If you’re looking to take your music production skills to the next level, check out my course, Spare Bedroom Studio! It’ll teach you everything you need to know to start recording your music at home. Join our community and start your journey today! www.sparebedroomstudio.com 🎤✨
Spencer, you've reached such a high level that I believe the only thing left to happen is for you to be discovered by the right people. Please do not underestimate your experience. There are many people who can benefit positively from it. Each of your videos is always a new discovery, and only a few channels give me that!
Cuddos to Sarah to put up with you on that one! It takes guts, it really does. I seem to recall voice lessons also emphasizing on the emotions behind a song, it'd be an interesting comparison to hear her again after a bit of voice training. Meanwhile, I am wondering how tou decide to layout your songs, not only the skeleton, but also how long sentences, when do fills etc... I've decided to go lyrics first for the songs this channel inspired me to write (2 so far!).
It's a crime that you have less than 10K followers with your entertaining, educational, and fun videos! Thank you, Spencer! I am no musician, knows nothing about making music, yet I found your videos inspiring and incredibly fun to watch!.
It's tough to say whether I would be able to detect the Auto-tune use here. It's pretty subtle. I was hoping the experiment would feature an ear-splittingly BAD singer, like Lucy Ricardo. Sarah's actually pretty good, considering her lack of experience, so the end product is good too. I would love it if this experiment of yours won you and her a Grammy.
Sarah's tone isn't bad by any means, and with some training she could definitely be a great singer. I think a lot of people assume "studio magic" can make anyone sound good. However, if you have a terrible tone, all the studio magic in the world isn't going to help.
@@songsbyspencerthat’s a thing that annoys me - I love heavy use of autotune like Playboi and yeat etc and people think u can deliver a bad take and autotune will produce a good sound , it’s the opposite in m6 experience - use heavy autotune and the take has to be damn near perfect to sound good in that style, using it subtly to make someone sound like a better natural singer like you did here and the take can be worse imo, hope that’s makes sense to anyone reading haha
@@ShillyBears1 Makes absolute sense to me. I would much rather hear a song with autotune being over done to fulfill an artistic decision. I hate it however when a producer tries to 'trick' me by attempting subtle changes to make a singer sound perfect. For me, autotune is so obvious in every song I hear it in that I usually will turn the song off unless it is being used as a creative element. Producers think they are hiding it by being subtle but there are a lot of us out here that can hear it every time it is used. You aren't fooling everyone. Personally, I long for the days (I'm a 70's kid) where musicians actually had the talent to sing or play what was on the album without needing a computer or earpiece to keep them in tune or fix a poor performance after the fact.
@@opiegonebad58 Yep, they think by setting the tolerance slightly higher or lower, or by moving the voice just flat or sharp of the actual note, they can trick the listener. You might fool people who were born after 2000 (certainly post 2010) because they really haven't heard any non-processed music so their entire reference is autotuned or pitch corrected vocals. They actually think "that's what singers sound like" which is why they're the ones on YT praising all these "bedroom singers" who record, correct, process, and then "perform" the track, with a mic and headphones as if they're singing "live" and that's the uploaded vocal you can hear. It's not real and yet you can't explain to these people that it's not, because they're incapable of understanding it. I'm so glad that I bought and own physical copies of original works because one day, all recorded music will be subjected to such processing and that's all that will be available.
Pretty much sums up modern music. A label writes a bunch of banal lyrics, sets them to a highly algorithmic "melody" and then pays crap singers to act like they can carry a tune. Give me CCR, Fleetwood Mac or Steely Dan any day over this type of music. That said, you and the singer did a great job illustrating the point.
This really gave me some owl city vibes haha. There were a few times I felt I could really hear the auto tune through my iPhone speakers haha. But other than that it’s just her tone I’m not a fan of, do we have an auto tone? All that being said for someone who’s untrained and inexperienced she did amazing!
The short answer is that Autotune (and Melodyne) can make a bad singer TOLERABLE, in that it can make it so that if said singer stays within a very narrow range of notes, then their voice is acceptable enough to where it won’t get in the way of a good instrumental or ruin a good vocal melody (see CHVRCHES, Capital Cities, and Carly Rae Jepsen for examples of how singers with very weak vocal ranges can still make good songs, with the pitch correction compensating for their weaknesses as singers). However, Autotune/Melodyne is NOT a talent replacer, largely because if your notes sound REALLY off, it still won’t sound good…
Yes, I could tell auto-tune was there - but then I'm an amateur musician (a plus) wearing hearing aids (a negative). I loved the song and the outcome. Thank you.
Dude I love your teaching style. It's quick and to the point but entertaining all along the way, and the end product is always spectacular. I'm definitely looking forward to more videos!
Your videos are so entertaining, it's insane that you can make them and post so consistently without losing quality. Keep going, I'm sure one day you'll have big and positive community :)
@@songsbyspenceryou are so talented and I would like some advice. Whenever I sing there’s like this sharp little random off pitch sound. Also it sounds like I’m using too much air. I can’t go too high with my voice without sounding like a squealing desperate pig. Any suggestions??
Spencer, she is a non-singer, not a bad singer, there is a difference, that I think matters in this production, which is awesome. I love your stuff and how you show the entire process. Keep it up!!!
I hope Sarah had a good experience and will be more interested in music. I believe in the local music communities. It's important that we make our own music. I think auto tune is acceptable for pop music when sparingly used. It's important when the voice is the main instrument. I don't think us rockers really need auto tune for our voices. Great video as ever!
You need to do something with that song because it is a guaranteed hit! I loved it!!!! Yes, you made her sound good between the auto tune and layering her vocals. Ive seen them do this before on a girl that auditioned for American Idol. She was tone deaf poor girl but either AI or Inside Edition did an experiment by having her record a song and they used auto tune. The result was nothing short of amazing. What a difference! I think if auto tune was used properly, it's an excellent tool since not everyone is pitch perfect. Using it to deceive or cover up bad singing is dishonest, save for your experiment which had a great result. Is there a way to get a copy of this song? I know it was just an experiment but what a great song!
I appreciate the kind words! As of now the song isn't finished- but a lot of people are asking me to complete it so I'm going to have to one of these days.
I love the side eye from Spencer! And what a brave person going all in. Kudos to you Sarah. I’m sure it feels safer with someone like Spencer at the controls.
Spencer, I really enjoy the clear and concise way you explain the logic behind music, harmony and technology and bring it all together. Appropriate use of technology can be a huge time saver and "fix" little errors that most of us make (and endure). Well done on a great channel.
I think the first instance of pitch correction on a vocal recording was Cher's "Believe", which came out in 1998. I'm not sure when it was first utilized in live performances, but it's pretty common nowadays.
Hello Spencer: My opinion is: if it gives people joy and love for music, I don't care whatever plugin you use! Just as long as some don't underestimate what huge amount of work professional singers put into their careers it's wonderful. Stay humble and have fun!
Amazing! You really have mastered the craft of writing and mixing music. How do you make your vocal comps sound like one take? My takes always sound different whether its the room dynamics or how far/close to the singer is to the microphone. Maybe i just need a better acoustically treated room? 🤔
Go Spencer great channel, you're helping me and many others. I have ptsd and like hundred songs and I am slowly rebuilding my catalogue and confidence. You remind me how easy it is to lay parts down. You just do it.
