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Creative Commons
If you want to know about IP law - this is the place. CC is defining the cutting edge of music licensing. -
David Byrne Journal
Stop making sense David Byrne. Seriously, you make too much sense to us - it's scary. When are you coming by to hang out? -
Create Digital Music
Fairly relevant to Indaba :) -
Hypebot
If you want to know what's happening in the new music world... -
Wired Epicenter
Wired + Music + Eliot = amazing -
Underrated Magazine
Our favorite NYC music-scene blog from our favorite CMJer. -
StereoGum.com
Super-hip music blog. A must for anyone serious about the NYC scene. -
The Daily Swarm
ll the news that fit to print ... about music, that is. -
Idolator
Gawker Media's music blog. Perfect if you like a little snark with your music news. -
Lefsetz Letter
In his own words - "First in music analysis"
Saturday June 27, 2009 at 08:00 AM |
by Seth
On Indaba, we celebrate all styles of music – from blues and rock to jazz, classical, funk, shred metal and more. This week we launched an exciting new contest with rising popstars, Carmen and Camille, challenging you guys to remix their song “Shine 4U”. Carmen and Camille’s use of Auto-Tune sparked a passionate debate on the contest message board regarding the place of Auto-Tune in music, and we thought it an opportune time to drop some knowledge on you about Auto-Tune.
It seems like an eternity ago that we heard Cher belting out “Believe” like only she can. That was the first time that the common listener heard the ever-popular Auto-Tune so upfront; however Auto-Tune is immensely popular among pop recordings, although most artists wouldn’t want you to know that their voices are touched up. Encountering Auto-Tune in the studio is inevitable, and it has made a world of difference in the area of audio arts, but how did this popular effect come to be and why is it so popular?
Surprisingly, Auto-Tune wasn’t invented by an audio engineer, but instead by Andy Hildebrand, a retired oil engineer. As an oil engineer, Hildenbrand would monitor reflections of soundwaves as they were sent into the ground and used a mathematical formula called autocorrelation to help oil companies determine areas to drill for oil. After retiring, Hildebrand was in search of his next adventure, when at a dinner party he found his answer after being challenged by a guest to invent a box that would allow her to sing in tune. A few months later, in late 1996, Auto-Tune was born using the autocorrelation formula for pitch correction.
In today’s world of audio engineering it’s close to impossible to find an engineer who hasn’t added Auto-Tune to their arsenal of plug-ins. While many argue that Auto-Tune is simply a fad, like synthesizers during the 80’s (remember those?!), Auto-Tune appears to be here to stay. Auto-Tune, however, isn’t for everyone. Jay-z, for example, has purposely banned the use of Auto-Tune on his upcoming album, Blueprint 3, saying “Some people made great music with it, now it's time to move on,"
So what are your favorite uses of Auto-Tune?
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del.icio.usSaturday June 27, 2009 at 10:52 AM
I agree with Jay-Z. On the hip hop side of things it's just not original anymore. next!
Saturday June 27, 2009 at 05:02 PM
auto tune (done tpain style) is nothing more then effect which sounds cool
its like an putting wah wah on your guitar
Sunday June 28, 2009 at 05:09 PM
That... is crazy. I didn't know that Andy Hildebrand story.
Sunday June 28, 2009 at 05:09 PM
No complains to the girls even if I noticed that auto-tune too. :)
My own opinion about auto-tune:
Use with reserve. Otherwise its just as an effect, not more. Just like we have vocoder. It does not help to correct singing, perhaps only
it shows the _errors_. Not more.
And for other singers and producers:
And instead of hiding the fact, just say out that its an effect. And with wize ways it can be REALLY cool. Thats how the Cher got popularity. She can sing actually, we know. Otherwise its like hiding the poor singing skill.
And whats real and whats not, whats high-paid dancer or just an artist its just up to everyone to think -- what they dream about themself to be? I think all of the artists are worth for it.
if someone is afraid that auto-tune is like ending the "real" singing then, heh, perhaps that person havent closed eyes to see that now can EVERYONE make music if just having one (1) computer.
Is this VST technology also death for a real talents and music if everyone can create music? 20 years ago this kind of technology was not at all cheap and only studios had it, not individuals.
Sunday June 28, 2009 at 05:23 PM
another thought about all these emulations vs. real things... for ALL of you out there:
* do you prefer a real __analog__ synth or just its emulation as VST since you just give up and dont afford that real precious thing to you? You cant backup the life.
* Also ...Do you sing live and trying as good as you can or just hide yourself behind technology and knowing truth that cant sing?
* Do you prefer to play live and know that you can or just seeking
help from technology to correct your mistakes and knowing truth that you need to exercise more?
* have you artificial christmas tree and whining in your thoughts that cant have the real one?
AND...
* when living your life... are you following other guidelines instead of being what you really want to be?
Monday June 29, 2009 at 03:10 AM
If the artist has left the building and you then notice an error in pitch on a couple of notes it makes sense to use it! If it's used as an effect it depends on how well it works. If it is used differently in some way then go ahead if it is not creating anything fresh then maybe not, unless you're creating a pastiche.
Monday June 29, 2009 at 07:39 AM
Back in 1939, there was a fella by the name of Alvino Rey, who invented the guitar talk box. Since then it has showed up in popular music, used by Aerosmith, Peter Frampton, Roger Troutman ,Stevie Wonder, Teddy Riley...as well the hip hoppers & r n b folks who use it today Auto-Tune is a digital plug in version of what a talk box can do. These artists were already great musicians.
Friday July 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Yea that part in the blog talking about how auto tune wont die, its not a fad ... "like synths from the 80s, remember those" -- yea funny, synths wont die, we get it, but they sound so much better nowadays right?
and remember this fad anyone? in rap/hip hop...esp live ...where the mc for the club will have that delay/echo going while he's just talking...and the time of the delay is random and matches to nothing? and the volume on the echo was way up and everything? yea theres an example of a fad that really did die. I mean, the effect didnt die, but the way it was used is completely dead, shoulda never been born. no ones ressurecting that anytime soon.
autotune dont have to die. it was just born the other day. just wait a bit and it may sound better and hopefully producers will use it less and better.
i wouldnt mind trying to use it for any sound, not just voice. just to randomly thro some pitches off the mark, make it sound randomly outta key.
if you use auto tune as the name implies (tuning something out of tune) then i think its no good. but if they using it to take something (in tune or out) and twist it up a bit (ok if still outta tune) ...then im all about it.
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