Taylor Swift writes her own songs. BUT... does she use auto tune?

[@CharlesBallard-f3t]

Fil knows so much about music !!! It makes me proud that he confirms what we’ve all known for years. That Karen Carpenter was one of the greatest female vocalist of all time. ❤ Karen Carpenter forever❤

[@alexyssaubrie1606]

And one of the best drummers of all time! ❤

[@ladylove3636]

It's so criminal what autotune does to songs in removing the emotions. It's no surprise my collection is last century x

[@Octavia_Goetia_666]

The only person I accept using auto tune is Melanie Martinez. You’d be surprised that it adds emotion to her songs, but that’s because it’s in the portals album, and she’s supposed to be a legit fairy lol

[@alemobra5747]

autotune literally just helps the notes snap into pitch, it doesnt change your emotion lmfao

[@MarkMay-cr6bv]

@@alemobra5747 Yes, genius, it does. A voice can't project human emotion when it sounds tinny and mechanical, and that's EXACTLY what autotune does. LMFAO!

[@doonbiz]

Outstanding video. I think you're single-handily raising people's awareness of what a natural 'human' voice sounds like vs an edited auto-tuned performance ... and appreciating the, soulful, natural human voice. Your hard work, singular talents, and sincerity, are so very appreciated.

[@JaegerDives]

I'm sure this has been said many times, but the expression on your face and in your eyes as you listen is priceless! You are sometimes in awe of a person's artistry, sometimes tickled by their "use of technology". Genuine, dude. Love your vids!

[@Richie8a8y]

Watching Fil smiling at Karen or Judy or Sarah is just marvelous. He at once validates, explains and expands my taste in music. That smile is infectious. I have disease that, on days like these, I struggle with. Watching Fil helps me. 😊

[@user-fp2eo7yw8i]

I agree. Rick Beato is really animated in this way too.

[@gregory9877]

Years back, I recall reading a review of a Taylor Swift concert in the Los Angeles Times. The opening line read "Everyone knows that Taylor Swift can't sing... " The review actually ended up pretty favorably as far as her charisma, writing, stage presence, etc. I am glad to see/hear that her pitch issues have gotten better in the ensuing years. As a musician that has done over a thousand live gigs (with none of them auto-tuned!), it bums me out to hear performers of most every genre lose that human-ness and emotion (due to over-processing) that makes a live show so intimate and memorable.

[@Megan.eco-Instinct]

I commented here about how I ... ummm ... feel about Swift's singing, but I read that review!! I remember thinking _OMG someone else gets it_

[@pandapeep1148]

As if Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan are pitch perfect. 😂😂 But please, let's all pick on Taylor. Misogyny demands it.

[@LaLeMay]

⁠​⁠@@pandapeep1148good point…until you give it a moments thought beyond your gotcha headline! However, neither does Patti smith, Marianne faithful, and many other wonderful women singers, and we are not picking on them, because they sound real and fantastic. Taylor Swift however does not.

[@StormyDay]

Pitch issues are almost always only live onstage pitch issues. Singing in a giant room with lots of things to bounce off of and people yelling or screaming, sometimes it’s the equipment as well and let’s not forget feedback. No one should be judgmental here. If you only knew how difficult this is to do and even more so whilst running around.

[@jessejameskaine]

Bullshit comparison. Neither Dylan nor Jagger would have a chance in the modern music business.

[@jswingle1380]

Im actually happy to see this….I’ve always thought without actually looking at a pitch analysis that she naturally sings flat. Tells my me ear is pretty decent! Thanks for the great videos!

[@UnHyl8urself]

mamathai ka na lang @jswingle1380

[@equusmax8015]

I completely agree with your assessment about Taylor... Karen Carpenter and Roy Orbison were natural vocalists, God bless us for their mastery. Listening to Karen and Roy still sends shivers down my spine. Tom Petty was amazed how the iso booth couldn't contain Roy's voice, it was so powerful for The Traveling Willburys... 9 songs in 9 days... the Willburys were an amazing example of everything gone right.

[@ryanmcdonald2027]

i totally agree with what you are saying ! AMEN to that ! lol

[@taccamine8312]

Taylor Swift is still an amazing singer and songwriter. You can clearly hear that in the second performence wich sound so much better and more genuin. This is not her fault. Its the stupid talentless producers. If Karen Carpenter and Roy Orbison were still alive those producers would have pitch corrected them to death too

[@diannawalker758]

I love, love, love The Traveling Willburys. So unknown. I miss them.

[@ItsMaisyDaisy]

​@taccamine8312 Karen Carpenter had perfect pitch and was known as one take Karen because her first takes were always perfect. Imo. Taylor is just a mediocre singer. To me, she comes across as whiney. Nasal and has a chsnty sound. I can't carry a tune in a bucket, so she's certainly better than I could ever do. I think it's a matter of taste. I prefer the strong mature vocals of someone like Linda Ronstadt and even Miley Cyrus. Music is quite subjective.

[@taccamine8312]

You're probably right about that😊. If you personally don't like the sound of a voice it doesn't matter how "good" they are. I'm not a particular fan of Swift. I'm just trying to point out that most of today's useless producers don't care (or have enough knowledge to judge) whether a vocalist has good or bad pitch. They use artificial tuning as a mandatory procedure anyway

[@TaylorSwiftTourExtras]

Hello, I would like to say, as the one who edited the "autotuned" video, that I agree with you. The official audio that was released of this performance, the one I ended up using on the video, is soooo manipulated it frustrated me to edit, because having heard she singing this on the videos people recorded, is obvious that crowd sound was manipulated (just like you said) and also her voice, which is a complete shame, because it misses the whole point of the "live audio". Just to point out: the people criticising her songwriting and how she "co-writes" her songs, has clearly never listened to the lyrics or watched the bunch of videos, available here on KZbin, of her song writing sessions, everyone that has worked with her has said that she comes to the studio with basically 70-80% of the song already written.

[@bradhuskers]

You are correct. Taylor swift is iconic.

[@rtphotos4691]

It's because she is a woman. There is a recent wave of misogyny out there in the last decade, and unfortunately it has poisoned music as well. Lana Del Ray had males embarrasing themselves as they criticised her without knowing anything about her. Katy Perry has had to put up with it as well. If these women were men, then other men wouldn't question their methods, appearance or delivery.

[@wingsofpegasus]

Thanks for the comment! Yes it's a shame, I bet it sounded fine without all the post processing.

[@Fontsman]

@@rtphotos4691 Nothing to do with her being a woman. Joni, Carol King, Laura Nyro, Carly Simon and many others, set an incredible standard. Swift is not even close to that level.

[@greta9599]

@@Fontsman Exactly! She's nowhere near that league.

[@franklind3507]

I’m a singer and songwriter I’ve been playing out for over 30 years bands and solo clubs and bars self-taught A compressor and a little bit of reverb and some echoplex if I’m doing some Johnny Cash, is about all I use. I know echoplex is an old fashion word LOL. But I have to say I’ve learned so much just listening to you thank you you’re a smart guy and you know your stuff🎼👍🎶🇺🇸🇬🇧☘️

[@nathanchowdry6599]

I thought they were guitar pedals.

[@freespiritwithnature4384]

I’ve never heard the word either. Thanks! I’ve learned something new today. ❤️🇨🇦 Fil definitely knows his stuff. Enjoy your playing.🤘

[@equusmax8015]

Aye , eye to that... I spent a decade schlepping gear and pretending to be a sound guy when I couldn't play guitar anymore, crushed my left hand....

[@equusmax8015]

I think the ultimate band would include "The Traveling0aĻ Willburys", "The Who", "The Pretenders", "The Heartbreakers", and of course, Karen and Richard Carpenter, Roy Orbison, Mini Riverton, John Lennon, David Bowie, "The Stones, Beatles, King Crimson, the list goes on.

[@motfc8]

If we could bottle your facial expressions, that would pretty much sum up my feelings about music, for the last 20 yrs of music. Thanks Fil!

[@elizabethanderson4909]

I love how respectful you are even in a "takedown." It's great.

[@MarkWilliams-g8d]

I like how Paul Joseph Watson video was. Believe me this isn't really showing the truth. Paul's did.

[@labradude]

@@MarkWilliams-g8d why would any sane human being with an IQ higher than 1 listen to anything Paul Joseph Watson says lmfao

[@28carter]

It instantly sounded like a robot. She would actually sound fine and more genuine without it.

[@marthasalter405]

Not a particular Swift fan, I do think she’s a talented songwriter. My dislike of her singing is not just the auto tune but she seems to me to have poor breath control, her phrasing is really odd sometimes

[@Hakausu]

She does seem to lack a lot of the basics that come with musical training. There is no arguing with her popularity and appeal, though. Not everyone has to be classically trained to touch peoples' hearts with their music. It takes all kinds, I guess.

[@glennschiffer1742]

interstate love song@@Hakausu

[@albertaair]

Yes, the phrasing! I think that's what bothers me too. Poor control overall, across her range. I agree with the above comment that she seems to lack basic musical training--and not just in terms of performance, but in terms of music composition as well. I've heard that she (supposedly) stated in interviews that she's not interested in learning how to read music/anything about music theory. Kind of a shame, to be unwilling to learn about the field she purports to be a talent in.

[@mattrichard9006]

Interesting point ; I am a touring guitar player/singer (for almost 30 years in the professional capacity). I actually sing a stretch in one of her songs in a medley we do. I have to say, I was (un)pleasantly surprised the challenges it posed. Granted, I am a guy (tenor), so there's that, but nailing the phrasing that's on the record (along with proper breath control) was not a one and done exercise. Def shed light on her vocals for me. Sometimes the singers lacking the major technical stuff are the most challenging to cover well. There's an X factor there you just have to try and nail.

[@nichotto]

A talented songwriter (？)with a posse of writers and producers contributing to each album.

[@TorToroPorco]

@ 10:22 Fil’s smile turning into a grimace coupled with his slight hmmm of disapproval is priceless. That is a definite Fil meme.

[@scudgie1]

I saw/heard that and said "hmm" at the same moment. It's apparently contagious. :)

[@lynndow3185]

@@scudgie1 as is his smile!

[@lelleithmurray235]

Talk about body language!

[@angelspawn1401]

I’m new to the channel and was gratified to see he heard the same thing as I did there.

[@Terri_MacKay]

I was going back through older videos, and found your comment. Definite meme moment, including the "hmmm" at the end.😂 His eye rolls from more recent pitch correction videos are perfect meme-able moments too.😂

[@randalldavis345]

I really like these analysis videos. I think you should try Patsy Cline if you can find an example with decent fidelity. You know there would be no enhancements since it had not been developed when she was performing.

[@spencerbutterbaugh6104]

This was a NPR Tiny Desk Concert. It gave me a greater appreciation for how will she can sing. This was a magical performance. Thanks!

[@dieseldog00]

How WELL she can sing...which is VERY well now that her vocal chords have matured.

[@BigBSinclair]

This was the first time I heard All Too Well. I thought it was amazing, loved it 👍

[@spencerbutterbaugh6104]

@@dieseldog00 You misunderstood. This was live with no pitch correction or auto tune. Some (not all) have been screwed with. Not a big fan but, admire her greatly.

[@pwilly_1]

I remember hearing Taylor in a live performance a number of years ago for what if I remember correctly was a Grammy awards show. Pitch wise she was all over the place, clearly was not a lyp sync, auto tuned or pitch corrected in any way. I couldn’t help but feel bad for her as it was a very sub par performance. At the time I was not surprised given that I was aware she struggled with pitch & thankfully was using a vocal coach to improve. Based on more recent performances, it appears she’s improved a great deal (btw, proper vocal technique, coaching & hard work can solve most pitch issues). I’ve said in my comments here before that I fully understand the difficulty singing in tune live w/o being able to hear yourself. In this performance it should have been seemingly easier w/ just a guitar knowing that a loud crowd can still make it very difficult. Having played in live bands for many years, coming up with a quality mix & sound for every venue is always a challenge & giving a vocalist the monitoring support they deserve is also a challenge. All that said, I don’t blame her for using some on the fly auto tune, but personally I’d much rather see her audio team provide her a very high quality ear monitor or closely positioned stage monitor. I’ve successfully used a single well positioned Bose Tower (or similar) for a very clear personal vocal monitor for my 2 daughters / singers. Btw, a little delay is nice, but the “large hall” reverb along with the digital edge of the pitch correction on this performance for me took away from what could have been a far more raw & unplugged opportunity. Sadly there was nothing unplugged about it 😞. I’m sure however, her fans don’t care as they don’t seem to mind when she sings out of tune nor do they care when her voice sounds like it was created on a synth! For the record, I’m very much a fan overall & her abilities as a pop song writer & in forging a strong career in very very challenging industry..!

[@guitarpaul3645]

I would say she is more than just a pop song writer. Her range of songs from ballads, rockers, country, pop, folk, musical style etc. is super impressive. Her sense of melody is truly gob smacking. I think she is one of the best song writers in history. The fact that millions love those songs, and sing them back to her in packed out stadiums, is kind of proof of that. OK, so someone's bound to say, "oh come on, how can you compare her to the Beatles?" Well, I will. Whilst her sense of melody is quite different, the Beatles did exactly the same thing, wrote catchy melody driven songs that millions of young girls fell in love with, and sang them back at packed out stadiums. Also the Beatles had 3 major writers all contributing, Taylor is mostly herself - even those pesky co-writes Mr Damon Albarn!! Anyway.. Billy Joel thinks she's the new McCartney .. and I ain't arguing with him!