Holy cow this song sounds very original. I love it. It’s a shame I can’t find it anywhere but here. I would literally add it to my playlist if it was on iTunes.
I recorded back before autotune and once sang one line fourteen times to get it right. I guess I could make a case for either way. There is however no substitute for hard work and determination to get it right. Great video!!!
Thanks, Jim! I usually record 5-6 takes and create a combination of the best moments from each. Then (and only then), I'll use pitch correction to fix the occasional note. Most of the time however, I don't have to use it!
I absolutely object to singers who can't hold a decent note, and never could, becoming millionaires via AutoTune. (I worked in the country music industry in Nashville, and I know of at least three who match this description.) I do NOT object to an older entertainer, who USED to be able to sing well, using AutoTune as a help in their old age. If you can't sing, please don't become a singer for a living. There are too many supremely talented people who are more deserving of their big break.
I too live in Nashville and agree with you. Hearing great singers down on Broadway with no auto tune is where you find the real talent. Not some recorded demo somebody sends with tons of effects and auto tune on it.
😮. I’m glad I stumble across you when I was looking into working my auto tune better. Wow it really gives me the hope in mastering my tools and getting way better at this. Felt like I found a quest item and can finally turn in the quest to “unlock” more parts of the “game!”
i am very surprised your channel isn't bigger, this video was awesome. i remember the prevalent narrative about autotune, especially when i was younger in regards to pop music, was that it was only for hacks to hide a lack of skill, but i've learned you'll always be able to hear when someone has actual technical ability vs someone who is hitting the right notes. in my personal experience as someone who likes singing, having access to tools like melodyne is a HUGE time saver for vocal takes where only the pitch needs a little help. it saves me from having to slice together tens of vocal takes in hopes the comp will be passable and it also saves my voice a lot of effort. i still really appreciate the art of a live performance and will always respect being able to listen to someone vocally competent absolutely crush it live. i don't mind hearing a bit of autotune or pitch correction in a final track if the result is good.
That was cool. Tools are there for using and an aid to being creative. In the bad old days we used to cover up pitch anomalies with tasty reverb. I found if I cant sing a certain song without a mic if I mic it up and use reverb I can usually get away with it. This is another level though!
found your channel tonight as youtube recommendation through the writing chorus video from 3 days ago, subscribed, and now I am down a rabbit whole. LOVE these. As an old metal guy you have great layman's terms examples and explanations anyone can understand. I am a fan
Are there any modern artists you listen to? I'd say that the majority of successful artists nowadays are extremely talented, but the modern production style makes it harder to appreciate since everything sounds so polished.
@@songsbyspencer not really!im 59 years old so what I grew up on is still what i listen to.no pop!no pop country!classic rock and great country music from 60’s-80’s.there is a few country artists or I might say blues country outlaw country that are newer like drake white Cody jinks creed fisher Jamey Johnson of course who can’t like Chris Stapleton
I admit that I absolutely hate even the slightest bit of autotune. My attitude is, if you can’t sing, then don’t! And if you need vocals, hire a real singer. Or get a friend who can sing. Just do not use auto tune ever.
im gonna be completely honest this is a bit of a stupid take in so sorry 💀 if you're talking about the singers who literally can't sing then yeah I agree just don't sing then but if you're talking about ALL singers who use it, that's kinda insane because some of the most gifted vocalists alive such as Beyonce, Ariana Grande, lady gaga, etcetera use it. we've heard them sing with noic no autotune nothing and they sound amazing obviously but obviously there's gonna be times where they miss a note or all flat on a note so on official recordings obviously they're gonna use a small amount of autotune so you can't hear that. that doesn't take away from their immense talent though. with your logic, Beyonce can't sing cause she uses autotune. with your logic there's not a famous singer alive, or even just a singer who makes official music alive that can sing
You make everything look very simple, as if everyone could do it. That is what sets you apart, you are an inspiration to people like me who write and record their own songs. Your skill in music and video is amazing. You deserve to have a RUclips channel with millions of followers. But I think there are maybe not so many of us here but good ones... congratulations to you and Sara and keep up the good work. Greetings from Italy.
That was impressive! The first time I heard auto-tune was when me and my business partner dropped a car off that we sold this kid over in Tallahassee FL. His named Faheem Najm. He and his buddies had some kind of keyboard/mixing setup they were playing around with. A few months later, the sound these guys were messing around with, is all over the radio. Right after hearing this digital sounds of the songs being play on the radio we received a phone call from Faheem's brother Hakim Najm with a list of cars they would like for us to source for them. The brothers and their accountant mom all are super intelligent and genuine people!
@@devavratchachad I appreciate that greatly! I take that approach in almost every video I do. It’s a lot of work but it makes the content in the video much easier to apply for the viewer.
I was wondering if you had another RUclips channel before or how you are so good at making videos, but that makes sense now knowing you own amd run a video production company! As always, such a great video!
1 Props to Sarah 2 Nice music track 3 Lyrics worked for this exercise, but were a little painful 4 Great demo of AT application 5 This was very interesting
There certainly are times where the average person wouldn't notice it, but I completely agree that the imperfections are a huge part of what gives the song character and humanity!
Hey man! This was AMAZING! Is the song available to listen to anywhere? This is a huge 10/10. If not, if possible, could you make a full version? Appreciate you both for sharing your talents and taking your time to make this video!
I appreciate the support and I'm so glad you like the support. I need to finish the song! I only made this short version for this video. One of these days I'll finish it!
6K subscribers?! I think this has to be a YT bug, I was expecting more like 600K. This is an amazing, well produced, entertaining and informative content, the reason we have the internet. Well, the second reason, the first one shall not be named here.
Excellent demonstration; and it seemed like quite a challenge! I'm autistic. In my case, I'm not tone deaf, but I am tone stupid. I cannot discern any pitch correcting. I couldn't even when you had the "raw" and "fixed" takes in the beginning of the video. HOWEVER, I've been told by professionals that EVERYONE uses pitch correction, so we have to presume it is there, even if we can't tell it. I LIKE that I can't tell. That's a nice tune! I grew up in the 70s, so I'm old School: Boston, Bob Segar, Elton John, Queen, Bruce Springsteen... that era. But this is nice. I have heard Al Yankovic and to me, your voice sounds a LOT like his. It works for this genre. All good wishes. I subscribed.
Thanks for subscribing! I appreciate the kind words. Nowadays pitch correction is extremely common, but not everyone uses it. It really comes down to the genre. In Pop and Hip-Hop it's almost always used, in Rock music it's sometimes used, and in indie/lofi it's rarely used.
This is awesome, Spencer! Thank you so much for giving your insight on this subject and your workflow. I tried to watch this in the background while I was working, but I had to eventually give it my full attention because there's so much good information. How do you feel like Antares' features compare to Logic's stock pitch correction/flex pitch editing?
