ride performance from Budakon '83. That to me is almost perfect delivery and yes STR is easily my favorite Journey song, but on that one I hate to say it but he could just as easily been singing about toilet paper and I would've still dug it. Emotive delivery at it's absolute finest!

[kgdjpubs]

But definitely older and wise now, talent/substance/vocals are much more the criteria now. Popularity and image aren't much of a factor in my music choices anymore. LOL grew out of that.

Popularity and image NEVER affected me. At the time, Journey or AOR/melodic hard rock in general wasn't exactly the favored music form to listen to. I never followed the trends, unless I actually liked the song/band. Give me good vocals, a good song and--especially--lyrics that actually mean something as opposed to being something to squawk about over the instrumentation. Get those together, and I'm happy. Somehow, it's harder than one might think to accomplish.

LOL, you weren't a teen girl back then. I'm assuming you're a guy.

oh, I hope I wasn't a teen girl back then. That would be a big shock to the system. Wasn't a teen either though, which is the reason for the comment... Did have the album at the time however (along with Survivor's When Seconds Count), but Journey was far out of flavor by teen years, be it girls or guys.

I still love a catchy tune. But I agree songs and especially vocals are more important. Grew out of the image factor, LOL install Perry's or Martin's pipes and delivery on Quasimoto and he'd become a fave too.

No no no no no rock opera. Might be the reason I never cared much for Styx minus the random song or two. Same for Pride of Lions, although I love Survivor (who arguably has a stronger back catalog than Journey does...)

Especially if the vocal tone is pleasing to the ear and song is very emotively delivered (whether it be with soul/ballad or passion/rocker). Perfect example is that Still They Ride performance from Budakon '83. That to me is almost perfect delivery and yes STR is easily my favorite Journey song, but on that one I hate to say it but he could just as easily been singing about toilet paper and I would've still dug it. Emotive delivery at it's absolute finest!

Still They Wipe??? help us all...

Either way, that performance blows the doors off the studio performance, and really shows how much Perry improved as a singer between 1981 and '83.
Kevin <-- for the record just to clear up any confusion

[BobbyinTN]

Vocals and the sound of the band ALWAYS hooked me. I never cared for flash. I don't think I ever saw Freddie Mercury until the late 80's, and was already hooked on the music, the same with Journey, Heart, Air Supply, Styx, Loverboy, Foreigner and other 80's supergroups. They all had great lead singers and hooky songs that meant more to me than what they looked like.

Of course, I've been singing since I was 7 and probably viewed music a little differently than your average tone-deaf teen.

[parfait]

Vocals and the sound of the band ALWAYS hooked me. I never cared for flash. I don't think I ever saw Freddie Mercury until the late 80's, and was already hooked on the music, the same with Journey, Heart, Air Supply, Styx, Loverboy, Foreigner and other 80's supergroups. They all had great lead singers and hooky songs that meant more to me than what they looked like.

Of course, I've been singing since I was 7 and probably viewed music a little differently than your average tone-deaf teen.

Exactly. Who cares what a band looks like? It's what and how they perform that matters, not if they got some elaborate, gay (no offence, dude) dance stuff, while being covered in fluorescent glitter. I'll take BB King over Tokyo Hotel, Adam Lambert or Cheryl Cole any day.

No, scratch that. I would take Cheryl Cole over BB King. That's an exception though.

[Gin and Tonic Sky]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

I know of some singers in the old days who stayed away from clubs and took jobs at turkey farms, spent all day singing to the gobblers . Tended to be one of the best ways for people to practice singing in a high range. ...

[Deb]

Especially if the vocal tone is pleasing to the ear and song is very emotively delivered (whether it be with soul/ballad or passion/rocker). Perfect example is that Still They Ride performance from Budakon '83. That to me is almost perfect delivery and yes STR is easily my favorite Journey song, but on that one I hate to say it but he could just as easily been singing about toilet paper and I would've still dug it. Emotive delivery at it's absolute finest!

Still They Wipe??? help us all...

Either way, that performance blows the doors off the studio performance, and really shows how much Perry improved as a singer between 1981 and '83.
Kevin <-- for the record just to clear up any confusion

LOL, ya I just grabbed some random word. Not sure where toilet paper came from......

Oh I get it? You are Kevin and you DJ in PUBS?

[kgdjpubs]

Especially if the vocal tone is pleasing to the ear and song is very emotively delivered (whether it be with soul/ballad or passion/rocker). Perfect example is that Still They Ride performance from Budakon '83. That to me is almost perfect delivery and yes STR is easily my favorite Journey song, but on that one I hate to say it but he could just as easily been singing about toilet paper and I would've still dug it. Emotive delivery at it's absolute finest!

Still They Wipe??? help us all...

Either way, that performance blows the doors off the studio performance, and really shows how much Perry improved as a singer between 1981 and '83.
Kevin <-- for the record just to clear up any confusion

LOL, ya I just grabbed some random word. Not sure where toilet paper came from......

Oh I get it? You are Kevin and you DJ in PUBS?

Not exactly....the original derivation was KG (initials), D&J Publications (internet children's book company run by family), which on e-mail got shortened to "djpubs". I always meant to change it, but all the other ones (I'm "Kevin" on the regular melodicrock.com noticeboard) had already been taken, so had to go to plan B.

clear as mud?
K

[ebake02]

I miss music played with real instruments. I can't stand this computer crap, sit a 10 year old in front of a computer and they could produce what they play on the radio now. Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong generation, most of the other 20 somethings in my generation love it.

[kgdjpubs]

It's there to cover the fact most singers these days are shit.

Does it really surprise you when you take people that sing at home, and then put them on tour in front of 10,000 people, where they are supposed to dance and stuff and expect them to sound good while not have the training on how to keep their voice? Most singers of the past used clubs to hone their skills, and were at least halfway decent live by the time they got a record deal. Those days are gone for the most part.

I know of some singers in the old days who stayed away from clubs and took jobs at turkey farms, spent all day singing to the gobblers . Tended to be one of the best ways for people to practice singing in a high range. ...

yes, but do you get honest feedback that way? I would expect someone who did that to turn out rather nasally, from the clothespin used to block the noxious fumes...