DON'T write off Sabrina Carpenter until you've seen THIS video.

[@kayemm1973]

So glad Tiny Desk was unedited because she really won me over in that performance, her voice is so nice, like a light Dolly Parton.

[@AmbieKat]

Honestly, same. I never doubted she was talented and I liked a couple of her much older songs, but Tiny Desk was something else.

[@fredbloggs6080]

Her voice reminded me of Dolly Parton a couple times also. Also some of the folk singers of the 1960s.

[@finally3984]

Yes! I was surprised by her band as well, they were all so talented. She won me over when I saw she employed a Steel Guitar player, in her group, on the Tiny Desk Concert.

[@justaguy12345]

Her voice is great, but what do we do when almost all her other performances and pop songs are corrected? All I hear is the pitch correction when I hear them. Makes it hard to be a fan when you almost never get to hear her actual voice.

[@Novascrub]

I think that would ruin Tiny Desk for me more than Sabrina

[@ibatfreak1982]

I feel like Fil is an advocate for artists as he regularly showcases how much outside forces mess with the beauty of these talents and performers.

[@TD-er]

Yep, so now we only need artists who will visit Fil in person to let him capture the true live voice in his studio. Just to show their own frustrations with the record company mangling their voices using autotune.

[@LeeHill66]

@@TD-er I don't think they are frustrated at all. Have you heard any artist complain that their voice is being manipulated? They are complicit in this... and don't think they don't know this is happening.

[@ibatfreak1982]

@LeeHill66 Interesting notion. I never really looked into what the artist thinks about it. Are they happy? Are they not allowed to say? Does it matter? If there's a video with this research already in place, I'd love to watch it!

[@fredbloggs6080]

@@ibatfreak1982 I'm pretty sure most of the contestants on the various singing competitions are not aware that their voices are being manipulated until they see them on TV. But of course they don't have any control in those circumstances. Artists under contract I would think would have some control, or should. Jennifer Hudson is almost never pitch corrected, as far as I can hear, in her live performances. She may have a stipulation about that, or the producers don't dare mess with her voice. Probably the same with Cynthia Erivo and some others of that ilk.

[@Fastvoice]

@@TD-er They wouldn't be allowed to publish anything without the consent of their label.

[@glamgal7106]

I understand why you said not to write off Sabrina Carpenter for one has to give her the benefit of the doubt when pitch correction is unnecessarily used as in the first two examples. In the live performance, Sabrina demonstrated pitch accuracy and the ability to sing with expression--I heard this breathiness in her voice. You proved that not only doesn't her voice need editing, it would be a shame to do it. Additionally, I think you've proven to be an advocate for true artistry in music--for that you should be greatly commended!🏆 Many thanks for all you do, Fil!

[@123Rockchild]

Fil….Finally you came across a live vocal! It’s been a while!

[@tonybarkham3679]

The natural voice sounds great and so much more expression without pitch correction. Great analysis Fil. 👍

[@gablen500]

i would love to see you cover Chappell Roan's performances. She is almost always flawless in terms of performance and I would love to know if it's actually her or if there's software. She has also done a Tiny Desk Concert and she sounds amazing during it IMO.

[@alvarotaranta]

Oh God, please no 😅

[@dela2612]

Why? Genuinely asking, don't know much about that artist ​@@alvarotaranta

[@rydbthatsme]

Almost always flawless is an exaggeration if i ever seen one🤡

[@gablen500]

@rydbthatsme worry about your own singing bud

[@mgoo1713]

The one live performance I saw it sounded like someone was strangling a cat..

[@MeK424]

Good to know! This young lady has been making music and touring for 10 years and has finally broken through. This year has brought her 6 Grammy Nominations because her album is funny, biting, and well written. The best thing about her though is her personality… clever, smart girl for sure. ❤

[@LOL-Can]

Thank you for the analysis . I'm beginning to realize more all the time that even good singers don't know that their voices are being electronically manipulated . I'm not familiar with this young lady's music but she can certainly sing and there is no reason for her voice to be altered. Thanks again Fil.

[@barbaravyse660]

She can sing but as Fil pointed out, she sings some notes off key.

[@Andy-gp4zv]

@@barbaravyse660 As everyone does. It's impossible to be "on the line" all the time.

