Imperfection has been proved to be perfection for almost every hit song with a singer in history. That is why they were a hit, no acoustic instrument is perfectly tuned, no human drummer is in perfect time and usually it's the singer that is the most distinctly off tune/beat/melody of them all. Mistakes and imperfection are what make us human they can express emotion, set scenes, cause tension. For example, we all know what it is to take a breath when we hear it or growl or sigh or have our voice break/falter with emotion as we talk about the people we have lost. To "clean this up" to this extent is to rob the listener of why we sing in the 1st place.
Mate, you have eloquently made one of the best responses I've read. 👏 Pitch perfect is an unattainable goal, and it doesn't matter, regardless of the instrument. It's all about performance, passion, interpretation, and most importantly engaging and entertaining. The/ your, audience don't whittle away at, or even care about the minutiae, they're just there and want to appreciate and enjoy, and go home happy.
Yep. And the reason for that is that the "imperfections" make the Uncanny Valley go away. Auto Tune and Pitch Correction is throwing Sounds in the uncanny Valley.
Thank you, Fil, for helping me to “tune” my listening. There is a reason I didn’t respond the same way to more contemporary vocalists and now I know why. When you know, you know.
Pitch correcting a good singer is like painting over antique hardwood floors. Sand it down a little, then seal it in with a clear coat. That goes for singers as well.
Those that want to hear a singer's total natural voice will be kept from us the audience which is unfair to those that enjoy the naturalness of these talented artists. What a shame! Who voted for these auto-tone system on every talented or untalented artists? They suck big time!
Please keep in mind that a lot of tv networks autotune everything without letting the artist know. This happened to Dave Draiman of Disturbed when they performed The Sound of Silence on Conan. He was furious when he found out.
The NERVE! What kind of soul...if any...do these butchers have? They are not capable of recognizing emotion in a singer's voice. Leave David alone, you heathens.
It's become so ingrained in the modern media industries that they don't even think to ask. It's just assumed everyone wants it because it's so "AWESOME".
She has a very good voice on real life. I've said it many times that pitch correction is not progress. Thanks, Fil for this analysis. Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!
@@MartinMartin-yi9toShe performed many times when she competed & won American Idol way back in 2005. As a singing competition, contestant’s voices of course were not altered when they competed in The Voice & the other TV talent shows. Anyone who watched those shows, or has listened to her sing prior to this performance could have formed their opinions of her talent over the last 18 years. It’s quite possible, if not probable, that at least some of her performances have not been pitch corrected or auto-tuned over her long career.
Thank you Fil for educating those of us who enjoy music but didn't have a clue what autotune and pitch correction are actually doing. You have opened my eyes to how the industry is doing a disservice to the artist and conning the end listener.
The "computer alarm" comparison was spot-on...grates on my nerves! lol Auto-tune/pitch correction hurts my head. Some of the music they play at work drives me crazy, while my coworkers never even seem to notice. Natural voices are unique and beautiful...leave them alone! ❤🎶
I never wanted to see Celine Dion, but my wife dragged me to Las Vegas, and I was blown away! Her voice was amazing, better than any of her recordings that I had ever heard. I would think that all possible tricks to make her sound better could have been implemented in the studio, or post production. So I think why she sounded so great live was, that no recording can capture the nuances of her vocals.
I would agree. She is a remarkable singer. One note of caution. Her vocal in Vegas was likely very carefully “processed” from choice of microphone, mixing board, PA/amplification, and an highly skilled adept audio engineer…to your ears! If she’s gonna sing “perfectly” she wants everything to be, perfect!
Celine Dion in 1998 sang her version of O Holy Night live. It's here on YT. It was as near perfect as a human can get. Nana Mouskouri's 1970's version of Ave Maria is chilling to the bone it's so pure. Both women sang live just as exquisitely. It is possible for today's professional singers to be, well, professional. I always learn something new on your channel. I know nothing about the modern technology used in performances these days. Thanks for your hard work! I'm late again as I don't use notifications.❤
This is my favourite song and Celine performs it best . She has so much left at the end ,Michael Crawford got there also with a thinner voice . Mechanical was my first thought here .
Agree, but 'belting' mostly shouting is the thing these days. Somehow you're a fantastic singer if you can shout. You can tell the difference when a singer projects their air from the diaphragm and not the chest. God that top note was screechy, ouch!
Thank you for the analysis. As ever, really illuminating . I really cannot understand this level of pitch correction, it’s sad. I found some of it this painful, robotic even. I want to hear a ‘real’ voice.
Thanks Fil. I didn't need to watch, or hear the voice, to know what was happening the expressions on your face spoke volumes. Very entertaining, and fun, just watching you.
Hey @Carrie Underwood. I genuinely hope this comes onto your radar… this should be in any performance/recording contract you sign. She has an awesome natural voice. The vibrato actually hurts my ears.
You are so gracious in your analysis. Sometimes, i would like to hear your first reaction without your normal restraint. 🙂 Wish I had your ability to hears the notes as you do..
