Out of tune vocals on huge hits

[The Listener]

A very informative and educational experience for me was when I was fooling around with Melodyne and processed a vocal take to be perfectly in pitch - it sounded wierd in the context of the song - actually it sounded slightly off pitch - when the "phrasing" of the singer was left in its natural state it sounded more "in tune" although the Melodyne showed pitch fluctuations...

We should be aware of that we percieve slight pitch modulation as "proper" and natural, I hope autotuned songs won't train the hearing of whole generations to non-natural state.

The complexer "pitch experience" will be lost... Fo example - observe the difference between "arabic" or persian scales played with all the quarter-tone nuances and the way western "fusion" musicians are using them... The latter are mostly "flat", gimmicky and rather boring, while the former are usually deep, complex, mysterious...

[12ax7]

There is a world of difference between something being in "perfect tune" and being in "fabulous tune."

ALL tuning systems are a compromise.

"Equal Temperament" really means "equally out of tune" (for the sake of being able to sound "kinda in tune" with any chord)!

Barbershop & Streetcorner vocal stuff has that vibrant sound because without other (statically tempered) instruments, there is the ability of re-tuning from moment to moment -- AWAY from Equal Temperament, and TOWARD fabulous tuning.

To hear what I'm talking about, listen to Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles: Listen for when the guitar comes in after the a cappella intro; it sounds slightly "out of tune" to the vocals, which then must suddenly adjust to Equal Temperament.

[Mad John]

Originally Posted by solo-bration

CHER - every song except the ones that were clearly autotuned.

[mr_d]

I'd rather hear a slightly pitchy but great performance than a track that's been over-corrected. Songs where every note has been pitch-corrected sound boring and souless. Perhaps this overuse of Autotune has helped contribute to the disposable nature of most pop music that's released today.

[FireMoon]

Off hand, I can only think of one song that really does cheese me off. The singer sounds like a kid trying to take the ball out of the hands of their parent, constantly jumping but never quite high enough to get the ball.. a sense of eternal frustration... that song is... "Nothing compares to you" by Sinead O'connor..

The chorus's phrasing and delivery, sounds like, someone poking a donkey with a stick

[12ax7]

Originally Posted by mr_d

<snip>
Perhaps this overuse of Autotune has helped contribute to the disposable nature of most pop music that's released today.

...Or vice-versa!

[Dixiechicken4414]

Originally Posted by Admiral James T.

a lot of david bowie vocals would make your autotune commit suicide

Hahahahaha.

[lynyrd]

The flute in the outro to that tune is so horribly sharp I didn't even notice his out of tune vocal parts. It was so bad, I vividly remember the first time I ever heard that song about 25 years ago, where I was, what I was doing, how silly the lyrics were, then that damned flute part came across the airwaves...

Originally Posted by uncle hoxie

I'm Your Captain ... by Grand Funk ... at the end he sings harmony with himself and it's just horrible. Why they didn't re-do that simple punch has always been beyond me.

[12ax7]

Originally Posted by lynyrd

The flute in the outro to that tune is so horribly sharp I didn't even notice his out of tune vocal parts. It was so bad, I vividly remember the first time I ever heard that song about 25 years ago, where I was, what I was doing, how silly the lyrics were, then that damned flute part came across the airwaves...

HA! (I remember that.)

What made it even worse was that this record came along about when almost every station in the USA at the time had the old CBS Audimax/Volumax stuff for an airchain, which had a way of making a solo flute sound especially annoying, anyway.

Another tune the "Max Bros." could really destroy (especially if they've been modded to have faster release times) is the flute solo in Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World."

[ilovemusic]

I find it amusing when everything is autotuned / melodyned yet the person who tuned it didn't do it in a musical way. Just listen to Sweet Dreams by Beyonce for example "Lullabyyyyyyy" or that new Shakira tune that was produced by the Neptunes...sounds like the person who tuned it didn't have ears...

[12ax7]

Originally Posted by ilovemusic

I find it amusing when everything is autotuned / melodyned yet the person who tuned it didn't do it in a musical way. Just listen to Sweet Dreams by Beyonce for example "Lullabyyyyyyy" or that new Shakira tune that was produced by the Neptunes...sounds like the person who tuned it didn't have ears...

Let's have a rousing rendition of "Share and Enjoy"!

Ready, robots?

A-one, a-two, a-three!

[John Eppstein]

People make WAY too much out of so-called "perfect" vocal tuning - it has nothing to do with music. NOTHING. If a performance sounds good it is good, it doesn't matter if the notes don't fall right on the pitch grid.

Listen to Frank Sinatra's "It Was A Very Good Year" - he's pitchy as hell. Would you presume to autotune Sinatra?

YouTube - "IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR"

Turn off your damn computer monitor and mix through a desk. Use your ears, not your eyes.

[John Eppstein]

Originally Posted by Nolet

Erm...everything from Lou Reed and/or The Velvet Underground? I mean, Nico on I Am Your Mirror...as if pitch wasn't invented yet! Still...who the f* cares...right...

Nico was such a master at pitch for effect - a strong influence on a lot of people.... I got to do sound for her once - great performance, just her playing harmonium and a guitarist.