First, cuddos to Sarah! That was courageous ❤. Second, great job from your side to write a song and arrangement that suits her perfectly. But to be fair, she naturally doesn’t have a bad pitch. I heard way worse! Pitch was and still is my Achilles heel. I don’t have Autotune, I use VariAudio (Cubase). But I try to use it as less as possible. And I have to say, I started homerecording only 3 years ago and the more I record the better my pitch gets 🤗
You are the highlight of my day. You are so talented and your music is simple and beautiful. So much inspiration! BTW: your voice, at least in this song, reminded me a bit of Death Cab for Cutie
Absolutely incredible work! The song is really lovely! There are a few times when there's just a sort of synth tone quality to the voice where the autocorrect kicks in, but with the rest of the instruments in the arrangement and their tone, it creates a very cohesive feeling. Someone in the comments said it reminded them a bit of Owl City, definitely has that really sweet, pop vibe where the voices have a dreamy, almost synth-like quality. So the autotune feels more like a it's creating a tonal element rather than pitch correction usage here, brilliantly done!
Absolutely you can hear it. Not only does it make you both sound more in tune, but it takes away the humaness in your voice. It's sad what autoune and pitch correction has done to the music industry and how it's being abused by record companies. Next, with AI, they won't even need bad singers to make pop music. All technically modified music should require a label. Some of us still appreciate great singers in all their natural glory and humanity.
Great video. Just stumbled across your channel. Well done. As for can I tell autotune was used, absolutely I can tell. It isn't just the "T-Pain stound" that gives it away, that is the obvious tell that most people can hear. Autotune also turns the voice into an artificial computer generated sounding voice the second it takes over. For me, autotune is blatantly obvious in every song I hear it in, usually within the first few seconds of it kicking in. For me, it is the change in voice tone that gives it away faster than the artificial up and down pitch correction.
While I don't have any interest in autotune, I just wanted to leave my first comment here so that you have a better chance of seeing it since it is your latest video. I recently tripped across your videos and I have watched multiple. They kept getting recommended to me, and I kept coming back. The way you put your videos together in such a way that you legitimately show the layering of each thing added is a breath of fresh air when it comes to youtube, at least for me. In my experience, much of this process is only half there, where with your content, it feels like 90% is shown. It gives me a better bigger picture view instead of surface level and then 'bam completed work in your face'. You have shown many creative ways of going about music production that I just never considered before. "For real", "Honestly", "I'm telling you", could be used as expressions to preface a comment of praise, but it doesn't really send the message home. Rather than being cookie cutter, this is instead me trying to be bluntly positive. Your content is helping me further my ability to visualize my path moving forward in music writing. I already have a decent groundwork, but this is an enhancement to it. And I truly believe that if you keep up this great work, it will continue to help inspire myself and many others. I finally went to subscribe today, and I just assumed that you would have had way more subscribers than you do currently. You will go far. This is just me long windedly thanking you for the hard work you are putting into your content. I look forward to seeing more. Cheers.
That was damn interesting, I honestly just did beats the last 2 years. Now I try to learn how to sing for like 3 months and its a entirely new thing. Could you show the entire vocal chain in a video? I really have problems with mixing vocals "correctly".
How did you do the harmonies? My voice is also not perfect and has no timber. I've been looking for years for help. I cannot find a good backup vocal for me. I've tried melodyne and it says it's on pitch but the backups sound terrible and fake. Yours with Sara sounded very acceptable. Can you help?
I always record my harmonies separately. In other words, I don't use software to artificially make a harmony. Instead, I figure out the harmony, I record it, and if needed I'll tighten it up with Pitch Correction. Hope that helps!
I can tell the autotune parts, but only because I heard the original without autotuning. If I were just listening to this post-production, I wouldn't be able to tell.
This is a great video! As someone who has produced some hits you've probably heard, when knowing I was going to need auto tune anyway, I'd just arm the plug in in recording not going to tape, and let them hear what it was doing to their voice. They'd self correct until the take was good and then I'd use the graph to make the real changes.
Just subscribed and this is my 3rd video. Wow! I'm loving your channel.... From production quality, humor, and educational bits. Wish I could like each video twice 💯
I am against Autotune and here's why: Using it deprives a singer of singing the take correctly on their own. Most decent singers can hit the pitches they need to hit, but they may need multiple takes. We have become so chary of spending more time in the studio than absolutely necessary that we essentially make every production all about post production, using bits and pieces of a singer's performance all pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle, rather than letting full takes of verses and choruses permit the singer to truly interpret the material. Our digital tools have come to overwhelm the personality and uniqueness of each singer.
In my opinion, I don't think it's bad. Sure, people using it without real talent is a little bit misleading and just an easy way to become popular without doing anything. But I think you bare minimum need to be able to hit some notes and learn. I like people who are authentic.
Unfortunately, you’re the only person who doesn’t use it as much as it isn’t needed. Autotune isn’t necessary but in many situations pitch correction is
Here's the take on just using auto tune post production. It saves on how much money the label spends on the artist trying take after take to get it right and some may never do it in that session and have to come back the next day costing more money. I'm sure the artist feels cheated bc the producer says "great take, we'll just fix some minor issues in post" rather than getting the chance to get it right. Such is the cruel world of the music business.
great video! I've always been against auto tune for my lead vocals, but I think it's best use is for getting back up vocal harmonies tight. People should work on improving their voice instead of cheating otherwise you will find yourself sounding horrible when you have to sing live without Autotune. Bon Jovi is a perfect example. when you hear those unbelievably tight harmonies in a lot of country music, that's auto tune, and it actually sounds too perfect to me. I've noticed that a lot of hip hop and rap artists can't get by without it. I guess anyone can be a singer now!
I agree with all your points. Autotune does not replace the need to practice and improve your voice. It's just a tool. The way I see it, an artist should be able to play their music on Acoustic instruments and have it sound good. Too many people use it as a crutch nowadays.
I agree. AutoTune is a tool, like EQ and compressor. I’m curious of how you “doubled” her voice in the chorus. And your process of mixing vocals in general.
No, auto tune is not a tool like EQ and compression. Auto tune makes something that sounds bad sound good. EQ and compression just makes what sounds good sound better. How about somebody who just comes in and doesn't tune their guitar and says screw it just auto tune it bc I'm too lazy to tune it myself? Hmm? Same difference with singers. If you're too lazy to work on your pitchiness then you don't deserve to be recording an album or you just deserve for it to have all your pitchyness on full display. The pursuit for perfection is getting ridiculous.
From your newest subscriber: I never knew recording was so hard until my friend and I created an album of busking songs. I just wish we had your talent, and ability to turn the mundane into something spectacular... well done, and Kudos to Sara; it take a lot of guts to do what she did, and the experience is more than a little humbling.
You can do it! It just takes time and practice. I actually made a course that covers everything you need to know to get started recording, if you're interested. It's called Spare Bedroom Studio, and you can check it out at www.sparebedroomstudio.com
You're right, autotune is "just another tool in the toolbox" . . when used to polish up a few distracting off notes in an otherwise good take, I'm all for it. That said, I'm sorry to see it overused these days, "correcting" the life and character out of perfectly good performances, all in the name of "perfection"
Absolutely amazing! Are you sure you never had a stake in one of these unreal Bad Lip Reading productions? As I was close to losing belief in myself to ever learn how to making music on my own, this video truly made my day. Thank you so much for making and sharing...
