As tough as this was to watch,, I appreciate it. These guys are so talented and have such wonderful voices naturally, they don't NEED this crap. Thanks Fil.
They are so amazing in person. I'm looking forward to seeing them again in April. Now I won't be able to listen to their recordings in the same way. So wrong to 'correct' something that is already beautiful.
They are so great in the live performance. The pitch corrected junk is just junk. Whoever thought pitch correction was a good idea clearly hates the natural human voice.
It’s probably some tone deaf sound engineer who can’t hear that the original doesn’t need any correction. The dude wants to get paid, but instead of noticing that the original is fine, he makes every note warble. 😢
My theory is that we're being prepped to accept AI music. It could be cranked out continuously for a steady profit stream with no pesky humans to deal with, or pay.
They are neutering expression. When I was young I spent a ton of $$ on direct disk recordings because they where so much sharper and brighter than pressed records.
those songs were made a decade before an AI. And then listeners ALREADY WERE TRAINED to hear only pitch corrected voices. That is why they use it on them at all. Their mixer literally told that.
I've been studying music theory for two years since Fil planted the seed and I bought a piano, and ukulele. There's some great channels... and now I'm seeing more and more DAW Digital Audio Workplaces. I'm avoiding them like the plague.
Oh, Fil! I'm SO glad you are championing the case against the "corporate goons" to change our music! I just can't listen to current stuff. And how horrible that this "sound" is forced upon an unknowing populace! I so appreciate your efforts!!
An Artist brings his painting into an Art Gallery. The owner of the Gallery frames it better than the artist had it and then after the artist is gone he looks at it and says to one of his workers "Joe, get my watercolors. I can make this better." So he makes it "better" and the artist comes back and is heartbroken because his contract with the gallery allowed this. Poor Home Free.
I just made a similar analogy to a friend, that for someone who can't paint, paint-by-numbers is OK, but what they are doing is the equivalent of superimposing paint-by-numbers over the artwork of talented artists with individuality, or even something like the Mona Lisa.
they do not have classical producers. Their mixer is Ed Boyer, who does most of the mixing and pitch correction for most Acapella. His interview in 2016 on Sound on Sound explained in details why.
What mystifies me is that we know these vocalists know how to sing - how can they not be appalled by the corrected versions of the voices they presumably have worked so hard to perfect? How do they let this be put out? It seems impossible that they can't hear it. It's like taking a paint roller to a work of art to even out all the brush strokes.
I don't think they have much choice; like Pentatonix, these guys are signed to a record company. They probably do hate listening to the pitch-corrected versions too, but the execs, who are all about the wonga rather than the art, will be telling them "this is how it has to sound to get commercial airplay these days - suck it up, buttercups!"
@@greggorsag9787, It costs the label more to hire the idiot who ruined this track. People who can hear the warble on every note are not going to buy the album. This one is so obvious, and annoying to my ears. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who can hear it.
My husband and daughter loved them so much I had 3 of their songs and Austin’s “If I see you in Heaven “ at their funerals in January. My husband had his alarm set on his phone that went off the day after he died saying “HomeFree on sale 10am” I have second row center. I wish he was going to be with me but my best friend will be. I love these guys and I don’t even care. I know they have to dub voice overs when they lay tracks, but they sound incredible in person too.
Hi Fil, Great analysis and good to see the side by side comparison of the vocals. The keyboard “background voice” was exactly what we were hearing on the pitch corrected singing. I thought that was very interesting. Cool analysis to look at today! Thanks for bringing us this one! Debbie ☮️
This analysis helped me to really hear the difference between the pitch-corrected version and the live singing. How sad that the natural voice is totally changed by this electronic trickery.
@@LaurelT1948If a group doesn't have final say on creative control of their recordings, shame on them for not having that in their contract. These guys aren't newcomers to the music scene---they've been around for years.
Wow. The difference between the the two versions is like night and day. The live version was fantastic. The pitch-corrected version sounds like the Smurfs! Before I ever knew what pitch-correction was, I didn't like modern music because all the singers sounded the same to me. I thought it was just the style of music nowadays. Thanks to Fil, I now know it's the pitch correction. I just can't comprehend why anyone would think PC is a good idea. It's killing music!
Their natural voices, in the second example, sound so warm and expressive. What a shame when those qualities are edited out with pitch "correction". It is confounding as to why producers want keyboard-like voices on recordings. Thank you for another interesting video, Fil.
"Future's made of virtual insanity Always seem to cover up this love we have For useless twisting of our new technology, Oh now there is no sound, for we all live underground." 'Virtual Insanity' - Jamiroquai, 1996.
I wasn't surprised at all. Can you tell if it's pitch corrected with just your ears? I can immediately hear the metallic mechanical coming through, disgusting with no life.
Thank you for showing this. I am so disappointed that the singers (or the producers) cannot have enough confidence in the natural talent. The live version is so much better. You are right that they CAN sing. Don't mess with it if it isn't broken.
I'm pretty sure the artists have full confidence in their abilities. Rob is classically trained, & Austin has taken serious lessons too. Unless they had scratchy throats or something on recording day, I'm sure they'd never even consider using the "system".
I meant no offense to the singers.,@@umarae27 I am sure they are aware of their great talent or they would not perform live. I just wish the people in charge of their recordings would allow us to hear their real voices because they are so much better without the interference of pitch correction.
Fil, I hope you know what an absolute hero you are for the artists who spend years perfecting their art and those of us who appreciate vocals. That was sad to hear how beautiful, warm, and emotive the singer’s natural voice is and then the watered down pitch corrected version. I would never listen to them if all I heard was the pitch corrected version, but will listen to their natural voices. Rock on!!