I dont know why the label companies want to "perfect" an artists voice, all it does is take away the emotions that the singer is trying to portray in his/her song. This time I caught that this song was pitch corrected before you answered the question, and i saw it on the pitch monitor too. Again, I'd rather hear the singers natural voice, flaws and all because that's what makes the song beautiful. Thank you Fil, for this excellent analysis! 😉👍
@@R.Akerman-oz1tf Thank you! I heard Carrie's voice and knew right off the bat that it was pitch corrected, and I saw it on the monitor. Carrie's voice is much better than that. I don't have it all figured out, but I'm still learning. 🙂
What I've learned from Fil's videos is that they do it to save time/money . When recording in a studio it might require many "takes" of each song to get topnotch performance of all parts of the song. This takes more, expensive, studio time. Then they have to pay the editor to pick through all the tracks to find the best parts of each and edit them together seamlessly. With the computer software approach, they can record the song a couple of times and let the computer do most of the editing.
I hear so many people denying the effects of auto tuning and pitch correction on music, saying it's just the new phase of music. However, we need to think about what the legacy of music from this era will be. With all our cameras adjusting our images, art being made "better" by AI, and songs no longer sounding like the singers...
Sometime get a listen to Gary Puckett (Union Gap) doing this song. Always loved his voice. This song was on a one time only Christmas collection. He was qoted to have said that "This is my favorite song".
Don't worry - now that AI is reproducing voices and creating lyrics, we don't even need humans and their "imperfections" anymore. RIP music. One more year and it'll be officially dead.
I come from a very musical family. Four women and five men. My next-elder sister basically owned this song while we were in school. Year after year, choir directors kept having her solo on it, so I got awfully used to hearing it perfectly done by an amazing mezzo soprano voice. In the 1990's, Rickie Lee Jones did it with The Chieftains and her voice was perfectly broken. I think it's the very best rendition available, because the whole reason Jesus came to Earth was to redeem the broken. I'm not even religious, but I can recognize perfection when it slaps me in the face.
Scooching a wee bit off topic although not totally, but while he didn't have the best set of pure pipes, Nat King Cole sings the most beautiful and reverent version of O Holy Night I've ever heard. And I say "reverent" without even being religious.. Instead of showing off and seeing how many runs and how much vibrato singers today do, it's like Cole is describing the birth of Christ as he's seeing it first hand.
I get you completely. I was coming down here to comment on the artifice of her performance and of how many people (mostly 'Murricans, tbh) who perform hymns (whether sacred or secular (I am not a fan of the rather militaristic US anthem, but the famous version in which Fergies sounded as if she was trying her best to seduce the soldiers was...something else)) even if they do not do it on purpose at least SEEM to try to be seductive. I do not like that at all.
That is one of my favorite songs but when I first heard her singing this I thought immediately it didn't sound right.I heard it a couple of weeks ago. Thank you for covering this. I love your videos.
9:20 struck me it sounds limited/compressed too, feeling her vocal intensity that is. Great answers Fil. Merry Xmas to you and all of us. -Don't Bflat, Bsharp 'n 🤸♀️ Rock !
Wow. I did not see this coming for Carrie Underwood. Her singing voice seems to be held in such high regard, but this is very surprising and disappointing for me. On a lighter note, Fil’s eye rolling @ 13:11 is priceless! 👁️ 👁️
Try the opera singer Jussi Björlings version of the same song but in swedish "O Helga Natt". Recorded way before pitch correction. He was Pavarottis favorite.
The combination of your expert analysis and your actual reaction IRL is fantastic. Thank you, Fil... great, as always! Stay safe and sane, etc. Rosemarie ❤
...OK, I had to go listen to the Andy Williams version just now. In addition to everything you mention about pitch, there are such differences in timbre, dynamics, use of melodic decoration (slides, twangs, fry), and especially lyrical interpretation. "Fall on your knees..." one sings it as an invitation with humility, while one sings it as a threat. And don't get me started on "O hear the angel voices..." Bravo again, Fil. Merry Christmas to you & yours.
Thank you Fil. I love the way you defend the artists in your analysis. I can't imagine anyone who has a better handle on this subject. I love Carrie Underwood. I hope she sees this and is able to do something about this in the future. Your videos should be mandatory in music colleges.
Great analysis, yet again! Thanks Fil, been awhile Thanks especially for the update on auto tune v. pitch correction; Modern music is so disappointing...
I can hear the processing in the timbre of the voice when corrected without needing to see the notes visualised in software. Thanks for the explanation about the mouth shape and consonants etc..
I love the original music video / song that Carrie Underwood sings with John Legend called "Hallelujah." It's also sung in a church, so I wondered if that one was tampered with, especially with those acoustics. It's so mind-blowing to me that professional singers have no say about anyone messing with their songs. Excellent analysis. Nothing surprises me anymore , unfortunately.
