The argument against auto-tune, the one along the lines of 'It is not right to use software to compensate for a lack of talent' is discourse's version of Simple Jack. Sure, you may feel that way, but at least develop the audacity to admit how retarded and hypocritical that opinion is if you:
-Listen to music with distorted guitars (heavy distortion significantly masks mistakes) -Enjoy food with artificial flavoring (they should use organic recipes if they want to show their skill) -Use products to change the appearance of your hair (it doesn't really stand up like that) or partake in any of the millions of acts that invalidate this argument against auto-tune.
Basically, smart up and get off the fucking bandwagon.
I am really amazed at how many people (and I don't necessarily mean the OP or anyone else in this thread) who usually listen to the crappiest cookie-cutter radio stuff all day for years because its trendy, heavily compressed and got a big promotion budget suddenly start to feel "tricked" because they heard that people use autotune to sound cleaner or bigger?
Are you kidding me?
Obviously heavy autotune stuff seems more appropriate for funny tracks but theres no reason why someone might not be able to use it in a cool and original way.
On April 10 2011 11:36 StyLeD wrote: The auto-tune "originals" in mainstream music have used autotune for a while and have their own distinctive style. They're good (T-pain, BEP).
But someone like Kesha, who without autotune would just be another country singer or failed mainstream artist...
On April 10 2011 11:18 khOOM wrote: The argument against auto-tune, the one along the lines of 'It is not right to use software to compensate for a lack of talent' is discourse's version of Simple Jack. Sure, you may feel that way, but at least develop the audacity to admit how retarded and hypocritical that opinion is if you:
-Listen to music with distorted guitars (heavy distortion significantly masks mistakes) -Enjoy food with artificial flavoring (they should use organic recipes if they want to show their skill) -Use products to change the appearance of your hair (it doesn't really stand up like that) or partake in any of the millions of acts that invalidate this argument against auto-tune.
Basically, smart up and get off the fucking bandwagon.
Its not only NOT a retarded andNOT hypocritical opinion, but actually true that auto-tune or "robot voice" has been used as of late to cover up musicians or lyricists that can't actually sing or have tone in their voice. If you can't add pitches to your words other than purely with a device, its so different from what you're implying, its not even funny. People who use auto-tune, but have nothing else to prove they can sing (no tracks, no live shows, not even an interview clip) might as well hold up a sign saying "I can't sing".
As for your other *ahem* "similar effects" being used today, you must not be a musician if you think things like distortion covers like auto-tune does. If you CAN'T(keyword) play the guitar at all without such a heavy distortion on it you can't even tell its sound, or if you use an effect that creates a certain pitched tone no matter what fret you hit, THEN AND ONLY THEN is it comparable to auto-tuning. Even if you go into the realms of the heaviest, darkest, death metal, you can usually still hear their pitches clearly. There's such a tiny percentage of people who use distortions at the level you're implying, its ridiculous to even suggest such a similarity.
Enjoying food that contains artificial flavoring? How is this similar at all? Most foods with artificial-anything is junk food and we all know it by now. Real chefs almost always use all real ingredients as untainted as possible. I personally don't like anything that has preservatives or extra crap thrown into it, but I can't speak for everyone. Maybe there really are people who eat nothing but junk food all the time, but who's gonna listen to them about health? Musicians with no skill somehow still get massive publicity and attention. People in bad health due to eating nothing but junk food only ever make it to bad reality TV shows. They don't spread their bad habit like these so-called "musicians" do.
Hair products? You serious? Basically you're arguing that making anything artificial in any way is relate-able to this auto-tune being used in music. THAT, is in fact a very extremist and in my opinion, very incorrect way to think. Shampoo and conditioner aren't for if you have no hair, food flavoring isn't for anything that isn't food, and distortion/reverb/tube-screamer/etc effects CERTAINLY aren't used for if you aren't actually playing the guitar/bass/violin/etc. Auto-tune, however, IS used when you can't sing.
On April 10 2011 11:39 sCCrooked wrote:...Musicians with no skill somehow still get massive publicity and attention. ...
If you think that autotune is in any way influencing this or even responsible for it, you are dead wrong.
There is no correlation between "skill" (whatever this means in musical terms) and publicity/attention, with or without autotune. Thats just not how the market works. For every half decent artist that gets known there are 1000 who are much much better who will just never get famous because they don't have the marketing knowledge/ressources necessary.
Why do you have horribly biased options. What's wrong with a simple yes or no? "No it's not art" and "It ruins the originality of music" are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT things.
On April 10 2011 12:02 Craton wrote: Why do you have horribly biased options. What's wrong with a simple yes or no? "No it's not art" and "It ruins the originality of music" are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT things.
Unfortunately the OP sounds like a troll with this thread =/. People have liked different music since the beginning of time.
Considering people make electronic music without any singing ability, I don't see why autotune should be an exception. That said, I personally don't like the sound, just like I don't like country music that much either. But if people like it, it's fine in my opinion. I think it sounds alright when used occasionally, too, like in rap or whatever.
On April 10 2011 11:39 sCCrooked wrote:...Musicians with no skill somehow still get massive publicity and attention. ...
If you think that autotune is in any way influencing this or even responsible for it, you are dead wrong.
...and if you thought that I in any way thought autotune influenced non-skilled "musicians" to mass-popularity, you are also dead wrong. Just clarifying. I've been in the music/entertainment business in practically every way for the vast majority of my life. I'm well aware that marketing and advertisement draws people to popularity. However people just going for what's "catchy" and promoting it as "music skill" often leads to them putting things like T-Pain"I'm Sprung" on the same pedestal as things like Jimi Hendrix"Foxy Lady". You don't have to be a 23-year professional musician like me to understand that's just wrong in more ways than can be spoken.
On April 10 2011 11:18 khOOM wrote: The argument against auto-tune, the one along the lines of 'It is not right to use software to compensate for a lack of talent' is discourse's version of Simple Jack. Sure, you may feel that way, but at least develop the audacity to admit how retarded and hypocritical that opinion is if you:
-Listen to music with distorted guitars (heavy distortion significantly masks mistakes) -Enjoy food with artificial flavoring (they should use organic recipes if they want to show their skill) -Use products to change the appearance of your hair (it doesn't really stand up like that) or partake in any of the millions of acts that invalidate this argument against auto-tune.
Basically, smart up and get off the fucking bandwagon.
Its not only NOT a retarded andNOT hypocritical opinion, but actually true that auto-tune or "robot voice" has been used as of late to cover up musicians or lyricists that can't actually sing or have tone in their voice. If you can't add pitches to your words other than purely with a device, its so different from what you're implying, its not even funny. People who use auto-tune, but have nothing else to prove they can sing (no tracks, no live shows, not even an interview clip) might as well hold up a sign saying "I can't sing".
As for your other *ahem* "similar effects" being used today, you must not be a musician if you think things like distortion covers like auto-tune does. If you CAN'T(keyword) play the guitar at all without such a heavy distortion on it you can't even tell its sound, or if you use an effect that creates a certain pitched tone no matter what fret you hit, THEN AND ONLY THEN is it comparable to auto-tuning. Even if you go into the realms of the heaviest, darkest, death metal, you can usually still hear their pitches clearly. There's such a tiny percentage of people who use distortions at the level you're implying, its ridiculous to even suggest such a similarity.
Enjoying food that contains artificial flavoring? How is this similar at all? Most foods with artificial-anything is junk food and we all know it by now. Real chefs almost always use all real ingredients as untainted as possible. I personally don't like anything that has preservatives or extra crap thrown into it, but I can't speak for everyone. Maybe there really are people who eat nothing but junk food all the time, but who's gonna listen to them about health? Musicians with no skill somehow still get massive publicity and attention. People in bad health due to eating nothing but junk food only ever make it to bad reality TV shows. They don't spread their bad habit like these so-called "musicians" do.
Hair products? You serious? Basically you're arguing that making anything artificial in any way is relate-able to this auto-tune being used in music. THAT, is in fact a very extremist and in my opinion, very incorrect way to think. Shampoo and conditioner aren't for if you have no hair, food flavoring isn't for anything that isn't food, and distortion/reverb/tube-screamer/etc effects CERTAINLY aren't used for if you aren't actually playing the guitar/bass/violin/etc. Auto-tune, however, IS used when you can't sing.
Actually, I am a musician, and have a degree in Recording Arts, and that is precisely why I feel the way that I do.
I don't even know where to begin with this debate. What you are expressing is so contradictory that it is difficult to present this in a way laymen enough for you to grasp. But let me make an attempt.
First, it is always correct to understand things at their most fundamental level, and if you find that to be 'extremist' then holy shit, you received a terrible education.
You say autotune "has been used as of late to cover up musicians or lyricists that can't actually sing or have tone in their voice." No shit, and I am okay with this because people mask and 'cover up' a ton of shit in their lives without having debates about whether or not it is right to do so (like putting things in your hair to make it better.)
You then babble about being able to play instruments, and you are stuck on the point that being slightly off key while singing is like not being able to put your fingers on the right notes. You are clearly not a musician because you would know that their is a massive difference between being able to fret the correct notes on a guitar, and being able to play them well without introducing fret noise, muting notes prematurely, and playing with the right delicacy or intensity. All of these things are amended with the introduction of distortion, which is why it masks a poor performance.
My point is that if you look around with an objective eye you will see that there is a moral dilemma between the 'against auto-tune' argument and the things you do everyday, which you take for granted.
