Autotune - too much gear for Superbowl Billy

[picksail]

Who knows? Maybe it was in his rider that it be included, considering the magnitude of the performance and the amount of veiwers.

Could be that it was a last minute resolution. Maybe the Broadcast mixer wasn't familiar with AutoTune and just went for it the best he could.

I can actually envision this going down.

It was pretty bad, though.

[FinishMedia]

Originally Posted by ziegenh5

I was waiting for this thread to pop up. Why in the world would you autotune one of the greatest vocalists of all time? I can't imagine why he would allow that to happen. Absolutely disgusting.

Allow it to happen? You think a guy like Billy Joel has people telling him to use auto-tune? I dunno...maybe he does...i never worked the super bowl....but i would think it was his choice and it turned out to be a bad one...he sounded real nervous to me...maybe that's why he wanted some digital help...

from what i've heard...playing the superbowl is the scariest live event there is.

I do agree though...he's a great vocalist and it sucks that it ended up sounding that way.

[GearBit]

After reading all the hype I was expecting some crazy jumpy auto tune freak out.
You could definiately hear it in the timbre and there were some minor jumps n wiggles but I seriously don't think anyone will get fired over it.
Remember that the rest of the world does not listen through audio dork ears.

Prince on the other hand....awesome as usual. His solo in purple rain with all of the "wrong" notes n noise was beautiful and spine tingley.

[Ruudman]

I had a quick listen; I NEVER EVER thought it would sound as bad as it did.
Truly awful. But I must admit I had a laugh as well...


ruudman

[emkay]

is that for all of our knowledge, discussion,expertise,desire to learn.desire to express,desire to excell, and everything and anything we try to acheive as writers,musicians,artists,producers,engineers.designers,manufacturers etc.-----once the song leaves it's creator and gets out into the "real world"......We are reminded again that Nobody can hear the difference!! The thousands that were there and the millions who watched...didn't hear what we heard.........nothing new here, just a reminder again that sometimes, or everytime for that matter,all our hard work falls on deaf ears with the exception of us muzoids!.........peace..........and here's to our constant striving to push that sonic envelope, appreciated or not!

[Ruudman]

Oh I think the average guy/girl heard that there was something going on..
Another thing is to pinpoint exactely what they heard.

I've read some reactions on the net (coffee ) by 'ordinary people';
words like 'phasing effect' and 'computer voice' were mentioned.

Anyway, I don't know if people really care..

ruudman

[rainsinvelvet]

My goD! Someone is going to get the're ass handed to them I would imagine...

In reading the post I was thinking sure,but how bad can it really be? >

.. WOW! That is bad!


ERic

[emkay]

Originally Posted by Ruudman

Oh I think the average guy/girl heard that there was something going on..
Another thing is to pinpoint exactely what they heard.

I've read some reactions on the net (coffee ) by 'ordinary people';
words like 'pasing effect' and 'computer voice' were mentioned.

Anyway, I don't know if people really care..

ruudman

Probably true--a combination of not caring and/or not hearing

[lm66]

If it was autotuned, I guess the AT did'nt work correctly cause most of the notes are out of tune.

This schocks my ears more than any artefacts.

[-Noodles-]

I'm not really a fan of BJ (.. !!!) but i agree that it was a rubbish preformance.

Even my girlfriend looked up to the tv and exclaimed "what the hell is this shit?"..

[blackcatdigi]

Sounded like a H/W TC Intonator set to the wrong key. Whoever was running it may be toned deaf. Horrible sounding and completely unnecessary.

Sign O' the Times...

[Soldier777c]

That was horrible, indeed.

Instead of setting it to chromatic (which sounds like what they did), they should have just set it on a basic B flat major scale . . . at least the flutter would have been between notes that are actually in that melody.

[needlz]

Yvan Eht Nioj

[2xBassist]

Autotune Sucks...

I bet the piano was out of tune as well ... pouring rain...etc... In those battle conditions, how long can it stay in tune....

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by lm66

If it was autotuned, I guess the AT did'nt work correctly cause most of the notes are out of tune.

This schocks my ears more than any artefacts.

I think what you're hearing is his voice being pulled a half-tone off (must have been set to chromatic mode).


I'm sure it's a very difficult singing environment but I can't help but feel I would have much preferred an un-"corrected" performance with real human flaws, instead.

[jsvalmont]

eek.

[supaheef]

Seeing that vid made me search around Youtube for some other Billy live tracks. My god can that guy sing live! Check out the Long Island 1982 ones specifically, because he is totally ON in those vids. Billy has such a wonderful natural tone to his voice, you could give him a rolled-up piece of cardboard to sing through and it would probably sound great.

It's unlikely his "end" of the audio would know anything about the autotune. It couls have been added at the TV end, who would most likely have received stems live from the band's mix. Either way, it's a massive shame to hear that kind of treatment to a songwriting legend. 6th highest selling album of all time! Get off his back guys, bow down to the man.

heath.

[Duardo]

You could definiately hear it in the timbre and there were some minor jumps n wiggles but I seriously don't think anyone will get fired over it.

Yeah, that's not going to happen...as much as it's talked about here, has anyone seen it mentioned on Yahoo or MSN, or in any newspapers? Will they spoof it on SNL? As obvious as it may be to us, to just about everyone else there was no problem. Nothing like a Milli Vanilli or Ashlee Simpson moment...

-Duardo