Antares Auto-Tune, the most beloved tool of the music recording industry lately, and also the latest hip-hop effect in fashion is getting a really bad reputation lately. I want to take a minute to put one myth to rest.
To put it clear and simple. If you cannot sing, Auto-Tune will not make it sound like you can. It does nothing to fix poor tone and quality, it merely alters pitch and intonation. Now I will say I have heard some severe over use of it, and tell tale signs of using it beyond it’s intention, but a line in a recent article on MSNBC.com states “…you still had to be able to sing, with Auto-Tune, you don’t.”
Man, I beg to differ. What makes a good singer? There have been some great voices, unique singers with terrible pitch and intonation, Janis Joplin anyone? How about anything from The Smashing Pumpkins or Nine Inch Nails. Those guys have terribly unique voices that are commonly flat or a little out of tune. It’s part of the musical style. Does that make them bad singers?
Auto-Tune and Melodyne both offer the same thing, the ability to fix bad notes. Articles like this one would have you believe that in the old days they came in, belted it out in one take and you had a hit. I am sure a legion of very talented tape splicers would have a big problem with that assumption.
That’s the reality, today they use a software plugin or hardware device to nudge a note or two back in tune (not counting the Kanye/T-Pain effect use of the plugin) where back in the day, they just had the singer sing it over and over, then cut apart the takes until they got it all sounding right. What’s the difference?
This MSNBC.com article even goes as far as to blame Auto-Tune for declining CD sales. Wow, how about blaming the sales of single tracks on iTunes as well as piracy, they seem a much more likely culprit.
It’s absolutely true that there are some pop stars out there now that can’t sing “well.” I am sure that it’s root cause is similar to why half the NBA today can’t shoot free throws. Poor training, no attention to fundamentals and no practice. It’s an instant gratification society and people want to grab a mic, make a record and get rich. I seriously doubt that people just quit trying because of the plugin and it’s the cause of the diminishment of talent.
One last note, it used to be much, much harder to get big enough to be on the radio and selling CDs nation wide. Maybe part of the reason we hear such less talented singers is that with the decrease in costs for production, the increase in ease of getting to market, you don’t see the top tier of artists now, you see them and a few rungs below. Tell me that Celine Dion, Tori Amos and Myles Kennedy get by with Auto-Tune, I don’t think so.
10 Examples of Auto-Tune Abuse
Oh, my ears! Auto-Tune is ruining music – MSNBC.com
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you’re TOTALLY right on. i know you don’t need me to tell you that. but still. totally, exactly right. the ol’ antares is a great tool but i hate even talking about it because of the connotations. not that i really care what other people think, but it’s just annoying that the perception is out there that it makes bad singers sound amazing instantly.
Actually Celine Dion does use auto tune!
Quite some time has passed since you poste this and they still use it extensively! Can’t believe how that Timbaland production sound messes up each and every song in HipHop and R&B!!