Alicia Keys always flat?

[noiseflaw]

Originally Posted by narcoman

I know Alecia's vocal coach.

Refund?...

[kadeemusic]

I just listened to "No One"--it is a little pitchy in places, but it really isn't too distracting. She does sound a bit hoarse--sounds more like a vocal fatigue issue to me, rather than a lack of singing talent. Nothing that couldn't be solved by warming up properly, or taking some time to rest.

I do think the abundance of Auto-Tune on today's records has affected people's perceptions, though. The minor vocal imperfections on Alicia Keys records really aren't that distracting, IMO, and if this record had come out 25 years ago, I doubt anybody would've thought twice about it.

Case in point: Listen to Whitney Houston's first two albums. There are pitch issues all over the place, yet nobody considered Whitney to be a lousy singer at the time.

We're so used to hearing perfect records now, that we've become hyper-aware of every little imperfection. I know people will argue with me on this, but I think Auto-tune really has made a difference in how we hear things.

[Kenny Gioia]

Do you all honestly believe that you have more to teach Alicia than she has to teach you?



dfegad on this thread.

[gearaddict]

I remember the first time I herd No ONe on Mtv aards and It was way out of tune and sounded like she was straining...she's a piano player not a singer/songwriter!!

[memphisindie]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

Do you all honestly believe that you have more to teach Alicia than she has to teach you?



dfegad on this thread.

Shut up.
She can teach me not to warm up, not to practice singing in pitch.
I don't need practice being a F••k-up. I have a black belt in that without trying.
She just has the wrong coach or the wrong attitude about her coach or coaching in general or practicing or warming up.
I could send her to the right coach.

[memphisindie]

Originally Posted by kadeemusic

I just listened to "No One"--it is a little pitchy in places, but it really isn't too distracting. She does sound a bit hoarse--sounds more like a vocal fatigue issue to me, rather than a lack of singing talent. Nothing that couldn't be solved by warming up properly, or taking some time to rest.

I do think the abundance of Auto-Tune on today's records has affected people's perceptions, though. The minor vocal imperfections on Alicia Keys records really aren't that distracting, IMO, and if this record had come out 25 years ago, I doubt anybody would've thought twice about it.

Case in point: Listen to Whitney Houston's first two albums. There are pitch issues all over the place, yet nobody considered Whitney to be a lousy singer at the time.

We're so used to hearing perfect records now, that we've become hyper-aware of every little imperfection. I know people will argue with me on this, but I think Auto-tune really has made a difference in how we hear things.

That's funny because she was pitch corrected the whole time.

[kadeemusic]

Originally Posted by gearaddict

I remember the first time I herd No ONe on Mtv aards and It was way out of tune and sounded like she was straining...she's a piano player not a singer/songwriter!!

Rarely have I ever heard a great performance on a TV show. Unless it's a concert special dedicated to one performer, there are usually issues with the mix, and often the singers can't properly hear themselves. Especially on a live TV program like an awards show, where multiple acts have to set up and take down quickly so the next act can come on. Television rarely does justice to live music. Alicia Keys is definitely not an isolated case.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by guitarwes

and even the average Joe the Tonedeaf can tell she's horribly off.

No, I can't.

[memphisindie]

Thanks for that, Joe the Tonedeaf.
Maybe plumbing is more your line of work.

[jsrockit]

No, f that fool...joe the plummer? Jeez, I hope there was a moan zone thread about him at least.

I probably shouldn't be making music and my skills are amatuer at best, but I hope I never get to a level where I can hear small fluctuations in tunefulness and feel like fingernails are scratching on a blackboard... ignorance is bliss!

[s12512]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

Do you all honestly believe that you have more to teach Alicia than she has to teach you?

Uh, YEA!

[memphisindie]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

No, f that fool...joe the plummer? Jeez, I hope there was a moan zone thread about him at least.

I probably shouldn't be making music and my skills are amatuer at best, but I hope I never get to a level where I can hear small fluctuations in tunefulness and feel like fingernails are scratching on a blackboard... ignorance is bliss!

