WTF, obvious autune being used

[Monker]

Anybody know about this?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lTQN3jt_ ... ture=share

[The_Noble_Cause]

Narrator says the clip is from some "video that recently surfaced." Would be helpful if he provided more info (date, venue, full link) so we could compare it to the full concert video. Always a slim chance this specific snippet was altered just for clicks. Todd Jensen didn't get his hairplugs yet in this video so it had to be a few tours ago.

As for my thoughts....I mean, I wouldn't be surprised. Augeri used auto-tune at the 2003 Warfield show. Arnel has lipped TV appearances. I am sure they are doing what they can to help him out.

[Monker]

The more I think about it, I think people would be freaking out a bit more if this happened in concert...especially the way Jonathan sounded. Also, I doubt the band would have kept going when they sounded so silly...or, "somebody" would have cut the sound and fixed it. I also do not see any other video of this anywhere. I'm thinking maybe somebody just played with the audio portion of the video and put it out there.

[Journey/Survivor]

The more I think about it, I think people would be freaking out a bit more if this happened in concert...especially the way Jonathan sounded. Also, I doubt the band would have kept going when they sounded so silly...or, "somebody" would have cut the sound and fixed it. I also do not see any other video of this anywhere. I'm thinking maybe somebody just played with the audio portion of the video and put it out there.

I was thinking the exact same things. We would have heard about it before this, and Cain would have stopped talking if his voice was coming out like that from auto tune.

[youkeepmewaiting]

Pretty much I’ve every big act uses live aututune now

[FishinMagician]

LMAO

[The_Noble_Cause]

Friend of mine found the full concert. It's from Sacramento CA on 04/01/2022. Happens at around 1hr:40 seconds. I'm sure there are other instances throughout the show, but I don't care enough to dig in.

https://youtu.be/r48mXuk4ZpY?si=ue4Z5C4GdluB9iu_

[Monker]

I sent it to Fil to see what he thinks...we'll see if he replies back to me.

It says it is a new audio source...so maybe they autotuned it after the fact. I don't know...But, just clicking through, yes, there are other bits that sound like autotune to me.

[Monker]

Well, Fil replied to me and this is what he said:

Thanks! Wow yes I'd be surprised if that is genuine footage that somehow hasn't just edited as a joke. If we can find other crowd shot footage from the same night that has the same sound then we can prove the auto-tune is on the mic, not post edited. It does sound pretty genuine though!

Makes sense...

[Monker]

Wow, found this crowd shot video....same thing towards the end of the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUBS1No ... rt_radio=1

And, another:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATFFSVr ... rt_radio=1

[youkeepmewaiting]

I really don’t think this warrants a big investigation. For better or worse this is normal now

[Monker]

I really don’t think this warrants a big investigation. For better or worse this is normal now

Well, Google AI disagrees that it is 'normal':

is it normal now to use autotune for a singers voice at a rock concert?

No, it's not considered "normal" or universally accepted to use Auto-Tune in rock concerts; while some artists use pitch correction subtly for consistency or to aid performance during complex choreography, it is a point of contention, particularly in genres like rock that traditionally value raw, authentic vocal performance. Many fans and purists consider live Auto-Tune to be a deceptive practice, preferring to hear artists' natural, unadulterated voices, even with minor imperfections.

But, that's just for fun

For me, this whole thing was pretty shocking. It was so blatantly obvious that autotune was used in that short clip that I wanted to know what was going on and even thought it was faked. When I saw the full concert, well, somebody either faked the entire concert (which would not be easy) or Journey is using autotune. That is why I asked Fil. Seeing it in other crowd shot source just proves it.

Journey uses autotune. Anybody who wants to argue about how great Arnel sounds has to contend with that fact.

I am not going to keep digging and digging. If he wants to, Fil can look at it further and see how far Journey has gone down this hole. That's up to him. It will not surprise me if he does...he took on the Eagles so why not Journey? I have felt something is going on ever since they did Lalapaloozalala and the New Year's concert before Freedom was released. The end of Separate Ways with the vocal acrobatics has always sounded faked to me, like prerecorded vocals. Can I prove it, NO. Do I care enough to try to prove it, not really.

And, let me be clear on this, too: This is NOT on Arnel. It is the Journey organization and band as a whole that I feel is to blame for these decisions. It is someone sitting behind the stage making the decision to flip on autotune or a prerecorded vocal...and everybody has OK'd it...it's not Arnel doing it on his own or choosing it.

