So, I just auto tuned Freddie Mercury. But, can YOU tell the difference?

[@roseannelobbezoo7638]

I’m not an expert, but I was born into a musical family in the 40s, where music was a natural part of our daily lives. I’ve always equated singers voices as being cold or warm. I now realize what has bothered me so much about so many current singers. Their voices leave me feeling cold. I now realize it’s because of auto tune! We might as well be listening to robots! Freddie’s natural voice sounds so much better than the auto tuned version because, for me, it’s warm and full of life.

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Clinical is the word that springs to min for me. Doesnt matter if it's singing or instruments it's oulr human limitations and "mistakes" that define us.

[@Backstreets247]

I've been saying this for years..........auto tune is destroying the music industry!

[@dmwalker24]

You're a million percent correct. What Freddie is doing with those slightly flat notes is the same thing world-class violin soloists do playing a bit flat to create tension. The auto-tune takes all the performance out of the performance.

[@adamabele785]

It is also because of the equal temperament. Most instruments and the human voices do not produce notes in equal temperament, so naturally they are flat or sharp a little bit to form the exact intervals. Only pianos, organs, and electronic instruments produce equal temperament. Professional singers and musicians do know the difference and use different temperaments according to the time of the composer. A great singer in Gregorian chants will produce a sound of overwhelming beauty, but the pitch will be nowhere near the pitch of the equal temperament, if it is done right. BTW that is also a reason why many singers have difficulties to find the right pitch in equal temperament, the intervals don´t really match, just sort of. It took the organ builders many years to find out how to tune an organ to the equal temperament. As soon as they were able to, they looked for a way to get rid of it, because it sounds totally boring and takes a lot of the expression of a tune and it makes a huge difference if a tune is played in F major or G major.

[@adamabele785]

@@Backstreets247 the listeners will eventually have enough of it. Music always evolves and each fashion goes out of fashion one day and people just won´t listen to it any longer. When I hear autotune it means different things: either the musician has no talent and his pitch is all over the place and you need it to be able to bear it, or the musician has no confidence or knowledge in what he is doing and does not hear the difference, or it is used on purpose to create unnatural sounds. In film music it might help bring new "unnatural" or "strange" vibes, if that is what the film director wants to create. In the other cases it turns music (=emotion) into sound waves (=differences of air pressure that contain the same information as traffic noise).

[@LynnMarieC-dl3fi]

Freddie's untouched voice is pure gold. Every time I hear his bellowing vocals I get goose bumps! Every time..

[@LoveToHearUSing]

Me too. After all these years.

[@dianecourtney2724]

Always … forever

[@cjkitty60]

Freddie’s imperfections were perfection & why he is one of the greatest voices (if not the greatest) of all time.

[@micheleshelley6156]

There is so much power and character in his voice. Utterly unique. I know he didn't like it when they tried to edit his voice on their filmed concerts, so I don't imagine he'd have been appreciative of auto-tune.

[@margohamilton2635]

Yes. I can hear the auto tune. And if records were labeled auto tuned, I'd not buy them.

[@linusandersson1535]

Agreed. I was intrigued when he said that we shouldn't be able to hear the first one being auto-tuned. Knowing what Freddie sounds like, it wasn't hard to pick them apart.

[@luisclaudioguerin4870]

@@linusandersson1535 he said that, cause so many songs uses autotune nowadays, and the majority of people is so used to it that they can't tell the difference. No mainstream listener notice that, and even musicians are amongst those average music costumers that listen to shit music saying they like the rhythm, or the 'voice' of the singer (and has soon I lesten to that voice I think, well that's not him/her voice..) Only a minority relate to, and connect to music nowadays, listening to the melodies, harmonies and poesy, going inside the music, and getting emotionally involved are rare today. This is one of the reasons I myself do not listen to most of rock music today, just doesn't give me any feel, are like artificial music, not just rock of course, but rock used to be an escape of that kind of shitty music. Now there are so few good artists that are honest to the music to the public and to themselves (and still match ones personal tastes, I mean, eg. Adele IS that kind of artist, but I'm not into her music, so I admire and respect her, but is not the kind of music I like to hear...) So sad. Well there will aways be some resorts here and there.

[@5roundsrapid263]

I noticed the difference straight away. The second version “breathed” and just felt like Freddie. The first was cold and weird, a bit off.

[@teresamckeown5594]

Like how weird David Bowie sounded auto tuned.

[@christinestromberg4057]

Me too.

[@crazycornishcrafter]

MTE; sounded worse autotuned.

[@jackblack3886]

Only after hearing the 2nd Freddie sample. Then the 1st one just didn't sound like Freddie.

[@denizday7785]

I had a big smile on my face when listening to the second one. I didn't with the first. That's just crazy to me!

[@8arcasticallyYours]

Something was off in that first clip of music, but I couldn't have described it. I just knew. I think that auto-tuning is a sneaky way of conning the public into believing that every recorded singer is naturally pitch-perfect, but the audience will greatly miss out on the correct 'feeling' or emotions conveyed in REAL singing. Also the shock they'll feel when or if they ever hear that singer live without auto-tune! 😧 Freddie really was one of the greatest singers and performers.