[@hux2000]

Anyone who's able to sing as well as Sabrina can will be able to hear when their voice has been pitch-corrected. Either she doesn't object to it because she approves of it, or she doesn't object because she doesn't have the power to object. (She's no Madonna or Taylor Swift at this stage in her career. She's contracted to her label and they're calling the shots when it comes to this stuff.)

[@jenniferneumann4484]

If she was a Taylor Swift, she would make use of it. Maybe she wants to be like her?

[@Olkam-w5u]

Yes, everyone knows everything. Learning how to use vocal processing software is part of the training course of any top vocal coach.

[@hrizonsdebbie]

I like that even when she's sharp or flat you say she's really accurate... Because we'll hear it as mostly in tune.

[@stealthis]

It's also something that's moving in real time. We don't have enough time to nitpick like this we would a still image

[@arnewoodman]

Wasn't really aware of Sabrina Carpenter until beginning of this year. Was super-impressed by her Coachella performance. Fil has just confirmed it - a voice to savour.

[@Requiemslove]

The one she brought Norah on for Norah's song... and proceeded to make herself look like a chump? Even if the rest of it was stellar, and I'll take your word for it if you say that it was, that right there say's enough for me.

[@jaybain4337]

Thanks for including her recent NPR Tiny Desk concert! That version of "Slim Pickens" was amazing, her backup singers and band too :)

[@sethh5106]

Honestly, better than the record, which is impressive. She sounded better, I think the strings complimented the song better

[@jakjak9797]

Her voice is so controlled and so accurate with such a distinctive vibrato, that I think the pitch correcting done afterwards just makes her sound borderline auto-tuned, at least that’s my take

[@Nnn-t2z]

I really wanted to hear that Tiny Desk is authentic and real live vocals. Tiny desk needs to hold on to its integrity and credibility. I really enjoyed Sabrina's vocals on there. She sounded great, those flat and sharp notes are not noticeable. They still sound great and authentic. Where as Live Lounge using pitch correction SMH.

[@hux2000]

I'd take it further: those flat and sharp notes aren't even wrong, because vocal "imperfection" is part of what makes great singers great. It's what makes them sound human and real. When producers "correct" their voices to align them with the notes, they sound like robots. All the legendary singers throughout history hit imperfect notes all the time, every single time they sang. It didn't stop us recognizing their greatness. On the contrary: it was part of why they were so great.

[@Nnn-t2z]

@hux2000 I totally agree, couldn't have said it better myself. We need to hear that real vocal sound and not the clinical or sterile sounding corrections they use to 'perfect' their performance.

[@lucia_cossu_voiceteacher]

Voice/singing teacher here, international presenter expert in how voices develop physiologically and artistically - from young to artists with issues or limitations. I am happy to see you Fil being more nuanced and more conservative. Said that in this - and others cases similar- my true problem with all those manipulations is that for singers it confuses the capacity of organically develop so they start interesting but mostly stunt the real interesting development. This to me is the true damage of those practices. The correction interacts with our cognitive and biomechanical references to get more skilful and maintain the good practice to have the tissues adaptations which determine great voices - and live performances are crucial to these adaptations and cognitive references. Hope knowledge and public wanting just live performances will correct the course.

[@e.kjaergaard9435]

I was starting to doubt Sabrina's unedited voice - thanks for the analysis, Fil. Glad to see the result

[@hkandm4s23]

This is why i get so frustrated with a some of the people in your comments. The assumption that any artist that uses vocal tuning can't sing, is fake or has no talent is just false. Tuning is an industry standard at this point in most genres. You can definitely argue that it's overused, not your taste, ruins many performances and obviously shouldn't be applied to old songs where the song was never intended to be tuned. But - more often than not it's used to insult the artist and call their music trash and belittle the fans of that artist - especially young women. Sabrina is an excellent singer and songwriter. I'm so impressed at how clever and funny her writing is. She reminds me a lot of Dolly with some of her current stylistic choices and vibrato. In fact most of the top female artists in pop right now are writing a majority of their own music and are excellent live performers. Those who released manufactured cliche music written by a team of writers who really struggle to sing well had their albums flop this year. Most music is tuned - it's okay to prefer live vocals or older music. But you can fully express that preference without denigrating the artists or fans of genres you dont enjoy.

[@jten6632]

Could not agree more! See so many great and very talented young performers.