[The_Noble_Cause]

This conversation had me remembering how I thought this 2003 concert w/ SA also had auto-tune going on. There is a processed sound at times.

https://youtu.be/TsIUidZ7GXs?si=Nsph2O-YB-b7dg7k

When it comes to Journey's usage, it's always possible they turn it on and off as needed. Who knows.

[Journey/Survivor]

None of the band members have an "Oh, shit" look on their faces when the sound was strange as Pineda and Cain spoke into the microphone. If it was auto tune you would think that for at least a second the band members would have reacted in that "Oh, shit" kind of way, and Cain should have stopped talking.

Also, if it's auto tune, wouldn't we be hearing that strange sound during everything that they are saying into that microphone, and not just certain words?

I saw someone in the comments on YT say that it was effects. I'm not saying that that person is definitely right. But the effects thing was already mentioned.

[jestor92]

I really don’t think this warrants a big investigation. For better or worse this is normal now

Depends on the artist and if they want integrity. I’d venture most of the current pop acts use it or canned vocs. I believe a decent amount of nostalgic acts use them like Motley Crue, Kiss used them on the last tour, it’s been rumored Def Lep uses them for years as examples. On the flip side The Black Crowes, Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth are some examples of artists who don’t use it.

As a fan of music I’ve stopped going to “live” shows because of lack of knowledge of who’s live vs who’s canned. If I’m spending money on a “live” show I want the warts.

[Monker]

None of the band members have an "Oh, shit" look on their faces when the sound was strange as Pineda and Cain spoke into the microphone. If it was auto tune you would think that for at least a second the band members would have reacted in that "Oh, shit" kind of way, and Cain should have stopped talking.

You would think all of that. That's why I sent it to Fil...because I just was not sure. I don't know why they did not react. However, multiple sources, the one TNC posted, and the two crowd sourced that I found, all have the same vocal sounds. As Fil said, this PROVES that the autotune was coming out of the mic...it is not an altered video.

[Also, if it's auto tune, wouldn't we be hearing that strange sound during everything that they are saying into that microphone, and not just certain words?

It IS on everything from the time Arnel starts speaking to the crowd. It's more settle, not as obvious, but it is there. The "certain words" is more obvious probably because the words are spoken in a more drawn out way and they are trying to emphasize them.

I saw someone in the comments on YT say that it was effects. I'm not saying that that person is definitely right. But the effects thing was already mentioned.

They are wrong. It is autotune.

BTW, I need to listen to this entire show. Deen's "Mother Father" is so bad here...it is HORRIBLE. He does these ad-lib, made up, things that ruin it...and just in general, it's a horrible cover of the song. One of my favorite live Journey live songs completely ruined. I have heard other concerts where he did OK, and seen it live and thought it was OK...but wow, that has changed. I should see if Jason did a song on here.

[Monker]

I really don’t think this warrants a big investigation. For better or worse this is normal now

Depends on the artist and if they want integrity. I’d venture most of the current pop acts use it or canned vocs. I believe a decent amount of nostalgic acts use them like Motley Crue, Kiss used them on the last tour, it’s been rumored Def Lep uses them for years as examples. On the flip side The Black Crowes, Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth are some examples of artists who don’t use it.

As a fan of music I’ve stopped going to “live” shows because of lack of knowledge of who’s live vs who’s canned. If I’m spending money on a “live” show I want the warts.

In skipping through this, you are so right. Not only is autotune being used, but there are times when it sounds like there are three Arnel's singing at once. "Who's Cryin' Now" has this weird echo effect that ruins the song for me and I had to stop listening because I hated it so much. The "whoah oh's" in Faithfully, Arnel did not sing but a lead vocal was still coming through the speakers...so weird. And, just in general Arnel has a horrible mid range voice, but he can still belt out these vocal acrobatic high notes? I just don't believe it and have not believed it for years now. And, I hate saying all that because Arnel does seem to be one of the "good" guys in Journey. If Journey stripped all of this down and performed without any vocal affects and multiple backing vocals and autotune....I have to wonder what it would sound like.

Neal and Jon are in their 70's...so this can't keep going on much longer. I guess people take what they can get for nostalgia's sake...I think it's that way for many bands now.