How Auto-Tune Dominated the Music Industry.
In the latest episode of The Vergecast, it discusses how a pitch correction plugin has become the most iconic sound in today's pop music.
Popular music is constantly evolving, but there is one element that has remained present in almost all productions over the last two decades: the omnipresence of Auto-Tune. What started as an audio processing tool in the 1990s has evolved into a dominant force in the music industry. Nowadays, artists are training to sing using Auto-Tune, and the songs reflect this style. Despite mixed opinions, it is evident that Auto-Tune has been well received by the general public.
In a new episode of a podcast, music journalist and co-host of Switched on Pop, Charlie Harding, narrates the story of Auto-Tune. This account begins unexpectedly in the oil and gas industry and intertwines with the careers of artists like Cher and T-Pain. Over time, Auto-Tune has spread throughout the music sector, becoming so common that it is easier to notice its absence than its presence.
With more than twenty years in the era of Auto-Tune, Harding argues that the resistance and dissatisfaction towards this tool are exaggerated and misunderstood. He suggests that, after all this time, we should consider Auto-Tune not as a resource to hide musical deficiencies, but as another instrument in the creative process. As more stages of musical creation become digitized and refined, the impact of Auto-Tune seems far from disappearing.
Furthermore, as we move towards a possible "AI era" in music, we look for clues in the history of Auto-Tune that might indicate what could happen in the future. The characteristic sound that emerges from tools like Suno and Udio is discussed, as well as how artists will use and even abuse artificial intelligence. The uncertainty about the implications of this evolution raises important questions about the path we are taking. Although we have yet to reach the peak of the AI music era, as happened with "Believe," it is likely on the horizon.