I don't like it and it's sad that artists use it, but its a tool that many artists use(as stated by a previous poster, can't think of your name off the top of my head, sorry >.<) because it's there, at their disposal to make their music sound better. It's a shame, but it's true.
That's why so many great artists that we all know were back in the '60s, '50s or any other era for that matter was before auto-tune or with digital media editing software. Back when 4, 8, and 16 tracks were on the market. Record producers would have an entire band plugged into their 4, 8, or 16 tracks, and with the absence of being able to edit halfway during the song, they would hit record and a band would have to run the entire song through and get it right the first time. Only bands, artists, and/or singers that were truly talented, whether it be from having it as a natural gift or hard earned talent, were ever able to get on a record.
Technology is a love hate-thing, and I say that as a musician. I love it in the fact that when I record a song, I can record a verse, stop record, record the chorus, re re-cord if I don't like it, or keep it, and so forth. I don't have to worry about getting it all right in one shot as I said above. It makes recording music A LOT easier. But then again, things like auto-tune really sadden me.
That's why for the past, I don't know, 5 or so years, I been judging artists more on their live performances and the shows that they put on as opposed to what they record. "Yeah, cool album. But can you play it live and entertain the crowd?" is the real question I ask for half of the mainstream artists out there.
On April 10 2011 12:10 Enervate wrote: Considering people make electronic music without any singing ability, I don't see why autotune should be an exception. That said, I personally don't like the sound, just like I don't like country music that much either. But if people like it, it's fine in my opinion. I think it sounds alright when used occasionally, too, like in rap or whatever.
i pretty much agree with this. i think the reason autotune has a bad name is the people choosing to use it are doing so because they have no talent but still want to sing, or would be putting out garbage either way. its so rare to find anyone experimenting with it that has any interest in music as art.
How could it not be considered an art or skillful?
I don't understand the reasoning. In fact, I refuse to believe the poll results are people answering the actual question. I think people are answering questions like, "Do you think autotune is a good thing?" "Is it skillful for a singer to use auto-tune?" "Do you think its used in the right way?" These are not the question.
Auto-tune isn't some sort of magical automatic tuner either. You're still coming up with the melody and just using the notes from that melody to alter the vocal track. It's not some like person sings random weird notes and then you just go and click the auto-tune button and create a song. It's basically the same process that you would go about creating instrumental music on a music program. There's no way to avoid the fact it is creating music.
If you consider creating music to be an art form, I find it extremely unreasonable to not consider the autotune aspect of it to be an art as well.
Edit: I should also mention there is a huge amount of modification that goes on besides autotune. From things like guitar amplifiers to all the things they do in the studio. Unless you're listening to some acoustic music live, you're listening to modified music. It's absurd to selectively pick out autotune as bad among all the modifications.
Charlie Sheen and #winning would not have happened without Auto-Tune.
The Bed Intruder Song would not have happened without Auto-Tune.
Please stay, Auto-Tune, even if few can utilize you for good.
Should we be listening to 100% acoustic music? I mean, clearly, distorted guitars and drum tracks and pre-recorded tracks and modern musical innovations are terrible, and aren't art. Really, though, auto-tune is just overused currently (like synthesizers were in the 80's and terrible midi-style drum beats), and eventually it will die down and become just another part of creating good music.
Surprised at the amount of "yes" responses. Autotune isn't supposed to be a replacement for a normal vocal tone. It's simply an instrument: it makes a sound at a specific pitch. Saying autotune is bad because it doesn't have an authentic vocal tone is like saying that violin is a terrible instrument because it does a bad job at approximating a piano. It was never intended to sound like authentic singing, so it's hardly a surprise that it doesn't.
The problem I have with it you can take a random "pretty" face with talented writers/choreographers and turn them into a pop sensation that is basically all a marketing force and essentially talentless. This style of marketing has become extremely popular because somehow 14 year old girls have the money to keep buying this crap.
Auto tune definitely has a place to be considered a legitimate part of music. It creates a definite feel and sound with electronic music, and when it is used to that effect it works great. Where it doesn't work and just sounds weird and awful like someone is trying to pass themselves off as a good singer is something like Glee. Sure some of them can sing, but when everything is auto tuned it sounds over produced. When auto tune is used like that they are coming off as trying to make up for the deficiency of the singer and pass it off as actual talent. That blows, and everyone with a brain knows it. When it's used to create a specific sound and feeling and for creative purposes(such as the BRILLIANT bed intruder song), I don't see how anyone can say it is not legitimate. Sure you may not like it, but that doesn't mean it's not "music". Hell, I think dubstep is fucking garbage, but I'm not about to say it isn't music. I would just come off as some 90yr old saying how Elvis is ruining music.