Tag Archives: Auto-Tune

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Seduced by Perfect Pitch

Auto-Tune, a computer software that has the ability to alter and correct an out-of-tune vocal performance, has recently been used excessively as pop artists create more and more “smash hits”. Ranging from Cher to T-Pain, there has been a good deal of speculation as to whether or not auto-tune is only used to cover up the fact that the artist has the inability to actually sing. Auto-tune has many effects including a robotic voice effect as well as voice synthesizer effect, which was popular with a lot of bands in the seventies and eighties.

 

To some extent, the author of this article proves a point. Since times have changed and the way music is recorded and shared has transformed, most songs are synthetic and there are more opportunities for music to be manipulated. However, auto-tune may also be beneficial. With its use to make a track more in tune, auto-tune therefore helps with making a song more appealing to the human ear; more people are intrigued to listen. If it helps with bringing in more fans and making people happy, then what’s wrong with using it? In addition, just because part of a track may use an auto-tune effect, does not mean that the whole song has been auto tune. For example, pop artist Ke$ha uses one of the auto-tune effects for beginning parts of her songs; however the rest of the song consists of her own natural voice.

 

What the author of this article failed to do was to ask those who are listening to the music what they think: Do they care that their favorite artist may be using auto-tune? Most fans would not mind; as long as the music sounds good and has a catchy beat, then why not? Rather than badgering artists and their auto-tune use, the author of this article disregards and doesn’t even acknowledge those individuals who support the artist. I personally would not mind if one of my favorite artists was using auto-tune. I have come to terms and accepted the fact that most artists may be using in todays society. If the music is enjoyable, to me there is no problem with the use of auto-tune. So ultimately the question at hand is: if an artist you loved used auto-tune, would you support their music?

 

 

 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/27/3964406/seduced-by-perfect-pitch-how-auto-tune-conquered-pop-music

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Seduced by ‘Perfect’ Pitch Response

In her article “Seduced by ‘Perfect’ Pitch” Lessley Anderson covers a controversial and ever-present issue in the music industry; that issue is none other than the use of Auto-Tune. As members of today’s society, where access to music is only a click away, we are familiar with the use, or in some cases abuse, of Auto-Tune. The overly edited songs are obvious but at times they can be catchy. Take Kesha’s song Animal for instance, her voice sounds flawless and soft; there isn’t a sharp stop, an off pitch note, or an awkward gasp for air. The entire song flows pretty smoothly and that’s what we like to hear. As wrong as it may seem, you can’t blame music companies for using Auto-Tune to polish a song. After all the companies only seek profit and if edited music is what the people demand, then that’s what the companies are going to sell. If you take a closer look at the issue, you’ll see that the heart of the problem is not in the decision of the music producers but rather in the notion behind a societal demand for perfection.

Take a look around you, the pictures you see in magazines, the actors you see in movies, and the songs you hear on the radio are all manipulated to look and sound perfect. This distortion of both visual and audio content finds its way into our everyday lives and inevitably distorts our perception of the world. Like Anderson hints at towards the end of her article, we, as a society, are starting to aim for a perfection that isn’t naturally attainable. Little girls have eating disorders and women are piling on makeup because they are trying to achieve this superficial idea of perfection. (Keep in mind though that I am not implying all women wear makeup for this sole purpose.) The younger generation is repeating edited songs that sound catchy but are full of nothing but lyrics about love, sex, and drugs. This is harming society as a whole, it’s hard to appreciate natural talent when all you hear is edited music. Anderson leaves us with a few thought provoking questions about the music industry, “What happens when an entire industry decides it’s safer to bet on the robot? Will we start to hate the sound of our own voices?”

Link to Kesha’s song Animal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDPNGX6UMl8