The magic of mixing audio

AudioPostExpert · Jan 17, 2013

ItDonnedOnMe said:
I've always been curious about this - to what extent can this stuff be done in real time these days? I mean once you've successfully constructed a pop star in the lab like this, how do you handle live performances? Is lip-syncing the only option, or if you've got someone who's at least somewhat close can you do enough fixing live to keep them sounding good?

There is quite a lot you can do. Lip-syncing is still quite common but not the only option. Most of the softwares we use in the studio also have a real-time option. This real-time option is not good enough quality to use in a commercial audio release but is fine in a live performance where quality expectations are lower and there's large amounts of background noise to help cover-up the deficiencies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ilIfOI8fc

2001 Productions · Jan 17, 2013

David.rhsc said:
I read that as a joke too

Actually, I was being honest. I've heard the name, but couldn't have told you if she was a musician, actor, model, reality TV personality, poptart, or some famous person's girlfriend. Probably because I stopped watching TV in 1987. I could have googled the name, but never really gave a crap before.

So, presuming Nick was making a joke, can someone explain it to me?

Lucky Hardwood · Jan 17, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAp9BKosZXs

Ernest Worthing · Jan 25, 2013

AudioPostExpert said:
I was lucky enough to record and produce a few tracks for Bjork many years ago, it needed absolutely no correction whatsoever and one track didn't even contain any edits! Even as a professional engineer, I did not realise Bjork was that talented until she started singing into the mic in my studio.

Very cool. Bjork and PJ Harvey have a wonderful sound.

Jack Lynt · Jan 26, 2013

NOVA scienceNOW: Auto-tune

NOVA ScienceNOW talks to the engineers behind Auto-Tune, the pitch-correction software that turns sour notes into sweet ones. Professional musicians from Madonna to Snoop Dogg use Auto-Tune, but can the software turn host Neil deGrasse Tyson into a singing star?

dr stilly · Jan 26, 2013

And after Kanye west all these pop stars sound like malfuctioning cyborgs...fitting really.

JeremyL · Apr 1, 2015

Alcove Audio said:
Vocalign fixes the rhythm; you sync the singer to an instrumental melody line. Melodyn or AutoTune takes care of the pitch problems. In fact, it is not unknown for the producer to have a talented session singer come in and sing the entire track, then the "star" artist is coached to copy it as well as they can doing dozens of takes. After that someone like me "tweaks for weeks" (sometimes literally) - comping the best takes into a semi-solid performance and then with editing down to the last detail, and using every single tool in the arsenal (Melodyn, AutoTune, etc.) to make it as close to perfect as possible.

Yes, it is possible, but it is extremely time consuming and very expensive.

Speaking of Melodyne, are any of your familiar with Revoice Pro or do you use something else?
Here's an interesting talk on lip syncing an actress who lost her voice:
http://www.synchroarts.com/blog/how-jose-luiz-diaz-worked-with-sound-for-the-filming-of-wild-tales
This is worth watching as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcwgy8QEKAk

sfoster · Apr 1, 2015

In las vegas there is a karaoke bar that has live autotune - something most karaoke bars sorely need.

Personally I don't mind this stuff at all. I think it's fantastic and creates a lot more competition and thus a better product in the end for consumers.

How many people are great singers? Lets just say 1 in 50 for easy math. In that case 98% of the population has no chance to express themselves musically to an eager audience.

How much great music has never been created because the person behind it just wasn't born with the right pipes?

I would much rather buy tracks from a talented songwriter - mixed to sound good - singing their own personal lyrics.

It is less appealing to me to buy tracks from a talented singer that is totally fake inside and pretending to be someone else in their songs

mus · Apr 1, 2015

I'm with sfoster, I don't mind this at all. As long as the music is good, which I don't think there even is a good pop star out there. But even if this were done in the genres I like, as long as they've created a piece of art that stands out to their audience.

I do feel that everyone should learn more about the recording and mixing process, so they have a deeper appreciation for sound engineers. But that might shatter the illusion that they enjoy an individual, super-talented person, not a team of people working to create something.

I have always wondered how they were able to keep their breath while singing and dancing so much (of course, I ASSUMED they were lip-syncing, or at least not using their native voices entirely)

mus · Apr 1, 2015

Now on to a more important issue: who here wouldn't bone the crap outta Katy Perry?

sfoster · Apr 1, 2015

tough as hell to sing and dance.

i've played "lets dance" on the kinect that makes you do exactly that. exhausting.

jrusso · Apr 1, 2015

sfoster said:
tough as hell to sing and dance.

i've played "lets dance" on the kinect that makes you do exactly that. exhausting.

Which is why MJ even lip synched his performances. You'd have to be cray cray to try to sing and dance at the same time. It messes your pitch all up.

Sweetie · Apr 1, 2015

that is totally fake inside and pretending to be someone else in their songs

I don't get this. Why is this different from what actors do?

sfoster · Apr 1, 2015

Sweetie said:
I don't get this. Why is this different from what actors do?

I don't have a quick answer for you as to exactly why but there is something different about it.
It's one of the reasons 50-cent took off so much, he had street credibility.

Part of following a music artist like that is that you get to know them as a person.