Would modern pop music be better if....

[The Clamp]

All of my kids listen to my old stuff, they also think today's music is crap.

Why do I have the image of your kids rolling their eyes as you slam in another Hot Chocolate 8 track and say " see kids, this is reeeeeaaal music"

" Yes dad".

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

No, you are right, the kind of lowest common denominator stuff I am referring to really doesn't affect me much as I only hear it shopping and as I never go shopping or only once in a blue moon, it is not a problem to me. The question was whether autotune should be consigned to room 101, I wish it was but don't mind that others think differently.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

We are currently discussing this in a bar. It was decided that music now is shit. Most parties play old school rnb and soul in my circle. I'm sure younger people like the new stuff, but not sure myself

Open your ears. The world is awash with extraordinary new music. Was listening to this yesterday form 2015, for example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRY49yKLHE0

 

[Norman Potting]

But it clearly isn't "irritating" to many others. Listeners of this "popular and so irritating" music have their reasons for liking it just as me and you do for our audio choices. They probably differ but also may overlap. No one is right or wrong. And music doesn't invade your life like many other things do. If you want to avoid Ed Sheeran you can.....so no point kicking against it imho. Just listen to what you like and don't worry about the stuff you don't.

Herr T, the voice of reason.

 

[BensGrandad]

Irrespective of age didnt our parents always say this modern music is rubbish and will never last. My parents did with Elvis and then The Beatles etc.

 

[GT49er]

......and sadly, still no posters with the gumption to explain what auto-tune actually is..............

 

[KVLT]

......and sadly, still no posters with the gumption to explain what auto-tune actually is..............

It's digital software that cleverly corrects the frequency (pitch) of a note without altering its speed/length.

The actual 'Auto-tune' software is developed by a company called Antares, although there are many other pitch altering software programs available. The best, and arguably most popular in the studio is Celemony's Melodyne.

Auto-tune is often used subtly to add shine to reasonable vocal performances without being obvious to the listener, but when used with a fast attack and wet signal it produces the Cher/T-Pain effect which many find disagreeable.

Auto-tune will not, contrary to popular belief, turn a live performance of a vocal incompetent into a great performance as the pitch of the original vocal needs to be pretty close to the intended note. If it isn't the software will 'snap' it to the wrong note.

In the studio however, more manipulation can be achieved giving freedom and scope to surgically move notes to specific different pitches (within reason).

 

[burnee54]

A vocoder was used on Joe Walsh's Rocky Mountain way - mid 1970's?

(edit - just checked - 1973 to be precise)

I have just listened to this track to remind myself and I think you are wrong.
The main vocal part is I think is sent through a low pass filter (which takes out all the bass frequencies) so that it sounds as if it is coming from an old fashioned telephone line.
The main guitar solo, which I think is the part you are talking about, uses the same technology as Peter Frampton's, Show Me The Way. It doesn't involve any electronic manipulation at all. The sound produced by the guitar is fed into a plastic tube which runs up the side of the microphone stand and into the guitarists mouth. There the player changes the sound by shaping his mouth in different ways and releases the modified notes into the microphone.
This effect uses a TalkBox.
You will find a full explanation here.


A vocoder is totally diferent. It is an electronic modifier.
There are three main types of vocoder:

• Channel Vocoder.
• Formant Vocoder.
• LPC Vocoder.

Hope this helps.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Pop music has always been aimed mainly at the pre-teen / teen market, who by definition are unlikely to be as discerning over what equates to 'good', and just enjoy what they hear for the pure joy of it. So, no, I don't think the use / overuse of voice correction technology has made any difference really. If you watch old episodes of TOTP or 60's pop shows it's usually a good 80% questionable musical talent and taste-wise, but I remember enjoying a lot of it tremendously at the time. As others have said, there is tons of great, creative music of all genres out there, but most of it won't make it anywhere near a 'pop' show or radio station. The vast majority of modern music out there (more quantity-wise now than ever because of improvements in technology) is made by musicians with genuine talent and taste. Whether it's to your individual taste or not is another thing entirely, but I think it's just lazy to label modern music as rubbish.

 

[GT49er]

It's digital software that cleverly corrects the frequency (pitch) of a note without altering its speed/length.

The actual 'Auto-tune' software is developed by a company called Antares, although there are many other pitch altering software programs available. The best, and arguably most popular in the studio is Celemony's Melodyne.

Auto-tune is often used subtly to add shine to reasonable vocal performances without being obvious to the listener, but when used with a fast attack and wet signal it produces the Cher/T-Pain effect which many find disagreeable.

Auto-tune will not, contrary to popular belief, turn a live performance of a vocal incompetent into a great performance as the pitch of the original vocal needs to be pretty close to the intended note. If it isn't the software will 'snap' it to the wrong note.

In the studio however, more manipulation can be achieved giving freedom and scope to surgically move notes to specific different pitches (within reason).

Thank you.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We are currently discussing this in a bar. It was decided that music now is shit.

Face it mate, sooner or later we all turn into our dad. Same as it ever was.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

... We could stick that fvcking auto tune nonsense in Room 101 and never have to hear it again ?

What modern music have you listened to? I listen to loads and next to none of it uses auto tuning. Happy to share some recommendations.

 

[Live by the sea]

Music went downhill when the 1980's finished. The last decent era with wham, culture club, spandau ballet, and of course Duran Duran

 

[burnee54]

Music went downhill when the 1980's finished. The last decent era with wham, culture club, spandau ballet, and of course Duran Duran

I have hardly listened to the radio since The Beatles broke up.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Bet Carol Decker wished she had some help when singing 'China in your Hand' with T'Pau in 1987. Mind you, she has never admitted she sang flat!

 

[GT49er]

What modern music have you listened to? I listen to loads and next to none of it uses auto tuning. Happy to share some recommendations.

How can you tell? (Serious question).

 

[KVLT]

How can you tell? (Serious question).

You can't if it's used subtly on a vocal take of a reasonable standard. Most studios will use it in this way to add polish to a vocal as I stated earlier.

I'm guessing (and forgive my presumption if I'm wrong) what CBH is referring to is the use of it as an 'effect' (Cher/T-Pain style) which is achieved by using the software with extreme settings.

Here's an example of using Melodyne subtly to fine tune a vocal:



And here's an example of using the same software in a more extreme way to create the obvious Auto-tune effect:

 

[OzMike]

Why do I have the image of your kids rolling their eyes as you slam in another Hot Chocolate 8 track and say " see kids, this is reeeeeaaal music"

" Yes dad".

Uncanny, it's like you were there !

 

[Juan Albion]

I have hardly listened to the radio since The Beatles broke up.

The Beatles broke up? Damn, I missed that. Shame, they were promising (if unoriginal).

 

[GT49er]

You can't if it's used subtly on a vocal take of a reasonable standard. Most studios will use it in this way to add polish to a vocal as I stated earlier.

I'm guessing (and forgive my presumption if I'm wrong) what CBH is referring to is the use of it as an 'effect' (Cher/T-Pain style) which is achieved by using the software with extreme settings.

Here's an example of using Melodyne subtly to fine tune a vocal:



And here's an example of using the same software in a more extreme way to create the obvious Auto-tune effect:

Many thanks for taking the effort to do that - very interesting. Can't help thinking, though, that it would be better to just not let singers who can't sing in tune make records - or DVDs or other digital recordings!
Must have another listen to China in your Hand again - I quite liked T'Pau back in the day.........