Hey Phil, I appreciate your depth of understanding of the performance and production of of the artists you review. I tend to think along the same understanding, but you go beyond what I have been able to learn. 🗣
Many thanks, FIL, for all the music analysis over the past year. Carrie Underwood can truly sing VERY well. She didn't need any electronic manipulation on this recording of a gorgeous and spiritual Christmas hymn. It's a shame. Josh Groban sings my favourite version. A Merry Christmas to you, good sir, and to your loved ones. ✝🙏😇🎅🌲
@@oldermusiclover Amen and amen! Many thanks, Ginny! A Hopeful, Healthy and Joyful Christmas 2023 season to you and to your loved ones - wherever they might be! "And as Tiny Tim observed, 'God bless us -- everyone!'" ✝👼🙏🎅🌲
I heard Carrie sing How great thou art at the grand ole Opray and was brought to tears. So beautiful from her heart and soul?? I heard the record 2:00 for money version and did not have same experience. The term sell out may be a bit harsh. But….one or more versions may have been pitch corrected. IDK
Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill - "How Great Thou Art" Live performance. Imperfectly perfect maybe they use pitch correction I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like it to me. She’s flat a few times. but it doesn’t matter. It’s so beautiful I mean having Vince Gill play guitar and sing back up is a pretty good idea as well, but I’m just saying this woman is capable of delivering a fabulous performance without this.
That performance is beyond outstanding. I don't believe there is any pitch correction to that live performance. This is one of my most favorite performances ever and that says a lot.
I get chills just thinking about that performance, I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard/saw the video via a link someone had posted on social media. We play it every time we have a 'RUclips' night.
Huge fan of hers. This performance has always been my favorite. Absolutely showstopping. I've always felt like her studio tracks are autotuned and many of her live performances aren't because that metallic sound is front and center in the studio and practically nonexistent in other live performances. The video Fil analyzes sounds exactly like her studio voice. It's honestly wild. I had a friend who hated Carrie's voice because of this particular quality, but loved the fan cams I sent. I'd like to think she didn't ok the autocorrect since she has a pretty big ego about her voice and she has a track record of not calling anything out no matter what, so it's plausible, but she's also a perfectionist and perhaps did ok it. Either way, what a travesty for such a phenomenal talent.
Howdy again from across the pond. Hope you're having a fantastic holiday season. Happy New Year to you! I'm super-late catching up with videos, but I'm about to dive into this. As a sidenote, I always look forward to Sunday night NFL here in the states because she sings the opening kickoff song and it never fails to get me rockin'!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! You are the best! You give us so much to think about when listening to music! I guess I am lucky because the ones I think are really good singers, according to you they really are! Like Karen Carpenter, Bobby Darrin, Jay Black!
have loved this song for many many years used to love to play in on the piano found a good sent of music that was in the key of C sadly that piece of music was lost with all my other music when we moved years ago thanks Fil
Thanks Fil. I'm not sure if I had heard this one from Carrie, or if I had I wanted to forget it. I normally enjoy Carrie's singing and would of been excited to hear her sing this beautiful song. Loved the analysis!
Compare and contrast: just listened to Aled Jones singing this in 1985. I am not a fan of church choirs or solo choir boys but it is a breath of fresh air after the 'android' version.
I just went to the RUclips performance of Carrie Underwood doing this same song on Jimmie Fallon's Tonight Show and the difference is astonishing! The other is obviously not auto tuned or pitch corrected and it's a million times better! Shame on whoever thought they were "fixing" her voice here.
WoW Fil, I've learned so much from your clearly defined explanations. And your own voice demonstrations . The mechanical sound I can now hear clearly in this case, is "nails on chalkboard" irritating to listen to. Mechanical also translates to a metallic type sound to my ears. Reminiscent of a violin bow on an actual wood cutting saw. Some people can make that paring sound musical, some cannot.
I recall a singer from the 1960s said to the producer I am not happy with my singing but the producer said it gives the song character the whey you sing it.
A Fantastic view Fil and Spot on! This truly is eye opening as where is music heading like a Rock Band that just supposedly retired, then become Avatars? Where is creativity or artistry in it? Music naturally has some flaws & or Tone imperfections that's what I love about music. A great view and so well articulated. Ty Cheers! 🍻🤝🏼✌🏼💫
Thanks for all you do Fil .My favorite version of this song is by the blind Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli. Also Andy Williams had an amazing voice. I saw him perform once in Branson, Missouri. * Maybe you could get Tommy Emmanuel on your channel sometime?
Your comment about a singer's natural vibrato "changing" (deteriorating?) over time was very true in the case of Jerry Vale (a pretty damn good singer!) whose voice really coarsened with time into an almost exaggerated version of his earlier work. It's interesting to me that it is a _natural_ progression.
I wish you would have included some of the applause at the end of the performance to see if that was pitch corrected as well! Great definition of the way the voice is perceived Fil!
My voice coach told me early on that I would develop a critical ear in two regards. First pitch correction becomes easier to detect and the performance sounds sterile, or mechanical. Second performers today may not sound as good as older performers because they just aren't as disciplined with the pitch correction safety net. I personally like live performances as they are always a bit different and remind me nobody is perfect but we can strive to be.
Fil, please do a show on Judee Sill. I first heard her in the '70s but have recently been revisiting her great work. Her voice was unique and very beautiful.
it won't be long before pitch correction can (and will) be done so subtlely and so true to life that there won't be any telling, not even with another machine analyzing. and right behind that will be machine performances functionally equivalent to real, incorporating all the characteristics that make truly great performances great. i'm not ready for the Brave New World.
