An Observation about Auto-tune...

[crasher35]

Okay, so I've been pondering on this for a bit and I wanted to see what you guys think.

Auto-tune has become pretty prevalent in modern American Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop music (I'm not sure about the international scene). We have a lot of artists who probably wouldn't be around without auto-tune, and we have a lot of artists who would be the last people to ever need it using it (Mariah Carey comes to mind). Auto-tune is that "new sound" right now. It's what's hot and hip. So it's showing up a lot!

It reminds me a lot of the synthesizer back in the 80's. It was huge! It was everywhere! It was that "new sound!" Eventually, however, it got old and, though it is still widely used, it's use is more subtle. It's not quite center stage anymore like it was back then, nor is it as prevalent.

I think auto-tune is going to go the way of the synthesizer as well... it's just a matter of time. That makes me wonder about the artists who rely heavily on it, like Lady GaGa and Ke$ha. I can see Lady GaGa surviving without it just fine. She has a lot of talent and has built a reputation for herself that will allow her to re-invent her music and still keep her fan base (like Madonna). However, Ke$ha, though (and you may disagree) I do believe she also has a lot of talent, she's a bit more of a one-trick pony. I don't think she will survive the auto-tune fall-out. Though, you never know. She might just pull it around in time.

Anyway, that's just my thoughts on it. I don't really know what spurred this thought process but I figured I'd share it anyway.

[Wolfboy]

I can see why Auto-Tune is popular

While Auto-Tune is mostly used to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances and allows singers to perform perfectly tuned vocal tracks without needing to sing in tune I still think (and believe) Synthesizers (or other instruments) are necessary to complete the song or the "sound"

[simonalexander2005]

I agree - I think synth's are good for a specific sound (although I still prefer the sound of a real piano over an electric one!!), but auto-tune means that being a good singer is now not a requirement to be a ... singer... hmm...

[Wolfboy]

I agree - I think synth's are good for a specific sound (although I still prefer the sound of a real piano over an electric one!!), but auto-tune means that being a good singer is now not a requirement to be a ... singer... hmm...

Do not think of Synthesizers just as beïng electric piano's, they are so much more
Basically a Synthesizer is a piano, yes, but with the advantage that you can create a wide variety of sounds (The real Synthesizers, not the keyboards, have the exact same sound as a piano).
The problem with Synthesizers is that they have programs which make it easy for any untalented "musician" to play them (for example the arpeggiator program, a program that creates a whole melody after pressing just one key).
But as it requires talent to play a piano so does it require talent to play a Synthesizer.
A great example of a talented Synthesizer Virtuoso/Multi Instrumentalist is the Greek Vangelis: he proves that it requires skills and talent to play them, to create a unique sound (listen to some of his work and than to some of the easy made dance music and you will see or better yet hear what I mean).

You can't compare a Synthesizer with a Auto-Tune: a Synthesizer is a real instrument, a Auto-Tune is just a tool

My apologies for rambling on about the Synthesizer, I can talk endlessly about them

[simonalexander2005]

I agree - I think synth's are good for a specific sound (although I still prefer the sound of a real piano over an electric one!!), but auto-tune means that being a good singer is now not a requirement to be a ... singer... hmm...

Do not think of Synthesizers just as beïng electric piano's, they are so much more
Basically a Synthesizer is a piano, yes, but with the advantage that you can create a wide variety of sounds (The real Synthesizers, not the keyboards, have the exact same sound as a piano).
The problem with Synthesizers is that they have programs which make it easy for any untalented "musician" to play them (for example the arpeggiator program, a program that creates a whole melody after pressing just one key).
But as it requires talent to play a piano so does it require talent to play a Synthesizer.
A great example of a talented Synthesizer Virtuoso/Multi Instrumentalist is the Greek Vangelis: he proves that it requires skills and talent to play them, to create a unique sound (listen to some of his work and than to some of the easy made dance music and you will see or better yet hear what I mean).

You can't compare a Synthesizer with a Auto-Tune: a Synthesizer is a real instrument, a Auto-Tune is just a tool

My apologies for rambling on about the Synthesizer, I can talk endlessly about them

Don't apologise! Although it is a little off-topic... My mentioning piano was just an example - I know synths can do loads more than that :)

[crasher35]

I agree - I think synth's are good for a specific sound (although I still prefer the sound of a real piano over an electric one!!), but auto-tune means that being a good singer is now not a requirement to be a ... singer... hmm...

