Autotuners: "punk" bands use them all the time

Most of us have heard by now that pop stars like Britney Spears use computers in the recording studio to digitally alter their voices, and hence even if they aren't great singers, every note that escapes their mouths is processed to perfect pitch. But did you know that "autotuners" are also used in live concerts, and not just by the likes of Spears? Everyone from country-rockers like Reba McIntyre to pop-punkers Sum 41 and Good Charlotte use this technology, and it's been around for awhile. Check out this story for the scoop:

Globe and Mail: "Pop stars and punk bands alike are piping their voices through the hardware, which corrects and improves their vocal pitch during concerts and on records. 'It's actually been used on stage for quite a while,' said Marco Alpert, vice-president of marketing at Antares Audio Technologies, a major supplier of autotuners. With musicians on the road touring for weeks on end, the autotuner has become a safety net that catches the occasional clinker on days when their voices may be off. (In a nutshell, the autotuner is told what key the vocal is in and analyzes the wave form in real time. If the singer is off-key, it will adjust the pitch to the closest note in that key.)"

Posted by matt at January 23, 2004 05:05 PM