We got eye rolls, head shakes of incredulity, thrown up hands of despair, and some expressions I've never seen you make before. Yes, this was bad!! And once again, when I hear the natural voices, my only question is, how is this pitch corrected "monstrosity" (you absolutely chose the right word) supposed to be better?
Just criminal that this is so prevalent in the industry without hardly any pushback. These guys are just incredibly good and pitch correction just cheapens the whole experience…. Save the pitch correction for the awful pop/hip hop performers that can’t sing.
Truthlfully they sound way better without pitch correction. It would be interesting to find out whose idea it was to use pitch correction? I believe this is destroying the performances. Sometimes "imperfection" sounds better and brings humanity to the songs... Thank you Fil...
Thanks for covering Home Free. It seems extremely obvious now that all three major a cappella groups (Voice Play, Home Free & Pentatonics) use pitch correction and auto tuning with their studio releases. I enjoy Voice Play overall due to their theatrical presentation with their songs making them entertaining. That is the point really, isn’t it? To be entertained? I do thank you for helping me better understand the differences between natural and manipulated vocals.
Austin Brown is leaving Home Free soon. I listen to the official versions and knew they were pitxch corrected because I leaned what to listen for from you Fil. Love them live. I'm going in April to see them before Austin leaves. I still listen to the official drops because I really like them but it's sad all of this has to happen. 💖🤗👏👏👏
Two of the singers from Home Free released a rendition of the Puccini aria "Nessun Dorma." The lead singer at the beginning of this track has a shockingly large and resonant operatic voice.
Fil, what a disaster with the pitch correction! I know these guys have beautiful natural voices ! I really like Home Free ! The lyrics are great also ! Once again, technology has murdered music ! This has to be stopped before it is too late ! I could just cry 😢 Thanks for this , great job !
Well, I have heard them live and they are very talented and they sound great. They’re popular on TH-cam but not super famous so some of the members still do things like sing for small groups of fans in their backyards so I know they 100% can sing and sing well. I’m not a pro at all this pitch corrected crap but I believe their latest album which is a remake or revisiting or whatever of songs from their first album after The Sing Off, sounds way more modified or messed with than things from years past. They’re going through a major transition right now while losing a member of the group so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it or if someone different is mixing or producing some of the material or what. It’s a shame though that some of these people that are actually very talented get a bad wrap for production that may be added to their perfectly fine vocals after the fact.
The strange thing, at least to me, is that its not just the bad singers being pitch-corrected. Some fantastic singers are being pitch corrected as well. Home Free, Pentatonix, Morrissette, Dimash, and many other great performers are having this done. With or without their knowledge?
I was wondering about Pentatonix. I hadn’t heard any of their songs, until their cover of “The Sound of Silence” today, and I immediately heard the weird sound of auto tune or pitch correction. I stopped listening after a few seconds. It hurts my ears.
@@SuziQ.Most of Acapella has the same mixer who uses melodyne. He has explained that in modern days the industry expects everything to have "pitch corrected" mechanical sound. Otherwise there is no chance of getting the airplay.
@@minaolenella869 , That makes no sense. He just thinks his job is more important than the art of the music that doesn’t need Melodyne or auto tune. I’ve listened to some tracks that have not been ruined by an engineer using Melodyne, and they sound good. The studio versions sound robotic, and echoey.
@@SuziQ. " Not so long ago, ‘tuning vocals’ was a bit of a dirty phrase, implying a lack of skill on the part of the singer. But it now has become widely accepted that pop vocals have to be perfectly in tune, and post-production tuning is the only way to achieve this. Boyer explains that his tool of choice is the stand-alone version of Celemony’s Melodyne. “I use Melodyne for both pitch and rhythm. I do that before I start the mix, even though I may finesse things later on during the actual mix. I can bring the entire session into Melodyne, so I can see and hear everything at the same time. I don’t like other pitch-correction plug-ins because you just hear the track that you are correcting. The important thing is not whether one track is pitch perfect, but how it sounds in the context of the entire arrangement. So I treat all vocals at the same time, and Melodyne then renders the changes for me and prints out the files, which I then import in a ‘Save As’ copy of the original Pro Tools session. “The degree to which I tune depends on the a cappella genre. If you are dealing with a more classically orientated group, you may be more inclined to leave the tuning looser. But with pop music, even if people don’t know the difference between tempered and true tuning, they subconsciously expect tempered tuning. Some people have a purist attitude and don’t agree with tuning, but Pentatonix is a pop group, and not only do you want it perfectly in tune, you also want to hear some of the timbre of pitch correction, because it is part of the sound of modern pop music. “Pentatonix are not sloppy or far off, so it’s not like I have to clean up a mess. They occasionally release videos of them singing together in a room, recorded without multitracking and hence pitch correction, and they do that to show that any production choices that they make are not used as a crutch, but because they are choosing to make pop music. Melodyne is used to get their vocals to sound a little tighter and right in the pocket, so it feels and sounds a bit more like EDM and pop music."
@@SuziQ. and the studio versions are supposed to sound robotic. That is the sound which pop music wants. I do not like it and prefer them live, but it is what it is, and many like it. Boyer is literally the best mixer in Acapella. Studio versions that are not pitch corrected are a proof of that.
I was aware that HF uses pitch correction on many of their releases. It is quite natural, as tons of groups/bands do it. It is not done to "fool" anyone, but is a decision made to "clean up" slight imperfections, to make the overall song sound better. I happen to think it doesn't. These guys can all sing very well, but no one is perfect! I do not know if it is the record label, or the guys, or both, that decide to throw in pitch correction, but I surely wish whoever it is to stop! It's not needed.
Those imperfections are what makes a singer different and gives their voice personality. This goes WAY beyond just cleaning up.... it makes their voices sterile.
I don't mean to be dramatic (I mean, it's a song, and I do think musicians have the right to shape and share their music as they feel right, and if I don't like it, then I'll listen to something else) but honestly, it's a bit heartbreaking.
