Monday, 1 February 2010

Auto-tuneless

Here's something you wouldn't expect from me: I agree with Jay-Z. Not about death threats, but that Auto-Tune shouldn't be used.

Now, it's not like people haven't played with their voices before. Check out Peter Frampton and, say, Cher. But then we have, as exhibit B... T-Pain.

Now, I've read various points of view, but what my major gripe with this is one basic fact.

Auto-Tune should not a career make.

The difference with Peter and Cher is that they have a perfectly good career with their natural voice and adding effects is merely a tweak to add on. But now, we are getting singers who are Auto-tuning themselves to cover a lack of talent. Or maybe not. Maybe they do have talent, but who can tell? Auto-tune is covering more than sins. It's a crutch that people are leaning on.

And then we kick it up a notch. We get people who think that putting a straight (non-music) video into a blender, then auto-tuning the soundtrack makes them into a musical genius. Hint: no, no it doesn't. Auto-tune is again used a crutch to pretend to have talent.

And yes, I am aware of various skeptical music videos featuring Carl Sagan, etc. I can understand their sentiment... but still not forgiving the Auto-tune use...

[END]

2 comments:

Jet Simian said...

Have at you, sir! Frampton used a vocoder - it's QUITE a different piece of apparatus! Plus he also put his guitar through it, which is why Frampton Comes Alive is ace.

It's worth noting that the creator of Autotune(tm) was a failed American Idol auditionee.

Jamas Enright said...

I didn't say that Frampton used auto-tune, I said he played with his voice (oo-er!). The point being that vocal effects have been around a long time.

Auto-tune is simply the latest example.