X-Factor and Autotune

[Chuffmeister]

I can't believe it's not better.

[Alarm]

I gave Britain's Got Talent a miss this year and I'll do the same for The X Factor. I would watch Factor 5, but they've closed down.

[Meow]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11056050


X Factor admits to vocal tweaks

X Factor contestants Gamu Nhengu, G&S and Shirleena Johnson audition

X Factor bosses have admitted using vocal enhancement processes on the ITV talent show.

Fans had claimed after the opening show that "autotuning" had been used to improve some contestants' voices.

It is used in recording studios to improve performances by correcting pitch and disguising off-key mistakes.

An X Factor spokesman said post-production work was necessary on the show due to the number of microphones used during filming.

"The judges make their decisions at the auditions stage based on what they hear on the day, live in the arena," the spokesman added.

"The footage and sound is then edited and dubbed into a finished programme, to deliver the most entertaining experience possible for viewers.

"When it gets to the live shows, it will be all live."

Fans took to The X Factor's internet forums after the show to voice their concerns.

The focus of the debate surrounded 18-year-old contestant Gamu Nhengu, who sang Katrina and the Waves' hit Walking On Sunshine.

After hearing her effort, judge Simon Cowell told her she was "really talented" before she was unanimously voted through to the next round.

But viewer Smstrat91 said: "Cannot believe they autotuned her, listen to the words 'door' and 'telephone' and it's very clear. She's so good as well, but obviously the producers of X Factor didn't think she was good enough."

The first episode of this year's series was watched by 11.1 million people, up from last year's figure of 9.9 million.

[Mqark]

Can their faces be autotuned as well?

[GigerPunk]

This is what autotune should be used for, not turtle fences or X-factor.

[betamax]

Simon Cowell- Ok, so the new series of X-Factor is nearly here, but we need a big talking point. Something really interesting that happens early on that people will talk about.

Marketing Flunky- How about a big controversy. People love arguing about controversial stuff, plus it hides the fact that what they're arguing about is inherently pointless and shit.

SC- I like your thinking. But it can't be too controversial. Something just controversial enough to kick up a fuss but not serious enough to actually matter.

MF- How about we auto-tune some of the early contestants a bit. Then we can orchestrate a media-induced shit-storm and just when it's at it's peak we can apologise, remove it and make a big deal about how it's all about the talent.

SC- Excellent, get this right and loads of people who wouldn't normally watch the show will tune into just to see what the fuss is about. But try to make sure the auto-tuning isn't too obvious. Have it so that most people won't even notice it. That way the people that do notice it can feel smug and superior and then both sides can argue about it.

MF- I'll get right on it.

SC- Have we sorted out the 'Anti-X-Factor Protest Single' yet? If we could make it a Curiosity Killed The Cat record that would be great as I still own the rights to them.

Quite right- it would be deplorable shit wether they tweaked the warbling or not. Let's not lose focus now.

[Darkflame]

meh, I prefer the comics myself

[Gorecki]

Big fuss about it in the paper this morning with the production team claiming some bollocks about the autotune only being applied at a 'post-production' stage to make the whole thing better for the television viewers, and that 'of course' the audience in the theatre and the judges got to hear the raw unprocessed vocals at the judging stage..

That sounds about right. I'm not an expert on auto-tune but I'm fairly certain that it's use is limited to post-production. Taking a live audio feed and adjusting it on the fly would require the software to be instantly aware of the note being performed and what note should be present in it's place at every single split second of the performance. Something that would be difficult enough on professional performers singing in perfect key and time, but practically impossible on someone that sounds like a drunk Mariah Carey in a tumble drier. The only time I've ever heard auto-tune on a live performance was on a stand-up comedy show, although if anyone else has some examples I'd like to hear them.


Also, auto-tune can be great.

[Meow]

meh, I prefer the comics myself

You should read the original comics at some point.

[venusian]

Realtime autotune wouldn't be rocket science. They've got the vocal separated off to a single input and the backing tracks are, potentially, all MIDIed up complete with vocal track data for the tuner. Not saying they did it, just that it could be done, IMO.

[gravy]

They bring their own CDs in though which'd make it impractical to do it realtime.

Not that I watch X Factor

[KidQuaalude]

It would be perfectly easy for them to use Autotune in real-time. You can set the key of the song, you do not need to send Autotune midi-notes for it to work (it is an option, though)

[phattslagg]

It would be a nightmare for them to do it realtime. Any deviation from the expected timing of the vocal line would surely result in a Cher-like 'bot voice, no?

On Radio4 this evening they had someone try to autotune one of the radio staff's pathetic attempt at singing, for which they had 20 minutes to try and fix it up. The results were terrible.

[KidQuaalude]

Timing has nothing to do with it. It doesn't correct rhythm, only pitch. Autotune can be set to be as extreme (think cher) or as unnoticable an effect as you'd like. The effectiveness of the effect could be controlled in real-time by an engineer easily.

[Darkflame]

meh, I prefer the comics myself

You should read the original comics at some point.

I plan too.
Probably should have started with them, but I kinda just dipped in and got hocked.