Auto-Tune
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Auto-Tune 5 |
|
| Developer(s) | Antares Audio Technologies |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1997 [1] |
| Stable release | 5 |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux |
| Type | Autotuner |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www.antarestech.com |
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies that uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed many artists to produce more precisely tuned recordings. The term "autotune" is also used to refer to pitch correction technologies developed by other companies.
In addition to being used to subtly change pitch, with some settings it can be used as an effect to deliberately distort the human voice.[2]
Auto-Tune is available as a plug-in for professional audio multi-tracking suites used in a studio setting, and as a stand-alone, rack-mounted unit for live performance processing.[3] Auto-Tune has become standard equipment in professional recording studios.[4]
Auto-Tune was initially created by Andy Hildebrand, an engineer working for Exxon. Hildebrand developed methods for interpreting seismic data, and subsequently realized that the technology could be used to detect, analyze, and modify pitch.[2]
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[edit] Auto-Tune in popular music
[edit] Pitch correction
According to the Boston Herald, "Country stars Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have all confessed to using Auto-Tune in performance, claiming it is a safety net that guarantees a good performance."[5] Sara Evans, John Michael Montgomery and Gary LeVox of the group Rascal Flatts also rely on Auto-Tune to compensate for pitch problems. However, other country music singers, such as Loretta Lynn, Allison Moorer, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, and Patty Loveless have refused to use Auto-Tune.[6]
[edit] The "Cher effect"
Auto-Tune was also used to produce the prominent altered vocal effect on Cher's "Believe", recorded in 1998. When first interviewed about this, the sound engineers claimed that they had used a vocoder, in what Sound on Sound perceives as an attempt to preserve a trade secret.[7] After the massive success of Believe, many artists imitated the technique of Auto-tune. It's effect was very apparent in songs of the late 90's and early 2000's. Some notable examples are Gigi D'Agostino's "La Passion"[8], Janet Jackson's #1 hit "All For You"[9], among many others.
Eventually, the trend of using Auto tune started fading by late 2002. During the period of 2003-2005 the "Cher Effect" was completely abandoned by pop and hip-hop artists. It was occasionally used by dance, trance or electronica acts, but not to the the extent to which it was used during the period of 1998-2002.
The effect was revived by R&B singer T-Pain, who elaborated on the "Cher effect" in contemporary popular music by making active use of it in his songs, a style that has since gone on to be imitated by numerous other R&B and pop-music artists such as Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg.[10].
By the late 2000s these artists made extensive use of the "Cher effect": Rihanna, Madonna, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Kanye West, Ciara, Mariah Carey, Usher and Lady Gaga.[citation needed]
Rapper Kanye West used Auto-Tune prominently on his 2008 album 808s and Heartbreak, saying that he "loves using Auto-Tune."[11].
The first single from Jay-Z's 2009 album The Blueprint³ is titled "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)". West, who co-produced the album, told MTV in a May 2009 interview, "We actually removed all the songs with Auto-Tune off of his album, to make the point that this is an anti-Auto-Tune album, even though I released an album that has all Auto-Tune!"[12]
[edit] Criticism
Opponents of the plug-in argue Auto-Tune has a negative effect on society's perception and consumption of music.
In 2009, Time magazine quoted an unnamed Grammy-winning recording engineer as saying, "Let's just say I've had Auto-Tune save vocals on everything from Britney Spears to Bollywood soundtrack albums. And every singer now presumes that you'll just run their voice through the box." The same article expressed "hope that pop's fetish for uniform perfect pitch will fade," speculating that pop-music songs have become harder to differentiate from one another, as "track after track has perfect pitch."[13] At the 51st Grammy Awards, Seattle band Death Cab for Cutie made an appearance wearing blue ribbons to protest the use of Auto-Tune in the music industry.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ Antares history page
- ^ a b Frere Jones, Sasha. "The Gerbil's Revenge", The New Yorker, June 9, 2008
- ^ Antares product page
- ^ Everett-Green, Robert. "Ruled by Frankenmusic," The Globe and Mail, October 14, 2006, p. R1.
- ^ Treacy, Christopher John. "Pitch-adjusting software brings studio tricks," The Boston Herald, February 19, 2007, Monday, "The Edge" p. 32.
- ^ McCall, Michael. Pro Tools: A number of leading country artists sing off key. But a magical piece of software-Pro Tools-makes them sound as good as gold."
- ^ "Recording Cher's 'Believe'"
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y4gEe0l0_k
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2KabvvLF7M
- ^ Singers do better with T-Pain relief
- ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1597139/20081015/west_kanye.jhtml
- ^ Kanye West Promises Jay-Z's 'Anti-Auto-Tune' Blueprint 3 Will Be 'Amazing' Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ Tyrangiel, Josh, "Singer's Little Helper," Time, February 5, 2009
- ^ "Death Cab for Cutie protests Auto-Tune". Idiomag.com. 2009-02-12. http://www.idiomag.com/peek/64302/death_cab_for_cutie. Retrieved on 2009-02-12.
[edit] External links
- Antares Auto-Tune EVO Pitch Correcting Plug-In - product home page
- Pitchfork: Neko Case Interview - artistic integrity and Auto-Tune
- CBC Radio One Q: The Podcast for Thursday June, 25, 2009 MP3 - NPR's Tom Moon on the takeover of the Autotune.
- "Auto-Tune", NOVA scienceNOW, PBS TV, June 30, 2009