[@Pumpion]

Legit, these videos are helping me feel so much better about my singing. I don't think I'm a terrible singer, but despite being in choirs almost all throughout primary & high school, I've never gotten much in the way of solos, or many opportunities to represent my school in various musical events, or won things like talent quests. I've recently started thinking "what if my voice is actually terrible & people are just humoring me to be polite" because my voice never sounds like how other peoples' voices sound in recorded songs. But now seeing how autotune is used & what it looks like compared to no autotune, I've begun to realise "huh, that's why my voice doesn't sound like theirs" and started getting my confidence back because of course my natural voice doesn't sound like an autotuned song

[@aprils6589]

This example of one singer with and without auto tune is perfect. "Wave forms don't lie" could be an analysis of the correlation between physics, math and music. I can already feel my head exploding ;-)

[@andreachavez2117]

We should get Brian May on that. He could manage all three areas. :-)

[@hman2912]

Just knowing that song so well, kind of spotted the difference in the auto tuned one because it sounded different to normal. Awesome video.

[@lydiabentley3413]

After Queen heard Angelina Jordan‘s rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody they gave her their complete approval and said on their Instagram wow. I cannot think of a better recommendations in Queen to give Angelinas a thumbs up on her magnificent performance and delivery of this iconic song. Angelina was 13 at the time and she is now 15 and has written some of her own songs which are beautiful

[@stevekeetertheloathlydaddy6636]

I could tell the difference on the very first samples (and the final example was just amazing). Freddie's raw vocal was so much more real and emotional. But thank you so much for this video, for showing and explaining what auto tune sounds like, this was so illuminating.

[@Norfolk250]

EEEEE I'm new to all this, but I got the first one correct! I sounded different to me, and without replay, I paused after the second part to try to come up with the wording. And, turned out - whether for the same reasons or not, I did choose correctly. Alright ... I'm ready for the next one --- After listening to you describe after that sample set, I got nervous that your complex and accurate extracts might be what the makers use to tweak the next level(s)/generation of the technology -- 'improving' it to the point that even you would begin to like the augmented versions .... scary thoughts. Scary thoughts already in my menu of your other uploads, that led me to think the future of any singing we will hear both on radio or LPs printed in the future, will all be augmented ... things in reprint from several decades ago even. So, KEEP YOUR COPIES if you have an albumn from 30 years ago!!! Listen to me going-on here. Sheash!

[@deboraclark5791]

Thank God there wasn't auto tune back then, but Freddie wouldn't have allowed it anyway 🙂 Love Freddie's voice, so powerfully beautiful ❤️I totally agree with you we want real not fake. thank you

[@debramoore7513]

Agreed!!

[@elizabethrodriguez1095]

Howright you were, Fil, that ultra auto tuned version was sacrilege!. What talent you display! You sing, you rock, you produce, you play instruments, you're a talent show on legs, lol!

[@wingsofpegasus]

😂 thanks!

[@bradleyhart2492]

When an old classic like "More than a feeling" or " "Good bye yellow brick road" Are advertised as "Remastered" is this basically what they do? Great job breaking this down. Thanks...keep 'em coming!

[@nealm6764]

I am no expert on the process of remastering, but I don't think it necessarily means autotuned vocals. More like cleaning it up from recording imperfections associated with the recording methods of the past.

[@antebellum45]

Thank you! Well done! This explains really well what you talked about in your previous AutoTune video. It now makes it perfectly clear (to me at least) how AT takes soo much away from, and distorts the original voice! I'm sure Freddy would agree with this assessment and your professional analysis. Your depth of musical knowledge is very much appreciated! Well done! Btw: might as well call AutoTune "the white washing of music", since the cleaned up notes are just hung onto the line to dry.

[@ritazellweger3040]

That is a great analogy „white washing….“, love this!👍🏻😀

[@somersetcace1]

I think this kind of hashes what's already been said, but I would just throw in that if a recording needs to be auto tuned, in order for it to be pleasing to the ear, perhaps a better recording would be in order (or a better voice.) If the musician themselves are looking for perfection, fair enough, but I agree with many that the imperfections are not always bad. A great example of that kind of artist is Janis Joplin. Now, don't get me wrong, that woman could flat out sing, but there was a lot of modulation and rising up into pitch in her performances. From a purely technical standpoint, you might even suggest the woman couldn't sing. However, it sounds amazing! Auto tune would destroy it.

[@BlackEyedJester]

One thing that I will say on this topic is, I think it depends on the artist in question. If it's their intent to use Auto-Tune to go for a specific sound, that's totally fine, but when it's producers or studios forcing it onto an artist, that's where I draw the line.

[@martinam7806]

Even with the lightest auto tune you can tell the difference… it is so perfectly imperfect. It lacks this nuances he is known for doing with his voice - and we love them!!!

[@robertcombs4406]

Amazing analysis. Thank you for putting a real talent through this indignity so we can understand tue depths of his gift. It was a real education for me. And yes, I would more enthusiastically purchase music that was not auto tuned if I could tell from the cover.

[@shirleyvastine9328]

After just recently discovering your channel, I was proud to know I was correct in which one was first auto- tuned. You are making me appreciate the miracle of great musical artistry.

[@loriematthews6418]

That last bit actually hurt my ears lol. Atrocious is right! Can't believe how talented you are.. Thank you fil!🌷

[@donnanaples5214]

So bottom line Freddie is better than auto tune!!👏👏

[@Reddotzebra]

If I'm not mistaken this tech was originally invented to help seismologists. Anyhow, the only reason I managed to hear the difference between the first two was that the first version sounded more capped, for lack of a better word. Freddie always gets this cool wobbly quality when he takes high notes, and the auto tuned version has less of it.