[@pwilly_1]

@@guitarpaul3645 I appreciate your additional thoughts - well said!

[@davepastern]

@@guitarpaul3645 Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen have been glowing of Taylor's songwriting abilities too.

[@atxroque]

Always watch the video without looking first at the comments to not be influenced, must say I am still NOT a fan. I don’t know but there are parts even in the second one thought have a weird sound. Another spot on analysis, as always it’s been great to find you and start to understand why I love the music that I do. 🤘🏻

[@user-fp2eo7yw8i]

You have hit on something that I always do, that is that I listen to and watch without reading comments. Comments are usually good for explanating what I didn’t understand, comic relief or to get a sense of what others are thinking. The latter usually exposes how rude, bigoted or uninformed/informed the public is.

[@user-fp2eo7yw8i]

Auto correct, what the hell is “explanating”? Is that a word?

[@zoeytheawesome]

Very interesting analysis! Found your video from a post on the Taylor Swift subreddit. I never really considered if Taylor uses auto tune or not, I much prefer a more ‘live’ performance such as her Tiny Desk performance. I’m curious your thoughts about her produced studio music, especially evermore. I’ll be checking out the rest of your channel!

[@scifibob]

Seeing that autotune is so broadly misused, it is nice to see someone actually checking pitch on the artists. Hopefully young people will appreciate your efforts.

[@glenkepic3208]

its funny. One of my favorite female singers as a kid was Candy Givens of the band Zephyr. This goes back to the 'green' album of '70. I was 13. Tommy Bolin. Drove my Mom crazy. Years later, my Wife is a fan of American Idol. I spin Zephyr...."She's too pitchy!" Care ? nope.

[@chrism2964]

They wont, judging by reddit they cry, deny and get angry at these sort of videos 'disrespecting' their idols.

[@guitarpaul3645]

@@chrism2964 No, I don't think anyone is crying. We all know autotune is everywhere, and is being used almost without thought on singers who don't really need it. Phil even says this in his analysis of the 2nd video of Taylor he looks at. Taylor doesn't use it in real time live. It is true that some of her official live videos (like the 1989 World Tour) have been corrected for mistakes in post. I don't recommend this practice but I understand it. If an artist is putting out a video product, there is a temptation to edit out obvious mistakes, and not just pitch errors. Everyone makes errors.. why would you deliberately leave an error in an official Tour Video? The use of it on studio recordings annoys me, even tbough it is really hard to detect it as the corrections are often so subtle. So subtle that it just isn't needed IMHO. Just do repeat takes until you nail it. Plus it can rob a voice of some character.

[@guitarpaul3645]

@@glenkepic3208 I don't think American Idol singers use autotune (in real-time). I've seen quite a few performances on that show where the singer's voice is obviously slightly off pitch.

[@chrism2964]

@@guitarpaul3645 sane people don't, no, hardcore fans however..

[@OldBluesChapterandVerse]

I would love to see you use the pitch graph on Emmylou Harris’s “Michelangelo” or “When I Was Yours.” Not to suss out auto-tune, but rather to see her vibrato and her accuracy in the lines.

[@SproutyPottedPlant]

The song sounds like a cheap and forgettable Disney or Netflix special in audio form!

[@OldBluesChapterandVerse]

@@SproutyPottedPlant What song?

[@lynndow3185]

All right! I read such an interesting LA Times article yesterday about Damon Albam's sort of caddish comments about Taylor. Thanks for stepping right up!

[@lynndow3185]

@Ola Amer Thank you! That's much more detailed than the newspaper article.

[@nealm6764]

Very well done Fil. Honest and classy analysis with nothing but good intent. I was not a fan of Taylors, but a few months ago I saw Rick Beato's video about how she beat the scoundrels who were holding her catalog hostage by rerecording her songs, and doing a better job than the originals, and then reading an article about the classy way she handled beating Don Maclean's "American Pie" record for longest song to ever reach #1. She sent Don a gift and highlighted his song on her social media, introducing it to a whole new audience. So I gave this song a listen and I really enjoyed the new 10 minute version. It is a shame they did that at the premiere for her short film for this song, but I guess they didn't want to leave anything to chance. Anyway, keep up the great work.

[@Suskanna]

Thanks for this video! I am a Taylor Swift fan myself and I was aware that she at least uses pitch correction from time to time so this didn't really surprise me that much. (although it is a bit disappointing that her voice was altered in the "surprise" performance) I really like the way you explain these things and how you're not really bashing anyone for using autotune, just explaining why it sounds so bad compared to a natural voice (which I agree with). Have a good weekend and thanks for the analysis! 😊

[@SARAH-ue3xw]

It's not a big deal. We know she has a beautiful voice and great performer. This is Technical Stuff. Don't forget she's a songwriter. Even if she autunes sometimes. Its OK. Who doesn't use technology. Every person in this world.

[@Simplyveej]

Poor artist made worse by auto tune.

[@deltab9768]

@@SARAH-ue3xw I mean, that’s a matter of personal taste too. I’m a fan but am a little bothered by the way she’s auto tuned along with a bunch of pop singers who don’t really need it. The worst part is you get a ton of people who are so sure that Swift, Sheeran, even Buble and similar, are bad, just because they use this crappy “correction.” They’d all be more respected if they sang without it.

[@deltab9768]

@@Simplyveej You may be right, or you might have just heard her most popular songs. Which are kind of “bad” because they’re trying to fit into a standard “pop sound.”

[@ryanmcdonald2027]

we have every reason to bash autotune and pitch correction and talkboxes and all these fake bullshit modern day singers and their fake asss so called "sound engineers" !!!! it means these people are not REAL musicians at all and they can't sing for real to save themselves !!!!! i want to hear a PROPER live performance WITTH NO AUTOTUNE and WITH NO PITCH CORRECTION at all what so ever and still sound good like the beatles and elvis presley from the 60's !!!!!! i want people to PROVE to me with real EVIDENCE that they actually have got some TRUE DECENT TALENT on them !!!!! other than that it is ALL FAKE BULLSHIT !!!!!!! and i would NEVER buy that shit in a billion years !!!!!! i am OLDSKOOL honestly if you can't sing LIVE or in a recording studio without being AUTOTUNED or without being PITCH CORRECTED or without using a TALKBOX i say DON'T BOTHER cause old skool people like me DO NOT WANT TO HEAR IT AND WILL NEVER TOLERATE IT !!!!!!! it is DOWNRIGHT DISGUSTING !!!!!!i would NEVER EVER EVER let any so called AUTOTUNING OR PITCH CORRECTION SOUND ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT or any TALKBOX SOUND ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT even touch my own recording studio if i was the OWNER of my own recording studio or if i was the OWNER of my own LIVE STADIUM !!!!!!!! with me and my family and my recording studio and my live stadium you either do things the OLD SKOOL BEATLES 60'S WAY THE NATURAL WAY or not at all !!!!!!!!!

[@trueidentitytime2shine862]

Fil..I've learned so much just listening to you for a couple of weeks. U are so talented!

[@wingsofpegasus]

Thanks!

[@lynnjacobs9885]

When you're aware of it, auto-tune sure does sound robotic.

[@kellyanndean9374]

​@@lisaayers1975If YOU have to use auto tune!then your not!a good!Singer!

[@timhiltz6323]

I will stick to my Judas Priest, no auto tune needed😂

[@alemobra5747]

@@kellyanndean9374 thats not true at all what. if whitney houston were alive today their engineers would use autotune too. This just shows you have NO IDEA how autotune works

[@kellyanndean9374]

@@alemobra5747 LMFAO🤣🤣🤣NO! WHITNEY HOUSTON WOULD HAVE NEVER EVER USED AUTO TUNE! BECAUSE FOR 1 SHE DIDN'T NEED TO!! AMAZING VOCALISTS LIKE WHITNEY HOUSTON!! DONT HAVE TO USE STUPID AUTO TUNE! BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY??!! .....IM WAITING....HAHA!! JUST WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WOULD SAY...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! YOU HAVE NO CLUE!! ON HOW GREAT AND FANTASTIC VOCALISTS AND SINGERS WHO HAVE THE RANGE OF WHITNEY HOUSTON !! DO NOT HAVE TO USE STUPID AUTO TUNE! BECAUSE THEY HAVE PERFECT PITCH! AND DO NOT NEED AMETUER STUBID AUTO TUNE! THE SO CALLED " SINGERS" OF TODAYS AWFUL MUSIC AND PATHETIC ARTIST! WHO THINK THEY CAN SING! HAVE TO USE AUTO TUNE! BECAUSE WITHOUT IT!! THEY COULDN'T EVEN HIT THE RIGHT NOTE ON KEY OR ON PITCH! THE SO CALLED " TAYLOR SWIFT/BEYONCE/KATY PERRY AND ALL THE OTHER HORRIBLE SINGERS OF TODAY!! CANNOT SING TO SAVE THERE LIVES!.;NOT EVEN WITH AUTO TUNE! YOU MY DEAR! HAVE ABSOUTLEY NO CLUE ON HOW MUCH REAL AND FANTASTIC SINGERS LIKE WHITNEY HOUSTON LINDA RONSTAST AND ANN WILSON NEVER EVER HAD TO USE STUPID AUTO TUNE! YOU KNOW WHY??!! BECAUSE THEY ALL ARE PHEOMONIAL VOCALISTS !! AND THE REASON WHY I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT! IS BECAUSE I ALSO AM A PHEOMONIAL SINGER! AND ALL OF US PHENOMENAL SINGERS DONT HAVE TO USE STUPID AUTO TUNE! BECAUSE WHEN YOU CAN SING AS GOOD AS ALL OF US! YOU DONT NEED A AMETUER STUPID MACHINE TO MAKE YOU HIT THE RIGHT NOTES IN KEY !.YOU.KNOW WHY LITTLE GIRL?? BECAUSE IT COMES NATURAL!! SO STFU!! AND GET A EDUCATION!!

[@ConnorMcSchrosch]

If you're a good singer, autotune will not make you sound better, if you can't sing, maybe autotune will make that less appearing to the untrained ear, but it won't make you a good singer

[@stratfanstl]

What you're describing with this mix is derogatorily termed the "bullfighter effect". People attempting to combine various live performances into one longer "seamless" performance face a problem because crowd noise is essentially white noise yet it's incredibly easy for the human ear to pick up ANY interruption in continous crowd noise recordings. Levels and tone will inevitably vary and cannot be merged. It leads to jostling changes in the final mix that sounds like "Ole!" chears at a bullfight. A classic example is the mix of Travelin' Man on Live Bullet. Bob Segar is talking to the crowd ("Couple of songs from our new LP, we'd like to do for you now... This first one's called Travelin' Man...") and the crowd is at full mix then the SECOND the song begins with "Up with the sun, gone with the wind...", the house noise is taken way down and it almost sounds like an album cut. (The performance itself IS real and phenomenal...)

[@drewpall2598]

Nothing gets by you Fil you lay it on the line through your auto-tune pitch correction analysis even your facial expressions are a dead giveaway. Thumbs up teacher!

[@dh7139]

it makes me sad that artists are using autotune so much now. I so appreciate the Judy garlands, Karen Carpenter, Julie Andrews, Sammy Davis Jr, etc. Pure amazing natural voices that occasionally are not spot on...WHATS WRONG with that. Forever going forward I will always be thinking that any live vocal performance I hear is autotuned 😢 Love your channel, and YOU are an amazingly talented artist as well

[@wingsofpegasus]

Thanks!

[@davepastern]

they didn't use autotune cos it didn't exist...subtle...

[@gailseatonhumbert]

​@@davepasternso they couldn't be bullied into it by producers and others yes?

[@Nowhatsgoingon11222]

@@davepasternthey did use it It was already being used in the 80s if you didn’t know it

[@davepastern]

@@Nowhatsgoingon11222 autotune was introduced in 1997...

[@demonhoopa]

One thing I’m sure of. When she could have used some pitch correction back in her teens, when she was still developing as a singer (her songwriting ability was professional level before her singing ability), she sure didn’t use it. Poor thing had some shaky performances. I mean she pulled it off more often than not but people came after her pretty hard. She seemed to come into her own as a vocalist about the fourth album, age 22.

[@angelspawn1401]

Thanks for this comment. I’m not a big fan of pop, but occasionally find some singers I like. (The *first time* I heard Taylor’s “Teardrops on my Guitar”!) I’ve always heard that Taylor couldn’t sing, but never really knew due to auto-tune and peoples’ nastiness in general.

[@glenkepic3208]

I never listened to anything from Taylor but my Wife has been a fan for years. Ha, just saw some lunatic was arrested today trying to crash into her NYC apt building and trying to get in. What a world ;) I hope the hand gets better soon. Want to hear you play !

[@Koji-888]

Cool how he didn’t get on the artist for “cheating” with auto tune .. He just came down on the auto tune itself for unnecessarily adding a robotic sounding. Classy. I like this guy. Subscribing. 💁🏻‍♀️

[@mariearce8021]

You are such a mind opener. Thanks. Sometimes we "fall in love" with certain performers but would rather not know that their voices are not perfect, since no voice is. I'd rather hear a real voice and appreciate the good with the not as good. I am more attracted to the old singers because of this.

[@yougottabekiddiing]

I’ve seen her live in a big arena, and once or twice the sound guy has not flipped the auto tune on quickly enough, and her voice was noticeably different than the initial note.

[@klmbs67]

I’ve also seen her several times and there was no difference. Her voice was fine

[@amandan3476]

@@klmbs67they didn’t say her voice was bad, just that they heard a difference. Also, just because you didn’t notice, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

[@Nowhatsgoingon11222]

In 3 hours you can’t always be stable of course She’s human after all Other artists only perform for an hour and a half, while she performs 3.5 hours making it harder

[@LadyVenVen]

@@Nowhatsgoingon11222True but Taylor isn’t a good vocalist she’s okay. So when you compare her to another vocalist it’s obvious her notes are flat. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that.

[@Nowhatsgoingon11222]

@@LadyVenVen sometimes you don’t even need to be a good vocalist to be a great artist though Her strength is songwriter and she’s mostly known because of that There are so many great vocalist out there who are better singers but when they write their own songs they can’t write a decent one Her voice is just okay for what she does, she doesn’t need a powerful voice to show her feelings through music Not everything is about vocals The hardest part of music is writing and she’s the best one of the current pop music🤷‍♀️

[@billnailey5769]

If I want to hear a great Country Woman singer I go back to Mindy McCready. That girl could sing so beautifully at the drop of a hat. I’ve seen her just sit down and sing a song with such perfect pitch and tones. Truly a great natural voice.

[@AdyShort]

I’m not fan but appreciate her talent, I think that the sheer amount of work the modern pop star has to do must be a lot and will no doubt play a part in deciding whether they want to “tweak” things to give the fans the best experience. It’s part of the corporate machine to please the consumers, keep them happy and keep them coming back, I’m sure there are a lot of wages riding on the back of Taylor’s marketability after all, it’s just the way it works

[@bradhuskers]

She is more than talented. She's iconic

[@gregw74]

I wonder how often "remasters" are done specifically for the purpose of correcting pitch. Perhaps? I wonder if a comparison could be made between two tracks (one from the original and one from the remaster) to reveal and/or illustrate this.

[@nordattack]

You can hear how mechanical and robotic it sounds. Like it is totally processed. Like an AI is singing and not a person.

[@susanjeffries5108]

Such a good way to put it.

[@zairnermuller4960]

All her songs sound like that, I don’t dislike them, however, they sound very robotic and not natural at all…

[@ScotStormes-k1w]

Most singers of the older generation, not only didn't use Auto Tune, many didn't know what it was. Vicki Carr, Karen Carpenter, Shirley Bassey, Eydie Gorme, Aretha Franklin, and Ella Fitzgerald are just a few artists of the older generation that depended upon their great voices without electronics. They had to practice their vocals with grueling exercises to keep their voices strong. It is unbelievable, but Producers today can make a star out of anyone as long as they look great in front of people.

[@BlessYourHeart254]

This!! Exactly!

[@4evermichael88]

Obviously, the Auto-Tune software wasn't released until 1997. Pitch correction in the studio however, has been around since the 1970s.

[@sbartholomew-nb2zw]

Fil, you're one of the treasures of the interlink. period.

[@deltab9768]

The non auto tuned performance had a few “off notes” but even they probably weren’t that obvious to your average listener. She would do fine without auto tune at this point.

[@sup9542]

She has a pleasant, breathy voice, but it's not the level voice you'd expect from the biggest singer of the Millennial generation, so she obviously feels she needs to enhance it. The writing certainly appeals to millions of teens but I don't find it particularly musical, it's more like reading out of a diary.

[@garytorresani8846]

Everything I hear in pop music today is auto tune, even with singers who know how to sing. Why? Are we so musically dumb that computer sounding music is what people want along with computerized beats that sound all the same from one song to the next. auto tune sounds mechanical and removes any soul that makes the music true to the heart. Karen Carpenter was a real singer. They used to call her one take Karen cause she could record anything with one take perfectly. Sinatra did everything in one take. Floor Jensen of Nightwish is another singer who can sing anything from symphonic metal to pop, opera or show tunes. Pat Benetar used to call herself a pissed off opera singer, Ann Wilson of Heart, probably the best woman rock singer ever. These folks know how to sing. They had too, there was no auto correction. Singing is singing, period. You either know how to sing, or you don’t. Taylor is not a great singer but much more expressive without auto tune, and as mentioned, the nuances in her music come through. Yep. The old country, rock and soul singers needed to be more accurate in pitch. They needed to know how to sing. Everything today is about the producers, not the music or the singers. So sad.

[@michaelratcliffe7559]

I’m gonna be honest here I’m 70 and I just don’t get Taylor Swift. I’m really happy that she’s successful and I’m glad that a lot of people enjoy her. And I have no problem with her as a person in the universe. But she is so overwhelmingly popular that a year ago when she released a new album and it immediately became available on Amazon music which I have a subscription to I thought I’m gonna download that and I’m gonna hear some really great music. Because this young woman seems to be as popular as Ella Fitzgerald or Pink and I was shocked that I couldn’t even get through one full song without thinking to myself. What am I listening to? I then went onto another song and thought exactly the same thing. I went onto another song and then I gave up. There was nothing about Taylor Swift’s voice about her music about the lyrics that explained to me why I should care enough to pay a dime to purchase anything from her. Year after year, country after country we have seen great singers on Idle, Got Talent and The Voice and Taylor Swift. As I said I’m 70 and that may have something to do with it, but I truly just don’t get it.

[@why67152]

No because you have great female singers like Bonnie Raitt or Judy Garland then you have Taylor Swift... I rest my case...

[@emilc8151]

I'm there with you! I'm 40, and i still can not seem to get all the noise around Taylor

[@TaverenTech]

Up until a few months ago I couldn't really tell if something was auto-tuned.... however after watching maybe 5 or 6 of your videos (including Floor Jansen's) I could tell IMMEDIATELY in this video that that first "live" one was auto-tuned. I am wearing stereo headphones on my laptop though. Thanks so much for these "lessons" on auto-tuning and pitch correction. I feel like an informed listener now! The pitch analysis of Adam Levine was great showing auto-tuning was only on chorus'. That really made it clear to me. I also appreciate when you recognize an artists ability to sing well (on pitch) and you're really critiquing the production rather than the performer (usually).

[@wingsofpegasus]

Thanks!

[@ginnys9831]

I've always thought she was incredibly overrated.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

*You're incredibly correct.*

[@debbeborders5762]

I agree with you Fil, it's not actually live. It's modified. I imagine Taylor is a product of the times. Most pop stars today are most likely doing the same things. Good and fair analysis.

[@hhjones9393]

Fil, I'm with ya. I think that there is a place for pushback from the artists to keep the correction off of their creation. Why these processes are used on such a talented voice is baffling to me! And it seems to happen a lot. I do not like the sound of auto tune. It's all I can hear and it really detracts from my experience of the music. It seems to strip the emotion out. Maybe that's why I listen to older recordings. Thanks for your efforts. I appreciate the time you put into it and I have learned some stuff too!