Do not think of Synthesizers just as beïng electric piano's, they are so much more
Basically a Synthesizer is a piano, yes, but with the advantage that you can create a wide variety of sounds (The real Synthesizers, not the keyboards, have the exact same sound as a piano).
The problem with Synthesizers is that they have programs which make it easy for any untalented "musician" to play them (for example the arpeggiator program, a program that creates a whole melody after pressing just one key).
But as it requires talent to play a piano so does it require talent to play a Synthesizer.
A great example of a talented Synthesizer Virtuoso/Multi Instrumentalist is the Greek Vangelis: he proves that it requires skills and talent to play them, to create a unique sound (listen to some of his work and than to some of the easy made dance music and you will see or better yet hear what I mean).

You can't compare a Synthesizer with a Auto-Tune: a Synthesizer is a real instrument, a Auto-Tune is just a tool

My apologies for rambling on about the Synthesizer, I can talk endlessly about them

Very true! I just wasn't really thinking about the skills required when I made the comparison. I was just thinking about them in context of their prevalence in popular music. I understand that auto-tune is used by "artists" who can't sing worth their (Paris Hilton and Heidi Montague come to mind) but it also creates a unique sound that people seem to like. Despite that, yes, it allows the artist to have perfect pitch, it also has an electronic sound to it that's very interesting and unique. The very fact that you have amazing vocalists such as Mariah Carey using it as an effect kind of gives credit to auto-tune as a tool to giving music a unique sound that couldn't be achieve otherwise.

At the same time, it doesn't really take any skills on the part of the artist using it. It might require some talent on the part of the producer who mixes and processes the track, though I don't know how difficult it is to use. Either way, I still think it's going to be a fad that will fade away in time.

[RD]

I agree - I think synth's are good for a specific sound (although I still prefer the sound of a real piano over an electric one!!), but auto-tune means that being a good singer is now not a requirement to be a ... singer... hmm...

I think some "artists" should just be called Entertainers instead of singers

[crasher35]

 

[Nude_not_rude]

I work with Auto-tune a lot. It's not that new, been around for about 10 years now. It is a very powerful tool for improving otherwise good performances. Yes the hard tune function (Cher effect) is overused and will hopefully die out soon. Used wisely and sparingly ( I avoid the "auto" function and prefer the graphical mode where I can zone in on a certain word and tweak it's pitch leaving the rest natural) it is an essential tool to correct vocals during a mix when the artist isn't available to "drop-in" a better note for example.

[Wolfboy]

These days it isn't required anymore to have actual singing talents
While the Auto-tune isn't that old yet, the concept behind it is. Lots of the 50's, 60's and 70's Electronica pioneers and Krautrock bands used instruments with similar functions
Only they were named different back then

[Delta]

The great part about Auto-Tune is the ability to turn spoken words into music. Symphony of Science is a good example - they get Stephen Hawking to sing by applying that tool to his talks.

[Nude_not_rude]

You guys appear to be confusing the gimmick part of a tool with it's sum and total ability. It's really more intelligent and subtle than that when used correctly.

[Wolfboy]

You guys appear to be confusing the gimmick part of a tool with it's sum and total ability. It's really more intelligent and subtle than that when used correctly.

Never said Auto-Tune isn't intelligent
When used correctly you can do great things with it, definitely agree
I just wanted to point out because of my fascination for all kinds of electronic instruments, especially Synthesizers, that the concept behind Auto-Tune is older than most people realise
Just like the Synthesizer already excists since somewhere in 1876 (invented by American electrical engineer Elisha Gray) though in an other form than the first "true" Synthesizers created by Robert Moog in the late sixties the concept behind Auto-Tune is also older and used in other forms by the first Electronica pioneers of the fifties and sixties and a lot of Krautrock bands
But here I am talking about the Synthesizer again, sorry
Basically what I'm trying to say is that I prefer to see electronica tools (like Auto-Tune) and instruments (like the Synthesizer) used by people who know how to use it, musicians who have the talent, not by people who just use it to correct "mistakes"

[Dario Western]

I'd really like to see a return to using acoustic instruments and distorted guitars in popular music, and less reliance on technology like Auto Tune. 

The blacks created jazz, gospel, soul, Motown, funk, blues, ska and reggae - why doesn't the radio push these genres more and the record companies invest their money in people who don't need all these gimmicky gadgets in order to produce music that's got guts, grime and soul?

With that said, I think synthesizers, samplers and drum machines have their place.  Synthesized music is alright if you like Depeche Mode, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, and La Roux.  Samplings great if you remember to pay royalties to the publishing company for the work you are using in conjunction with your song.  Drum machines are good to practice to when a band is working on a new song and trying to get over the difficult bits - because unlike human drummers they don't lose their patience.  ;-)

[Dan]

You guys appear to be confusing the gimmick part of a tool with it's sum and total ability. It's really more intelligent and subtle than that when used correctly.

Auto-tune hits a nerve with the public in a bad way: the appearance of effortless success.

This is why conversation about it is often less than rational.