[@georgenoriegajr]

The easiest way to distinguish them is on the verse "I ain't gonna face no defeat", particularly on the word "ain't". The autotuned version keeps him up at A#3 on the word ain't, so "I ain't gonna..." is all A#3. The original version, Freddie sings the word "I" at A#3, drops to B5 on "ain't", then immediately goes back up to A#3 on "gonna". The latter is a stylistic choice by Freddie to give it more impact, and one he pulls off flawlessly because his control is that good. The former is a choice that a producer would make to keep him "on grid", but one that alters the performance and vocal choices made by Freddie and substitutes the producer's preferences instead. It's one thing to auto tune a singer to get a performance they're incapable of achieving; it's another thing entirely to auto tune a master of his craft and suck the life and nuance OUT of his performance.

[@shonacole2124]

Love learning all of this. Freddie forever ♥

[@forbiddenyoungones]

Coming from the days before auto tune many of my favourite songs are not note perfect but I would not listen to them any other way. Thanks for the interesting demonstration.

[@Tricky_Adventures]

I'm so glad you did this especially with Freddie as the subject; it really showed me a lot about auto-tune. I did guess correctly. It is hard to describe but I found the auto-tuned version (even the most subtle one) to not have the "warmth", "range", nor the same "texture". Personally, I think its fine for those that use the tool to make their art. It's similar to laying down multiple voice tracks, you can't do that live either without having those other voice tracks being replayed backing you up. Would be neat to have some extra album tracks though like an artist can give us a non-auto-tuned version similar to giving us an acoustic version.

[@richardlincoln886]

It was noticeable audiowise - first one was too 'clean' - but to be honest, a good example of why double blind testing is important, Your grimace introducing the first clip was very noticeable :)

[@phylad]

See this is why so many KZbin music reactors are truly blown away by talented vocalists. All they hear is auto tune

[@TimpBizkit]

15:20 Queen Feat T-Pain, Somebody To Love

[@Ursichan]

That last auto tune made me cry it was so terrible!! How can anyone think that ANYONE needs to be auto tuned to that point?!!

[@thirstfortruth8904]

Without taking anything from Freddie, it has to be said that those BVs are off the chart inSANE. And yeah, he was involved in those too, I believe. But just shows how incredible the rest of the band were vocally

[@davidrobinson4400]

Queen would experiment quite a lot in the studio to get different sounds; it's a fascinating read how they achieved some of the effects. People didn't believe they were being done in an "analogue" fashion, which is why you'll find the text "No synthesisers!" on Queen's early albums. I think re-releases should also add "No autotune!".

[@sisterdiggins]

Oh my god this is hilarious ! I love these experiments !

[@JMLUSA1]

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU PHIL, ART is ART because of the SPIRIT and SOUL of the ARTIST! ESPECIALLY SINGERS!

[@grievousangelic]

That total Auto-tune version hurts my ears. The trouble is, so many people now think that's how it's SUPPOSED to sound! But it's not, obviously. Give me warm, human analog any day!

[@marjorambee3521]

I already try to avoid autotuned music as much as possible! Especially as I am a singer, I love the sound of a REAL human voice so much.

[@IzthatafaC]

His voice sounded so much brighter without the auto tune. It literally makes his voice duller!

[@livestreamsfromtexas2137]

I can 100% tell the difference right away.

[@BrentStuder]

"Waveforms don't lie." You did a great job of demonstrating the effect that various degrees of autotuning imposes on the vocals and sowing that visually. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the fully-on autotune version of Freddie with zero millisecond delay sounded like an electronic keyboard or some other instrument trying to mimic a human voice. I kind of expect an instrument to snap to a pitch nearly instantaneously, but when I hear a human voice do that, it sounds artificial and devoid of character.

[@Spaceseeker]

i could tell which one was auto tuned. It did affect emotion Mind blowing

[@cytwc]

I like to think of auto tune as a colour or effect that can be added to music, however it needs to be added correctly

[@pite9]

I could tell that the first was autotuned. It sounded stiff at times, while the 2nd felt like a more smooth pitch variance, which sounded better. But I have heard the song so many times, which undoubtedly made it easier to spot the original.

[@MrDrewseph]

Music will roll back around to being organic. Everything moves in cycles

[@deaconb]

Thanks for this. I was a requestor to defile Freddie for science, and it was just as informative as I'd hoped. One takeaway for me, a singer with perfect pitch "reasonably" autotuned is FAR less noticeable than one consistently outside the lines to begin with. Knocking the edges off is one thing, a constant half-note bumping becomes irritatingly artificial to the ear when you're expecting a human vocal. Beyond that, art is very personal. Technical innovations/tools that seem to dilute, or even enhance, an artist's direct input have historically met resistance. Photography is still considered less than "art" in some circles and digital photography even more so. Like those visual counterparts, I consider auto tuned performances a different medium and try to judge them on their own merits. Many of today's singers are not vocalists in my mind... they're playing a digital instrument. Not my bag, but to each their own. However, I have MAJOR issues with artists being auto tuned without permission or notice to the listener. Any producer auto tuning while remastering classics has a special corner of hell awaiting them. 🔥🔥🔥

[@blazegunz]

I could only tell the first one was auto tuned was there was a change in Freddie’s vibrato characteristic. It sounded like it slowed it down slightly.

[@kamakirinoko]

At 15:19 is pretty much what most pop music sounds like these days. HORROR.

[@kellyjanestringer]

Really interesting 👍

[@woodyjackson7707]

Please listen to Chet Atkins and Earl Klugh. “Good time Charlie’s got the blues” . The video where Earl is playing an electric.. I believe a Carver guitar.

[@Krullmatic]

Even though it was miniscule, I could still tell it was autotuned. It just sounded too perfect. The autotune sticker would be like putting a lip-sync sticker on a live video performance, and you know how everyone hates lip-syncing. No one would buy it. I'm really digging this series Fil. Great job mate!

