Auto-Tune: Why Pop Music Sounds Perfect

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='BeForJess' post='61038' date='Feb 27 2009, 06:11 PM']I don't know, listening to the opening lines of Yuujou~kokoro no busu ni wa naranee~, I don't know if that was tweaked, because it was *that* bad. Her lines in the refrain, too. Ouch.



... Or maybe I'm just giving her too much credit. Her lines have sounded so much better lately that I almost forgave her for ruining so many good songs. Almost.[/quote]



[quote name='Ang' post='61136' date='Feb 28 2009, 09:48 PM']Well, auto-tune doesn't make one sound GOOD... it just puts you in the right tune - so as long as Sayu is on key, well, auto-tune has done it's job XD[/quote]



This. Part of what makes Sayumi, Koharu, and any other member who's voice you don't like sound bad is...the voice itself. Even when Sayumi actually hits the right notes, I don't care for her voice because it's nasal. She also sounds really cutesy, which doesn't fit a lot of their more recent songs (i.e. she's more annoying to me in Yowamushi than in Lemon Iro no Milk Tea). The same thing makes a big difference for Koharu. In her first few singles with MM she wasn't the most technically skilled girl in the group, but her voice wasn't nearly as grating as it is now that she constantly uses her nasal, whiny anime voice.



Also, in Morning Musume the girls are supposed to have that "girl-next-door" image, and lately that has included "She even SINGS like the girl next door!" So I imagine they use autotune to subtlely adjust each girl to sound more on pitch, but there's no real need to make them perfect. Tsunku has specifically picked girls like Konno, Sayumi, and Koharu for that "special something" in them that says they're going to improve a lot or will really capture the hearts of the wota with their personalities and looks. He (and the rest of the UFA staff) is probably aware that the fans know certain girls suck at singing. Too much adjusting in the studio would make them seem too well produced and less down-to-earth.

[ShinUkyo]

[quote name='Ang' post='61136' date='Feb 28 2009, 08:48 PM']Well, auto-tune doesn't make one sound GOOD... it just puts you in the right tune...

so as long as Sayu is on key, well, auto-tune has done it's job XD[/quote]

Very well said, yes. It's not so much a matter of being off-pitch that makes either of them sound so bad. People with pleasant voices sing off-pitch all the time, and it still sounds okay. But the issue with Sayumi is that her voice itself is just so grating, sharp, nasal, and whatever else. Even when she just talks, it can hurt to listen to. But especially when she sings, my god, help me. Whereas with Koharu, she only sounds that grating when she forces that cutesey anime voice. Especially with how her voice has changed over the years, that overly-affected voice just doesn't suit her. Then we end up with songs like Papancake. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sick.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dammit:' /> At least in the rare case that she sings with an unaffected voice, she actually sounds very pleasant. And then combine that with auto-tune, you have a winner.

[Shoujo Q]

Excuse me for bumping an extremly old topic but I didn't feel the need to make a new one for a simple little question.



Does anyone know of a relativly easy or cheap or free (doesn't matter about the last two) Auto-tune program? My niece wants to use it but she downloaded one and I think it ate her computer. She wont stop bugging me about it and this seemed like the best place to ask. :'D

[Zaeleus]

[quote name='PQ' post='78189' date='Apr 4 2010, 02:36 PM']Does anyone know of a relativly easy or cheap or free (doesn't matter about the last two) Auto-tune program? My niece wants to use it but she downloaded one and I think it ate her computer. She wont stop bugging me about it and this seemed like the best place to ask. :'D[/quote]

If you have an iPhone, the simplest way to play with the effect is with the I am T-Pain app ($3). If not, you can try setting up the GSnap VST (free) with Audacity or Wavosaur.

[Shoujo Q]

[quote name='Zaeleus' post='78193' date='Apr 4 2010, 04:55 PM'][quote name='PQ' post='78189' date='Apr 4 2010, 02:36 PM']Does anyone know of a relativly easy or cheap or free (doesn't matter about the last two) Auto-tune program? My niece wants to use it but she downloaded one and I think it ate her computer. She wont stop bugging me about it and this seemed like the best place to ask. :'D[/quote]

If you have an iPhone, the simplest way to play with the effect is with the I am T-Pain app ($3). If not, you can try setting up the GSnap VST (free) with Audacity or Wavosaur.

[/quote]



Thanks <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />