Pitch Correction

Recording technology has evolved by leaps and bounds in a relatively short time span thanks to the rise of digital audio.  It’s now possible to achieve on a typical home computer what was once close to impossible in a multi-million dollar recording facility just a couple of decades ago.  Virtually unlimited tracks, sounds, editing potential, it’s all there.  One particular tool that has emerged is a category of hardware and software solutions for pitch correction.  Many of these tools are simply referred to by one of the early players in this area – AutoTune by Antares Technology.  We’ve all heard the use of “auto-tune” processing.  If you’ve ever heard a song by ‘Lil Wayne, you’ve heard it taken to the extreme and used as an effect rather than for its intended use as a pitch-correction mechanism.  Let’s look into this a little further…

If you’re running a studio large or small, you probably have varied clientele and styles coming through.  Many may simply want to capture their raw ideas, play live, make a basic CD and so forth.  Then there are those who want to put together a commercially viable and competitive album or song.  One thing that has occurred in the commercial markets across most genres (especially rock, pop and country) is that the expectations of the listener have been increasing even though most listeners wouldn’t even be aware of that.  The fact is, the average listener today is being trained to expect a) a loud, punchy sound with prominent vocal, b) tempos that are almost perfect and c) perfect pitch.  So when we consider the latter, how close to perfect is too much??

I believe that “auto-tune” tools are extremely useful when used judiciously.  For example, a singer lays down an unbelievable vocal take on a song and you discover only later (when they’re not available to re-track) that there’s one spot that they were noticeably flat.  The emotion is there, it’s just not technically accurate.  Enter AutoTune, Melodyne or one of the other pitch correction tools.  You tweak that section just enough to bring it in line and voila!  The perfect take.  Great scenario.  In fact, the newer versions of Celemony Melodyne would even let you go in and correct a single note of say a guitar chord.  Pretty cool.  Now how about this; someone who is a poor singer comes in and records.  You know they’re nowhere near good enough to show the public at large and their pitch is all over.  Do you correct everything and make them presentable?  Some would say yes and unfortunately, I’m sure there are many cases of this out there in the world.  For me, nothing substitutes for talent.  If they need to work on their skills, I’d tell them to come back or find another studio that’ll fix their vocals in entirety, but that’s just me. 

Numerous variations of these scenarios can be extended to other instruments as well.  My take on it all is that pitch correction is now a vital tool that every studio needs.  However, it’s how it’s utilized that makes the difference.  I like to hear a little raw edge in the music I listen to, it reminds me that the singer is human and not error-free.  However, when a part needs that little correction to turn a great take into a fantastic one, I’m all for it if the singer or player isn’t able to simply re-track. 

To summarize, before you immediately reach for pitch correction, think about how much it’s really needed.  In a world where you can’t even trust what you’re hearing at a live concert (hardware versions of pitch correction tools can be run for live vocals), I think a little bit of rawness helps keep things human.