Despite not really liking Home Free (sorry LadyDragonsblood ...!) I am rather sad to see/hear that their vocals have been mechanized by pitch correction. I may not like them (not a fan of their songs, not much a fan of their vocal styles), but I can appreciate the talent that they have, and doing this to their music is taking away their talent, skill, and artistry.
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that all produced music is pitch corrected. I reserve judgement of talent on live performances, even impromptu ones caught on camera by fans. Those, at least with Home Free, are so very good and filled with emotion.
It is. Almost everything since at least the late 90s, every genre. We just don't notice because it's not over the top and it's usually harder to hear in a full mix
I still maintain that the music industry is getting us used to hearing synthesized voices so that they can create AI "singers" or cast someone into the role of a singer (they fit the part but are not fantastic singers) in order to just cut out the money that singers get. They can create all kinds of "internet" singer stars who never tour.
Can’t help but feel we’re bring conditioned to accept altered pitch so human performance can basically be replaced by machine reproduction to drive profits.
I saw them twice in concert and enjoyed their songs. I began to notice in the songs they released in/after 2018 that they "lost" their tight, natural vocals. Not much interested in them now. They've fallen in with the current music trend and no longer have that fresh appeal. Thanks for the analysis, Fil.
There's a sort of twang to pitch-corrected voices which is so distinctive, and whenever I hear it I wonder why so many good singers need this added to their recordings. It really spoils it for me, and I'm so glad you're trying to help us understand what's going on. I listened to a couple of old live recordings of Cilla Black singing yesterday and her voice was amazing--so distinctive, and her techniques were unique. I hate to think what would have happened to her songs with pitch correction.
Pitch correction this heavy is so obvious to me, reminds me of sampling our voice with our first sampling Roland keyboard back in the early 90s and doing max headroom type sounds for effect.
Oh, no! I am so disappointed! I wish we could launch a protest to insist that they NOT use pitch correction on Home Free’s recordings. I was going to buy another, but now I’m having second thoughts. These guys are really talented and do not need to be robotized. thanks, Fil.
I've never heard anything by them, and if I had to judge them based solely on the first version of the song, I wouldn't be interested in listening to anything else. But the "real" live version? It was like I was listening to an entirely different song, and I loved it!! Their 2 voices at the end? Amazing!!
did you notice that they were "robotized" before? did you enjoy the music they put out without any care for the "edits" they made? if so, don't ruin your pleasure by the semantics purists do. or we will have them record their vocals 500 times in order to get each note on pitch for their studio versions.
Fil, where do you see pitch corrected material heading? Will it continue as is, will it get even more use, or will there be a wreckening coming? This just cheapens the vocal ability of the artist, IMHO. Another good episode! 👍
So sad. Let corporate greed make robots out of anyone with talent. And - making someone sound talented when they aren’t because they have the right “look”.
Nice Fil! It would be interesting to see an analysis of Voiceplay, how much they edit, because they are the producers themself. Layne Stein, the beat-boxer and main editor is quite open that he adjusts the pitch (somewhat). The question is whether he run all the voices through, or if he "just adjust" some notes that doesn't sound good. There are several examples on YT. As with all these acapella groups, they are fantastic singers, but why remove their soul?
Yes, I would like to know this too - VP often do many many takes to get something that sounds good enough to them, and why do that if it's going to be "fixed in post" anyway? So how much fixing is there? _Valhalla_ _Calling_ might be a good example to test, because that's definitely one where Geoff did a lot of retakes and it is highly produced.
These musicians are turning into 440 hz robot voices . What's worse is they aren't standing up to the music meddlers trying to ruin their vouces. Apparently the people behind the scenes are more in control than the performers. Scary trend Fil.
hi Fil this is like comparing a human voice to a robot voice this is what is pitch corrected is I strongly prefer to hear human voice than a robot pitch correcting is trying to steal something a human is doing this is hell. Much love and \m/Pitch correction is eliminating the human feeling completely this is totally insane ...
Great analysis Fil. I much prefer the real voices. The music industry has much to answer for and they should leave the pitch correction in the dust bin.
You're correct that the pitch correction and compression and the studio editing doesn't do them justice, but some of the videos like this one are captured on a cell phone and they might loose their pitch because of the background cheering. There is a really good video with good audio called "The Sea Shanty Medley - Live"
I love Home Free and have seen them live. They are amazing. and their tight harmony can not be denied. I am not disappointed in this finding, The music business does this all the time. Music artists want the best sound with no errors. They have always tried to improve on the released song for radio or album. When these guys recorded during and after covid they record from their homes and send to the producer or mixer to put it all together. Maybe that is why they have to do the auto tune. They don't record together. The amazing part is when they sing together it is just as beautiful. as if they recorded together.
Wow, that's a pretty dramatic difference---the first one doesn't sound like them at all. I don't care for either version honestly, but it is clear that they do have a lot of vocal ability and expression, totally lost in the version you were asked to look at.
Another one of those situations where the pitch corrected vocals sound so much more nasal! I've never heard of them before, and honestly not that crazy about this particular style, but it's very difficult to understand why anyone would prefer to listen to the first version rather than the second.
It is criminal what they are doing to these productions. It is destroying their true brilliance. There are too many singers today that can't sing well, at least in pitch, but this is so unneeded in far too many cases. You would think the singers would protest this over production of their voices to where they aren't even real anymore.
Home Free is independent.. They produce their own stuff with the help of producers they pay. So I would think they have a lot of input in how they sound....
I am 100% with you about pitch correction and the loss of feeling. I do wonder, how much of the improvement between a pitch corrected studio version and an unedited live version is just due to it being preformed live. I would love to hear someone like Elton singing live compared to his studio recording. Live is always going to add feeling, emotion, and inaccuracies.
The studio: "That's how we do it." That explains everything. Thank you. Btw, I've heard them live twice. They sound great. A sour note a couple times per concert.
This was done during the TV show The Sing Off. I can still pick out each individual voice regardless. I have seen live a couple times and seen individual performances from paying requests, all on You Tube. I don’t know why they would bother with pitch correction.
Makes me wonder how the people who do this pitch correction can live with themselves...truly ruining vocals. One of the reason I can't listen to most singers. I hear PC every time and it grates on me.
I was interested to hear your comment about recording together vs recording separately. Because of Covid, groups who wanted to continue to record started recording their parts separately in home studios. Could that have caused the use of pitch correction to increase? I believe that at least some of Home Free's recent recordings have been done separately and combined in the studio. I wonder what a pre-Covid recording would look like.
I will say I have seen them live, on stage, no mics more than once and they can produce the vocals without the pitch correction. Again the recording processing that is standard today, won't let them do it without pitch correction. But I promise live and without mics they do produce this. Especially with Tim's lower ranges, and Austin's highs, they are that good. Shame that recording had to put the stupid pitch correction on them, they don't need it.
This was a sad day for the person learning their group was pitched corrected. I just do not listen to anything much expect when in video. Not that I really pay attention to the sound I enjoy watching what is on the video. Most time better to have something to hear than watching a film that is silent like back with the home movies with no sound. Thanks, Fil, for the bearer of sad news but true to your word.
do you do studio recorded songs or only live performances? i found a group called PINMONKEY doing their version of "I drove all night" here on youtube. it's interesting and perhaps you'd like to hear it. unfortunately, i think there is only one live performance by them, recorded on a small stage, apparently at a local bar.
The marketers MUST think that the buying public demands this artifice. It must be what sells. And what sells has seldom been natural authenticity for decades.
I love all their videos but especially the live ones. I think this one is layered but since they sound just as good in live videos, I don't think autotune plays into it (no pun intended).There are loads of live ones, most recently "Sea Shanty Medley Live", I think you'd also like a couple of old ones "9-5 beatboxing breakdown" & "Joy to the World Hosannah".
As tough as this was to watch,, I appreciate it. These guys are so talented and have such wonderful voices naturally, they don't NEED this crap. Thanks Fil.
They are so amazing in person. I'm looking forward to seeing them again in April. Now I won't be able to listen to their recordings in the same way. So wrong to 'correct' something that is already beautiful.
Lol.... I hear you brother!
I am obsessed with them. They truly are amazing. Wonder if we listen to older stuff what we’d hear.
They are so great in the live performance. The pitch corrected junk is just junk. Whoever thought pitch correction was a good idea clearly hates the natural human voice.
It’s probably some tone deaf sound engineer who can’t hear that the original doesn’t need any correction. The dude wants to get paid, but instead of noticing that the original is fine, he makes every note warble. 😢
Why has this happened to the music industry? The engineers are creating fraud.
My theory is that we're being prepped to accept AI music. It could be cranked out continuously for a steady profit stream with no pesky humans to deal with, or pay.
They are neutering expression. When I was young I spent a ton of $$ on direct disk recordings because they where so much sharper and brighter than pressed records.
fraud applys they can't sing on their own.
And most of those are made over decade ago, so no AI
Seems a deliberate effort to train listeners to expect artificial voices on recordings so the labels can sell music without paying singers.
We are well down the road to AI actors, singers, musicians, waiters, store clerks, etc. etc. This is, to me, a very scary direction we're heading in.
@@SchoeneTanteAnd artists. AI is preparing us for a future where humans are superfluous.
those songs were made a decade before an AI. And then listeners ALREADY WERE TRAINED to hear only pitch corrected voices. That is why they use it on them at all. Their mixer literally told that.
I've been studying music theory for two years since Fil planted the seed and I bought a piano, and ukulele. There's some great channels... and now I'm seeing more and more DAW Digital Audio Workplaces. I'm avoiding them like the plague.
Oh, Fil! I'm SO glad you are championing the case against the "corporate goons" to change our music! I just can't listen to current stuff. And how horrible that this "sound" is forced upon an unknowing populace! I so appreciate your efforts!!
An Artist brings his painting into an Art Gallery. The owner of the Gallery frames it better than the artist had it and then after the artist is gone he looks at it and says to one of his workers "Joe, get my watercolors. I can make this better." So he makes it "better" and the artist comes back and is heartbroken because his contract with the gallery allowed this. Poor Home Free.
I just made a similar analogy to a friend, that for someone who can't paint, paint-by-numbers is OK, but what they are doing is the equivalent of superimposing paint-by-numbers over the artwork of talented artists with individuality, or even something like the Mona Lisa.
@@fredbloggs6080Correct
Pitch correction, auto tune and locking music to a grid is the sterilization of music. It removes the human element of emotion and ruins music.
The truth!
The uncorrected version is so much more emotional and expressive. The pitch corrected version sounds mechanical
Mechanical is the word I was going to use. Sucks the humanity and expression write out of the performance.
Where can I find the authentic video?
@@SWATTECHNOLOGIES It literally sounds robotic, like it was manufactured.
They're *so good*, this is a crime.
"Wings Of Pergasus',:Do me a favor,and look,listen to a song lyric by Ms.Alicia Keys and Mr.Maxwell'The Fire We Make". .
9-4-2024' 'Thank You'
Home Free''s Austin Brown and Tim Foust singing "My Maria" in the backyard, with 3 musician friends, is Awesome!!!
Oh lord and when Tom takes the high path over Austin, it’s a home run. An unexpected joyous experience.
I LOVE Home Free ! I have seen them live and they were brilliant. Great singers and the beat boxer is incredible. All the best
If you love them that much, get all the fans together and tell them to stop pitch correcting their recordings...