You just nailed it on the head. I feel like every time I try to get into music nowadays I get bored and eventually go back to “old school” singers/bands/etc. because there’s so much more emotion and sincerity and relatability in their vocals.
Wow is correct....actually very sad. The "sound engineers" have actually taken her personality out of her real voice. It is blatantly obvious as you have demonstrated in your video. I would rather hear a singer on an off day than a pitch corrected song. The human part of singing, whether flawed, or off key sometimes can actually be very pleasing in my humble opinion. I appreciated how you were still kind to Carrie. Thank you again for an excellent analysis. ROCK...
I think part of the reason for the extreme pitch correction of this particular song is that it is a song that has these very long holds of single notes - so how well you can hold those notes can be a measure of how well you can perform it. Pavarotti does a great version of this song (non-pitch corrected!).
Another artist succumbs to the beast. It’s so perfect it’s unbelievable and therefore intolerable. The human voice is like playing a violin not a piano. Great analysis.
I would be cool if you could find the original vocal of one of these pitch corrected vocals so we could hear the difference. On a side note, you could do wayforms for "Chances Are" by Johnny Mathis... I always thought this guy was so spot on with his vocals.
I have always been grateful for recordings of beautiful voices for everyone to enjoy always. How sad to know to really hear this beautiful voice you have to see her live.
My new motto - "I've been waiting all day for Fil to rant!" Sung to the tune of "Hate Myself for Loving You" which is used for the Sunday Night Football theme song by Carrie Underwood. 😊
Great job, Fil, with a great explanation and example of how pitch correction and autotuning (for the most part) ruin a singers organic performance by making the voice too perfect, computerized. You really explain a concept so it's entirely understandable. Thanks for the education (as always).
Wow I am shocked. I didn't think that country singers used auto tune and pitch correction as much. She has a beautiful voice and her voice doesn't need to be produced.
Breaks my heart when I hear remastered versions of the music of my youth (70's) that just don't sound right. The pitch correction, added compression, rebalancing done post production absolutely removes the humanity from the music.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Imperfection has been proved to be perfection for almost every hit song with a singer in history.
That is why they were a hit, no acoustic instrument is perfectly tuned, no human drummer is in perfect time and usually it's the singer that is the most distinctly off tune/beat/melody of them all. Mistakes and imperfection are what make us human they can express emotion, set scenes, cause tension. For example, we all know what it is to take a breath when we hear it or growl or sigh or have our voice break/falter with emotion as we talk about the people we have lost.
To "clean this up" to this extent is to rob the listener of why we sing in the 1st place.
Yes, that's Sheryl Crow on keys and vox
But the Beatles maybe were the best at this!
Mate, you have eloquently made one of the best responses I've read.
👏
Pitch perfect is an unattainable goal, and it doesn't matter, regardless of the instrument.
It's all about performance, passion, interpretation, and most importantly engaging and entertaining.
The/ your, audience don't whittle away at, or even care about the minutiae, they're just there and want to appreciate and enjoy, and go home happy.
"To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable." - Beethoven
Yep. And the reason for that is that the "imperfections" make the Uncanny Valley go away.
Auto Tune and Pitch Correction is throwing Sounds in the uncanny Valley.
Thank you, Fil, for helping me to “tune” my listening. There is a reason I didn’t respond the same way to more contemporary vocalists and now I know why. When you know, you know.
Same here.
The vocals that lie right on the note line are vocals that sound like an ambulance siren that is stuck.
Stats to sound like cats mating as well lol😂
Pitch correcting a good singer is like painting over antique hardwood floors. Sand it down a little, then seal it in with a clear coat. That goes for singers as well.
Those that want to hear a singer's total natural voice will be kept from us the audience which is unfair to those that enjoy the naturalness of these talented artists. What a shame! Who voted for these auto-tone system on every talented or untalented artists? They suck big time!
Please keep in mind that a lot of tv networks autotune everything without letting the artist know. This happened to Dave Draiman of Disturbed when they performed The Sound of Silence on Conan. He was furious when he found out.
❤i would be mad as well...love Dave
The NERVE! What kind of soul...if any...do these butchers have? They are not capable of recognizing emotion in a singer's voice. Leave David alone, you heathens.
It's become so ingrained in the modern media industries that they don't even think to ask. It's just assumed everyone wants it because it's so "AWESOME".
i haven't seen anything where he referenced that performance and autotune. where did you read this?
Exactly!!!
She has a very good voice on real life. I've said it many times that pitch correction is not progress. Thanks, Fil for this analysis. Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!
How do you know? Chances are she uses playback live.
@@MartinMartin-yi9toShe performed many times when she competed & won American Idol way back in 2005. As a singing competition, contestant’s voices of course were not altered when they competed in The Voice & the other TV talent shows.
Anyone who watched those shows, or has listened to her sing prior to this performance could have formed their opinions of her talent over the last 18 years. It’s quite possible, if not probable, that at least some of her performances have not been pitch corrected or auto-tuned over her long career.
@@OwnedByACatNamedC.C. And you really beleive they're not lypsyncing on TV? Yeah.....TV worked on you and your opinion isn't worth a thing. Cheers!
@@MartinMartin-yi9to : (
@@MartinMartin-yi9to How does she know? Maybe she had a private concert in her home? How do you know she hasn't?