So glad to help! You can make definitely make music on your own. I actually have a course that teaches all the basics if you're interested! www.sparebedroomstudio.com
as a classically trained choral singer who did pop music in my college a cappella group, my very biased view is that autotune should rarely be used because there are people out there working hard on their intonation, and autotune is a shortcut to sounding good on a track without doing that work. and as you've proven in this video, it's not hard to autotune "bad" singers but still keep it sounding natural. but i'm also torn because when my a cappella group recorded our covers, we were slightly autotuned, and i was fine with that because i saw the recordings as a "perfect version" of the song that would commemorate the arrangement and the group's sound. there are some live performances of my group that i don't listen to because they're out of tune, but i can listen to our recordings over and over. also, a cappella was supposed to be a fun thing we did outside of classes, so we can't be expected to sound like pentatonix or the kings singers. i guess the truth is that no one wants to listen to someone singing or harmonizing out of tune, regardless of the type of music, so you're right that autotune makes singing more accessible. it also makes recordings more pleasant to listen to. i don't like that pop music is sometimes more about the artist's image than the sound, and the goal is to sell the most albums, streams, concert tickets, etc...but that's just the reality of the industry.
My opinion on Autotune has changed quite a bit over the past few years. I really don't like it. It's a great tool to fix the occasional note but people use it on everything. They use technology to make every aspect of the recording "perfect" and in doing so they completely strip the heart and soul out of the recording. My biggest gripe with modern music is it's too perfect. I like when a singer has moments that are slightly out of key, or a drum fill that's a little off time, or a guitar chord that comes in a little too late. Those little imperfections are what make it sound human and give it personality. When everything sounds perfect there's nothing left to distinguish your sound from anyone else's. I actually did a full video about this, called "The Secret To A Perfect Recording".
Humans are tool users! You are a master of these musical tools and its so fun to hear what you're able to create. Sarah did amazing to put herself out there, and the final product is as good as any pop song you hear today
Spencer, love the direction of your channel. Inspiring me to get back to the grind and make content. Feel honored to have known you in the burg and am excited for you to do big things. Cheers. -Austin
Firstly, absolutely fantastic. Sarah did a great job and she should be really proud of her performance. Both of you in fact. Both you and Sarah sounded great for non-trained or non-experienced singers. To answer the question of the YT title, "Can autotune make someone sound great", the answer is yes and no. Sounded great for an achievement but in no way can it compete with professional singers with years of professional experience and with the help of autotune. I think what both your voice and Sarah's voice was missing was the natural vibrato which is possible to simulate with Melodyne but it's not perfect and takes a hell of a long time to add in correctly in all the phrases. Maybe with more time for editing? Remember, Billie Eilish, one of her songs was made up of thousands of cuts on every syllable to make her voice sound record ready. Good job guys. Really, well done. Bravo 👏🏼
Wow. Great job. I don't think Autotune can really make up for a singer with a great voice (tone and great performance), but if there's a note that isn't quite right, sometimes easier to fix it than re-do the track. Bad singers with every note on pitch can be passable, but not great if the excitement of a good performance isn't there.
Most professional singers in the Pop and Hip-Hop world use some sort of pitch correction on their recordings. In other genres like Rock and Indie, it's 50/50. If it's super polished then they almost surely use pitch correction. If it's more raw then they probably don't use pitch correction.
Thanks for a great video and a great song! And I have a question. Can smb record a song without tuning vocals? Maybe it's better to find someone who can sing at the pitch
Thanks for watching! I almost never tune my vocals unless I absolutely have to. Instead I'll do a bunch of takes until I get that magic take that is both in pitch and emotionally on point. I think autotune should only be used to fix the occasional note.
I can hear the pitch correction immediately. I don't think it's just another tool - it creates a sound that even the most accurate singers can't copy. It's being organic & unique, with a story to tell, that makes a great singer so captivating. Pitch correction is turning a singer into a piano note. If I hear pitch correction or auto tune now, which is often, I turn it off. I'm not hearing the actual singer. However, your friend will hopefully now want to start singing & get some lessons. Singers need to know that pitch correction can never be copied by the human voice - it's a computer rendition.
![Coheed and Cambria - Searching for Tomorrow [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDsYGLbmadg/mqdefault.jpg)
If you’re looking to take your music production skills to the next level, check out my course, Spare Bedroom Studio!
It’ll teach you everything you need to know to start recording your music at home. Join our community and start your journey today! www.sparebedroomstudio.com 🎤✨
A.I. Can do way more than anyone of us. Forget Autotunes learn A.I.
Spencer, you've reached such a high level that I believe the only thing left to happen is for you to be discovered by the right people. Please do not underestimate your experience. There are many people who can benefit positively from it. Each of your videos is always a new discovery, and only a few channels give me that!
Thank you so much, Paulo! Comments like these are so important and they really give me the inspiration to keep going.
When I first discovered spencer, I was chocked at the subscription and views COUNT.
I LITERALLY YELLED: HOW COME???
@@leocdmsFR
Cuddos to Sarah to put up with you on that one! It takes guts, it really does. I seem to recall voice lessons also emphasizing on the emotions behind a song, it'd be an interesting comparison to hear her again after a bit of voice training.
Meanwhile, I am wondering how tou decide to layout your songs, not only the skeleton, but also how long sentences, when do fills etc... I've decided to go lyrics first for the songs this channel inspired me to write (2 so far!).
Keep writing and keep jamming, you can do it! And I want to also give Kudos to Sara for being open to this. She was awesome and such a good sport.
Sara was great. And yeah takes big guts when you don’t have a voice. She already sounds kinda nice
It's a crime that you have less than 10K followers with your entertaining, educational, and fun videos!
Thank you, Spencer! I am no musician, knows nothing about making music, yet I found your videos inspiring and incredibly fun to watch!.
Okay, then I'm gonna follow him.
He’s got 20K now 👍
@@gangiolini6201 awesome! He deserves it 😁
It's tough to say whether I would be able to detect the Auto-tune use here. It's pretty subtle. I was hoping the experiment would feature an ear-splittingly BAD singer, like Lucy Ricardo. Sarah's actually pretty good, considering her lack of experience, so the end product is good too. I would love it if this experiment of yours won you and her a Grammy.
Sarah's tone isn't bad by any means, and with some training she could definitely be a great singer. I think a lot of people assume "studio magic" can make anyone sound good. However, if you have a terrible tone, all the studio magic in the world isn't going to help.
That's the power of manual tune
@@songsbyspencerthat’s a thing that annoys me - I love heavy use of autotune like Playboi and yeat etc and people think u can deliver a bad take and autotune will produce a good sound , it’s the opposite in m6 experience - use heavy autotune and the take has to be damn near perfect to sound good in that style, using it subtly to make someone sound like a better natural singer like you did here and the take can be worse imo, hope that’s makes sense to anyone reading haha
@@ShillyBears1 Makes absolute sense to me. I would much rather hear a song with autotune being over done to fulfill an artistic decision. I hate it however when a producer tries to 'trick' me by attempting subtle changes to make a singer sound perfect. For me, autotune is so obvious in every song I hear it in that I usually will turn the song off unless it is being used as a creative element. Producers think they are hiding it by being subtle but there are a lot of us out here that can hear it every time it is used. You aren't fooling everyone. Personally, I long for the days (I'm a 70's kid) where musicians actually had the talent to sing or play what was on the album without needing a computer or earpiece to keep them in tune or fix a poor performance after the fact.