[John Eppstein]

Originally Posted by Fastermouse

Yea, a lot of people do. These guys are a bit of a sore spot for me. I played on bills with them ages ago, in the early '80s. Back when Hillel was still here and Irons was drumming. They blew me off the stage. Amazing. But then that song came out and suddenly AK thought he could sing ballads, and who I am to argue with success? But I can't stand their music now. And some people hate the Beatles , as well.

They used to be The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now they're The Lukewarm Cheese Lumps.

Too bad..... I used to love doing monitors for them when they came through town....

[Mikey MTC]

Originally Posted by John Eppstein

Listen to Frank Sinatra's "It Was A Very Good Year" - he's pitchy as hell. Would you presume to autotune Sinatra?

YouTube - "IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR"

Turn off your damn computer monitor and mix through a desk. Use your ears, not your eyes.

Ummm, I don't think that's Sinatra. I would certainly tune a few bits of this performance.

[John Eppstein]

Originally Posted by Mikey MTC

Ummm, I don't think that's Sinatra. I would certainly tune a few bits of this performance.

That's what you get for thinking.........

Yes, it's Sinatra.

And if you Autotuned his performance he'd climb out of his grave and knock your teeth down your throat.

Sinatra was a master of microtonal inflection - it's one of the cornerstones of his style.

[JP11]

Originally Posted by John Eppstein

That's what you get for thinking.........

hmmmm........your vid:

http://eddiepirrera.com/



Mr. Sinatra-alternate take:

[feck]

The common/average ear tempers itself to its surroundings, it is a physical fact. Listen to a tone for 5 seconds at 60 db - notice how loud it is. Listen to it for 5 minutes, take 10 seconds from it and play it again and notice how loud it seems. The average ear in the 80s was used to out of tune notes, so it didn't seem atypical. These days, anything halfway out of tune is very noticeable due to the fact that it is an anomaly. Physically it makes sense.

[187fg]

Although a guitar line, the most notable out of tune note in the world for me is the last bend on the Michael Jackson - Beat It solo.

[Jiffzillla]

After all these years and countless listenings, I still can't really tell if the the BG vocals on "Roxanne" by the Police are in tune or out. If someone held a gun to my head and demanded an answer, I guess I'd say "out". And every damn time I try to sing along with those BG vocals, my voice suddenly sounds like some horrible union of a rollercoaster and radar searching for a target. Weirdest damn thing.

Also, it wasn't a hit and the note in question is obviously on purpose, but check out "Take Time" from the Lenny Kravitz album "5". When he sings, "it's about to get wild", the world "wild" is just from another planet. Makes my eyes cross every time I hear it, BUT...it's the coolest thing ever. You can't listen to it with out your shoulders unconsciously rising...trying to steer the note to where it obviously wants to go. Lenny is kinda pitchy anyway (but in a good way), but this example is just taking it to the extreme with great effect. Anyone wanting to autotune that note should be shot and then stabbed in the bullet wound.....ok, a little harsh, I know. But only a little.

[richgilb]

A vocalist becomes a great vocalist when s\he learns how to sing out of tune well.

Cash
Reed
Hazlewood
Bowie
Jagger
Dylan

[feck]

Originally Posted by richgilb

A vocalist becomes a great vocalist when s\he learns how to sing out of tune well.

Cash
Reed
Hazlewood
Bowie
Jagger
Dylan

Or does a listener become a great listener when he/she learns how to excuse out of tune singing?

[richgilb]

Originally Posted by feck

Or does a listener become a great listener when he/she learns how to excuse out of tune singing?

It's my opinion and you are, of course, entitled to it:

[RTR]

What way is right??? I swear there is no way of making everyone on GS happy..half bitch about auto-tune and the other half bitch about out of tune lyrics..where does it end

[tommy lee]

Out of tune vocals on huge tits

[TranscendingM]

Originally Posted by tommy lee

Out of tune vocals on huge tits

dude my eyes saw this too at first quick glance

[AndyHD]

Maybe not a "huge hit", but it's one of my favourite albums...

The whole of "The Milk-eyed Mender" by Joanna Newsom is a pitch party.

[fhames]

Robert Plant anyone? I don't give a shit! He is so expressive, I don't care. I get it. Taylor Swift live? WAAAY out. I don't care. It works. I must say I make a great deal of income pitch correcting. Imperfection will make a comeback.




Bryant - Hames Music

[TranscendingM]

Originally Posted by fhames

Robert Plant anyone? I don't give a shit! He is so expressive, I don't care. I get it. Taylor Swift live? WAAAY out. I don't care. It works. I must say I make a great deal of income pitch correcting. Imperfection will make a comeback.




Bryant - Hames Music

thumbsup Imperfection is perfect.

[Mikey MTC]

Originally Posted by John Eppstein

That's what you get for thinking.........

Yes, it's Sinatra.

And if you Autotuned his performance he'd climb out of his grave and knock your teeth down your throat.

Sinatra was a master of microtonal inflection - it's one of the cornerstones of his style.

When are you and your cute knock-about style going to come back and admit that in fact it's not Sinatra and therefore my teeth are safe once again!

Sinatra is MUCH BETTER than that sound-alike. I would NEVER tune Sinatra but I would certainly tune some aspects of that guy's performance because he took Sinatra's natural funkiness just too far for me and it crossed over into, "no that's not cool - that's now out of tune."