Thank you Fil for educating those of us who enjoy music but didn't have a clue what autotune and pitch correction are actually doing. You have opened my eyes to how the industry is doing a disservice to the artist and conning the end listener.
The "computer alarm" comparison was spot-on...grates on my nerves! lol Auto-tune/pitch correction hurts my head. Some of the music they play at work drives me crazy, while my coworkers never even seem to notice. Natural voices are unique and beautiful...leave them alone! ❤🎶
Well done Fil. The eye roll at 14:34 cracked me up … followed by the exasperated, “ohhhhh …” … both of which sum things up perfectly. Cheers!
I never wanted to see Celine Dion, but my wife dragged me to Las Vegas, and I was blown away! Her voice was amazing, better than any of her recordings that I had ever heard. I would think that all possible tricks to make her sound better could have been implemented in the studio, or post production. So I think why she sounded so great live was, that no recording can capture the nuances of her vocals.
I would agree. She is a remarkable singer. One note of caution. Her vocal in Vegas was likely very carefully “processed” from choice of microphone, mixing board, PA/amplification, and an highly skilled adept audio engineer…to your ears!
If she’s gonna sing “perfectly” she wants everything to be, perfect!
Celine Dion in 1998 sang her version of O Holy Night live. It's here on YT. It was as near perfect as a human can get. Nana Mouskouri's 1970's version of Ave Maria is chilling to the bone it's so pure. Both women sang live just as exquisitely.
It is possible for today's professional singers to be, well, professional.
I always learn something new on your channel. I know nothing about the modern technology used in performances these days. Thanks for your hard work! I'm late again as I don't use notifications.❤
O goodness! Nana Mouskouri! Her voice was incredible! Lovely to see her remembered and mentioned.
Dion makes cats abort and wolves eat their own. Praise heaven she's giving us a respite from her insufferable yowling.
@@SuperMoofie ❤
This is my favourite song and Celine performs it best . She has so much left at the end ,Michael Crawford got there also with a thinner voice . Mechanical was my first thought here .
Dion is my go to version. Her singing was an acquired taste, but now I’m hooked.
How could anyone do that to her God-given gorgeous voice...seriously? Pitch correction is the devil!!! Thank you, Fil...loving your channel. 💗💗💗
This is criminal. I got to see Carrie perform last spring. Her voice is incredible and doesn't need pitch correction/autotune.
How do you know her performance wasn’t auto-tuned or pitch corrected? Routinely done in live performances, too.
99% chance her live performances are auto-turned
It was processed and pitch corrected in real time.
@@newnoggin2that is ridiculous
She lipping it
Man, if ever there was a song that DIDN'T need to be belted, this one takes the cake.
Agree, but 'belting' mostly shouting is the thing these days. Somehow you're a fantastic singer if you can shout. You can tell the difference when a singer projects their air from the diaphragm and not the chest. God that top note was screechy, ouch!
PRECISELY! I couldn't find the words and I can't thank you enough for hitting your nail on the head!!! Thank you and God Bless!❤
She's a show off that way. I find her belting annoying AF. She usually ends up sounding like a stuck crow somewhere along the line.
Seth Mcfarlane nailed it at the Oscars when he said they had time backstage for a bit as Adele was still busy out there shouting at the audience.
@@ranchodelreyband167 truth!
Thank you for the analysis. As ever, really illuminating . I really cannot understand this level of pitch correction, it’s sad. I found some of it this painful, robotic even. I want to hear a ‘real’ voice.
Thanks Fil. I didn't need to watch, or hear the voice, to know what was happening the expressions on your face spoke volumes. Very entertaining, and fun, just watching you.
Hey @Carrie Underwood. I genuinely hope this comes onto your radar… this should be in any performance/recording contract you sign. She has an awesome natural voice. The vibrato actually hurts my ears.
Fil, thank you for this analysis. Almost from the first 10 seconds, it was clear that this was a machine voice. It is not alive. It is a travesty.
Pitch correction removes the beauty.
It’s so sad because she has an incredible voice.
@ 7:50, I like your discussion on controlled vibrato vs natural vibrato. I have never thought of this aspect of vibrato.
You are so gracious in your analysis. Sometimes, i would like to hear your first reaction without your normal restraint. 🙂
Wish I had your ability to hears the notes as you do..
I dont know why the label companies want to "perfect" an artists voice, all it does is take away the emotions that the singer is trying to portray in his/her song. This time I caught that this song was pitch corrected before you answered the question, and i saw it on the pitch monitor too. Again, I'd rather hear the singers natural voice, flaws and all because that's what makes the song beautiful. Thank you Fil, for this excellent analysis! 😉👍
Good eyes/great ears. Thnx Tammy.
@@R.Akerman-oz1tf Thank you! I heard Carrie's voice and knew right off the bat that it was pitch corrected, and I saw it on the monitor. Carrie's voice is much better than that. I don't have it all figured out, but I'm still learning. 🙂
What I've learned from Fil's videos is that they do it to save time/money . When recording in a studio it might require many "takes" of each song to get topnotch performance of all parts of the song. This takes more, expensive, studio time. Then they have to pay the editor to pick through all the tracks to find the best parts of each and edit them together seamlessly. With the computer software approach, they can record the song a couple of times and let the computer do most of the editing.