@@opiegonebad58 Yep, they think by setting the tolerance slightly higher or lower, or by moving the voice just flat or sharp of the actual note, they can trick the listener. You might fool people who were born after 2000 (certainly post 2010) because they really haven't heard any non-processed music so their entire reference is autotuned or pitch corrected vocals. They actually think "that's what singers sound like" which is why they're the ones on YT praising all these "bedroom singers" who record, correct, process, and then "perform" the track, with a mic and headphones as if they're singing "live" and that's the uploaded vocal you can hear. It's not real and yet you can't explain to these people that it's not, because they're incapable of understanding it. I'm so glad that I bought and own physical copies of original works because one day, all recorded music will be subjected to such processing and that's all that will be available.
Pretty much sums up modern music. A label writes a bunch of banal lyrics, sets them to a highly algorithmic "melody" and then pays crap singers to act like they can carry a tune. Give me CCR, Fleetwood Mac or Steely Dan any day over this type of music. That said, you and the singer did a great job illustrating the point.
social media following is more important than the music at this point
erm
This really gave me some owl city vibes haha. There were a few times I felt I could really hear the auto tune through my iPhone speakers haha. But other than that it’s just her tone I’m not a fan of, do we have an auto tone? All that being said for someone who’s untrained and inexperienced she did amazing!
Your video editing is GREAT! You lay things out in a very easy to understand and logical way.
The fact that this quality of production and edit can be done ba a channel that has less than 10k subscribers. Awesome work there spencer
It truly is a labor of love. I literally write, shoot, and edit everything myself. Hoping to turn it into a full time job at some point!
The short answer is that Autotune (and Melodyne) can make a bad singer TOLERABLE, in that it can make it so that if said singer stays within a very narrow range of notes, then their voice is acceptable enough to where it won’t get in the way of a good instrumental or ruin a good vocal melody (see CHVRCHES, Capital Cities, and Carly Rae Jepsen for examples of how singers with very weak vocal ranges can still make good songs, with the pitch correction compensating for their weaknesses as singers). However, Autotune/Melodyne is NOT a talent replacer, largely because if your notes sound REALLY off, it still won’t sound good…
They won't make a bad singer a good singer. But they can make a good singer a great singer. That is how pros use it.
@@icarus8471
Which is disgusting. -_-
You know, by "average non-professional" standard I think she actually has a really nice voice
She does! At least better than me
Same
Certainly not a bad singer by any means. She can clearly hold a note
I was thinking the same.
Yeah
These lyrics had me rolling. "But only find a void of empty space with constellations that don't look like they're names." Gold!
I figured I'd be literal rather than metaphorical!
yea man killer stuff really... i mean it has a bubble gum sound but man its a hit tho
Void means empty space
Right!
Yes, I could tell auto-tune was there - but then I'm an amateur musician (a plus) wearing hearing aids (a negative). I loved the song and the outcome. Thank you.
Dude I love your teaching style. It's quick and to the point but entertaining all along the way, and the end product is always spectacular. I'm definitely looking forward to more videos!
A lot of auto tune songs really sound autotuned, but this doesn't. Well done.
this channel deserves millions of subscribers, just love your videos! keep it up.
Your videos are so entertaining, it's insane that you can make them and post so consistently without losing quality. Keep going, I'm sure one day you'll have big and positive community :)
That is the goal! Thank you so much for the support. I've got several more cool vids cooking!
@@songsbyspencer Can't wait to watch them!
@@songsbyspenceryou are so talented and I would like some advice.
Whenever I sing there’s like this sharp little random off pitch sound. Also it sounds like I’m using too much air. I can’t go too high with my voice without sounding like a squealing desperate pig. Any suggestions??
Spencer, she is a non-singer, not a bad singer, there is a difference, that I think matters in this production, which is awesome. I love your stuff and how you show the entire process. Keep it up!!!
I hope Sarah had a good experience and will be more interested in music. I believe in the local music communities. It's important that we make our own music. I think auto tune is acceptable for pop music when sparingly used. It's important when the voice is the main instrument. I don't think us rockers really need auto tune for our voices. Great video as ever!
Her voice has a nice sound which many people who can hit all the notes don't.
You need to do something with that song because it is a guaranteed hit! I loved it!!!! Yes, you made her sound good between the auto tune and layering her vocals. Ive seen them do this before on a girl that auditioned for American Idol. She was tone deaf poor girl but either AI or Inside Edition did an experiment by having her record a song and they used auto tune. The result was nothing short of amazing. What a difference! I think if auto tune was used properly, it's an excellent tool since not everyone is pitch perfect. Using it to deceive or cover up bad singing is dishonest, save for your experiment which had a great result. Is there a way to get a copy of this song? I know it was just an experiment but what a great song!
I appreciate the kind words! As of now the song isn't finished- but a lot of people are asking me to complete it so I'm going to have to one of these days.
@songsbyspencer I hope you do complete it and release it. I would gladly pay for a copy! Yes, the song is that good!
I love the side eye from Spencer!
And what a brave person going all in. Kudos to you Sarah.
I’m sure it feels safer with someone like Spencer at the controls.
Thank you so much for watching!
Spencer, I really enjoy the clear and concise way you explain the logic behind music, harmony and technology and bring it all together. Appropriate use of technology can be a huge time saver and "fix" little errors that most of us make (and endure). Well done on a great channel.
Thanks!
Anyone who has ever seen Madonna live must assume that Auto Tune has existed for a long time.
I think the first instance of pitch correction on a vocal recording was Cher's "Believe", which came out in 1998. I'm not sure when it was first utilized in live performances, but it's pretty common nowadays.
Hello Spencer:
My opinion is: if it gives people joy and love for music, I don't care whatever plugin you use!
Just as long as some don't underestimate what huge amount of work professional singers put into their careers it's wonderful.
Stay humble and have fun!
Amazing! You really have mastered the craft of writing and mixing music.
How do you make your vocal comps sound like one take? My takes always sound different whether its the room dynamics or how far/close to the singer is to the microphone. Maybe i just need a better acoustically treated room? 🤔
Go Spencer great channel, you're helping me and many others.
I have ptsd and like hundred songs and I am slowly rebuilding my catalogue and confidence.
You remind me how easy it is to lay parts down.
You just do it.
I love the way it came out. You blended it really well
Thanks so much 😊
Great stuff man. You explain things well. That song is a hit!
Holy cow this song sounds very original. I love it. It’s a shame I can’t find it anywhere but here. I would literally add it to my playlist if it was on iTunes.
I recorded back before autotune and once sang one line fourteen times to get it right. I guess I could make a case for either way. There is however no substitute for hard work and determination to get it right. Great video!!!
Thanks, Jim! I usually record 5-6 takes and create a combination of the best moments from each. Then (and only then), I'll use pitch correction to fix the occasional note. Most of the time however, I don't have to use it!
I absolutely object to singers who can't hold a decent note, and never could, becoming millionaires via AutoTune. (I worked in the country music industry in Nashville, and I know of at least three who match this description.)
I do NOT object to an older entertainer, who USED to be able to sing well, using AutoTune as a help in their old age.
If you can't sing, please don't become a singer for a living. There are too many supremely talented people who are more deserving of their big break.