[@breakingthelaw7974]

Using autotune is like saying i painted the Mona Lisa and im selling it as my painting

[@ptournas]

I think it would be interesting to hear it with someone who wasn't a good singer. Maybe an old Fabian song, like "Turn Me Loose" :)

[@sohosteveuk]

I could hear the Autotune on the first version from the very first line. Sounded obvious to me. The vibrato is what gave it away. Just sounded 'wrong' for want of a better term. Like his voice was constricted and lacking natural expression. But I'm a producer, so my ear has no doubt become highly attuned to it.

[@ChopBassMan]

As a musician of 45 years (I play bass - 6 string fretless for the last 25 years) I would refuse to buy records that were labeled as auto-tuned. I did get the quiz at the beginning correctly, and can usually tell what music is auto-tuned in casual listening. I believe it's a cheat - although speaking artistically, it can be a useful tool - just like other effects are. I personally do not like auto-tune at all

[@brendamckinley3036]

I was going to wait BUT #3 was like Justin Bieber just decided to get over his cold and tried to sing Somebody to Love. Either that or call all the dogs to his yard.

[@larasworld]

I like authenticity. I can't stand the idea of artist pipeing in their music and lip syncing. I'd rather hear a live concert with all the flaws.

[@FeelingShred]

14:55 Part 2

[@gotscottgreen]

I could tell the first one was auto-tuned, but I also do this for a living. The subtleness was good though as it was smooth. I would also say that he did seem to have good pitch, and the reason that it raised his voice a bit overall, could have been the instrumentation wasn't perfectly in tune (to answer some people's comments below). I have mixed feelings on auto-tune. I use it and depending on the artist/s at differing levels. I ALWAYS try to make it sound natural, but that in turn is in and of it's self an artform (pun intended). As a musician, I prefer to leave things be unless they are really bad, that being said, sometimes needing to do another take due to pitch, when the performance and SOUND is what the artist was going for, why is it bad to tune? Do we question EQing things to sound "better?" Interesting discussion.

[@wingsofpegasus]

Yes EQ'ing the sound, reverb, delay etc. don't affect pitch. I think because auto-tune changes the sound at source that's the problem.

[@gotscottgreen]

@@wingsofpegasus I agree, BUT those things ALSO change the performance source as well. If someone has a nasally sound, or pinched sound and we "clean it up" to sound more pleasing, is that also NOT changing the source? It's not the person's ACTUAL sound. I am playing devil's advocate here, and I also, as I said, have mixed feelings, but do use all tools at my disposal.

[@wingsofpegasus]

@@gotscottgreen Yes, again you can add top end, bottom end, distortion, anything you like really but it won't alter the pitch of the vocal. The pitch is determined by vocal cord co-ordination, pitch is THE most important element of singing. You can have the best tone in the world, but if you can't get near any notes, no one will notice the great tone! 😂

[@gotscottgreen]

@@wingsofpegasus and if you have the worst sounding voice, no one will care about your pitch. LOL

[@SpiritualPsychotherapyServices]

The first was the Autotuned track, obvious by the subtle clicking sound at the end of some of the phrases.

[@knockshinnoch1950]

A forensic analysis. Auto tuning Freddie is like painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.

[@katherandefy]

😆

[@IanOsmond]

Which both Marcel Duchamp and Salvador Dali did. I think that honestly is related to why I don't mind the extreme autotune variation: once you're being obvious and deliberate with your transformative art, you've made a new artwork, rather than just f'ed up an old one.

[@m.janski]

Freddies moustache?

[@RyuuRider]

@@m.janski I might be willing to allow that, in that case!

[@marcux83]

haha haha😂😂😂

[@jeffkutz4917]

How about record companies putting on a sticker saying "NOT autotuned". This video was a great teaching moment.

[@lindaz1290]

Ha! If Fil keeps putting out these auto tune videos, maybe they'll feel like they have to!

[@IanOsmond]

Queen did put "No Synthesizers!" labels on Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, and Night at the Opera. Which put them in an awkward position when THE GAME was a heavily-synthed album. The problem, I think, is purpose, as well as deception: you can use sythesizers well, by making them do things that synthesizers can do, or you can use them poorly, by making them take the place of other things and then trying to make it sound like you were using, say, horns, or strings, or a live choir. Similarly, autotune, as an instrument, is fine; autotune as deception just sounds wrong.

[@MightyJonE]

I can imagine Freddie saying “I don’t need auto tune, darling - I’M the auto tune!” Thanks Fil, these auto-tune vids have been fascinating and educational

[@vorthora]

Yes! Like when he said something like: do whatever you want with music, just don't make me boring. Being autotuned would've killed Freddie if they'd done this to his incredible voice....

[@flapjackson6077]

Lmao! So true!

[@woodyjackson7707]

Once in a lifetime performer

[@Traumglanz]

@@vorthora They just would have auto-tuned him microtonal to keep his voice interesting. ;-)

[@valeriataylor8337]

"I don't need auto tune, darling. Auto tune needs me"

[@rockitbitz]

It's incredible how the autotuning eliminates 99% of the soul in the voice! My conclusion after the very first example.

[@5roundsrapid263]

I totally agree. It made the first version cold and creepy.

[@kenny240]

Yeah, that was how I could tell which version was which. The first sounded a bit lifeless compared to the original. The small distortions and natural rasp, combined with Freddy’s naturally performed vibrato really bring a lot of life and vibrance to his performances.

[@ric_dk-9520]

@@5roundsrapid263 almost what I was going to type in... I instantly felt the first one lifeless, cold, flat... not Freddy... and when I heard nr. 2 I knew I was right in my initial feeling that the first one was the processed one.

[@andyhinds542]

My thoughts exactly. Can you imagine Alanis Morrisette's album Jagged Little Pill being recorded today?

[@jefflargent9324]

I am a professional audio engineer, so, I may be more sensitive to this but I thought, immediately, that the first version was autotuned. It was the unnatural vibrato that struck my ear. That said, after listening to the second version I started to think the first version may have been the original, flawed tape recording. Happy to know I was right the first time. Thanks for doing this, great lesson!

[@Hanzey1966]

Yes excactly it did come unnatural and Soul-les. I did got it right too first time , No doubt whatsoever.

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

I am not a musical expert by any means, people might even acuse me if being tone def but I thought #1 right away as well and found it unpleasant.

[@plantcraftie4141]

But don't you also hear after hearing the first one that the second one is sometimes just slightly flat? It still makes it better tho

[@sourisvoleur4854]

On the first example, I didn't listen to the first and think "This sounds autotuned" rather I listened to the second and thought, "This is what I remember it sounding like." Between the two the first didn't sound like what I remembered the record to sound like. Happy to see I was right.

[@cindypowers4993]

Me too👍

[@bongodave13]

Same. Freddie don't need no stinkin' autotune! It sounded better without it.

[@wingsofpegasus]

Cool! That's a good ear!

[@torejorgensen5344]

When hearing the first track I was about 90% sure it was the autotuned version, and when hearing the second I was sure with only a tiny uncertainty if maybe I was overly self confident. After watching the entire video I went back and listened again and when hearing the first I was uncertain if I really had heard a difference, but when hearing the second I was sure I had heard it. Only way I can describe it is that the second version is warmer (I'm not a musician and I don't think I'm pitch perfect, so it must be something else I grab onto). Not sure if I would have heard it if it was a less beloved voice/song or if there was more music at the same time. Another example I find horrible (has nothing to do with autotoune) is a mashup video on youtube between Chris Stapleton and Angelina Jordan. I love her voice, but it is destroyed in the mashup process. Still lots of people seems to like it, and I can't understand why.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

@@torejorgensen5344 To me, the first version sounded like there was a film over it. I don't know if that makes any sense but that's the best way I can describe it.

[@josephmartinez5500]

it just sounds better with the natural voice. Plus there's the human factor. Who wants "fabricated" songs.

[@aliamjon2550]

@Smelly Wrestling Geek there are so many singers today that couldn't and wouldn't have record contracts back in the day, Its so sad how horrible music is today, i know its such a cliche to complain about how "in my day" music was great, but it definitely was, tbe 90s was the last decade of awesome music

[@ParaVolt]

Exactly!

[@firewfire]

Many many people want fabricated songs its all we have now and its really really sad... nothing is genuine anymore

[@janecarbone1504]

If you were a big Queen Fan and Freddie Mercury fan that you wouldn't even try to compare auto-tuned music to the real thing because there is no comparison

[@queenannsrevenge100]

That’s the crazy thing - the auto tuned one sounded WORSE to me. It almost sounded… OUT of tune. 😄

[@konstantia1607]

The image is a little drastic, sorry!, but what popped into my head looking at those autotuned lines-----flatlining. (When a medical monitor shows no heartbeat or indication of life, and the line goes straight, and that monotone sound happens.) Autotune makes the music lifeless. You demonstrated this beautifully, Fil!❤️

[@TobiasTurkelton]

I wish I could give this comment a hundred thumbs up!!

[@konstantia1607]

@@TobiasTurkelton Those lines on the graph---it's just the same thing. No squiggles=no life! Merci!

[@5roundsrapid263]

Exactly! Autotune sucks the life out of music! It becomes dead and boring.

[@reineh3477]

Anytime someone in the future talk about autotune I will compare it with a heart machine. If the line is perfect straight, the voice is "dead"

[@debramoore7513]

“Loved” comment a million times!

[@dl7281]

I know nothing about music but Freddie’s classic vibrato is missing in the first piece. And I didn’t cheat. 😎

[@vorthora]

Agree! I didn't either.... how sad what autotune does.

[@acatwiththreenames3658]

Yup, I noticed the missing vibrato too.

[@pinkey943]

I agree, I noticed that also.

[@TheToledoTrumpton]

I noticed as well, I felt that there was something wrong with the long notes.

[@Macygal]

I don’t know what it was, just wrong…

[@dianecostanza]

I would be interested to know who is recording today that never uses auto tune. I heard a story that Barbara Streisand was angry when a producer removed her breaths between phrases and she felt that wasn’t how she sounds when she sings. The breaths are part of it. I like hearing Freddie’s breaths between.

[@gaia_tellus_]

I know a band: Hanson from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[@Lost-In-Blank]

3:41 I know nothing about music, don't sing, have never played an instrument. _When I hear notes held precisely*, I assume it is autotune._ Freddy's singing feels to me like it _wiggles_ around a note, and it is that wiggle that has the emotion. By wiggles I mean the frequency variations smaller than what I think you maybe call vibrato. As you say, Fil, humans are not precise. And to me all those imprecisions are where the emotions and feelings (and music) are. Even that little bit of auto-tune in Version 1 removes emotion.

[@rodacampos]

Queen used to be proud of not using synthesizers, and let everybody know it in their album covers. I imagine that if Freddie were alive, they would do the same with auto tune nowadays.