[@nicomakian1290]

I'm still in shock that her tiny desk performance is not pitch corrected! Her pitch is spot on many times in the set. She must be very talented to be able to do that. Respect.

[@Jfre2]

Tiny desk rules state no pitch or correction of any kind as well as minimal amplification in order to appear. Very strict guidelines.

[@thespacealienssmogandgrog4283]

That's why she and Chappell Roan are such a breath of fresh air.

[@hux2000]

@@Jfre2 I love Tiny Desk. And now I love them just a little bit more!

[@johnviera3884]

Tiny desk is also supposed to be about finding new artists and giving underground artists a path to be discovered by new fans. Sabrina Carpenter does not need any more exposure.

[@sillau9]

​@@johnviera3884 wrong..Tiny desk was not solely for exposure for smaller artists🤦🏻‍♀️..it's for the intimate settings..they cater to both smaller & bigger artist..get it right

[@fredbloggs6080]

Sabrina Carpenter has been on the scene for about 10 years since she was about 15, on the Disney Channel. She's done TV series and movies, has had numerous singles and albums, and even did Broadway, but she's just breaking out in a big way in the last year.

[@cheshacat]

My husband wanted me to watch this with *him* instead of vice versa. He's gotten and "Expresso" ear worm! Great job, Fil.

[@roryblake7311]

The NPR Tiny Desk performance is great... What's up with producers changing the voices? I REALLY like Sabrina Carpenter's Voice.... Thanks, Fil!

[@ladylove3636]

The producers take her natural talent and adjust it to what we are used to hearing. I was in a venue last week - the speaker had blown so you couldn't turn the sound up. Most things played fine but not Sabrina Carpenter it distorted, it's made louder for this era and to balance her gentleness. I mean I'm obsessed with her so they have got something right x

[@ladylove3636]

The productions are punchy, more than we realise but that may have been what was required. It worked, sold millions and I wuv her. I don't know what else it would sound like x

[@azul4904]

she’s proven to be an amazing vocalist over and over, so let’s not punish artists over the simple fact that pitch correction has become an industry standard.

[@stoatystoat174]

Glad you are having a look at tiny desk because there's loads of them I love. (And was getting a tiny wee bit worried they might be toooo good....) Would be great if you looked at the Hot Chip tiny desk because I recon they are just very accurate singers and it's nice to have a good guys episode

[@raggeragnar]

Hey Fil! This is such a great way to learn how record companies are manipulating all of us. There seems to be no boundaries at all. It’s pure theft in my opinion. Keep exposing them, you’re doing a great and important job. /R

[@patmath1000]

I've watched the tiny desk concert and it was great.

[@east3rcat]

Thanks for the video. My ear isn’t trained like yours, so these analyses are helpful!

[@greenpalmTX]

Dang Fil! I’m so relieved you caught someone singing for real! ❤ I had watched the NPR tiny desk concert, and was transfixed! I told my daughter, “You know you’ve made it when you’re invited to do a tiny desk concert” Still though, all of us were a bit taken aback by how big her tiny desk band was! I think it was some kind of record. I’m really just so glad she can sing. But also? I can hear the processing now. For certain. I’ve been watching you for a while and I thought I was beginning to hear it. Now, with this video, I can definitely say that I know it when I hear it. It’s tough isn’t it? When pitch correction is so ubiquitous

[@MrMarkalderman1]

Thanks for doing this Fil because I really enjoy her music.

[@jan_harald]

I kinda hate how people think everyone has to fit exactly into the classical western music scale, fit perfectly, hit notes perfectly, etc... all that matters, is consistency, if you're able to sing same song in the same way, but not hit exact notes, that shouldn't matter! music is fluid, it's not a rigid set of notes! only if you inconsistently SOMETIMES hit the notes, does it get perhaps a bit annoying...

[@Requiemslove]

Clearly you've misunderstood what consistency truly means. If anything it would be unrealistic for any singer to always do their songs the exact same way, live. A studio version of any singer's song is a timestamp, it's static, and that's obviously why you always get the exact same experience. Whereas live versions have to evolve and grow much like most decently good singers do. A live version of a singer's hit song from 20 years ago, for example, won't be the exact duplicate of said song today, because it's had 20 years of iterations and change up's.

[@cheneyrobert]

Her Tiny Desk was great 👏👏👏thanks Fil….Happy New Year 🥳

[@theburgersystem126]

Nice to see Fil putting some respect on Sabrina's name. She has always been an amazing singer.

[@somethingsomethingsomethingdar]

I’m so glad the tiny desk concert was not pitch corrected. I really liked that performance.

[@kessleas]

A few years ago I heard her on Elvis Duran singing acoustic New Rules, and was blown away. Yeah, I think she is the real deal.

[@don7294]

Fil, I was waiting for the day when someone behind the scenes would mess with you by turning on and off processing during a performance. It will happen, as your name and what you do invades the dreaded music industry. Keep up the great work my friend!!!

[@robertfindley921]

Good! I was one of the ones asking you to do Sabrina Carpenter. She said she doesn't use autotune or pitch correction. And my untrained ear says she has a decent voice.

[@alastairbishop2450]

Good video Fil. I think ironically Sabrina Carpenter's accuracy combined with her fast, narrow vibrato actually SOUNDS tuned even when it isn't. My guess is that the crowd footage track is probably not tuned at all. Hard to be sure though!

[@MzRedDear]

You can only really trust Tiny Desk for genuine live performances !

[@Crumbleofborg]

What a great voice she has! I suspect that artists are using pitch correction as a comfort blanket even when they don't need it.

[@hollybirge4087]

I wasn’t sure about her until I saw her Tiny Desk concert. She really can sing.

[@boneo_the_muso3493]

Cher has alot to answer for... used to like her... she done alotta good..... then that "I believe In" tune was released.... Now.... well Still great music coming out but it's by indipendents mainly.. REN < RAY < DOECHII < VULFPECK.... Only Ray you will hear on the radio.... she did go brit school tho.... The main gateway.. not taking notyhing away from her..... I hate the gatekeepers thats all x

[@badgerpa9]

She did The New York Governor's Ball in Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, New York on June 8, 2024. She may have done others there are 50 states and 50 Governors Balls. I had no idea who she was but looked her up and she was a Disney Kid. I wonder if she got out safe. Great video Fil, very glad you looked for more occurrences of the song to see that she can sing well with out autotune.

[@ladylove3636]

Ooh I could write a book on such. She is very forward with her sexuality. The short and sweet era is PERFECT she is mid 20s having fun and the LP is... Have you any idea how difficult it is to write in this era and get it bang on, she did it. Tone perfect. Whatever did or may happen it all comes down to this moment being perfect. That's all. I celebrate that X

[@ladylove3636]

It's a balance beam. Ariana Grande managed it for time also as she is a beautiful person also. But people dismiss the toll of the terrorist attack on her concert and what we see now 💔 s happens x

[@TowerThatAtePeople]

It's a shame what the standard is now, especially I had thought BBC Live Lounge had a standard of always being live and not tuned as I've heard some VERY live vocals on there before. Many artists are so needlessly being autotuned. Sabrina sounds great in the live sections, why bother ruining her vocal performance by overcorrecting it?

[@svetlanaandrasova6086]

I think I have a crush on you. Talented,intelligent,handsome, smart...I'll stop now.

[@SynnJynn]

^-^ so sweet

[@rowanrobbins]

You aren't the only one!😁❣

[@TD88865]

😂😉

[@LisaStephanieFranklin]

Yes I'm in line..

[@xMarceMarcex]

and with a killer smile to boot

[@IThinkYouLookLarvely]

Great analysis on this- I don't know the song, but noticed in the live vocal, she speaks the word "culture" with a hefty inflection, and the auto-tuned (sounding) version sounds like it's trying to snap that spoken part to a pitch. Rather comical that the producer (or whoever it was) missed it.

[@DAC_eq]

Id love for you to look at freya ridings and amber run live as they are both people whos live voices i love, and prefer over studio

[@olga138]

Fil, just an FYI---the Tiny Desk concerts are hosted by NPR (National Public Radio) at their studios in Washington. The singers perform at a desk normally used by one of the staff people. I always tell people to look up Taylor Swift's Tiny Desk set---she performed with just her guitar and piano. The Tiny Desk series often is a showcase for performers who aren't well known.

[@malva-yk2jg]

It's worth noting that the acoustics of the place are pretty terrible. The very large band really helps round out the sound.

[@hux2000]

@@malva-yk2jg Well, if the acoustics are terrible I can't say I've ever felt that they detract from the sound quality of the performances. One of my favorite TD concerts - Lisa Hannigan's from 2011 - is just her and one instrument, occasionally accompanied by one other performer and his, and it sounds great!

[@Fastvoice]

I find it hard to believe that any knowledgeable musician/music KZbinr worldwide doesn't know about the Tiny Desk concerts and how they work.

[@rickknight1810]

It's sad that the production people can't keep their hands off these artists' voices. Sabrina Carpenter is not to my personal taste, but she clearly has good ability to deliver on pretty difficult melodies. Young artists *need* to be challenged on their vocal abilities in order to develop and get better.

[@EzekielBrockmann]

I totally agree. Sabrina Carpenter is a genuine wunderkind. And she's hilarious.

[@user-zg8nl6fz7t]

Fil, love your videos. I am fascinated by the concept that in order to convey emotion, a singer must use "off the line" notes. A great example of that, I think, was "What was I meant for," as sung by Abi Carter, during her audition for American Idol 2024 (which she won). Would you please analyze that performance so we can see just what was going on there. On another subject, that you so much for introducing me to Tori Holub. She is a joy to listen to. Carry on and keep on analyzing!

[@pcooper3559]

Wow just been on your covers listening to Miles Away and this notification interrupted me 😂

[@JerryWasARaceCarDriver]

I never knew how well ginger ale and tequila and snickers ice cream bar go together until now.

[@keziahphoebeleanobagusto5879]

I really enjoy these analyses. Sabrina is great, please make one about her favorite singer and mine too, Christina Aguilera. Christina I feel like sing live most of the time. I think Chappell Roan and Laufey do great at live performances too.

[@MostlyBuicks]

All that aside, why do so many vocalists slur their mush-mouth vocals? Doesn't anyone ENUNCIATE anymore? They sound like they are trying to balance a marble in the valley of their tongue.

[@Lilah1754]

Guess I’m just getting old, but a lot of the younger female singers sound same. Pitch corrected or not, they sound very nasally and echoey to me. I just don’t think they have the talent that singers of my generation had. One exception is Arianna Grande. She has a very good voice & her imitations of other singers are spot on. Just call me Granny Karen. Lol

[@spookeymo]

@@Lilah1754 ive been into most major pop girlies lately and i must disagree. i think dua lipa and billie eilish for example have their own unique voices and have shown that they're talented and know what they're doing. would you call their voices nasally and echoey? im trying to figure out what you mean exactly

[@andrewcharlton4053]

@@spookeymo They're exceptions to the rule.

[@Lilah1754]

@ spookeymo I mean that to my ears many of todays pop singers sound just as I said, nasally and like they have an echo to their voice.Hearing them they don’t sound unique in their singing. Maybe it’s the auto tune or pitch correction. I’m sure there are some that don’t sound that way, as you say, but it’s my opinion that many do. I think Ariana Grande is an exception. I find her very talented with a very good voice. I agree Billy Elish does have a unique voice, but I don’t find her to be a good singer. That’s my opinion, as you have yours. To each their own musical taste. And if you read my comment I said A lot of todays pop female singers, not all.

[@perseapolaris9015]

Thank you.Fil.!! 🎸🌟

[@ConstantiaVerted]

Great vid, thanks.

[@gefelice]

After I found out Taylor wasn't singing live on her tour (Thanks to your analysis) I was starting to doubt if any major pop artist was actually singing live at all. Good to know that Sabrina at least has some live vocals when you buy tickets to see her live!

[@morbidmanmusic]

he natural voice sounds like Dolly Parton, her pitch corrected sounds like S&it

[@Journeymanlive]

Great work Fil! totally different topic, may I suggest a very good, mutliple de-esser on your voice? defintely that condenser-ilke high end, makes it really hard for me. Some videos your voice full on distords as well. How about a dynamic mic? all the best buddy!

[@gantmj]

Back in the day, artists used to get mad at vocal compression and make audio guys turn them off. Oh, how we've fallen.

[@Fastvoice]

When and where should that have happened? Do you know how compressed hit records were even back in the 60s? Ask Phil Spector, the Wrecking Crew or the staff at Abbey Road studios.