I too live in Nashville and agree with you. Hearing great singers down on Broadway with no auto tune is where you find the real talent. Not some recorded demo somebody sends with tons of effects and auto tune on it.
If you use autotune or pitch correction, it should be against the law not clearly tell the listener. -_-
This content is amazing! so well written and produced. I bet you will reach 100K very soon. I'll share it with my friends to help a bit
Thank you so much for the support, I really appreciate it!
Such a cool concept-well done, both of you!
Thank you so much!
😮. I’m glad I stumble across you when I was looking into working my auto tune better. Wow it really gives me the hope in mastering my tools and getting way better at this. Felt like I found a quest item and can finally turn in the quest to “unlock” more parts of the “game!”
i am very surprised your channel isn't bigger, this video was awesome. i remember the prevalent narrative about autotune, especially when i was younger in regards to pop music, was that it was only for hacks to hide a lack of skill, but i've learned you'll always be able to hear when someone has actual technical ability vs someone who is hitting the right notes.
in my personal experience as someone who likes singing, having access to tools like melodyne is a HUGE time saver for vocal takes where only the pitch needs a little help. it saves me from having to slice together tens of vocal takes in hopes the comp will be passable and it also saves my voice a lot of effort. i still really appreciate the art of a live performance and will always respect being able to listen to someone vocally competent absolutely crush it live. i don't mind hearing a bit of autotune or pitch correction in a final track if the result is good.
That was cool. Tools are there for using and an aid to being creative. In the bad old days we used to cover up pitch anomalies with tasty reverb. I found if I cant sing a certain song without a mic if I mic it up and use reverb I can usually get away with it. This is another level though!
found your channel tonight as youtube recommendation through the writing chorus video from 3 days ago, subscribed, and now I am down a rabbit whole. LOVE these. As an old metal guy you have great layman's terms examples and explanations anyone can understand. I am a fan
Thank you so much for the kind words and for subscribing!
Auto-Tune: A highly sophisticated piece of audio processing software that lets talentless singers sound like talentless robots.
You told em
This is the reason I listen to music from the 60’s through early 80’s when artists actually had talent!!
Are there any modern artists you listen to? I'd say that the majority of successful artists nowadays are extremely talented, but the modern production style makes it harder to appreciate since everything sounds so polished.
@@songsbyspencer not really!im 59 years old so what I grew up on is still what i listen to.no pop!no pop country!classic rock and great country music from 60’s-80’s.there is a few country artists or I might say blues country outlaw country that are newer like drake white Cody jinks creed fisher Jamey Johnson of course who can’t like Chris Stapleton
This song is actually really good. It's better than a lot of celebrity garbage out there right now. Great job. 👍
Thanks!
Amazing content, and I love the thoughtful takeaway near the end of each video. More please!
Really enjoying your videos, watching your process, and learning some things along the way 👍🏽
I admit that I absolutely hate even the slightest bit of autotune. My attitude is, if you can’t sing, then don’t! And if you need vocals, hire a real singer. Or get a friend who can sing. Just do not use auto tune ever.
im gonna be completely honest this is a bit of a stupid take in so sorry 💀 if you're talking about the singers who literally can't sing then yeah I agree just don't sing then but if you're talking about ALL singers who use it, that's kinda insane because some of the most gifted vocalists alive such as Beyonce, Ariana Grande, lady gaga, etcetera use it. we've heard them sing with noic no autotune nothing and they sound amazing obviously but obviously there's gonna be times where they miss a note or all flat on a note so on official recordings obviously they're gonna use a small amount of autotune so you can't hear that. that doesn't take away from their immense talent though. with your logic, Beyonce can't sing cause she uses autotune. with your logic there's not a famous singer alive, or even just a singer who makes official music alive that can sing
As a music producer, I knew this was possible, but I didn't know it can sound THAT good! 🔥🔥🔥
Glad you enjoyed it!
You make everything look very simple, as if everyone could do it. That is what sets you apart, you are an inspiration to people like me who write and record their own songs. Your skill in music and video is amazing. You deserve to have a RUclips channel with millions of followers.
But I think there are maybe not so many of us here but good ones... congratulations to you and Sara and keep up the good work. Greetings from Italy.
I'm from INDIA.🇮🇳 & I'm Glad that i found your channel. Much love Spen-sir.❤
Thanks for the love! 🙏
@songsbyspencer More Power to u 🔥🌟
That was impressive! The first time I heard auto-tune was when me and my business partner dropped a car off that we sold this kid over in Tallahassee FL. His named Faheem Najm. He and his buddies had some kind of keyboard/mixing setup they were playing around with. A few months later, the sound these guys were messing around with, is all over the radio. Right after hearing this digital sounds of the songs being play on the radio we received a phone call from Faheem's brother Hakim Najm with a list of cars they would like for us to source for them. The brothers and their accountant mom all are super intelligent and genuine people!
That's a super cool story!
Its so cool that you can make an entire new song for teaching in a RUclips video.. amazing🔥
@@devavratchachad I appreciate that greatly! I take that approach in almost every video I do. It’s a lot of work but it makes the content in the video much easier to apply for the viewer.
@@songsbyspencer thankyou.. its really great work 👏 subbed instantly!
I was wondering if you had another RUclips channel before or how you are so good at making videos, but that makes sense now knowing you own amd run a video production company! As always, such a great video!
1 Props to Sarah
2 Nice music track
3 Lyrics worked for this exercise, but were a little painful
4 Great demo of AT application
5 This was very interesting
Thanks for all the feedback! Glad you found the video interesting.
It's never unnoticeable and singers being off slightly on pitch is what gives the song body.
There certainly are times where the average person wouldn't notice it, but I completely agree that the imperfections are a huge part of what gives the song character and humanity!
Hey man! This was AMAZING!
Is the song available to listen to anywhere? This is a huge 10/10.
If not, if possible, could you make a full version?
Appreciate you both for sharing your talents and taking your time to make this video!
I appreciate the support and I'm so glad you like the support. I need to finish the song! I only made this short version for this video. One of these days I'll finish it!
6K subscribers?! I think this has to be a YT bug, I was expecting more like 600K. This is an amazing, well produced, entertaining and informative content, the reason we have the internet. Well, the second reason, the first one shall not be named here.
This type of video is ancient. Not surprised it didn’t get more traction. Sorry.
Excellent demonstration; and it seemed like quite a challenge! I'm autistic. In my case, I'm not tone deaf, but I am tone stupid. I cannot discern any pitch correcting. I couldn't even when you had the "raw" and "fixed" takes in the beginning of the video. HOWEVER, I've been told by professionals that EVERYONE uses pitch correction, so we have to presume it is there, even if we can't tell it. I LIKE that I can't tell. That's a nice tune! I grew up in the 70s, so I'm old School: Boston, Bob Segar, Elton John, Queen, Bruce Springsteen... that era. But this is nice. I have heard Al Yankovic and to me, your voice sounds a LOT like his. It works for this genre. All good wishes. I subscribed.
Thanks for subscribing! I appreciate the kind words. Nowadays pitch correction is extremely common, but not everyone uses it. It really comes down to the genre. In Pop and Hip-Hop it's almost always used, in Rock music it's sometimes used, and in indie/lofi it's rarely used.