Studio time is expensive...they are human, not robots. How much music could they put out to us fans if they didn't use pitch correction in the studio?
@@RefriedHomeFries, Probably more. This pitch “correction” was unnecessary and it ruined their voices.
I've seen Home Free and Pentatonix. They shouldn't need to be pitch-corrected. Listen up producers. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
I have seen the same from VoicePlay and Geoff Castellucci solo. It's pretty much the standard nowadays.
they do not have classical producers. Their mixer is Ed Boyer, who does most of the mixing and pitch correction for most Acapella. His interview in 2016 on Sound on Sound explained in details why.
The difference is borderline criminal.
What mystifies me is that we know these vocalists know how to sing - how can they not be appalled by the corrected versions of the voices they presumably have worked so hard to perfect? How do they let this be put out? It seems impossible that they can't hear it. It's like taking a paint roller to a work of art to even out all the brush strokes.
I don't think they have much choice; like Pentatonix, these guys are signed to a record company. They probably do hate listening to the pitch-corrected versions too, but the execs, who are all about the wonga rather than the art, will be telling them "this is how it has to sound to get commercial airplay these days - suck it up, buttercups!"
$
@@greggorsag9787,
It costs the label more to hire the idiot who ruined this track.
People who can hear the warble on every note are not going to buy the album. This one is so obvious, and annoying to my ears. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who can hear it.
My husband and daughter loved them so much I had 3 of their songs and Austin’s “If I see you in Heaven “ at their funerals in January. My husband had his alarm set on his phone that went off the day after he died saying “HomeFree on sale 10am” I have second row center. I wish he was going to be with me but my best friend will be. I love these guys and I don’t even care. I know they have to dub voice overs when they lay tracks, but they sound incredible in person too.
This hurt my heart.
I'm so sorry 💔
I've heard HF live and enjoyed them very much. They sounded great to me. I don't see the point of stripping all the soul out with pitch correction.
Hi Fil,
Great analysis and good to see the side by side comparison of the vocals. The keyboard “background voice” was exactly what we were hearing on the pitch corrected singing. I thought that was very interesting. Cool analysis to look at today! Thanks for bringing us this one! Debbie ☮️
This analysis helped me to really hear the difference between the pitch-corrected version and the live singing. How sad that the natural voice is totally changed by this electronic trickery.
The record label may have done this on their own. Who know if the band was even consulted?
@@LaurelT1948If a group doesn't have final say on creative control of their recordings, shame on them for not having that in their contract. These guys aren't newcomers to the music scene---they've been around for years.
Wow. The difference between the the two versions is like night and day. The live version was fantastic. The pitch-corrected version sounds like the Smurfs! Before I ever knew what pitch-correction was, I didn't like modern music because all the singers sounded the same to me. I thought it was just the style of music nowadays. Thanks to Fil, I now know it's the pitch correction. I just can't comprehend why anyone would think PC is a good idea. It's killing music!
Their natural voices, in the second example, sound so warm and expressive. What a shame when those qualities are edited out with pitch "correction". It is confounding as to why producers want keyboard-like voices on recordings. Thank you for another interesting video, Fil.
The problem's plain to see
Too much technology
Machines to save our lives
Machines dehumanize
-Styx
Fil has ripped away the mask
Now everyone can see
"Future's made of virtual insanity
Always seem to cover up this love we have
For useless twisting of our new technology,
Oh now there is no sound, for we all live underground."
'Virtual Insanity' - Jamiroquai, 1996.
Funny that Styx wrote that. DDY ruined the band with shite like `Mr. Roboto’.
Was that song written as satire? DDY wrote it.
And they sound so great live!
They might be using auto-tune in their live performances.
@@DavidSchneiderIPprobably
They do not use it Live!
Nope!
@@DavidSchneiderIP, I don’t hear it on the live version. That live track is clean, not auto tuned.
I really enjoyed listening to the live unedited version of the song. You can hear the expression in the vocals. Great analysis as always. 🙂🎸🎵
THAT was the FASTEST pitch-correction call that Fil has ever made! 😝
I wasn't surprised at all. Can you tell if it's pitch corrected with just your ears? I can immediately hear the metallic mechanical coming through, disgusting with no life.
Thank you for showing this. I am so disappointed that the singers (or the producers) cannot have enough confidence in the natural talent. The live version is so much better. You are right that they CAN sing. Don't mess with it if it isn't broken.
I'm pretty sure the artists have full confidence in their abilities. Rob is classically trained, & Austin has taken serious lessons too. Unless they had scratchy throats or something on recording day, I'm sure they'd never even consider using the "system".
I meant no offense to the singers.,@@umarae27 I am sure they are aware of their great talent or they would not perform live. I just wish the people in charge of their recordings would allow us to hear their real voices because they are so much better without the interference of pitch correction.
Maybe this is why Austin is leaving.
😂😂😂😂
The singers voice is far better than the pitch corrected version.
Fil, I hope you know what an absolute hero you are for the artists who spend years perfecting their art and those of us who appreciate vocals. That was sad to hear how beautiful, warm, and emotive the singer’s natural voice is and then the watered down pitch corrected version. I would never listen to them if all I heard was the pitch corrected version, but will listen to their natural voices. Rock on!!
We got eye rolls, head shakes of incredulity, thrown up hands of despair, and some expressions I've never seen you make before. Yes, this was bad!!
And once again, when I hear the natural voices, my only question is, how is this pitch corrected "monstrosity" (you absolutely chose the right word) supposed to be better?
Just criminal that this is so prevalent in the industry without hardly any pushback. These guys are just incredibly good and pitch correction just cheapens the whole experience…. Save the pitch correction for the awful pop/hip hop performers that can’t sing.
