Taylor Swift New Album "Fearless" Thoughts

[Breezy]

First, I really like the album. I also appreciate the work of her guitar/banjo picker. He has some good lessons on youtube for flat-pickin and some banjo stuff too. YouTube - BanjoBen1's Channel

Second, as far as autotune... I have to look at everything from multiple angles. Autotune is a tool as much as midi is a tool and think of the music we would have missed without midi.

Music is art the same as paint. Different artist use different tools to spread it on the canvas. Some say only use your fingers, others only brushes, others sponges etc. No one can dictate what is art to another. You interpret what you like and don't like. When others try to "dictate" what is right or wrong to others then we regress to the dark ages.

Whatever your art, medium, tools, or skill level... CREATE! Someone, somewhere is going to know where your coming from and love your work!

[Digitar]

Originally Posted by Breezy

Music is art the same as paint. Different artist use different tools to spread it on the canvas. Some say only use your fingers, others only brushes, others sponges etc. No one can dictate what is art to another. You interpret what you like and don't like.

I agree that all different music genres and artists are relevant, and that using the proper tools to present it in a pleasing way is essential. But if you're buying a piece of artwork that has "supposedly" been created by a certain artist, in this case Taylor Swift, Is it a fraud when you're trying to sell yourself as something that you don't have the capabilities to perform? I for one think so.

The reason Milli Vanilli were asked to give their Grammies back was that they commited a fraud against the public for passing themselves off as Artists when they in fact couldn't sing. The only difference between them and the autotune ?artist? of today is that as long as the sound comes out of your mouth, and you say you're a singer well, case closed.

Well, I think that is a very short sighted way to think about music. Now if the name of the producer was the biggest name on the cd and that it was presented as look what he or she can do with a non-singer. There would be no debate because there'd be no deception occuring.

The public in general have no idea that sound can be manipulated in such a way as to create the "Illusion" that this person can sing well. But when they see them live there is always a let down because of the truth coming out that they in fact can't perform the music the way that the fan has come to appreciate it. Ashley Simpson's career took a major hit with the Saturday Night Live lipsyncing fiasco, as it should have.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd rather the music business have some integrity in that the artists that we have presented to us are in fact, "TRULY ARTISTS". OK, I'll get off the soapbox now.

[uncle duncan]

Originally Posted by Digitar

I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd rather the music business have some integrity in that the artists that we have presented to us are in fact, "TRULY ARTISTS". OK, I'll get off the soapbox now.

Your intentions are admirable, but "music business" makes it impossible, since there is no integrity in business. On the contrary, business survives through subterfuge and lies.

Another way to look at TS. Think of all the crappy singers who improved their craft by spending time with a vocal coach. Is their improved vocal performance bogus because of it? If not, why is their improved vocal performance bogus because it was autotuned? In both cases, the vocal performance was improved by technology, the only difference being the actual mechanics of the technology.

I think the fact that artists like TS have to include live performance in their interaction with their fans makes the whole autotune argument moot. If fans see her sing out of tune and still buy her records, autotune is no longer an issue.

That being said, I do cringe when she sings out of tune, but it's the emotional impact that sells me on TS. I'd much rather hear her sing bad notes on songs she's written herself than hear some American Idol clone singing some emotionally overwrought melodrama that has no emotional impact. There's a difference between a technically gifted singer and an emotionally gifted singer. For some of us, emotion wins out over technique.

[Digitar]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

Your intentions are admirable, but "music business" makes it impossible, since there is no integrity in business. On the contrary, business survives through subterfuge and lies.

I agree about the business Uncle Duncan. But one has to have hope. It makes me think back on all the singers and bands that I've seen over the years that the business took for everything they could get out of them. You know the line " You're gonna be huge if you get your demo recorded here for 10,000$", and you'll be the next Taylor Swift. "Testacles, Spectacles, Wallet, and Watch" as Shad O'Shea always said.

[benjaminjudah]

I just read thru all the replies on here. I personally think the TS record is great. But what matters more than all of the opinions on here... is that how many million people also liked enough to buy it. One of the few artists actually selling large quantities of records nowadays. Whether you think its pop country or whatever, its selling. So she's doing something right.

[Digitar]

Originally Posted by benjaminjudah

I just read thru all the replies on here. I personally think the TS record is great. But what matters more than all of the opinions on here... is that how many million people also liked enough to buy it. One of the few artists actually selling large quantities of records nowadays. Whether you think its pop country or whatever, its selling. So she's doing something right.

You have a right to your opinion. And if you like it that's your choice. But just because something sells alot doesn't make it good. Do you think McDonalds is good food? They've sold billions! All it means is that the label knows how to shove a medoicre product down the peoples throats. She's all about image, just like most of the no talent bimbo brigade in Nashville. I don't have to single them out, you know who I'm talking about.

[Quint]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

Another way to look at TS. Think of all the crappy singers who improved their craft by spending time with a vocal coach. Is their improved vocal performance bogus because of it? If not, why is their improved vocal performance bogus because it was autotuned? In both cases, the vocal performance was improved by technology, the only difference being the actual mechanics of the technology.

Bogus argument on all levels.

It's called practice. Working with a vocal coach is practice. The actual notes are coming from the singer, not the computer. Jimmy Page didn't come out of the womb strapped to a Les Paul did he? No, he practiced and got good. That's not cheating. Using Autotune is. If you can't see the difference between that, well....

[Track 7]

Originally Posted by Quint

They are shit

When you can say that you sold 164,000 CD's in a seven day period you may realize what popular and highly desired music sounds like and people may value your comments.

[Quint]

Originally Posted by Track 7

When you can say that you sold 164,000 CD's in a seven day period you may realize what popular and highly desired music sounds like and people may value your comments.

God, these "when you've sold as many albums" arguments just keep coming. Have any of you ever stopped to realize what you're saying? But whatever. If you're happy making bullshit arguments, keep on with it.

164,000 albums, of which well over half were probably purchased by girls who just got their driver's license, is exactly an indication of what? Congratulations to you sir. You've found the secret to success.

[m.vette]

I had a long auto-tune vs reality rant typed out with a bunch of arguments for both sides, but decided maybe this wasn't the right place for that. Yes, it's unfortunate that so many new artists rely so heavily on auto-tune to sing artificially. Should they be stopped? NO! For God's sake NO! There's plenty of great singers who write bad songs, and I think an equal amount of great songwriters that just can't sing! Ultimately the listeners decide if they like it or not anyway, not the people creating it (cuz just about everybody loves their own work). Maybe one day they will call for things to be more natural again! Who knows?

I think Taylor Swift is a fresh note in today's music industry, auto-tune or not. She's young and pretty and not succumbing to the trashy, drug/alcohol, skimpy clothed lifestyles that it seems like EVERY young girl has to resort to in order to gain some major attention. She's cute, clean cut, and can actually write and arrange by herself (even if she works with other people on her albums which EVERYBODY does who gets any pop exposure, regardless)

Good for her!

And to backup my point, and also add a little gesture to say "yeah, she can sing" (just cuz you can find a video of her singing out of tune here and there, doesn't mean it's always that way! Cmon, we are humans, not machines! Isn't that your whole argument to begin with!?! Every singer, especiall PERFORMANCE singers, go in and out!) here is a video that really got to me:

One of my favorite bands Luna Halo (also friends of my band's) wrote this song, which she did her own acoustic arrangement cover of that is BRILLIANT! I like the original, and I deeply respect the talent it takes to play somebody else's song, and change it just enough to make it your own, and in this case, i think, better express the meaning of the song!



and the original....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD1SHmYXp4Q

[sweetmojo]

I don't care what all of you are saying. She is the cutest thing that walked on this earth!

[crconover]

Originally Posted by ThomasWho

I love the dry vocal sound he gets on this album . I`d love to hear suggestions on how it`s done. Short delays? Reverb but very low level?

Have you tried listening to the sides of the mixes? Many of the tracks have very little vocal sound in the sides leading me to believe that the vocal reverb is either mono or a stereo reverb that has been narrowed.

What does everyone think of the tom sounds in "Love Story?" The floor tom sounds massive. Do you think it's a sample or are they using harmonic distortion to raise the apparent loudness of the low frequencies? Maybe a bit of Waves max/rBass?

[ThomasWho]

Originally Posted by crconover

Have you tried listening to the sides of the mixes? Many of the tracks have very little vocal sound in the sides leading me to believe that the vocal reverb is either mono or a stereo reverb that has been narrowed.

What does everyone think of the tom sounds in "Love Story?" The floor tom sounds massive. Do you think it's a sample or are they using harmonic distortion to raise the apparent loudness of the low frequencies? Maybe a bit of Waves max/rBass?

Interesting , how does one listen to only the sides of a mix?

T

[danstrange77]

In my opinion it's a really solid album.. I was blown away that she had written most of the songs herself. For a 19 year old to come up with those melodies/words deserves some credit, threy're definetly well crafted.
Production and mixing as I'd expect was really solid with the some of the best in the game onboard

[jdjustice]

i wasn't an immediate fan of Taylor's.... however her recent single '15' is something that makes me want to look closer at her songwriting. As a songwriter i feel like it's well done, crafty, and tastefully written. As a person, well, i only see what i see in the media but apparently she takes no b*s and has a fine head on her shoulders for as young as she is.. Forget about the doubts as to her talent.... you guys are pro or semi-pro engineers and you all know well and good that you can hear talent through pitch-correction. i would like to hear the full record... i know she (or some of her team) are nominated for grammys this year so it will be exciting to see if she takes a songwriting award (or who does) =)

i am looking forward to watching from home this year