Ammo against using autotune, right there!
BLAM!stike
I mean if it's so important to be "perfectly" in tune, since widespread usage of autotune, why have record sales have GONE INTO THE TOILET? I like hearing someone who doesn't go out of tune, without the aid of artificial crap. I'll take a thousand Alicia's over any tuned garbage.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by memphisindie

Shut up.
She can teach me not to warm up, not to practice singing in pitch.
I don't need practice being a F••k-up. I have a black belt in that without trying.
She just has the wrong coach or the wrong attitude about her coach or coaching in general or practicing or warming up.
I could send her to the right coach.

no you couldn't. You've a confused sense of artistic merit with technical perfection. Shame on you. What she does is up to her entirely - she still sells, many people rate her (not me). But being in tune has **** all to do with artistic merit. She is what she is - oh, and totally not to my taste.

Examples? Arctic Monkeys don't sing in tune. Liam Gallagher doesn't. Bob Dylan doesn't. Whitney Houston doesn't. James Brown didn't. Rhianna doesn't. Stevie Wonder didn't (but did later).

It's ALWAYS about tone and delivery. It's SOMETIMES about tuning.

I've worked with some of the best in many genres - from classical to garage rock. The Kronos Quartet are one of the highest regarded contemporary quartets in the world. They place performance ahead of perfection. Pavarotti used to take slightly longer over glissandos deliberatly to induce a "blue" note - out of tune in opera. I've recorded Iggy Pop, he's worked with vocal coaches who have helped him sustain his technique within the artistic area he works. what hey haven't done his change his approach to tuning - which is "off" in the way that makes him Iggy.

[MarkRB]

Originally Posted by narcoman

no you couldn't. You've a confused sense of artistic merit with technical perfection. Shame on you. What she does is up to her entirely - she still sells, many people rate her (not me). But being in tune has **** all to do with artistic merit. She is what she is - oh, and totally not to my taste.

Examples? Arctic Monkeys don't sing in tune. Liam Gallagher doesn't. Bob Dylan doesn't. Whitney Houston doesn't. James Brown didn't. Rhianna doesn't. Stevie Wonder didn't (but did later).

It's ALWAYS about tone and delivery. It's SOMETIMES about tuning.

I've worked with some of the best in many genres - from classical to garage rock. The Kronos Quartet are one of the highest regarded contemporary quartets in the world. They place performance ahead of perfection. Pavarotti used to take slightly longer over glissandos deliberatly to induce a "blue" note - out of tune in opera. I've recorded Iggy Pop, he's worked with vocal coaches who have helped him sustain his technique within the artistic area he works. what hey haven't done his change his approach to tuning - which is "off" in the way that makes him Iggy.

You're starting to sound like dbubba.

thumbsup

[slaves666]

Originally Posted by memphisindie

Ammo against using autotune, right there!
BLAM!stike
I mean if it's so important to be "perfectly" in tune, since widespread usage of autotune, why have record sales have GONE INTO THE TOILET? I like hearing someone who doesn't go out of tune, without the aid of artificial crap. I'll take a thousand Alicia's over any tuned garbage.

Not to point out the obvious, but sales are down because of illegal downloading, not autotune, and beatdetective......they just make average musicians "better".

FWIW, she is a great singer, "YES" she is flat, "YES" she isn't the best live performer, but she sings with soul and has a lot of character in her voice. That's what sells her records, along with some pretty good songs.

[bcgood]

I saw Alecia the other night on Letterman and although she did start a little pitchy which is pretty typical for a lot of singers she warmed right into it and sounded great to me; I thought it was a nice live performance overall. It's not really my style of music but I like the way she puts herself into it and plays piano nice as well.thumbsup

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by MarkRB

You're starting to sound like dbubba.

thumbsup

he he

better knock that into shape eh?

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by memphisindie

Shut up.
She can teach me not to warm up, not to practice singing in pitch.
I don't need practice being a F••k-up. I have a black belt in that without trying.
She just has the wrong coach or the wrong attitude about her coach or coaching in general or practicing or warming up.
I could send her to the right coach.

So maybe I should contact my manager and have him contact her manager to let them know that some loudmouth has some career improvement information on an audio forum. I'm sure they'll be here soon enough.

Look dude. I get it. I was 15 once too. I thought I was a better drummer than Tommy Lee.

Then I grew up.

Please. Please. Tell me that you're not over 20.

[luctellier]

Where's the POWER button of this thread? Could we just press OFF?

[Kenny Gioia]

Moan Zone is off!!!