[@debbiedogs1]

These segments re auto tune and pitch correction have been really informative for me, thanks!

[@c0mputer]

Totally agree with what you were saying at the end. People DO like honesty in music whether they admit it or not. That is exactly why people get so offended when you say their favorite artist uses auto tune. The fans want to believe that their artist has THAT good of a voice. But once they come to terms with it they feel a bit betrayed by the artist I’d say.

[@dhu6232]

Yes so true.

[@Senfree]

I could barely tell, with the first one, but I figured it out since it just didn't have that "BAM!" in the heart with emotion. The voice just felt slightly caged to me.

[@itzel1735]

Good description.

[@phillipkopp5809]

I would love/hate to hear this done with Jonny Cash. His vocals so often sounded out of tune, especially in later works, but he's pretty much universally loved across generations because of the human quality his music possessed.

[@therealzilch]

Agreed. I'll just add that as a good hippie, I often found Johnny Cash too square for my political sensibilities- but I still listened, because he was such a damned good musician.

[@raynic1173]

@@therealzilch I would say entertainer than musician.

[@musicbones1]

Love the soar and swoop and passion in his voice! No, corporate music doesn’t care for passion. Songs are a lucrative product and they don’t like surprises and emotional effort on the production line. So of course, they’ll use anything they think they need to turn out a consistent cash flow. The Brill Building days were like that too - songwriters cranking out formula tunes that were handed out to session musicians and packaged as one made-up ‘group’ or another. There’s always been a lot of dreck out there; we remember the best and forget the rest.

[@zachmorgenstern3243]

It's fascinating how many "imperfections" there are in one of the greatest pop-voices of all time (and how it's not a negative at all)!

[@debramoore7513]

Agreed!!

[@Katerina9256]

Wow, the autotune ruined his beautiful rendition as presented in the 2nd example. Was very obvious to me!

[@undinism69]

I swear I felt the same. I thought the first one sounded terrible compared to his normal voice. I'm not a big fan (fully appreciate him though), I was a musician since the late 80s as a metal head but injury in 2006 stopped that (still severe chronic pain and lost half the use of my right arm and shoulder).

[@dwaynewladyka577]

I miss the days when autotune didn't exist. The recordings were using the singer's voice, imperfections and all. These days, with technology, even someone like me who can't sing, they can make it so it sounds like I can sing. My guess was the first version of the Queen song was auto tuned. I'm a fan of Queen myself, but I can't imagine auto tuning Freddie Mercury's voice. My favorite male vocalists are a tie between Eric Burdon, and Ray Charles. I just can't fathom you auto tuning their voices. Cheers, Fil! ✌️

[@barbaraburton8914]

I think that is why Brian May and Roger Taylor choose Adam Lambert over 1 of the imitators. They wanted a great singer who could sing their songs, not a clone of their friend, because a clone isn't real. There isn't that warmth and quirks that make us all different. I always wanted a clone of myself that liked paperwork!

[@dwaynewladyka577]

@@barbaraburton8914 My dad is 91. He is a great singer. I lack the ability to sing. My paternal cousin is a music instructor (for singing), and is also a professional musician. She told me once that she can't teach someone to sing, unless they have a starting point. I recall telling her about Bob Dylan. She said that was an exception. I have the maternal genes in the singing department, but still have the musical genes, from the paternal side. Another paternal cousin is a guitarist. I like drumming and percussion. On the singing department, one of my other paternal cousins was in a choir with his dad. With certain bands, they have singers that can't be replaced. It's impossible to do.

[@_whatsername1911]

Before auto tune is when they stopped recoding "straight takes". They'd edit the more "perfect sections" together. People like the everly brothers and Righteous Brothers basically didn't have that advantage, nor did they need it. But then, editing wasn't enough and we got the disaster of auto tune. But it got worse. Then they started being able to use it live, which has totally ruined a lot of live performances I've seen in the last couple years. I don't want to hear "album perfect" in a live show. I want to hear the human element. That's the idea of a concert, imo. Recently realized my favorite band of abt 25 years (Green Day) has slowly added auto tuning over the last couple albums. So disappointing. His imperfect(usually a little flat)was what hooked me in the first place.

[@cal298]

all the good non auto tuned music still exists its just not on the radio much anymore. get searching and ignore whats popular.

[@homomorphic]

I don't blame Cher, she was just making a joke. It's a case of making a joke and then being horrified when everyone takes the joke seriously. It's probably happened to all of us at some point.

[@IanOsmond]

The only autotuned one which wasn't actively painful was the extreme robot one. Because once you get to Cher-Believe levels of autotune, then you're using it as an instrument on its own, and it's fine. Everything short of that, including the one that was supposed to be "undetectable" was painful in an uncanny-valley way.

[@spikeconley]

Thanks, that must be the name of the song I was trying to think of in my comment higher up. And I agree in Cher's case, but I seriously did not like Freddy's extreme version.

[@heatherdyson6815]

Agreed. The “subtle” one was actually the worst to me, because you can still hear that it’s not normal, and there’s an almost… is it an exaggeration to say *sinister* vibe to the fact it’s supposed to be undetectable? Because that’s how it feels. Heavily autotuned stuff isn’t my thing, but I can actually respect it.

[@riveranalyse]

Hard agree.

[@TimpBizkit]

To be honest I didn't notice the subtle autotune. Maybe if Freddie was a terrible singer to begin with I might have. Although in that case, they just give up and pick a different singer like with Peter Andre and "Katie Price" a whole new world. I do find quantisation sounds weird on a voice, making it perfectly rhythmic.