[@brimissymoore]

I would love to hear an analysis of Neil Young since he is causing a ruckus with the Spotify thing. Love him. hahaha

[@susiewhelan9625]

Love these videos! Thank you for keeping it real & making it so informative. Have you ever featured the a-ha frontman Morten Harket? Sx

[@fr33yamusic]

I could not be more grateful for this type of educational content. Thank you. The world is all constructed (not natural), and we all need to understand how it's done.

[@tmackinator]

Sad to me is that she doesn't need the electronic enhancement and she loses the natural soul of her voice.

[@bilguana11]

Soul - LOL.

[@williamhuff5641]

Love these vocal analysis vids Fil. Would love to see an analysis of my favorite singer of my lifetime, Sandy Denny. Her performance on the John Peel show of “Who Knows Where The Time Goes” would be interesting.

[@rickrickard2788]

Since Fil nailed everything in this- I'll talk about the guy @8:31 He's either embarrassed his bros will see him at a Taylor Swift show, a bit too much of a mega-fan... or he's on the FBI top 10 list. Not sure which it is.

[@rickrickard2788]

@mystical03hope Cool. It was meant to be humorous, not insulting.

[@user-qm1ld2kv2f]

what's wrong with being in a taylorswift show?she is an great artist and puts on a great show and she is one of the most talented writers of this generation.it's 2022for god's sake!!stop being sexist

[@rickrickard2788]

@@user-qm1ld2kv2f Learn to read, Karen.

[@piotrkanarek]

Fil, you have no idea how much I appreciate your work and how much thankful I am, because I make my music. I started singing and recording my own music when I was almost fifty and I saw Melodyne as a blessing, but with time I undestood that I have to wait with publishing my music untill I'll be a better singer. Now I sing much better and you made me understand that I do not ha e to be obsessed with being on the grid 100%. My appreciation and regards from Poland!

[@radiusnorth1675]

Thanks. Very insightful. Ms Swift seems like a very driven artist, who isn't yet fully comfortable in her abilities. I think she compensates for this by "clinging?" to every bit of control she can muster to feel safe in what's she's doing.

[@Stumpybear7640]

Actually, I thought she was a bit clingy to Billiie eilish at the last music awards. Did anyone else think that? Billie couldnt be photographed without a Taylor necklace. 😜

[@calliopivogiatzis2235]

Autotune seems to take away the individual character of each singer's voice,I think

[@robertvirnig638]

Maybe this is why I find many KZbin artists filming covers out of their home sound so much more emotional than commercial artists. They just aren't being autotuned and whatever other postproduction manipulation that is being done. Angelina Jordan is my favorite of these and I wonder if she would sound as bad as these others if they messed around with her vocals in a similar way. I think they may have done it to her on the recent soundtrack song "Mercy" because it sounded a little off to me, but I'm not so good at decerning the difference by ear.

[@freespiritwithnature4384]

As someone who doesn’t know a lot about her music,I enjoyed her song “ Wildest Dreams “ . I loved the Choreography, the outfits, the animals. ( Live and Intimate) isn’t going to sound the same as seeing/ hearing her in a live performance. She definitely has a very unique voice. When you write your own music it’s different,because she knows how she wants the delivery to sound. Sometimes that doesn’t always happen. Personally something sounds really off to me ,perhaps it’s interference from something else I’m not aware of . I write my own songs as well. It seems she should be proud of her songwriting ,she’s made a good living at it . I’ve heard recently,someone accused her of not writing her own songs . (That would hurt especially / when Taylor put so much work into her writing ) . We’re really not hearing the live version.,the way we should.

[@TontoEpstein]

The choreography, the outfits and the animals? Unless it's a Pink Floyd show from 1977, who cares?

[@rtphotos4691]

@@TontoEpstein - Oh my. Get out more. There is a lot more music than just Pink Floyd who has a stage show or uses visuals in their performances.

[@TontoEpstein]

@@rtphotos4691 While using animals?

[@TontoEpstein]

@@rtphotos4691 If it ain't Pink Floyd, then it had better be Siegfried & Roy.

[@dahliafiend]

Shellback and Max Martin wrote that song.

[@TommoGuitar]

I like how you pointed out what was happening but also expressed your deepest respect for the artist.

[@EliteRock]

I'd like to see a few of the great 'torch singers' analyzed. Julie London?

[@valter0809]

This is great! Thanks for educating us! I always thought Taylor Swift is great live singer but I guess no one is that good.

[@elayneel-adly949]

I've never been a fan of Taylor Swift. However, I did see Kelly Clarkson in concert. I did enjoy her performance. Vocals were a crisp strong sound within every song.

[@MichaelWitkowski-dq1nr]

Saw the pitch graph used with the best voice ever, Agnetha Faltskog. Loved that one! The first time I've ever heard the term 'pitch perfect' used properly.

[@lovemax18]

I'm a Swiftie and I honestly don't understand all that much about what you're talking because I don't have good ears and I don't know anything about music production/engineering. But you sound like you know what you're talking about so I decide I'm gonna believe you. But it kinda make me curious which her other performances use auto tune. It looks like most of my favorite "live performances" actually use auto tune. Anyway, thank you for your effort in explaining to us. Good luck for your channel!

[@Kahscho]

To me, it sounded like most of the NPR Tiny Desk performances done in studio (pre-COVID) were natural performances. There was a video a while back re: why it would be impractical to auto-tune Elvis. For impractical to auto-tune, there are two modern singers who come to mind: Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers. Both were also on Tiny Desk in studio a few years ago. It would be interesting to see analyses of their performances.

[@marieskavo7159]

Very informational. And not surprising.

[@carlasammons5407]

Completely agree Fil, very frustrating to see auto tune applied to someone who clearly doesn’t need it. I can hear the auto tune, it sounds tin-like, forced. Such a shame. I would deem that a “fake performance “. 😕

[@MelanieMaguire]

The gargling sound at 10:44 is a dead give away. When I go to the cinema I always take my guitar, mic, micstand, sound engineers, mixing desk, vocal processor with all its presets - eq, compressor, pitch correction & reverb. Doesn't everyone? This "impromptu" gig is simply show biz.

[@smudge0356]

You're totally right, YOU don't take your, "... guitar, mic, mic-stand, sound engineers, etc... ", when you go out to the cinema (well, I assume you're being sarcastic or facetious, when you say, "I always take... "). But then... you're not the peoples' beloved Tay-Tay 👸. But let's be honest, if you had people hanging on your every word, willing to do your every bidding just for the hell of it, a bank account that stands into NINE figures, a fan-base that's bigger than your bank balance, several multi-million $$$ houses and you were, in spite of what Kanye might think, the biggest thing in music over the last fifteen years; well, ... Why wouldn't you take everything everywhere? 😂🤣

[@oneSneakyBanana]

My takeaway from this video (and especially from the comment by @TaylorSwiftTourExtras) is that the audio from the “impromptu” performance was manipulated after the performance. Certainly, the audio engineer mixing the live event wouldn’t boost the audience sound during the show.

[@mattrichard9006]

@@smudge0356 this is actually a very fair point, the humor in it notwithstanding. She is, at the very least, ONE of the biggest household names of this generation. (some would argue that she is THE BIGGEST thing in music, but I digress). The resources she has at her disposal are dizzying, and all but impossible to comprehend. There are whole teams of people who are just responsible for having anything and everything they even THINK she might need at a moments notice. It's not a stretch to say that when that stop was added to her schedule, someone was tasked with making sure all of the required gear (AND backups, and none of these artists travel with "1" of anything), should the want/need arise.

[@jontwest]

Another brilliant analysis Fil - thanks. It made me think to compare Swift with a live Vikki Carr performance from 1970 on the David Frost show, that was uploaded about a month ago. I discovered Carr listening to radio around 2010 & was knocked out by her talent & charm, & her ability to sing with great sincerity a song that I initially thought was pretty laughable. If you get a chance I’d love to hear your thoughts on that performance - the song is ‘It Must be Him’

[@lonnyhandwork422]

I wonder if the decision as to how aggressively autotune/pitch correct is more a function of how much bleed from the instruments is in the vocal mic? Eg: Pretty tough to autotune a vocal if you’ve got lots of piano in that mic feed as well.

[@luvstellauk]

The performance was at the premiere of the All Too Well mini movie I think it was after a Q&A session featuring Taylor Swift and the two actors, of course her playing the song was pre planned unless she just happens to carry her guitar literally everywhere, I don't know if it's significant or not but they did change the Mic just prior to the start of this clip.

[@wingandaprayer935]

Love these...Wondering about your comment that she's an accurate vocalist, though. I remember seeing a video of a live performance with her and Stevie Nicks and Taylor's pitch was pretty off. (Stevie actually looked shocked, if I remember correctly.) So, maybe in live situations they use the auto tune on Taylor to make sure the notes are correct in case she can't hear herself, or whatever.

[@deltab9768]

Yes, I’ve heard that one too. Phil probably means she’s reasonably close to pitch now, but she wasn’t always this good.

[@morghann21313]

Yes, I would say that she has put a lot of work into her vocals on the last 6-7 years. But that is too be expected as she started when she was like 17 and gained prominence as a song writer. Some of her old live performances are hard to listen to/watch. Lol love her though!!

[@donryan3153]

The human voice and ears can have off nights at any point in a career. She's extremely talented and a great singer 95% of the time. But when someone is as awarded as she is, the general public expects flawless at all times and if ever they encounter a performance where she was off it will be right there in their back pocket to always mention. I've seen both Elton John and Billy Joel more than once live and no one doubts their talent but I've heard them both sing some very wrong notes.

[@houiej]

@@donryan3153 She has a pretty face and is a great songwriter but I wouldn't call her a great singer 95% of the time. She's had too many bad notes to be taken seriously as an authentic live vocalist. She's clearly not.

[@mattrichard9006]

@@deltab9768 she's improved markedly over the years. I admire that, as I have seen plenty of artists content with being subpar and letting the team fix it in "post". (or they resort to using tracks live to do the parts they can't). Taylor has always appeared to want to improve. She doesn't stop working on herself. Regardless of whether I enjoy her songs is besides the point. I respect the work ethic 1000%.

[@DJarry394]

I don't care for most of her music. But she is appealing as a person, and her recent lyrics have really improved. I wish she would just use her natural voice. She is no Joan Baez, but voices don't need to be perfect to have power. Little Richard, Woodie Guthrie, Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith taught us that. I think a voice with power, genuine emotion, something that can shake you to the core is undeniably beautiful

[@stepanova8]

You are right, Taylor doesn't need pitch correction. She's very accurate these days. If you listen to the SNL performance she did just 1 day later, I don't think that one is pitch corrected. She was actually flat several times and more so at the end of the song. And I still loved the performance! So, it honestly puzzles me why this performance was Autotuned. I mean, it obviously was... but why? Please keep making these great videos!!!

[@SenshiSunPower]

The same reason people who already look great edit their photos: to sound that little bit better.

[@helixmoore7636]

She also explained that she couldn't always hear her voice when singing. I always knew she could sing

[@brinleefrazier7711]

She sounded so flat singing ATWTVTMVFTV on SNL

[@ldc68]

Agreed. That SNL performance was emotional and amazing.

[@andrew5550]

She sucks mate

[@s.m.4460]

We did Karaoke at a friend's house last year who had karaoke. Wow! We all sounded like 4-5 star singers. It cleaned up our weak points.

[@micatnight2010]

I can hardly be called a fan of Swift's, but there's no doubt she's a powerful and very talented force in music and entertainment. Her performance of Red at the CMA's blew me away. Live recordings edited with autotune should carry a warning label. Another great analysis video. Does this guy have a million dollar smile, or what!

[@angelspawn1401]

I remember first finding out about the fiction of “live” albums back in the 70’s. Kansas was the first band I heard talk about “correcting” poorly played/sung phrases of songs. They were quite critical of how it was usually done - essentially re-recording the song in-studio with added crowd noise. They 1/2 apologized and 1/2 justified providing the best “live” experience they could that way. They’ve come a long way.

[@patrickgallagher3513]

The more you show us autotuned performances Fil, the more the autotune sound sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks! Thanks for another really interesting video. The thing about many successful voical artists is that the listeners can tell who it is almost immediately. Dolly Parton, Kate Bush, Lulu, and Tom Jones to name but a few. Their unique sound helps them sell records. So why do the music companies take us for fools and use autotune?? The answer probably is... Because they just can't keep their hands off all those little buttons. When one goes to see an amateur theatrical show, the person on the sound desk usually has less finesse than at a pro show. Consequently it's easier to hear the sound getting pushed up as the performance goes on in the eternal search for 'brightness' . Or is it just boredom and itchy fingers????

[@alexandersteinmetz6857]

Really sorry for you, but wrong, wrong and....wrong. To have this Intensions, there have to be Human Emotions, and there arent any, for sure. Only Standard is Earfriendly for Airing and easy Listening, along with catchy enough for an 2 -5 Dollar Download(Discounts after 2 Months of Release)on your fav. Platform. And the Numbers seem to proof them right.

[@clansome]

OK Fil you're for it, having a pop at my Queen Taylor !!!!! HAHAHA As you may remember I am a very old school heavy metal/hard rock (Hawkwind, Wishbone Ash and Argent first 3 concerts in early 70's) but I have a soft spot for female singers, particularly Floor (and of course Nightwish), the 2 Taylors (Swift and Momsen) and Gabrielle Aplin. To be fair to Taylor this was NOT an official release and looking at the KZbin post it was a mash up of 23 different sources (all named) for the video including a slew of TikTok (yuk) videos. I can only imagine that the vocal manipulation has all been done in the process of eq'ing all of the various sources, even if there was an actual single audio track which it was all synced to. To be honest a better one might have been the SNL appearance, which IS official, and on which she certainly bums some notes. Take care Fil. EDIT FIL, check out this video which is a little more "raucous" and more typical of the performance I think kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZXWZmmql6tjfKc

[@calvinbealer7264]

Good Afternoon from Cleveland Ohio to London England.

