Autotune makes TIME Magazine's "50 Worst Inventions" list

[cooterbrown]

 

I think that's the point that I've been trying to make for a couple of years now: it does annoy a lot of people, hence the constant articles in mainstream press (Time's Top 50 Worst Inventions, etc.) published for the general population.

 

 

I totally hate it, when it's obvious.

Not even Britney/Kanye obvious, but I've got good ears..I can hear microtonal jumps of probably at least 1/8 of a cent (probably more:idk:)...it just sounds wrong.

I would so rather hear a good vocalist who's a little "off" in spots, but at least their performance was honest.

It's just one more thing to make me hate the current state of how music is made and more to the point -presented.

 

Ear fatigue is a big problem for me.

I can pull out the turntable and listen for hours. But even plugging in some good ATH-40's into the computer (where I have large volumes of albums ripped as unadultered .wav files) makes my ears TIRED ater only an hour or so.

 

I stand by my statement which I have repeated a few times, here, that digital technology has become the detriment and bane of the music industry.

It has dumbed it down way more than The Archies, Leif Garrett, or Hair Metal could ever manage.

Even Fabian, Bobby Sherman, and Shaun Cassidy could sing a little bit!

I heard that Bieber kid on one of those morning network shows, and he couldn't hold a note in key if his life depended on it.

Or Taylor Swift trying to "sing" with Stevie Nicks.

I saw her live, in Montgomery a couple of years ago, at the local city fest, and I simply could not believe that somebody that downright awful could get a recording contract.

[UstadKhanAli]

I stand by my statement which I have repeated a few times, here, that digital technology has become the detriment and bane of the music industry.

 

 

See, that's the part where I don't agree. I think you can make a perfectly good recording with a DAW. I just don't think it's done so often.

[Lee Flier]

 

See, that's the part where I don't agree. I think you can make a perfectly good recording with a DAW.

 

 

For sure, even though I still prefer the sound of analog for heavier/louder stuff, you can definitely make a perfectly good recording with a DAW.

 

 

I just don't think it's done so often.

 

 

Well, there's the rub, and I think that's what cooter is really talking about. The bottom line is that a ton of people are using DAWs in all sorts of nefarious ways (because it's cheap and because they can) that end up affecting everyone, even if you know how to use a DAW in good ways.

[Hard Truth]

 

Another 'innovation' that strikes me (and apparently a boatload of other folks) as really stupid: established application suites (like, oh, say, MS Office) that have had conventional hierarchical menu systems for many, many years, suddenly imposing a GUI with no central menu system

 

 

I suspect Microsoft had no real features to add, but wanted a new version to sell to the gullible, so they just moved all the best features around to random places, making them difficult to find. Just say NO to bad software apps.. One can easily find plug-ins to read the new file formats on the older applications.

 

Time's list is cute, but they left off The Bomb and HC 2.0.

[Lee Knight]

Consider this storyline aspect of the great Singing in the Rain. Remember?

Lina has troubles with the sharp tone of her voice, and Cosmo and Don decides to dub her, using Kathy's voice, to save their movie. When the jealous Lina finds the strategy of the studio, she does not want to share the credits with Kathy and tries to force the studio to use Kathy in the shadow to dub her in other productions. But when Lina decides to speak and sing to the audience, the truth arises

Sean Connery wore a rug. Chuck Conners couldn't shoot a rifle to save his life. Kevin Costner is a mediorce baseball player... and Chloe Grace Morintz as Hit Girl can't really kick your ass.

And Taylor Swift does write an engaging 'tween romance but can't sing on pitch.

There... the truth is out.

[cooterbrown]

 

Well, there's the rub, and I think that's what cooter is really talking about. The bottom line is that a ton of people are using DAWs in all sorts of nefarious ways (because it's cheap and because they can) that end up affecting everyone, even if you know how to use a DAW in good ways.

 

 

Yup.

The advent of inexpensive digital gear has effectively watered down the talent pool, IMO.

From the bottom of the industry, to the top.

 

I am seriously afraid that the time is coming, when musicians will mostly no longer be needed.

There will likely be DAW plug-ins labeled "Brent Mason Guitar", "Greg Phillinganes Keys", "Manu Katche Drums", "Louis Johnson Bass", "Roy Thomas Baker Signature Background Vocals", "Glen Ballard Production", "Chemical Brothers Treatment" "Female R&B Lead Vocal Creator" (we've already seen Yamaha work on this), etc.

Just twist a few virtual knobs, input some parameters, and there's your next chart-topper.

[cooterbrown]

Kevin Costner is a mediocre baseball player..

 

...and his acting is even worse!