[@dmajestic80]

Pause at 14:46 makes it look like she has a moustache 😂

[@julipana]

LMAO I'M SCREAMING

[@meli3202]

LOL! I literally saw this comment pop up the EXACT MOMENT the video was passing that timestamp 🤯

[@Vita_Terra]

Up to late autumn this year I thought all these songs had weird technical glitches, without being caught by producers 🙄. Now I know those glitches are actually made by producers😡 as they autotune and pitch correct these songs!!🤬 Now I can catch autotune just like that! Thank you Fil for the education!🥰

[@pc26-y2c]

Can you do a video about Olivia Rodrigo please ? Thanks for this one, really interesting

[@marklockyer7652]

Great video. I’ve found BBC ‘live’ concerts tend to be post mixed (not just pitch corrected)… I wonder if the artists are even aware correction is being ‘applied’… it’s a shame, I would much rather hear a live recording the way it was performed… if you want a heavily sanitised version, just listen to the album version… But for a live performance you want to hear the human touch…

[@yootoobnz8109]

Could you please do a video showing how you isolate the vocals from everything else? I am stumped with how you could do this, so I think it would make a very interesting video for all of us. Love your videos. Cheers!

[@cindi1313]

It's an app called Moises. It's pretty straightforward.

[@LeahSeabourne]

Google "vocal isolator" or "vocal remover", etc. Add the file to one of the websites and it does it for you.

[@ladylove3636]

You know how you edit a photo in your phone or on Instagram it's the same but sound instead of visual x

[@covers_girl]

Fil, Can you look at Sabrina's voice in terms of overtones? It sounds like some of the notes she hits have polyphonic harmonics, which is quite a talent to possess and to my ears sound quite beautiful.

[@benska7190]

Great analysis video again! This video highlights very well, what’s wrong with so many things in the industry today. This last performance in your analysis proves without a doubt, that she is an excellent singer. She has lots of character in her voice, and she is super accurate with her pitch. And yet still, some idiot behind Pro Tools and Melodyne seems to be pitch correcting her in some other performances, and most likely in albums, too. This makes me SO sad. 😢 Pitch correcting a great singer, who absolutely doesn’t need pitch correction. And at the same time taking character away from her natural sound.

[@hux2000]

I think she's a very good singer and, like all high-profile singers - very good or otherwise - her people "correct" her voice routinely, whenever they can. It's a sad fact of musical life these days. Producers and label chiefs want consistency and they just don't care that the technology that achieves that consistency takes the "human" quality out of their artists' voice.

[@RexTorres]

I didn't care about Sabrina much until I saw her Tiny Desk performance on KZbin. I realized she was actually good.

[@joeflip2993]

Another good one

[@YayaCelebritea]

Happy New Year

[@RonWesterbeek]

Any help of compressor/limiter maybe ? Love the analysis again Fil, ROCK 🎉

[@folkchick1]

Why would anyone autotune a great voice? I just don't understand music anymore. Live is so much more beautiful.

[@Ylva-xv4fz]

I have a general request: how are the classical music record labels handling post production of e.g. opera singers? Do they edit the voices of contemporary opera singers on recordings? I sure hope not. And how would that even work out?

[@zoebella314]

You can tell she doesn't use much pitch correction, and not very often, by her duet she did W/Taylor Swift, who was using pitch correction lmao

[@Alex_Sander_Br]

I just watched the vídeo on Karen Carpenter and it just confirmed to me how good she was on so many levels, including pitch accuracy! I wonder how classical music/opera singers would perform in that test. By the way, what's the name of that software you use to show the pitch graphically?

[@joeceretti9098]

As a vocalist i step my voice into pitch and restrict myself to pitch and waver quaver around the guardrails and know when the next phrasing is coming I will lead into it by ... leading into it.. a singer with ears will punch the note lines.. its part of the learning process when you get in

[@brudzool]

New drinking game, every time WOP says full 'A440 standard pitch equal temperament.'

[@myunclejohn]

Very goo analysis! Two questions: On a "live" TV performance like Jimmy Fallon show....1. who decides on auto-tune? 2. Do Fallon producers auto-tune every "live" performance?

[@myunclejohn]

Very Good -- Not Very Goo !

[@barbaravyse660]

Great video. Can you please analyze Kacey Musgraves? I think she has near perfect pitch naturally but curious to hear your thoughts.

