Switch on the radio and listen to any pop station. What does nearly every song have in common? The use – and sometimes abuse – of voice correction software, most notably associated with T-Pain.
Voice correction tools were first introduced many years ago, but the dawn of the digital age and certain plug-ins have made it more precise, easier to use and cheaper, therefore making it more widespread.
Two of the most well-known producers of this software include Auto-Tune and Melodyne.
After musicians record in the studio, sound engineers have the ability to see the areas that were sung off-pitch and simply enter the desired correction to fix the mistake.
In recent years, the use of voice correction tools has exploded in the pop music industry, sparking a heated debate.
On the one hand, the software saves hours of time for musicians and sound engineers. Back in the “old days” many takes would be necessary in order to get the perfect sound.
If part of a song were sung off-pitch, singers would simply have to continue singing the part on different takes until they nailed it.
This could not only be very time consuming, but also took up a lot of space on analog tapes. In turn, this cost recording studios more money as well.
However, voice correction software has also had some negative effects on the music industry. As a result of mistakes being easily corrected, a wider margin of error is allowed, meaning singers do not necessarily have to be talented in order to sound that good.
Not only does that open up the music industry for performers who are more entrepreneurs than musicians, it can also make for disappointing concerts and ultimately, a more competitive industry.
With correction software as a safety net, “musicians” can actually be creative and attractive entrepreneurs who understand business.
Theoretically, studios could take any good-looking person with some creativity and business skills and make them a pop star (take Ke$ha for example). It seems a strange paradox that singing is no longer a skill requirement for having a successful career as a singer.
Correction software does its job very well by making people sound more talented than they actually are. In Ke$ha’s case, Saturday Night Live exposed her actual “singing skills.”
But this can be even more disappointing if people spend money on concert tickets to see an artist perform, only to disappointedly realize their money was wasted on an artist who became successful because of voice correction software.
Because talent is no longer a necessary skill, virtually anyone can record a song with the potential to become a chart-topper.
With the expansion of potential “musicians,” the music industry has become increasingly competitive.
The pressure mounts for songs to one-up each other in the catchiness and danceability components, causing pop songs to become increasingly blast-able and “in your face.”
Now that songs can be churned out quickly and singers can be made to sound perfect, success is becoming increasingly more difficult.
Ultimately, voice correction software is here and has made its impact. It has become deeply ingrained in the culture, but should it be used in the copious amounts that it currently is?
Though the software can be beneficial in some ways, it has changed the industry and has begun a slow shift away from truly talented musicians.
In time, consumers will likely begin to realize which musicians are mere entertainers – made great by the invention of voice correction software – and which musicians harbor genuine talent.
True talent must make a comeback sooner, rather than later.
– Sarah Creedican is an Oregon State U. freshman.