It would be nice to be able to ask these supposed artists how they feel about their pitch corrected performances.
Truthlfully they sound way better without pitch correction. It would be interesting to find out whose idea it was to use pitch correction? I believe this is destroying the performances. Sometimes "imperfection" sounds better and brings humanity to the songs... Thank you Fil...
You've heard of Boys to Men. Here you have Men to Computers.
Well played!
Quotable!
😂
-The Commodore 64's at that-
I take that back. Commodore 64 wasn't ever lame and even when outdated is still cool.
Thanks for covering Home Free. It seems extremely obvious now that all three major a cappella groups (Voice Play, Home Free & Pentatonics) use pitch correction and auto tuning with their studio releases. I enjoy Voice Play overall due to their theatrical presentation with their songs making them entertaining. That is the point really, isn’t it? To be entertained? I do thank you for helping me better understand the differences between natural and manipulated vocals.
Funnily enough, we always say they are better live
Every band I have ever seen has sounded better live to me....going back to the 70's🤷♀️
@@RefriedHomeFries there are bands and singers out there that are notorious for how bad they are live
Summing up: PERFECTION != NATURAL
A Fantastic analysis Fil! We sure appreciated and enjoyed it! Cheers! to continued success friend, Luv&Peace 🤝🏼🤘🏼💫
Austin Brown is leaving Home Free soon. I listen to the official versions and knew they were pitxch corrected because I leaned what to listen for from you Fil. Love them live. I'm going in April to see them before Austin leaves. I still listen to the official drops because I really like them but it's sad all of this has to happen. 💖🤗👏👏👏
I wonder if this is part of the reason Austin is leaving. I’d be really aggravated if I was Home Free.
@@connie0128he wants to be at home and have a family
WHY!?! They are so good! Without that stupid pitch correction!
Two of the singers from Home Free released a rendition of the Puccini aria "Nessun Dorma." The lead singer at the beginning of this track has a shockingly large and resonant operatic voice.
Fil, what a disaster with the pitch correction! I know these guys have beautiful natural voices ! I really like Home Free ! The lyrics are great also ! Once again, technology has murdered music ! This has to be stopped before it is too late ! I could just cry 😢 Thanks for this , great job !
I have the kleenex.
Well, I have heard them live and they are very talented and they sound great. They’re popular on TH-cam but not super famous so some of the members still do things like sing for small groups of fans in their backyards so I know they 100% can sing and sing well. I’m not a pro at all this pitch corrected crap but I believe their latest album which is a remake or revisiting or whatever of songs from their first album after The Sing Off, sounds way more modified or messed with than things from years past. They’re going through a major transition right now while losing a member of the group so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it or if someone different is mixing or producing some of the material or what. It’s a shame though that some of these people that are actually very talented get a bad wrap for production that may be added to their perfectly fine vocals after the fact.
The strange thing, at least to me, is that its not just the bad singers being pitch-corrected. Some fantastic singers are being pitch corrected as well. Home Free, Pentatonix, Morrissette, Dimash, and many other great performers are having this done. With or without their knowledge?
I was wondering about Pentatonix. I hadn’t heard any of their songs, until their cover of “The Sound of Silence” today, and I immediately heard the weird sound of auto tune or pitch correction. I stopped listening after a few seconds. It hurts my ears.
@@SuziQ.Most of Acapella has the same mixer who uses melodyne.
He has explained that in modern days the industry expects everything to have "pitch corrected" mechanical sound. Otherwise there is no chance of getting the airplay.
@@minaolenella869 ,
That makes no sense. He just thinks his job is more important than the art of the music that doesn’t need Melodyne or auto tune. I’ve listened to some tracks that have not been ruined by an engineer using Melodyne, and they sound good. The studio versions sound robotic, and echoey.
@@SuziQ. "
Not so long ago, ‘tuning vocals’ was a bit of a dirty phrase, implying a lack of skill on the part of the singer. But it now has become widely accepted that pop vocals have to be perfectly in tune, and post-production tuning is the only way to achieve this. Boyer explains that his tool of choice is the stand-alone version of Celemony’s Melodyne.
“I use Melodyne for both pitch and rhythm. I do that before I start the mix, even though I may finesse things later on during the actual mix. I can bring the entire session into Melodyne, so I can see and hear everything at the same time. I don’t like other pitch-correction plug-ins because you just hear the track that you are correcting. The important thing is not whether one track is pitch perfect, but how it sounds in the context of the entire arrangement. So I treat all vocals at the same time, and Melodyne then renders the changes for me and prints out the files, which I then import in a ‘Save As’ copy of the original Pro Tools session.
“The degree to which I tune depends on the a cappella genre. If you are dealing with a more classically orientated group, you may be more inclined to leave the tuning looser. But with pop music, even if people don’t know the difference between tempered and true tuning, they subconsciously expect tempered tuning. Some people have a purist attitude and don’t agree with tuning, but Pentatonix is a pop group, and not only do you want it perfectly in tune, you also want to hear some of the timbre of pitch correction, because it is part of the sound of modern pop music.
“Pentatonix are not sloppy or far off, so it’s not like I have to clean up a mess. They occasionally release videos of them singing together in a room, recorded without multitracking and hence pitch correction, and they do that to show that any production choices that they make are not used as a crutch, but because they are choosing to make pop music. Melodyne is used to get their vocals to sound a little tighter and right in the pocket, so it feels and sounds a bit more like EDM and pop music."
@@SuziQ. and the studio versions are supposed to sound robotic. That is the sound which pop music wants.
I do not like it and prefer them live, but it is what it is, and many like it.
Boyer is literally the best mixer in Acapella. Studio versions that are not pitch corrected are a proof of that.
Youre like Sherlock Holmes, Fil !
Keep up the great work !
