7 ms·

The autotune you refer to as "janky and fake" is when autotune is used with intention to create that sound as an artistic syle. Autotune is used across most pop

The autotune you refer to as "janky and fake" is when autotune is used with intention to create that sound as an artistic syle. Autotune is used across most pop (and other) music, but in such a way that that you never realise it is there. It is similar to special effects. People complain about how bad and fake they look, but this is only for the effects that are bad enough that they are noticible. People don't realise the sheer amount of special effects being used in scenes they never realise they are being used for.

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
It is still noticeable in normal performances. You can hear unnatural overtones from autotune used as intended. Even more so when supposed singers use it live and have to stay glued to their mic to isolate any outside noise.
- gpvos 8y ago
  Interesting! Do you have examples where it is possible to hear these unnatural overtones?
  - mattmanser 8y ago
    Pick up any modern pop record. Some are worse than others, but all are auto tuned. Just Google worst auto-tune for examples, because it's so common now, most people don't notice it. Here's a list of some examples: http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop-music-10-examples/ http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop... Also, if you're not really musical you might have a hard time picking it out. I found that as soon as I learnt an instrument, songs suddenly became layered and I could pick out and distinguish different instruments, and notice mistakes.
    - darkerside 8y ago
      I'm pretty sure many of those examples are purposeful uses of autotune for effect
    - newhere420 8y ago
      I don't think T-Pain is trying to sneak autotune past anyone...
    - gpvos 8y ago
      I've played piano and sung for most of my life, but I wouldn't have recognized many of these if you hadn't pointed them out, though I do recognize many structures and mistakes in music. It seems to be more about recognizing the small glitches, rather than something involving overtones, which I would really have liked to learn more about how to recognize them. I have long found that autotuned singing sounds a bit more "metallic" to me. Thanks anyway, the sound samples are useful in recognizing it better.
  - kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
    It's easier to hear in modern country music because the vocals are still trying to sound natural. Male singers are more obvious.
hyperpallium 8y ago
But similarly, it could be used as a "janky and fake" artistic syle. Because no one's ever seen it before, it will look wrong in unexpected ways, and therefore somewhat fascinating. Stylus noise, fret noise and mp3 compression artefacts are other "mistakes" deliberately introduced.
- sarreph 8y ago
  You just described T-Pain’s reasoning for using auto tune (he doesn’t actually need it but instead uses it stylistically). I think you’re onto something here as well about how it may well get adopted as a ‘style’ in someone’s music video.
ssijak 8y ago
There is nothing "artistic" in overusing autotune. It is just a tool to "mask" that that person can`t really sing at all and is overused in popular/commercial genres where there is an abundance of untalented musicians. I can`t imagine anyone saying that obvious autotuned songs sound good.
- puranjay 8y ago
  Let me introduce you to Bon Iver's "22, A Million" https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN61gg9VNXPomdZu0UY_wwoDkjSdAB_uE https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN61gg9VNXPomdZu0UY_w...
- apengwin 8y ago
  Kanye West used autotune to great effect in 808s and Heartbreak, one of the seminal albums of this century
  - Jaruzel 8y ago
    No-one ever says Cher can't sing, but her 'Believe' song also uses Autotune in a very distinct way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uu3kCEEc98 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uu3kCEEc98
  - deadbeef404 8y ago
    Very true about using it to great effect in 808s and Heartbreak! I remember hearing one of those tracks and finding it fairly nice to listen to. Then I heard him live on SNL and his singing voice was close to non-existent.
- Krakadero 8y ago
  T-Pain is a great singer, and I'm pretty sure he's the first person a lot of people think about when they think about autotune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIjXUg1s5gc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIjXUg1s5gc
- dzjkb 8y ago
  >I can't imagine anyone saying that obvious autotuned songs sound good. Well just look at the status quo of popular rap music then - tons of artists are aiming for the obvious autotune style and tons of people are listening to it (so I assume they think it sounds good). I'm not sure what you mean by "artistic", but it's definitely a sound people try to achieve on purpose in their music, so I think it does deserve some recognition as "art".

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago

It is still noticeable in normal performances. You can hear unnatural overtones from autotune used as intended. Even more so when supposed singers use it live and have to stay glued to their mic to isolate any outside noise.

gpvos 8y ago
Interesting! Do you have examples where it is possible to hear these unnatural overtones?
- mattmanser 8y ago
  Pick up any modern pop record. Some are worse than others, but all are auto tuned. Just Google worst auto-tune for examples, because it's so common now, most people don't notice it. Here's a list of some examples: http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop-music-10-examples/ http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop... Also, if you're not really musical you might have a hard time picking it out. I found that as soon as I learnt an instrument, songs suddenly became layered and I could pick out and distinguish different instruments, and notice mistakes.
  - darkerside 8y ago
    I'm pretty sure many of those examples are purposeful uses of autotune for effect
  - newhere420 8y ago
    I don't think T-Pain is trying to sneak autotune past anyone...
  - gpvos 8y ago
    I've played piano and sung for most of my life, but I wouldn't have recognized many of these if you hadn't pointed them out, though I do recognize many structures and mistakes in music. It seems to be more about recognizing the small glitches, rather than something involving overtones, which I would really have liked to learn more about how to recognize them. I have long found that autotuned singing sounds a bit more "metallic" to me. Thanks anyway, the sound samples are useful in recognizing it better.
- kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
  It's easier to hear in modern country music because the vocals are still trying to sound natural. Male singers are more obvious.

hyperpallium 8y ago

But similarly, it could be used as a "janky and fake" artistic syle. Because no one's ever seen it before, it will look wrong in unexpected ways, and therefore somewhat fascinating. Stylus noise, fret noise and mp3 compression artefacts are other "mistakes" deliberately introduced.

sarreph 8y ago
You just described T-Pain’s reasoning for using auto tune (he doesn’t actually need it but instead uses it stylistically). I think you’re onto something here as well about how it may well get adopted as a ‘style’ in someone’s music video.

ssijak 8y ago

There is nothing "artistic" in overusing autotune. It is just a tool to "mask" that that person can`t really sing at all and is overused in popular/commercial genres where there is an abundance of untalented musicians. I can`t imagine anyone saying that obvious autotuned songs sound good.

puranjay 8y ago
Let me introduce you to Bon Iver's "22, A Million" https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN61gg9VNXPomdZu0UY_wwoDkjSdAB_uE https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN61gg9VNXPomdZu0UY_w...
apengwin 8y ago
Kanye West used autotune to great effect in 808s and Heartbreak, one of the seminal albums of this century
- Jaruzel 8y ago
  No-one ever says Cher can't sing, but her 'Believe' song also uses Autotune in a very distinct way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uu3kCEEc98 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uu3kCEEc98
- deadbeef404 8y ago
  Very true about using it to great effect in 808s and Heartbreak! I remember hearing one of those tracks and finding it fairly nice to listen to. Then I heard him live on SNL and his singing voice was close to non-existent.
Krakadero 8y ago
T-Pain is a great singer, and I'm pretty sure he's the first person a lot of people think about when they think about autotune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIjXUg1s5gc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIjXUg1s5gc
dzjkb 8y ago
>I can't imagine anyone saying that obvious autotuned songs sound good. Well just look at the status quo of popular rap music then - tons of artists are aiming for the obvious autotune style and tons of people are listening to it (so I assume they think it sounds good). I'm not sure what you mean by "artistic", but it's definitely a sound people try to achieve on purpose in their music, so I think it does deserve some recognition as "art".