MH FEATURED POLL #35: How do you feel about autotune in music?

[CAT5 9075]

How do you feel about autotune in music?

 

To submit a poll for the MH POLL OF THE WEEK, P.M. either @CAT5 or @beni with your poll question, choices, and state whether it's multiple choice or not.

[Ito 2438]

Needs a "burn it in a fire" option.

[kyoselflove 2680]

Doesn't bother me.

[CAT5 9075]

I generally can't deal with it too much outside of electronic-oriented music.

[Pretsy 1343]

If it fits the genre/style of a certain song, then why not? (emphasizing the latter since it sometimes works for non-electronic numbers too)

 

"Burn it with fire" statements are too naive for this decade tbqh

[lichtlune 915]

I don't think it's ever necessary because it just doesn't sound good to me. So yes please burn it with fire. 

[Bear 1817]

I don't mind autotune at all as long as it's used a bit subtle. Just don't go full retard with it. Agalloch is a band who utilizes autoune to great success live IMO.

 

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

Think it's okay, as long as it's not overused.

I find it kinda funny when skilled vocalist uses it too obvious though (Ryuichi has a part with Auto tune in a LUNA SEA song on "A WILL"). But I liked that part anyway so, doesn't really bother me. 

[Zeus 7997]

The best autotune is the kind I can't notice. If I notice it a little bit here and there it won't bother me. It could be used to good effect to highlight a particular section of the song. Of course this can always backfire if it is not used well. Some genres of music can have more leeway with autotune use than others.

 

The moment you go T-Pain with it is when I can't listen to it anymore no matter what genre it is.

The following is an example of a VK song that successfully used autotune.

[beni 2149]

 

ftw. Admittedly, some songs don't need it. It just ruins it. But more so than that, I love it and it makes the music even more enjoyable to me.

 

God bless who thought up this poll. Hurrah for autotune~

[doombox 4421]

As long as it fits with the song/band's atmosphere, I'm good with it.

[JukaForever 758]

I have enjoyed many songs sang purely in autotune, there is definitely a way to use/mix it without an obnoxiously autotune-sound

[Kawaii_Minpha 194]

Edit: Message deleted

[robkun 4184]

There is honestly not an option strong enough for me on here. I want autotune to die in the slowest way possible. One of my main nemeses lol.

[Biopanda 2675]

I think it can be used to pretty good effect in electronic music(hearing a band like FLOPPY without it would just be kinda... weird). Outside of that, I think it really depends on the vocalist using it. If the singer is trying to (badly) cover up the fact that they sound like a dying goat, then I could certainly do without it. It seems recently like autotune has been a replacement for vocal talent which is a total bummer for the scene :<

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

[ghost 2686]

^I read that as "after porn" haha. Also, oh my, that dream ended before it began XD.

 

Autotune? I love it. Iss perfect 10/10.

In all seriousness, I actually love hearing auto tune in songs from time to time (@Zeus I was thinking of the exact same example!).

I don't care if a vocalist is skilled or not; It's a tool that can be used to add an effect to vocals. But, I think that's all it should be. If a vocalist relies on it, then it gets to be too much. But that goes for any filter, not just autotune.

 

An example with the band Screw (spoilered for people who don't care):

Byou uses too many filters on his growls too frequently to induce a harsh sound. I don't feel like it's to be consistent with a certain sound either. The guy just can't scream. Since their debut up to even their last full album, Byou filters the heck out of his screams. He's a perfect example of when a vocalist relies too heavily on tools to help him/her add a certain edge to their vocals. I don't know what his case with screaming is, but when every scream is rubbed out with digital steel wool, you need to pull back a bit. 

 

And lastly, here's one example of auto tune I really like.

 

the GazettE - Sentimental na onigokko (@ 3:00)

[peffy 3568]

(in the case of autotune being used to correct or enhance vocals) - If I don't notice it, I don't really care. There's a reason I almost never listen to live performances - most singers, in my experience, sound kind of terrible at lives...

 

(in the case of autotune being used to create obvious effects) - I don't like it if it's overused. If the entire song has that robotic sound I usually can't stand it. If it's just like a sound effect here and there, I think it's fine.

[Ito 2438]

"Burn it with fire" statements are too naive for this decade tbqh

 

 

Sorry?

Maybe I should amend my statement - If I can hear it, it should burn in a fire. It's the same way I feel about synth instruments, if I can tell that they are fake it drives me insane.

[Pretsy 1343]

^ What I've meant is that at this age and decade people should really give up on overstating their hatred (yeah, not dislike - hatred) for trends that will most likely pop up and stay with us for a little bit longer. Feel free to be indifferent or show your dislike, but hatred (your statements make it seem so)?

 

Also: Mucc example is vocoded. Same goes for that Teen Hearts MV ("electronic" effect (vocoder) vs. notes adjusted to the closest, correct pitch (autotune)).

 

P.s. autotune =/= vocoder (just because it USES a phase vocoder doesn't make it a "vocoder")

[digi 192]

when I think of auto tune I think of lil wayne and when I think of lil wayne I think of death.

 

 

in all seriousness however, sometimes I like it, sometimes I do not. I judge that on an artist-to-artist basis. as panda already mentioned above, floppy does it well. then I consider the vast majority of post-2010 VK bands and their usage of it. not my cup of tea. 

[herpes 1597]

All 5 options are all either neutral or negative? Autotune can be great - Believe is still, almost 20 years on, one of the best club songs produced. Farrah Abraham's album was unironically one of the best albums of the year, due to her outsider artesque attempt at using it. Blanket statements about it being cheap/lazy are themselves intellectually lazy.

[LIDL 692]

I do not mind with auto tune especially when used strategically.

It can actually enhance a song.

It depends how people use it.

Anything that is abused just never good.

[Deathtopi4 428]

It can be really cool as long as it fits with the song and all that. And is used it relatively small doses. Usually when it's overdone I find it annoying, but occasionally I'll hear a song with autotune all over the place and I'll like it. So it just depends lol.

[togz 2004]

Autotune can be used for at least two different reasons.

 

1. Too enhance a phrase or type of sound

2. To cover up lack of talent.

 

 

I think there are many cases in which artists tastefully use the technique of autotune to enhance things. I feel the same about dubstep. While I feel that dubstep alone is a poor excuse for good music, I do think that it has been used to enhance and really give a slam dunk when it comes to making a song unique and interesting. 

 

Recorded music already goes through mixing and mastering so much that the final product isn't really a "truthful" reality of everything in it's rightful sounding form. Technology is so advanced now that I'd be a little disappointed if people weren't getting creative and trying new things. I think Autotune is so disliked because it's used incorrectly in a lot of mainstream music and has been before it really started to be used in a creative sense. So naturally it has some negativity attached to it. 

 

So I'd have to say it's fine so long as it's not overused and isn't a clear cover up for poor talent.

 

Lil Wayne is the perfect example of how not to use autotune. He's also a perfect example of how to look stupid holding a guitar.