[@Hanzey1966]

Yes , Cher did use it more ,,Effect-Like,,

[@alfredocruz]

Don't ever auto tune Freddie Mercury again! :-) Thanks Fil, that was great information.

[@peterforrest6682]

The bottom line is that truly talented singers don't need autotune. The world would be a better place without it...and we would be spared from all the no talent posers.

[@MisterTMH]

I agree. Auto tune is a curse. I can hear it everywhere these days. I spotted the first example in this video as auto tuned straight up.

[@luisclaudioguerin4870]

Is so hard to see how autotune is rooted in the society , and in mainstream specially, that even good singers, that do not need it are being autotuned, if I myself were a singer I would never allow that, it's not just a shame is disrespectful with the music and the listeners. But the mass don't give a fuck to it, they are like 'just keep feeding me shitty music'

[@debramoore7513]

That’s exactly why I don’t like artists today!! Auto-tuned no talents!

[@10to1imjokin]

You did this for educational purposes, which I appreciate very much. I guessed wrong on the subtle choice, even after listening twice, so you did a good job of slightly cleaning up the vocals. Very eye opening! The history of autotuning is fascinating. If its used to make every singer sound better and more pitch perfect, its almost always to make them more money. There are however bands, such as Black Eyed Peas, who used autotune as an art form for one of their entire albums, and they were striving to exaggerate their voices for the effect. I think it certainly has its place, but is most likely overused in today's music. Fantastic video, and congrats on the 202k subscribers. You earned them!

[@wingsofpegasus]

Thanks!

[@rubynibs]

10to1, if I might butt in here... To paraphrase Shrek, music has layers. One layer is _listening_ to the technical aspects. Is that what you were doing? Trying to _hear_ a difference? You'd need a fine-tuned ear for that. Another, often more important, layer of music involves _feeling_ . Conveying and eliciting emotional responses is what music is all about. Maybe if you flop down on the sofa, blur your mind out so that the analytical part is in the shadows, and the sensing part is center stage, you'll _feel_ the difference between Freddie and autotuned Freddie. Autotune makes a song technically better, but it can remove the _feeling_ , the _emotion_ coming through a singer's voice. Removing the emotion makes a song seem a bit flatter, grayer, plain oatmeal-ish. The difference is similar to interacting with a human face to face _versus_ using technology to interact with human-imitating AI: the real human comes with real human emotions. When it's real, we _feel_ it. When someone smiles, we smile, and feel a bright spot of happiness. AI, however, is like a psychopath trying to imitate human emotions: in a psychopath, we see all the right facial expressions, sometimes even tears, but since they are faking emotions, we're left feeling cold, perhaps even creeped out. Flop and blur! See if you can't _feel_ the difference between Freddie and autotuned Freddie.

[@bonevgm]

I've always considered myself extremely music deaf. When I was in school and they were auditioning for the chorus in my class, I was the only one they skipped, I was that bad. When I heard the subtle auto tune I immediately thought it sounded wrong/badly. When I heard the 2nd not tuned version it sounded so much better. I am shocked that I could hear the difference since I consider myself music deaf for the most part.

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

Same.

[@perjohanaxell9862]

Me to, I wouldn't be able to say it outright but I feelt it.

[@SamHaugen]

Holy cow he's literally the best singer of all time

[@LoveToHearUSing]

Yup.

[@dianecourtney2724]

So true 😊

[@mozdieloz3826]

No, that was a toss up between Frank Sinatra and Roy Orbison.

[@simplyme7821]

Fil, you did such a great lesson about auto-tuning recently that now we know what to listen for. Even though you used a light hand with the first one, only the second one could grab my heart. I think that we have this inner need for authenticity. That's why I still love to listen to vinyl albums. I loved the album Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John. You could hear him take deep breaths and tap his foot but, there was so much emotion in it. When we went to CDs, music was never the same. Interesting how if you shellac a painting then, it loses all its shine. You are an excellent teacher. Sincerely, Carly 💙

[@cindylavina8270]

Love your way with words and so true! BTW, I also think Tumbleweed is one of the best albums ever! Best regards, Cindy

[@williampagdon4822]

I also love Tumbleweed Connection. The Vocals are incredible and the Lyrics, Music and Musicianship are fantastic. I have recommended that Album more than any other. I am so happy to hear you mention it and another person praise it. I was singing "My Father's Gun" on the way to work this morning, even though there was no Music Playing in my car.

[@simplyme7821]

@@williampagdon4822 The arrangements are phenomenal on that album and the different range of songs styles makes it interesting. Most of all Elton was showing such passion in his singing. Burn down the mission. I think I listened to that vinyl album hundreds of times. I introduced it to my teenage son and he loved it. I believe I have that album upstairs. Anyway, they don't make music like that anymore. Son of your father sounds country. Sincerely, Carly

[@simplyme7821]

@@williampagdon4822 I also love the song, Come down in time. Such a hauntingly beautiful song. Carly

[@williampagdon4822]

@@simplyme7821 The whole Album Side is great. Not a bum in the bunch which is rare even for great artists. There are at last 3 great songs on the B-Side too.

[@Faesharlyn]

I remember 8 tracks and vinyl.. those hisses, clicks and pops were part of the experience. At 50 my ears can no longer appreciate the perfect digital representations of music I hear on the radio.