Elementary Sir. Producers can be obsessed by perfection too.@@johnwatson2887
I hear so many people denying the effects of auto tuning and pitch correction on music, saying it's just the new phase of music. However, we need to think about what the legacy of music from this era will be. With all our cameras adjusting our images, art being made "better" by AI, and songs no longer sounding like the singers...
And plastic surgery making faces “perfected” nothing is real anymore.
Sometime get a listen to Gary Puckett (Union Gap) doing this song. Always loved his voice. This song was on a one time only Christmas collection. He was qoted to have said that "This is my favorite song".
"No longer a human voice."
That's it exactly. Pitch correction takes emotion out of singing.
Don't worry - now that AI is reproducing voices and creating lyrics, we don't even need humans and their "imperfections" anymore. RIP music. One more year and it'll be officially dead.
@@dermur68 The emotion's still there. It's just ain't honest.
You are so right. I always say 'it hits the note, but misses the soul'
Merry Christmas to you and the rest of the Wingers Fil!
I come from a very musical family. Four women and five men. My next-elder sister basically owned this song while we were in school. Year after year, choir directors kept having her solo on it, so I got awfully used to hearing it perfectly done by an amazing mezzo soprano voice.
In the 1990's, Rickie Lee Jones did it with The Chieftains and her voice was perfectly broken. I think it's the very best rendition available, because the whole reason Jesus came to Earth was to redeem the broken.
I'm not even religious, but I can recognize perfection when it slaps me in the face.
You're explaining why Carrie's voice sounds "metallic" or harsh on her recordings. Thank you. The technician does her no favours!
the technician didnt even correct every note..sloppy work actually!
Scooching a wee bit off topic although not totally, but while he didn't have the best set of pure pipes, Nat King Cole sings the most beautiful and reverent version of O Holy Night I've ever heard. And I say "reverent" without even being religious.. Instead of showing off and seeing how many runs and how much vibrato singers today do, it's like Cole is describing the birth of Christ as he's seeing it first hand.
I get you completely. I was coming down here
to comment on the artifice of her performance
and of how many people (mostly 'Murricans, tbh) who perform hymns
(whether sacred or secular (I am not a fan of the rather militaristic US anthem,
but the famous version in which Fergies sounded as if she was trying her best
to seduce the soldiers was...something else)) even if they do not do it on purpose
at least SEEM to try to be seductive. I do not like that at all.
I actually really enjoyed Bastille's version as well
That is one of my favorite songs but when I first heard her singing this I thought immediately it didn't sound right.I heard it a couple of weeks ago. Thank you for covering this. I love your videos.
ANOTHER GREAT ANALYSIS FIL! You are obviously an expert at this topic. Glad I found your channel.
9:20 struck me it sounds limited/compressed too, feeling her vocal intensity that is.
Great answers Fil.
Merry Xmas to you and all of us.
-Don't Bflat, Bsharp 'n 🤸♀️ Rock !
I love listening to you. It is so educational and you have such an adorable personality.
Wow. I did not see this coming for Carrie Underwood. Her singing voice seems to be held in such high regard, but this is very surprising and disappointing for me. On a lighter note, Fil’s eye rolling @ 13:11 is priceless! 👁️ 👁️
I bet she didn't know
love the eye roll !!!
😂😂😂
@@oldermusiclover I bet she did.
Those eye rolls tell the story.. so painful to hear her voice just trashed!
She is such a great singer. A person's normal tone is what brings life, emotion, realism. Perfection cannot bring that. Thanks Fil😊🎙🎼🕯🌜⭐️
Try the opera singer Jussi Björlings version of the same song but in swedish "O Helga Natt". Recorded way before pitch correction. He was Pavarottis favorite.
Yes to that. Compare the two. No one does it better that Jussi
He did a beautiful duet with Robert Merrill of the Pearl Fishers. No duet has been performed batter, since.
Being swedish I might be partial but Jussi’s version is the only one I’ll ever need.
A 'plus' here from me - I was coming to suggest it, too.
Always a pleasure to view a well-presented video from a knowledgeable person. Thank you.
Merry Christmas, Fil. Thank you for gifting all of us way over here with your delightful insights. You're my weekly Music Appreciation class.
"Now a human voice is a piano" - I think this sums it all perfectly. I miss the old times and old performances
The combination of your expert analysis and your actual reaction IRL is fantastic. Thank you, Fil... great, as always! Stay safe and sane, etc. Rosemarie ❤
...OK, I had to go listen to the Andy Williams version just now. In addition to everything you mention about pitch, there are such differences in timbre, dynamics, use of melodic decoration (slides, twangs, fry), and especially lyrical interpretation. "Fall on your knees..." one sings it as an invitation with humility, while one sings it as a threat. And don't get me started on "O hear the angel voices..."
Bravo again, Fil. Merry Christmas to you & yours.
Really enjoyed your comment-made me smile!
I love your cheeky grin while listening to those 'perfect' pitch corrections!
Loved the eye roll Phil.