I think Dr Watson could have cracked this one.😂😂 That was just awful.
Rob, singing lead first, trained for opera. The man has a wonderful voice. I'm so disappointed!
I was aware that HF uses pitch correction on many of their releases. It is quite natural, as tons of groups/bands do it. It is not done to "fool" anyone, but is a decision made to "clean up" slight imperfections, to make the overall song sound better. I happen to think it doesn't. These guys can all sing very well, but no one is perfect! I do not know if it is the record label, or the guys, or both, that decide to throw in pitch correction, but I surely wish whoever it is to stop! It's not needed.
Those imperfections are what makes a singer different and gives their voice personality. This goes WAY beyond just cleaning up.... it makes their voices sterile.
No need to proceed after the first 3 notes.
I don't mean to be dramatic (I mean, it's a song, and I do think musicians have the right to shape and share their music as they feel right, and if I don't like it, then I'll listen to something else) but honestly, it's a bit heartbreaking.
Despite not really liking Home Free (sorry LadyDragonsblood ...!) I am rather sad to see/hear that their vocals have been mechanized by pitch correction. I may not like them (not a fan of their songs, not much a fan of their vocal styles), but I can appreciate the talent that they have, and doing this to their music is taking away their talent, skill, and artistry.
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that all produced music is pitch corrected. I reserve judgement of talent on live performances, even impromptu ones caught on camera by fans. Those, at least with Home Free, are so very good and filled with emotion.
It is. Almost everything since at least the late 90s, every genre. We just don't notice because it's not over the top and it's usually harder to hear in a full mix
What a shame. Why when they don't need it. 🤷♀️ Thank you Fil. 😊
I still maintain that the music industry is getting us used to hearing synthesized voices so that they can create AI "singers" or cast someone into the role of a singer (they fit the part but are not fantastic singers) in order to just cut out the money that singers get. They can create all kinds of "internet" singer stars who never tour.
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. Just too much technology, spoils some things
Can’t help but feel we’re bring conditioned to accept altered pitch so human performance can basically be replaced by machine reproduction to drive profits.
With musicians, like Fil and myself, we hear things in 440Hz... with pitch correction, it becomes painfully obvious to us.
I saw them twice in concert and enjoyed their songs. I began to notice in the songs they released in/after 2018 that they "lost" their tight, natural vocals. Not much interested in them now. They've fallen in with the current music trend and no longer have that fresh appeal. Thanks for the analysis, Fil.
They are still amazing!
Thank you so much for this analysis. Home Free has no need to use pitch correction. I wish they didn't.
There's a sort of twang to pitch-corrected voices which is so distinctive, and whenever I hear it I wonder why so many good singers need this added to their recordings. It really spoils it for me, and I'm so glad you're trying to help us understand what's going on. I listened to a couple of old live recordings of Cilla Black singing yesterday and her voice was amazing--so distinctive, and her techniques were unique. I hate to think what would have happened to her songs with pitch correction.
Pitch correction this heavy is so obvious to me, reminds me of sampling our voice with our first sampling Roland keyboard back in the early 90s and doing max headroom type sounds for effect.
Yeah and these guys can sing great, no reason to pitch correct them.
Oh, no! I am so disappointed! I wish we could launch a protest to insist that they NOT use pitch correction on Home Free’s recordings. I was going to buy another, but now I’m having second thoughts. These guys are really talented and do not need to be robotized. thanks, Fil.
Fil’s got a petition going for just that kind of protest!
Where?@@gregusmc2868
I've never heard anything by them, and if I had to judge them based solely on the first version of the song, I wouldn't be interested in listening to anything else. But the "real" live version? It was like I was listening to an entirely different song, and I loved it!! Their 2 voices at the end? Amazing!!
So talented. These ppl that do this kinda thing are nuts!
did you notice that they were "robotized" before? did you enjoy the music they put out without any care for the "edits" they made? if so, don't ruin your pleasure by the semantics purists do. or we will have them record their vocals 500 times in order to get each note on pitch for their studio versions.
They are awesome live, love them
Fil, where do you see pitch corrected material heading? Will it continue as is, will it get even more use, or will there be a wreckening coming? This just cheapens the vocal ability of the artist, IMHO. Another good episode! 👍
So sad. Let corporate greed make robots out of anyone with talent. And - making someone sound talented when they aren’t because they have the right “look”.
Home Free is independent, though, so there is no corporate greed with them.
Nice Fil! It would be interesting to see an analysis of Voiceplay, how much they edit, because they are the producers themself. Layne Stein, the beat-boxer and main editor is quite open that he adjusts the pitch (somewhat). The question is whether he run all the voices through, or if he "just adjust" some notes that doesn't sound good. There are several examples on YT. As with all these acapella groups, they are fantastic singers, but why remove their soul?
Yes, I would like to know this too - VP often do many many takes to get something that sounds good enough to them, and why do that if it's going to be "fixed in post" anyway? So how much fixing is there? _Valhalla_ _Calling_ might be a good example to test, because that's definitely one where Geoff did a lot of retakes and it is highly produced.
These musicians are turning into 440 hz robot voices . What's worse is they aren't standing up to the music meddlers trying to ruin their vouces. Apparently the people behind the scenes are more in control than the performers. Scary trend Fil.
😢😢😢they do not and never needed pitch correction ! They are fabulous in person.
hi Fil this is like comparing a human voice to a robot voice this is what is pitch corrected is I strongly prefer to hear human voice than a robot pitch correcting is trying to steal something a human is doing this is hell. Much love and \m/Pitch correction is eliminating the human feeling completely this is totally insane ...
Wow BRUTAL!
This one is so bad that you don't need the software. you can hear the robotic sound.
Great analysis Fil. I much prefer the real voices. The music industry has much to answer for and they should leave the pitch correction in the dust bin.
