Vocal Points: Auto-Tuned Out

posted in: Features • Pop

The fact that there now exists technology which is not only capable of altering the way a person’s voice sounds after it has been recorded, but also the way it sounds live, is incredible. Today, tools like Melodyne and Auto-Tune are shaping the music industry by doing things which were once unimaginable. And it has become easy for virtually any singer to utilize pitch correction in their music, whenever needed. These tools are capable of changing a bad note the second it comes out of a singers mouth. So, does this mean that it is no longer necessary for “singers” to know how to sing?

The answer is no. Pitch-correction has certainly changed the things a singer is able to do in the studio, and continues to be widely used, but it is not a replacement for a great voice and recognizable talent. Great voices are distinctive, auto-tune is not. And while there are certainly singers who use the software to compensate for a lack of talent, it is often very obvious. For example, despite Ke$ha‘s success, her blatant use of auto-tune doesn’t fool anyone into thinking she can actually sing. Same goes for T-Pain, who has used auto-tune as an effect, making his voice sound mechanical and robotic. T-Pain never claims to actually be able to sing, and his use of auto-tune is so prominent, that it is funny and it works well for him.

But not everyone who uses auto-tune software utilizes it to such a great extent. In fact, most singers only use it in small doses to correct notes here and there, and then tuck it into the mix so that it is almost impossible to tell the difference. Simply put, artists use auto-tune as a shortcut, not as a substitute. Instead of recording a particular part over and over again until it is perfect, artists can tweak certain notes with the software. And can you blame an artist for wanting to save time and money in the recording studio?

While there has been a great deal of concern from people who feel that auto-tune is taking the humanity out of singing, and is unfair to those singers who do not need to use it, pitch correction isn’t going anywhere. And, in fact, one could say that it has actually made great voices MORE important. Now, in order to be a great singer, it takes more than just being able to carry a tune. There has to be something unique, and you have to showcase the distinctive qualities that your individual voice has, so that you, as an artist, can stand apart from the pack.

The way that voices are used today is not better or worse than it has been in the past. Things have simply changed. No longer can singers ignore pitch correcting software; they have to learn to accept that it is being used, and learn to make their own voices authentic, while figuring out how to navigate all the changes technology has to offer.