Thank you Fil. I love the way you defend the artists in your analysis. I can't imagine anyone who has a better handle on this subject. I love Carrie Underwood. I hope she sees this and is able to do something about this in the future. Your videos should be mandatory in music colleges.
I love her ! Voice of an angel
I absolutely love your channel Fil….keep em coming :)
Phil you are awesome. I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you.
The explanation is really interesting. Thank you for all the details.
Great analysis, yet again! Thanks Fil, been awhile
Thanks especially for the update on auto tune v. pitch correction;
Modern music is so disappointing...
I can hear the processing in the timbre of the voice when corrected without needing to see the notes visualised in software. Thanks for the explanation about the mouth shape and consonants etc..
I love the original music video / song that Carrie Underwood sings with John Legend called "Hallelujah." It's also sung in a church, so I wondered if that one was tampered with, especially with those acoustics. It's so mind-blowing to me that professional singers have no say about anyone messing with their songs. Excellent analysis. Nothing surprises me anymore , unfortunately.
Hey Phil, I appreciate your depth of understanding of the performance and production of of the artists you review.
I tend to think along the same understanding, but you go beyond what I have been able to learn. 🗣
Many thanks, FIL, for all the music analysis over the past year. Carrie Underwood can truly sing VERY well. She didn't need any electronic manipulation on this recording of a gorgeous and spiritual Christmas hymn. It's a shame. Josh Groban sings my favourite version. A Merry Christmas to you, good sir, and to your loved ones. ✝🙏😇🎅🌲
amen
@@oldermusiclover Amen and amen! Many thanks, Ginny! A Hopeful, Healthy and Joyful Christmas 2023 season to you and to your loved ones - wherever they might be! "And as Tiny Tim observed, 'God bless us -- everyone!'" ✝👼🙏🎅🌲
I heard Carrie sing How great thou art at the grand ole Opray and was brought to tears. So beautiful from her heart and soul?? I heard the record 2:00 for money version and did not have same experience. The term sell out may be a bit harsh. But….one or more versions may have been pitch corrected. IDK
Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill - "How Great Thou Art"
Live performance. Imperfectly perfect maybe they use pitch correction I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like it to me. She’s flat a few times. but it doesn’t matter. It’s so beautiful I mean having Vince Gill play guitar and sing back up is a pretty good idea as well, but I’m just saying this woman is capable of delivering a fabulous performance without this.
That performance is beyond outstanding. I don't believe there is any pitch correction to that live performance. This is one of my most favorite performances ever and that says a lot.
I get chills just thinking about that performance, I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard/saw the video via a link someone had posted on social media. We play it every time we have a 'RUclips' night.
Huge fan of hers. This performance has always been my favorite. Absolutely showstopping. I've always felt like her studio tracks are autotuned and many of her live performances aren't because that metallic sound is front and center in the studio and practically nonexistent in other live performances. The video Fil analyzes sounds exactly like her studio voice. It's honestly wild. I had a friend who hated Carrie's voice because of this particular quality, but loved the fan cams I sent.
I'd like to think she didn't ok the autocorrect since she has a pretty big ego about her voice and she has a track record of not calling anything out no matter what, so it's plausible, but she's also a perfectionist and perhaps did ok it. Either way, what a travesty for such a phenomenal talent.
Howdy again from across the pond. Hope you're having a fantastic holiday season. Happy New Year to you! I'm super-late catching up with videos, but I'm about to dive into this.
As a sidenote, I always look forward to Sunday night NFL here in the states because she sings the opening kickoff song and it never fails to get me rockin'!
I think that it would be interesting to what would happen if both the pitch corrected and uncorrected performances were released.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! You are the best! You give us so much to think about when listening to music! I guess I am lucky because the ones I think are really good singers, according to you they really are! Like Karen Carpenter, Bobby Darrin, Jay Black!
I wish you would examine David Phelps version of O’Holy Night. One of the best versions I have ever heard.
have loved this song for many many years used to love to play in on the piano found a good sent of music that was in the key of C sadly that piece of music was lost with all my other music when we moved years ago thanks Fil
Thanks Fil. I'm not sure if I had heard this one from Carrie, or if I had I wanted to forget it. I normally enjoy Carrie's singing and would of been excited to hear her sing this beautiful song. Loved the analysis!
Another awesome analysis from you. Thanks for sharing your insights on this topic. And all of your topics
Compare and contrast: just listened to Aled Jones singing this in 1985. I am not a fan of church choirs or solo choir boys but it is a breath of fresh air after the 'android' version.
Another great video. Thank you for doing these - it’s really fascinating!
I just went to the RUclips performance of Carrie Underwood doing this same song on Jimmie Fallon's Tonight Show and the difference is astonishing! The other is obviously not auto tuned or pitch corrected and it's a million times better! Shame on whoever thought they were "fixing" her voice here.
You’re absolutely right! I hear what you are talking about. Very interesting video.
I would love you to do an analysis of this carol sung by Leontyne Price - no auto tune, no pitch correction, just sheer beauty.
Thank you for directing me to Ms Price. It was a glorious rendition of that extraordinary song. 💖
Bless you for these analyses.