[@darrylmoore127]

I am 57 , to me nothing sounds as good as every Genre in 50s 60s 70 s up till early 80s My connection to it is , bass that I have been playing since 15 , way before Autotune, clic tracs , Really like your comment

[@Faesharlyn]

@@darrylmoore127 yeah, middle 80s is where I start to loose the "groove", just going into high school and starting to listen to my own generation's music which was drastically different from my parents' with the glam rock and power ballads.. but there's some early 90s stuff that still gets me out of my seat on karaoke night lol I listen to Dr Hook, 3 Dog Night, Abba, Queen, the Eagles, Journey, Boston and such when I need comfort, Green Day and Nirvana when I want to fight. Current stuff is good too, and I like a *wide* range of country from yodeling to LilNasX but aside from Halestorm and the Hu nothing really stands out.. I know, that's a big range of genres but it all makes me feel.

[@danithompson1693]

I have great memories of my Queen "The Game" vinyl. On "Save Me" right at the beginning. "It started off so well" then the next eight beats had a click on top of the vocal ending right after the word "pair". I can hear it like it was yesterday.

[@philproffitt8363]

@@darrylmoore127 I'm 51. Queen was my first love but there's still good stuff being made now...where the sun rises first (great bass player)... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHLHiKF_h896l80

[@5roundsrapid263]

@@danithompson1693 I have the original pressing on vinyl. It’s amazing.

[@Blackferret66]

Freddie Mercury's voice is what you use to fix auto-tune.

[@lynndow3185]

My favorite comment so far!

[@carolhenning8654]

@@lynndow3185 Spot on!

[@m.rubland6737]

I didn't expect this, but it was very easy for me to recognise the first of the two versions as "different". Freddie's voice always makes me smile and it only really worked with the second version. I feel the same way about the videos in which song parts by Marc Martel and Freddie are compared: Marc is good, but Freddie conjures this warm feeling inside me and a smile on my face.

[@ritazellweger3040]

Exactly the same for me!

[@metalheart16]

At first I couldn't tell the two versions apart because I was focusing on the wrong things - looking for the too perfect fast snapped pitches and robotic tones I could hear in the Bublé voice (industry standard autotune) from an earlier video. Then, after reading the above and other comments, I just closed my eyes, listened, and... felt. And suddenly the the second (original) version was much more exciting and warmer. As somebody commented, the slight flats created tension, the rises towards near true pitch carried emotion, the slightly random vibrato was a personal signature!

[@m.rubland6737]

@@metalheart16 I felt the same way: when the first version played, I thought it sounded like Freddie. But when the second version started and this smile spread across my face, it was clear that THIS is the right version. I don't have such a good musical ear that I could describe the difference, but I could feel it.

[@DB-zp9un]

If anything that shows how pure Freddie's voice was... How tiny the changes were to make it "right"

[@planeandsimple431]

D B... Amen...

[@jessiem276]

Very true!

[@andyandcallie]

His voice is phenomenal. And it's funny that when you hear his isolated vocal, it's FULL of him being sharp, flat and other mistakes. And it doesn't matter one bit! His life force is in his voice and you can't help but be captivated by that.

[@OneOwlOnly]

Weird, he sounds like Michael Buble when he is autotuned. edit - in the second example industry standard version.

[@joeking4206]

The older albums always had a note on them saying "No synthesizers" or "No Synths". These days it would say "No Autotune, Darling". 😘

[@_whatsername1911]

The sound of Vibrato and "Straight notes" give it away every time. Not so much the even quality of the vibrato, but the levelling of the volume of the peaks and valleys. A human voice can't do that.

[@carrieorsel1340]

Auto tune....for science! I'm a huge nerd and I love learning and studying the ins and outs of music, vocals, recording, etc. I am SO grateful for your channel. Thank you, Fil!

[@jordantomblin2302]

Ironically, they auto tuned Freddie’s voice on their recent live releases (Rainbow ‘74, Odeon ‘75) and you can actually tell his voice has been altered. The bootleg releases of these recordings are the best way to listen to these in my opinion.

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

Great analysis. For me as a none musician the big difference is with the sound of the vibrato, Freddie had a very unique vibrato. The first version also felt slightly sanitized. I have learned to detect autotune, but it is difficult to describe in words what it sounds like, you did a very good job of explaining it. Something like autotune would have been bad for Freddie, he sang with loads of expression and often changed around the colours in his voice, Somebody To Love is a good example of that, if you sanitize that sound you lose some emotion. Music and art is all about emotion, it is suppose to capture you emotionally. I have somewhat of a similar issue with many singers all learning the same vocal techniques these days, it makes many singers sound very similar. It is good technique, and I don't want people to destroy their voices. But some of those imperfection that people use to create their own styles and sounds are often what stands out the most. When everyone sings with exactly the same technique, it does not lead to much variation.

[@kilgore1863]

I love how even when 100% autotuned, Freddie still sounds emotional. Yes its atrocious, but you can hear the emotion still, unlike other singers today...

[@randiskye4444]

The "Cher"d up version was PAINFUL to listen to. I agree that when you are looking to buy vocal art, you want the natural sound (with some help in post, as necessary), rather than paying the premium to get the art of the sound engineer. His/her name is not on the front of the album, and it's not vocal talent, it's engineering. You did an awesome breakdown!

[@bernm1401]

There is no male singer in rock music who sang like Freddie Mercury. Totally unique, totally creative, incredible. Not just a standard singer. I loved his voice and the bands sound the first second I heard it. I couldn't believe that somebody was singing like this in rock songs. Team up that incredible voice with Brian Mays totally unique guitar tone, and it was magic.

[@1Moonchild]

Great analysis, Fil! I'm so happy you wrapped up with "real" Freddie so that I could get the sound of the full auto tune out of my head.