This madness with pitch correction is killing true art, removing authentic unique quality. Such a shame these days, thanks once again Fil, I guess 😼
You're correct that the pitch correction and compression and the studio editing doesn't do them justice, but some of the videos like this one are captured on a cell phone and they might loose their pitch because of the background cheering. There is a really good video with good audio called "The Sea Shanty Medley - Live"
I love Home Free and have seen them live. They are amazing. and their tight harmony can not be denied. I am not disappointed in this finding, The music business does this all the time. Music artists want the best sound with no errors. They have always tried to improve on the released song for radio or album. When these guys recorded during and after covid they record from their homes and send to the producer or mixer to put it all together. Maybe that is why they have to do the auto tune. They don't record together. The amazing part is when they sing together it is just as beautiful. as if they recorded together.
Heard them live twice. 'Winter Song' live was perfect to my ears and to my daughter's who is a singer.
Of course its pitch corrected - they sound like FRICKIN ROBOTS. Whats wrong with people's ears? That metallic sound is unmistakable.
Wow, that's a pretty dramatic difference---the first one doesn't sound like them at all. I don't care for either version honestly, but it is clear that they do have a lot of vocal ability and expression, totally lost in the version you were asked to look at.
Your comments are great, as usual. It's a good thing to point out.
Hi,you are a genius,a great video,cheers Roly🇬🇧.
The first part of the 'backing voices' sound as if some one is humming
Another one of those situations where the pitch corrected vocals sound so much more nasal! I've never heard of them before, and honestly not that crazy about this particular style, but it's very difficult to understand why anyone would prefer to listen to the first version rather than the second.
This must be why I stopped listening to any music past the 1980s. I didn't know about pitch correction I just knew I did't like it.
It is criminal what they are doing to these productions. It is destroying their true brilliance. There are too many singers today that can't sing well, at least in pitch, but this is so unneeded in far too many cases. You would think the singers would protest this over production of their voices to where they aren't even real anymore.
Oh, I miss real music! 😢😢😢😢😢
Your analyses are always fascinating. Thank you for the work you put into it and for making it interesting. Love it!
Fil, who decides what gets pitch corrected & why? And do the singers even know this has happened and once they hear it. cant they tell?
Home Free is independent.. They produce their own stuff with the help of producers they pay. So I would think they have a lot of input in how they sound....
I am 100% with you about pitch correction and the loss of feeling. I do wonder, how much of the improvement between a pitch corrected studio version and an unedited live version is just due to it being preformed live. I would love to hear someone like Elton singing live compared to his studio recording. Live is always going to add feeling, emotion, and inaccuracies.
Elton is a thousand times better live - even at his age now.
Feels like the only place to hear non pitch corrected music is your church choir.
I’m so glad I have the albums from my favorite bands from the 1960’s thru the early 1990’s. Well, my 20 year old son says they’re his now. 🤷🏻
Thanks so much for helping me to recognize this. For a while I wondered whether it was just me? Or was music dieing a slow death bofore my very ears?
I am so afraid that the future of music will no longer be singers singing but everything will just be computer generated 😢
Never heard of this group. But, yikes. I could tell immediately.
How frightfully superior of you.
What I'm saying, hon, is that it is so frightfully obvious that EVEN I could tell. Could you not?
Reply
@@patriciamcl54leave people alone.
@@patriciamcl54,
It’s very obvious. Why did you feel the need to be snarky about it?
The studio: "That's how we do it."
That explains everything. Thank you. Btw, I've heard them live twice. They sound great. A sour note a couple times per concert.
This was done during the TV show The Sing Off. I can still pick out each individual voice regardless. I have seen live a couple times and seen individual performances from paying requests, all on You Tube. I don’t know why they would bother with pitch correction.
Wow. I love your insights. Thanks!
Makes me wonder how the people who do this pitch correction can live with themselves...truly ruining vocals. One of the reason I can't listen to most singers. I hear PC every time and it grates on me.
I was interested to hear your comment about recording together vs recording separately. Because of Covid, groups who wanted to continue to record started recording their parts separately in home studios. Could that have caused the use of pitch correction to increase? I believe that at least some of Home Free's recent recordings have been done separately and combined in the studio. I wonder what a pre-Covid recording would look like.
I will say I have seen them live, on stage, no mics more than once and they can produce the vocals without the pitch correction. Again the recording processing that is standard today, won't let them do it without pitch correction. But I promise live and without mics they do produce this. Especially with Tim's lower ranges, and Austin's highs, they are that good. Shame that recording had to put the stupid pitch correction on them, they don't need it.
It's so disappointing that this is what recordings have come to. Thanks for the analysis Fil.
This was a sad day for the person learning their group was pitched corrected. I just do not listen to anything much expect when in video. Not that I really pay attention to the sound I enjoy watching what is on the video. Most time better to have something to hear than watching a film that is silent like back with the home movies with no sound. Thanks, Fil, for the bearer of sad news but true to your word.
do you do studio recorded songs or only live performances? i found a group called PINMONKEY doing their version of "I drove all night" here on youtube. it's interesting and perhaps you'd like to hear it. unfortunately, i think there is only one live performance by them, recorded on a small stage, apparently at a local bar.
were these vocal groups pitch corrected when they competed on the tv shows, like "The Sing-Off"?
No, that's what he played for the natural analysis
The marketers MUST think that the buying public demands this artifice. It must be what sells. And what sells has seldom been natural authenticity for decades.
I love all their videos but especially the live ones. I think this one is layered but since they sound just as good in live videos, I don't think autotune plays into it (no pun intended).There are loads of live ones, most recently "Sea Shanty Medley Live", I think you'd also like a couple of old ones "9-5 beatboxing breakdown" & "Joy to the World Hosannah".