WoW Fil, I've learned so much from your clearly defined explanations. And your own voice demonstrations .
The mechanical sound I can now hear clearly in this case, is "nails on chalkboard" irritating to listen to. Mechanical also translates to a metallic type sound to my ears.
Reminiscent of a violin bow on an actual wood cutting saw. Some people can make that paring sound musical, some cannot.
Hey Fil Just Wanted to say Merry Christmas and Have a Safe Rockin New Year, Always Watch & 👍
Thanks! You too!
"It's so perfect that it's imperfect".. Perfect description.
You are brilliant. Thanks for doing this. So interesting.
I recall a singer from the 1960s said to the producer I am not happy with my singing but the producer said it gives the song character the whey you sing it.
Facinating, as usual, Fil. I wonder how Martina's (martina mcbride o holy night) shakes out? Merry Christmas to you and yours!
A Fantastic view Fil and Spot on!
This truly is eye opening as where is music heading like a Rock Band that just supposedly retired, then become Avatars? Where is creativity or artistry in it? Music naturally has some flaws & or Tone imperfections that's what I love about music. A great view and so well articulated. Ty Cheers! 🍻🤝🏼✌🏼💫
Thank you Fil information very much appreciated
Thanks for all you do Fil .My favorite version of this song is by the blind Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli. Also Andy Williams had an amazing voice. I saw him perform once in Branson, Missouri.
* Maybe you could get Tommy Emmanuel on your channel sometime?
Thank you for your work!
You give very understandable explanations of the nuanced examination of your perspective. Maybe I could have just said thanks for your channel !
Oh Holy Night is my favorite Christmas song.. Kenny Rogers did a great rendition of this song.. Merry Christmas Fil and a glorious new year..
You said it all Fil... another great video, thank you !
Your comment about a singer's natural vibrato "changing" (deteriorating?) over time was very true in the case of Jerry Vale (a pretty damn good singer!) whose voice really coarsened with time into an almost exaggerated version of his earlier work. It's interesting to me that it is a _natural_ progression.
I wish you would have included some of the applause at the end of the performance to see if that was pitch corrected as well! Great definition of the way the voice is perceived Fil!
My voice coach told me early on that I would develop a critical ear in two regards. First pitch correction becomes easier to detect and the performance sounds sterile, or mechanical. Second performers today may not sound as good as older performers because they just aren't as disciplined with the pitch correction safety net. I personally like live performances as they are always a bit different and remind me nobody is perfect but we can strive to be.
Fil, please do a show on Judee Sill. I first heard her in the '70s but have recently been revisiting her great work. Her voice was unique and very beautiful.
it won't be long before pitch correction can (and will) be done so subtlely and so true to life that there won't be any telling, not even with another machine analyzing. and right behind that will be machine performances functionally equivalent to real, incorporating all the characteristics that make truly great performances great. i'm not ready for the Brave New World.
You just nailed it on the head. I feel like every time I try to get into music nowadays I get bored and eventually go back to “old school” singers/bands/etc. because there’s so much more emotion and sincerity and relatability in their vocals.
Wow is correct....actually very sad. The "sound engineers" have actually taken her personality out of her real voice. It is blatantly obvious as you have demonstrated in your video. I would rather hear a singer on an off day than a pitch corrected song. The human part of singing, whether flawed, or off key sometimes can actually be very pleasing in my humble opinion. I appreciated how you were still kind to Carrie. Thank you again for an excellent analysis. ROCK...
I think part of the reason for the extreme pitch correction of this particular song is that it is a song that has these very long holds of single notes - so how well you can hold those notes can be a measure of how well you can perform it. Pavarotti does a great version of this song (non-pitch corrected!).
Appreciate your hard work sir !! Cheers...
She was amazing when she was on American Idol 18 years ago.
She still is.
Thanks Fil, very well analysed! 😅😅😮
Another artist succumbs to the beast. It’s so perfect it’s unbelievable and therefore intolerable. The human voice is like playing a violin not a piano. Great analysis.
I would be cool if you could find the original vocal of one of these pitch corrected vocals so we could hear the difference. On a side note, you could do wayforms for "Chances Are" by Johnny Mathis... I always thought this guy was so spot on with his vocals.
I have always been grateful for recordings of beautiful voices for everyone to enjoy always. How sad to know to really hear this beautiful voice you have to see her live.
My new motto - "I've been waiting all day for Fil to rant!" Sung to the tune of "Hate Myself for Loving You" which is used for the Sunday Night Football theme song by Carrie Underwood. 😊
Great job, Fil, with a great explanation and example of how pitch correction and autotuning (for the most part) ruin a singers organic performance by making the voice too perfect, computerized. You really explain a concept so it's entirely understandable. Thanks for the education (as always).
Wow I am shocked. I didn't think that country singers used auto tune and pitch correction as much. She has a beautiful voice and her voice doesn't need to be produced.
How do you know? Her vocals were probably 'produced' since day 1.
I have wondered why I am not moved by a beautiful voice, now I know. The emotion has been removed. Thanks Fil.
Breaks my heart when I hear remastered versions of the music of my youth (70's) that just don't sound right. The pitch correction, added compression, rebalancing done post production absolutely removes the humanity from the music.