24 Feb 2008 12:33:29 | Michael Oliphant
Not all that long ago, record producers and engineers used to
spend long hours with singers in the studio making sure that
they got the best possible take of their performance. It was
very important to make sure that the singer sang everything in
tune and that there was no 'pitchiness' or parts of the melody
that were sung a little flat or sharp. This was critical for it
meant that when it came time to mix the track, there was simply
no way to correct a performance for pitch.
This all changed with the invention of pitch correction
software. Most studio recordings these days are done on what is
known as a 'DAW'. This stands for Digital Audio Workstation and
has become the standard throughout the music industry replacing
tape based multitrack machines. Because the process is entirely
digital it means that the recorded audio can be processed in
ways that most musicians never even dreamed of in years passed.
Remember when Cher had a huge hit with a song called 'Believe'?
That strange warbling effect on the vocal is actually created by
the pitch correction software. Someone discovered that by
setting it to over-correct it would actually produce a pleasing
effect. Like all these things it has been over-used since by
many artists.
Pitch correction works by analysing the audio and resampling it
back to correct pitch. It operates in real time which means that
a studio engineer can apply pitch correction to a vocal where
and when it is needed. Many regard pitch correction as a
lifesaver in the studio. Singers often feel relieved that a
great performance need not be erased and redone simply because
one or two notes may have been a little flat or sharp. Studios
often see it as a great time saver as it reduces the need to
record many takes in the hope of getting a performance that is
completely in key.
There is however, a downside to all this. Many studio producers
now argue that singers have become overly reliant on this
technology and have almost forgotten one of the most basic
requirements of great singing- singing in key.
Can you tell when pitch correction has been used on a singer in
a recording? The software is now so good that, in experienced
hands, it is nearly impossible to tell when it is used subtly.
Many vocal recordings made these days on current cd’s use some
form of pitch correction. Does that surprise you? From the
singer’s perspective it is a very seductive technology. It can
certainly make a “pitchy” singer sound very much in key without
revealing any lack of ability in that area.
We have become so used to the effect of technology on our music
that much of this technological innovation becomes the norm in a
very short while. Remember a band called Milli Vanilli? They
became the laughing stock of the music business and ended their
careers when it was discovered that they had not even sung on
their own recordings! Yet we seem completely comfortable now
with the idea that singers don’t need to be able to sing in tune
when they record.
The funny thing is that singing in key is just a learned
technique like most other musical skills. It requires practice
and solid singing technique but there are few people who cannot
do it at all. Singing in a recording studio can be an unnerving
experience for the first timer. The studio environment is
designed to reveal all the nuance of the human voice and can tax
even an accomplished singer at times.
Pitch correction is one of the most practical and useful tools
in recording today but remember that it won’t make you a great
singer. Only you can do that.
About Author :
Michael Oliphant is a successful musician,producer,songwriter
and web developer.