Autotune takes the beauty of a natural voice out and turns into into a mechanical voice.
This is awesome, Spencer! Thank you so much for giving your insight on this subject and your workflow. I tried to watch this in the background while I was working, but I had to eventually give it my full attention because there's so much good information. How do you feel like Antares' features compare to Logic's stock pitch correction/flex pitch editing?
First, cuddos to Sarah! That was courageous ❤. Second, great job from your side to write a song and arrangement that suits her perfectly. But to be fair, she naturally doesn’t have a bad pitch. I heard way worse!
Pitch was and still is my Achilles heel. I don’t have Autotune, I use VariAudio (Cubase). But I try to use it as less as possible. And I have to say, I started homerecording only 3 years ago and the more I record the better my pitch gets 🤗
Practice makes perfect!
I really like this content, you deliver it so well
Make me wanna go in the musical direction
You can do it!
You are the highlight of my day. You are so talented and your music is simple and beautiful. So much inspiration! BTW: your voice, at least in this song, reminded me a bit of Death Cab for Cutie
Thank you for the kind words and the support! It means so much. I've only heard a couple DCFC songs, I'll have to give them more of a listen!
@@songsbyspencer I love Transatlanticism!
i appreciated the effort from both of you well done
Thank you so much 😀
Absolutely incredible work! The song is really lovely! There are a few times when there's just a sort of synth tone quality to the voice where the autocorrect kicks in, but with the rest of the instruments in the arrangement and their tone, it creates a very cohesive feeling. Someone in the comments said it reminded them a bit of Owl City, definitely has that really sweet, pop vibe where the voices have a dreamy, almost synth-like quality. So the autotune feels more like a it's creating a tonal element rather than pitch correction usage here, brilliantly done!
Absolutely you can hear it. Not only does it make you both sound more in tune, but it takes away the humaness in your voice. It's sad what autoune and pitch correction has done to the music industry and how it's being abused by record companies. Next, with AI, they won't even need bad singers to make pop music. All technically modified music should require a label. Some of us still appreciate great singers in all their natural glory and humanity.
I'd rather listen to a skilled singer with naturally good voice any day of the week.
@@johnsmith-es7zk
I'd rather listen to an almost bad singer than an electronic one. Brr
Great video. Just stumbled across your channel. Well done. As for can I tell autotune was used, absolutely I can tell. It isn't just the "T-Pain stound" that gives it away, that is the obvious tell that most people can hear. Autotune also turns the voice into an artificial computer generated sounding voice the second it takes over. For me, autotune is blatantly obvious in every song I hear it in, usually within the first few seconds of it kicking in. For me, it is the change in voice tone that gives it away faster than the artificial up and down pitch correction.
This guy is GOATED for showing us this.
Honestly, with just a little work on diction and delivery, with the correct marketing. This girl could be a popstar.
While I don't have any interest in autotune, I just wanted to leave my first comment here so that you have a better chance of seeing it since it is your latest video.
I recently tripped across your videos and I have watched multiple. They kept getting recommended to me, and I kept coming back. The way you put your videos together in such a way that you legitimately show the layering of each thing added is a breath of fresh air when it comes to youtube, at least for me. In my experience, much of this process is only half there, where with your content, it feels like 90% is shown. It gives me a better bigger picture view instead of surface level and then 'bam completed work in your face'.
You have shown many creative ways of going about music production that I just never considered before. "For real", "Honestly", "I'm telling you", could be used as expressions to preface a comment of praise, but it doesn't really send the message home. Rather than being cookie cutter, this is instead me trying to be bluntly positive. Your content is helping me further my ability to visualize my path moving forward in music writing. I already have a decent groundwork, but this is an enhancement to it. And I truly believe that if you keep up this great work, it will continue to help inspire myself and many others.
I finally went to subscribe today, and I just assumed that you would have had way more subscribers than you do currently. You will go far.
This is just me long windedly thanking you for the hard work you are putting into your content. I look forward to seeing more. Cheers.
This channel needs to be pushed!!! AWESOME!!!
That was damn interesting, I honestly just did beats the last 2 years. Now I try to learn how to sing for like 3 months and its a entirely new thing. Could you show the entire vocal chain in a video? I really have problems with mixing vocals "correctly".
Loved it. Since you showed us “behind the curtain” I think I could pick out auto tune a little better now. Super fun.
That was the goal!
bravo, very insightful and thanks for your effort
How did you do the harmonies? My voice is also not perfect and has no timber. I've been looking for years for help. I cannot find a good backup vocal for me. I've tried melodyne and it says it's on pitch but the backups sound terrible and fake. Yours with Sara sounded very acceptable. Can you help?
I always record my harmonies separately. In other words, I don't use software to artificially make a harmony. Instead, I figure out the harmony, I record it, and if needed I'll tighten it up with Pitch Correction. Hope that helps!
I can tell the autotune parts, but only because I heard the original without autotuning. If I were just listening to this post-production, I wouldn't be able to tell.
This is a great video! As someone who has produced some hits you've probably heard, when knowing I was going to need auto tune anyway, I'd just arm the plug in in recording not going to tape, and let them hear what it was doing to their voice. They'd self correct until the take was good and then I'd use the graph to make the real changes.
That's a great tip! I'm going to try that.
This was very insightful ! Thanks for putting it out
Glad to help!
I just discovered you on a tuesday at 3am and I loved the video and your work! Greetings from Argentina! Keep the good work!
Will do! Thank you so much for watching, it means a lot.
Excellent Spencer...you nailed it and thanks for the inspirational words
Just subscribed and this is my 3rd video. Wow! I'm loving your channel.... From production quality, humor, and educational bits. Wish I could like each video twice 💯
Wow, thank you!
I am against Autotune and here's why: Using it deprives a singer of singing the take correctly on their own. Most decent singers can hit the pitches they need to hit, but they may need multiple takes. We have become so chary of spending more time in the studio than absolutely necessary that we essentially make every production all about post production, using bits and pieces of a singer's performance all pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle, rather than letting full takes of verses and choruses permit the singer to truly interpret the material. Our digital tools have come to overwhelm the personality and uniqueness of each singer.
In my opinion, I don't think it's bad. Sure, people using it without real talent is a little bit misleading and just an easy way to become popular without doing anything. But I think you bare minimum need to be able to hit some notes and learn. I like people who are authentic.
If you are not a good singer..this is heaven sent to someone who loves to sing but is not good..just my humble opinion.
Unfortunately, you’re the only person who doesn’t use it as much as it isn’t needed. Autotune isn’t necessary but in many situations pitch correction is
And most just don’t care and autotune will continue.
Here's the take on just using auto tune post production. It saves on how much money the label spends on the artist trying take after take to get it right and some may never do it in that session and have to come back the next day costing more money. I'm sure the artist feels cheated bc the producer says "great take, we'll just fix some minor issues in post" rather than getting the chance to get it right. Such is the cruel world of the music business.
great video! I've always been against auto tune for my lead vocals, but I think it's best use is for getting back up vocal harmonies tight. People should work on improving their voice instead of cheating otherwise you will find yourself sounding horrible when you have to sing live without Autotune. Bon Jovi is a perfect example. when you hear those unbelievably tight harmonies in a lot of country music, that's auto tune, and it actually sounds too perfect to me. I've noticed that a lot of hip hop and rap artists can't get by without it. I guess anyone can be a singer now!