[@JamesParus]

They have probably noticed that autotuning those section that are almost talking is not good. Or the tuner is adjusted so low that it doesn't tricker on those talking parts

[@baimun]

"She's just that good... but she's being tuned"... It took me a while to realize how good Ariana Grande's vocals were because ALL of her early songs had over-use of that auto-tune-as-a-sound that so many producers gravitate to. Honestly, it's one of the reasons that I've enjoyed many Dua Lipa's performances when her voice would crack a little or she would miss a note, because it sounded so fresh and real. Now that she's a bigger star, I hear more of the layered vocals and tuned assist like Taylor Swift uses, but once you know where a vocalist's real range is, it makes it more forgivable when listening to some huge outdoor performance or the 30th show on a leg when some of that happens. The inverse is when a singer has a cold and struggles through a night and a segment of the crowd thinks the singer's career is done. 😑 Any gigging musician who's done three or four long shows in the same week has had a set where... "Johnny Cash or Instrumental Jams with rap-slam-poetry is all I've got left in the tank". 🤣

[@Paulkjoss]

You’re doing Gods work mate - interesting 👍🏼 We’re coming into an age of AI music and saturated with the computerisation of instruments… I believe we are in for a golden age of ppl seeking raw, unaltered, pure music and Vox- a great era of blues, folk etc… Can’t wait!

[@AnnikaOBrien]

I was hoping you would cover her SNL video and Benson Boone doing Austin City Limits

[@alangil40]

I'm curious now about Brandi Carlisle. I have seen her a few times at Red Rocks and she seems so authentic and her voice so powerful. Do I even want to know?

[@theMochaFiend]

I can't get past the sibilance in her vocals. So much hiss.

[@donm3986]

Yesssss! Please, Please, Please sounds like someone left the mic out in the rain... yesss, at MacArthur's Park.

[@MemoirsofaGamer1982]

Jade Thirwall did a slow ballad alternate version of Angel of My Dreams. It sounds INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!! Id love to know if it was live. It says it is, and you can hear the breathing etc.

[@mightyV444]

HAPPY NEW YEAR and all the very best for 2025 to all of you and to all your loved ones! 😀🙌💚🌈☀️🎵🍀🦋🌻

[@allonewordcaps]

Fil. Thank you 😊

[@Crazybiznatch1234]

Thank you!! Please do recent Miley Cyrus next!! I think she had a great performance a few years ago from a superbowl event.

[@TrueBlade-1889]

Not an easy song. Changing volume and pitch all over the gaf. Be interesting to see her sing Over the Rainbow.

[@VelvetLavaDesign]

I’ve been wishing they did less pitch work on the Wicked vocals because I KNOW Ari & Cynthia are also SO accurate on their own and any imperfections would have been perfectly welcome. It’s still emotional watching the movie but less correction would have given us more of the experience everyone was balling over on set hearing truly live

[@IThinkYouLookLarvely]

These brilliant analysis videos have made me wonder if Auto-Tune (etc.) can one day be somehow reversed, assuming of course you don't have access to the unprocessed vocal. In these days of software rapidly getting so advanced, being able to separate instruments and vocals, and various "AI" tools becoming available, I wonder if there could ever be one that would identify overly accurate notes, then work out where they were originally. The former probably easier than the latter! BTW, I prefer 'Sabrina with the uncaged pitch' (sorry, that's pretty bad)

[@BetterIdeas.]

So, an autotuned/pitch-corrected voice does not automatically imply a weak vocalist (although it usually does). Even strong vocalists are being "perfected" cuz this is now standard operating procedure for all artists on almost all venues. I think someone like Sabrina sings well in a quiet, controlled setting; but on stage, with dance movements and all the noise, flash, and bother which accompanies such performances, her voice needs added stability. And, of course, any studio recording intended for broad distribution is going to be "perfected" nowadays.

[@Olkam-w5u]

Absolutely right, to use autotuning, you need to sing well, it just corrects mistakes. For it to work, you need to hit the song's points. Many people now will not want to listen to songs without autotuning, they will say that the singer is bad

[@BetterIdeas.]

@@Olkam-w5u There are many weak singers out there today; far beyond any help that autotune could provide, as you observe. They lip-synch to a loud pitch-corrected backing track. Not to pick on K-pop specifically, but many "idols" are weak singers, and even good singers can't do the impossible--sing well while dancing vigorously.

[@Olkam-w5u]

@@BetterIdeas. K-pop does not require good vocals. They are recruited based on appearance, acting skills, and choreography talent. The concept of idols means that people are sold on looks, visuals, and their behind-the-scenes videos about work, relationships between members, and arguments. Vocals are secondary, half of which is rap, but they all learn from vocal teachers, so they are average. Although there are K-pop groups with strong vocalists, such as Forestella.