I agree with all your points. Autotune does not replace the need to practice and improve your voice. It's just a tool. The way I see it, an artist should be able to play their music on Acoustic instruments and have it sound good. Too many people use it as a crutch nowadays.
I agree. AutoTune is a tool, like EQ and compressor.
I’m curious of how you “doubled” her voice in the chorus. And your process of mixing vocals in general.
No, auto tune is not a tool like EQ and compression. Auto tune makes something that sounds bad sound good. EQ and compression just makes what sounds good sound better.
How about somebody who just comes in and doesn't tune their guitar and says screw it just auto tune it bc I'm too lazy to tune it myself? Hmm? Same difference with singers. If you're too lazy to work on your pitchiness then you don't deserve to be recording an album or you just deserve for it to have all your pitchyness on full display. The pursuit for perfection is getting ridiculous.
This is a great video… Very informative high-quality production. You do a great job! I hope you get more subscribers. I enjoy your channel.
Thanks for watching! It means a lot.
Nice job, dude! You deserve way more subs.
From your newest subscriber:
I never knew recording was so hard until my friend and I created an album of busking songs.
I just wish we had your talent, and ability to turn the mundane into something spectacular... well done, and Kudos to Sara; it take a lot of guts to do what she did, and the experience is more than a little humbling.
You can do it! It just takes time and practice. I actually made a course that covers everything you need to know to get started recording, if you're interested. It's called Spare Bedroom Studio, and you can check it out at www.sparebedroomstudio.com
You're right, autotune is "just another tool in the toolbox" . . when used to polish up a few distracting off notes in an otherwise good take, I'm all for it. That said, I'm sorry to see it overused these days, "correcting" the life and character out of perfectly good performances, all in the name of "perfection"
Awesome bro! Thanks for the demo!
So glad to help!
Absolutely amazing! Are you sure you never had a stake in one of these unreal Bad Lip Reading productions? As I was close to losing belief in myself to ever learn how to making music on my own, this video truly made my day. Thank you so much for making and sharing...
So glad to help! You can make definitely make music on your own. I actually have a course that teaches all the basics if you're interested!
www.sparebedroomstudio.com
Your videos are so good...do you have any suggestions on improving a voice or suggestions for lessons online?
Ha that was so much fun, she did great !
Kudos to Sarah! That’s takes some courage to put yourself out there for this experiment. She needs a bonus.
She's the best!
as a classically trained choral singer who did pop music in my college a cappella group, my very biased view is that autotune should rarely be used because there are people out there working hard on their intonation, and autotune is a shortcut to sounding good on a track without doing that work. and as you've proven in this video, it's not hard to autotune "bad" singers but still keep it sounding natural.
but i'm also torn because when my a cappella group recorded our covers, we were slightly autotuned, and i was fine with that because i saw the recordings as a "perfect version" of the song that would commemorate the arrangement and the group's sound. there are some live performances of my group that i don't listen to because they're out of tune, but i can listen to our recordings over and over. also, a cappella was supposed to be a fun thing we did outside of classes, so we can't be expected to sound like pentatonix or the kings singers.
i guess the truth is that no one wants to listen to someone singing or harmonizing out of tune, regardless of the type of music, so you're right that autotune makes singing more accessible. it also makes recordings more pleasant to listen to. i don't like that pop music is sometimes more about the artist's image than the sound, and the goal is to sell the most albums, streams, concert tickets, etc...but that's just the reality of the industry.
My opinion on Autotune has changed quite a bit over the past few years. I really don't like it. It's a great tool to fix the occasional note but people use it on everything. They use technology to make every aspect of the recording "perfect" and in doing so they completely strip the heart and soul out of the recording. My biggest gripe with modern music is it's too perfect.
I like when a singer has moments that are slightly out of key, or a drum fill that's a little off time, or a guitar chord that comes in a little too late. Those little imperfections are what make it sound human and give it personality. When everything sounds perfect there's nothing left to distinguish your sound from anyone else's. I actually did a full video about this, called "The Secret To A Perfect Recording".
@@songsbyspencer i agree! i love those imperfections too esp in a live performance. i'll be sure to watch that video and let you know what i think!
Humans are tool users! You are a master of these musical tools and its so fun to hear what you're able to create. Sarah did amazing to put herself out there, and the final product is as good as any pop song you hear today
Spencer, love the direction of your channel. Inspiring me to get back to the grind and make content. Feel honored to have known you in the burg and am excited for you to do big things. Cheers. -Austin
Your key drum skillz are awesome.
Thanks! This song was actually one of the harder ones to nail. Rock drums are easier for me than pop, believe it or not!
New sub here! That was a really great track with a really great hook. Nice 👌
Thanks! It's not my typical genre that I work in but it was fun. I love me some upbeat pop from time to time.
Firstly, absolutely fantastic. Sarah did a great job and she should be really proud of her performance. Both of you in fact.
Both you and Sarah sounded great for non-trained or non-experienced singers.
To answer the question of the YT title, "Can autotune make someone sound great", the answer is yes and no. Sounded great for an achievement but in no way can it compete with professional singers with years of professional experience and with the help of autotune.
I think what both your voice and Sarah's voice was missing was the natural vibrato which is possible to simulate with Melodyne but it's not perfect and takes a hell of a long time to add in correctly in all the phrases.
Maybe with more time for editing? Remember, Billie Eilish, one of her songs was made up of thousands of cuts on every syllable to make her voice sound record ready.
Good job guys. Really, well done. Bravo 👏🏼
Wow. Great job. I don't think Autotune can really make up for a singer with a great voice (tone and great performance), but if there's a note that isn't quite right, sometimes easier to fix it than re-do the track. Bad singers with every note on pitch can be passable, but not great if the excitement of a good performance isn't there.
What a beautiful job done! I am curious to know even professional singers doing their album they still need to auto tune during mixing, right?
Most professional singers in the Pop and Hip-Hop world use some sort of pitch correction on their recordings. In other genres like Rock and Indie, it's 50/50. If it's super polished then they almost surely use pitch correction. If it's more raw then they probably don't use pitch correction.
@@songsbyspencer thanks for your response. I subscribed your channel.
Thanks for a great video and a great song! And I have a question. Can smb record a song without tuning vocals? Maybe it's better to find someone who can sing at the pitch
Thanks for watching! I almost never tune my vocals unless I absolutely have to. Instead I'll do a bunch of takes until I get that magic take that is both in pitch and emotionally on point. I think autotune should only be used to fix the occasional note.
@@songsbyspencer I like your method. I gotta steal it :D
I can hear the pitch correction immediately. I don't think it's just another tool - it creates a sound that even the most accurate singers can't copy. It's being organic & unique, with a story to tell, that makes a great singer so captivating. Pitch correction is turning a singer into a piano note. If I hear pitch correction or auto tune now, which is often, I turn it off. I'm not hearing the actual singer. However, your friend will hopefully now want to start singing & get some lessons. Singers need to know that pitch correction can never be copied by the human voice - it's a computer rendition.
Another banger, keep up the good work, really cool system you have going for the channel!