[@lolalile302]

I don't see a problem to tell a good singer from a bad one. All this is totally exaggerated and taken out of proportion.

[@lisablacker3102]

I'll admit that she has a really nice voice, when she's not being pitch corrected. It's not my taste in music, so it's not likely i would ever seek out her work, but i can still respect her vocal abilty.

[@RobbieFitzgerald]

I think what we will constantly find is anything that has been recorded for tv, is not the actual live content. Its been touched up. I would imagine it is done after the fact. It seems to often be done by the producers. It happened when Disturbed did The Sound of Silence on Conan. Edit. Fil would you mind doing Middle Age Dad Jam Band ft Kristin Bell, doing Islands in the Stream? Im curious about how accurate she is, especially.

[@richardneild2076]

yep, has a semblance of Joni Mitchell in her voice, would like to hear her do ‘paved paradise’

[@ladylove3636]

Coincidence is heavily influenced by Joni Mitchell. Incredible x

[@Requiemslove]

Well I wrote her off when she duetted with Norah Jones for Norah's song [come away with me] and Jones had to restrain her own vocal to not show Carpenter up. [You could almost hear Jones rolling her eyes internally] Contrast that incident with a real talent such as Laufey, who Jones actually did a couple of Christmas songs with. Now THAT's an endorsement. And to make it clear if Carpenter had something real to show then said duet would have been the opportunity. Instead, she just proved she didn't have much artistic range or too much nous. I understand why Fil did this video, but he's wasting his time. Focus on the good, not on the currently popular for vain and obvious reasons. [Within a decade they'll drop Carpenter like a stone]

[@bl00dygoodtimes_]

Norah wasn't restraining, she just can't sing as well as she used to. which is why you often hear norah drowned out by background vocalists in her live performances nowadays

[@Requiemslove]

​@@bl00dygoodtimes_ Wrong, Her voice is better than it ever was. It's her status in the so called mainstream that changed, and you ought to know if as you claim you know this musician, that it was deliberate. Jones didn't like the whole "fame" part of global recognition and is seemingly far more at ease being a relatively more obscure yet intensely bright diamond. And there's only one reason this duet went south. Because Sabrina Carpenter's intent was conceited. As in, she wanted credibility from a duet of this status. And whether she's one of the better current pop stars or not, well, she was found out. Jones would have tried to obscure and distract from that but even she can't work miracles when there's nothing doing. It would have been different maybe if Carpenter instead of winging it, adapted and put in a shift, but her intent was conceited and arrogant from the start. Go and watch the video of this duet and tell me I'm wrong, but I won't hold my breath on that if I was you.

[@bl00dygoodtimes_]

@@Requiemslovei've seen it, and you're wrong. have a good day!

[@Requiemslove]

@ Clearly your absolutely clueless. What a shame for you.

[@cindi1313]

Sabrina Carpenter in concert, more live than Don Henley, who knew?

[@judyddaddu]

Chappell Roan's performances please, especially the Tiny Desk performance

[@TheSynthnut]

Pitch correction is now becoming so entrenched in production that some styles inherently seem to demand it. Its like the abuse of quantize, the destruction of soul and feel is a necessity all too often. Lets also not forget that temperememt is a hangup brought on by fixed pitch instruments. Sometimes the right note is off the line, ask fretless bassists for example. Trouble is now that the Ai pitch technology is getting more sophisticated (notice, i didn't say better) so will in some cases be impossible to definitively tell where its used. Heck, some voices sound like it's being corrected even when not using it! Its here to stay, like photo editing, even an "unedited" image has considerable processing done on it by the camera, the file compression, the printer and ink choice. Likewise, all audio is affected by the intermediate technologies between source and ear. When do affects become effects and what effects should or shouldn't be listed on the ingredients? The big no-no for me is passing off playback vocals as live as that's misrepresentation. Live vocals being processed is a whole nuanced spectrum and one that is never going to be resolvable.

[@mikeydflyingtoaster]

Fil mentioned that this was a recording from Radio 1 Live Lounge. The whole image or ‘vibe’ of these sessions is that it is a stripped back, authentic performance- rather like the MTV Unplugged sessions.