[@jeanne-marie8196]

I have to say that my only familiarity with Taylor Swift, goes back to, what I refer to, as the “never ending” song! It was over ten years ago, and my little granddaughter loved Shake it Off. So not my favorite song. For the holidays, I got her swifts Christmas album. Oh my. After that, I tried very hard to be enthusiastic when my granddaughter heaped praise on Swift, as my granddaughter had a five-year-olds take on a good voice. I’m glad Swift has good pitch. I found her range limited, but then what do I know? I just go by what sounds good to me

[@waynelee7421]

Phil, could you please map the waveform of some SIA performances (studio and live)? Thanks!

[@HelzBelles]

Absolutely fascinating stuff! I know I'm a couple of years late getting here but I just stumbled across your channel today! It's great to know that my old ears can still sense when something sounds off. I much prefer Taylor's version where she's sitting at the piano - all the slightly flat and sharp notes just add a depth and warmth to the song that's missing from the so-called live version. I could hear the autotuning in that and it immediately spoilt the song for me. She doesn't need it! Anyway, thank you for your fascinating analysis.

[@lynnbaldwin7890]

There’s more to performing than technical perfection. Taylor has what I would describe as subtle pitch issues, but she has enough musical intelligence in the way she performs and writes that this ceases to be an issue. She doesn’t do diva and I honestly find her minor flaws charming as opposed to irritating. I heard a vocal track of hers when she was maybe 11 or 12; then she possessed a very sweet clear soprano. It was a very pretty voice. I wonder if a lot of her sounding flat is because she sings far below her natural range. Last, all the traveling, stress which all performers are forced to endure plays hard on the ol’ vocals regardless of how gifted one might be. As much as I hate auto tune, you probably have to have it if you hope to make any money touring!

[@michaelv151]

Great content FIL!

[@marksanchez8055]

I haven't paid much attention to her music since she moved commercial pop type of music, The little of it I did listen to, seems so over produced Her early music just seemed so authentic, it may make more money to leave her basic somewhat raw early music, but it just leaves the artist with a commercial product I think the artists that stay true to their craft will increasingly be rewarded by a loyal audience that won't jump ship for the next big thing

[@user-qm1ld2kv2f]

every singer esp as big as her uses autotune and i think they have to,cause people are analysing them every second and they can't do anything wrong and if they miss a single note everybody would start talking about how they can't sing and bluh bluh bluh.they are really under pressure.

[@Worthrhetime]

Ha I had my headphones on and I totally get it. Nice work boss .

[@diannelovejoy5514]

I have never been a big fan, but now I have a specific reason why. She now says she is in control of her music, so you can't blame the TV production people. Thanks Fil!

[@JulesUS8386]

Good vocalists don’t need manipulated!

[@abdulbaasit1824]

This is the live version of the song that she released from that event, which the uploader has switched with the original sound and thats why it sounds clearer than her speech. You can notice how the cameras keep changing (as the uploader used different shots from different people) while the sound still remains constant. (They also kept the audience louder in parts and isolated their voices in the rest to create the atmosphere in the live version released)

[@dawnchute7449]

I call that fader jockeying lol sometimes I would do that during Guitar solos and sometimes altros … great video!!!

[@buzzbomb67]

I def hear what you’re saying, in re to eq. I also detect a hint of phasing, as well

[@makemyburdenlight]

What is that?

[@mr__jan_]

Question from a non-musician: She doesn’t appear to wear in-ears, we cannot see if there any monitors on stage, is it possible that with a raucous crowd she can’t really hear herself well enough to produce the quality she has at the tiny desk with a smaller and more “polite” crowd? Therefore, it’s possible she felt the need for/allowed the use of autotune? Should anyone be expected to sing their best without proper feedback? And thanks for your insightful videos.

[@bradhuskers]

Do not pay attention to trolls. Taylor swift has critically acclaimed recordings in multiple genres of music. Anyone who doesn't understand this, is seriously detached from reality

[@guitarpaul3645]

So I don't think this crowd was so loud that she couldn't hear herself. I don't think there would have been any monitors, so she would have just been using the acoustic guitar as her pitch reference. We also don't know how off she actually was as this was corrected in post (not real time). And oerhaps she didn't have time for a vocal warm up which makes it more difficult to get on pitch straightaway.

[@bradhuskers]

@Guitar Paul None of what you are talking about matters one bit. She has created critically acclaimed recordings in multiple genres of music. Won three albums of the year, which has never been achieved by any artist EVER. AND, they were each a different genre of music, making it an ALL TIME IMMORTAL achievement. The fact that trolls are discussing her pitch, in light of her elite accomplishments, speaks volumes about the mental state of many on here.

[@guitarpaul3645]

@@bradhuskers Dude relax. I am a massive fan of Taylor. You don't have to tell me about her accomplishments. This is a video talking about the use of pitch correction software in post editing of a particular video. If you can actually read, I was merely addressing a query raised by the previous commentor. None of this is "trolling".

[@guitarpaul3645]

@@bradhuskers Also, whilst I am a huge fan of Taylor, don't take the Grammys too seriously. They are widely recognised as a bit of a joke. She is immortal because of her music, not because of some dumb awards that often make no sense whatsoever. Or are you telling me that Random Access Memories was really better than Red? And why did Queen never win a single Grammy?

[@davidraymer397]

My voice gets louder and more focused/trebly when I'm singing vs when I'm talking. People cheered because they were excited. Halfway through and so far nothing but sound guys doing their job. Country singers sing like that, very on the note and sometimes monotone before they make a jump to another vote. I'm not convinced of what he's claiming. I've been singing for 40 years.

[@Megan.eco-Instinct]

If I am being honest, I am certainly not surprised about her (very regular) use of auto tune. I'm not trying to be mean - sometimes being very honest is difficult and isn't taken well. I have always thought of her as a very talented song writer, but I must say, her singing super-stardom has completely mystified me. Most times her (live and real) performances are nearly an offense to my senses. I realize it could just be me - some people just don't *_hear_* people the way others do. So perhaps that explains it, but my thought is that her people began to quickly realize that they better employ tools like auto-tune or she would very truly be outed as being solely a product of studio production.

[@theride5596]

Thanks to you, one day soon, this will be an interesting and informative segment on ‘60 Minutes’ around the world.

[@tracyzimmerman7912]

It's definitely auto tune 🙄😬😫 All can think make it stop is what I think about when it's auto tune. I would love to here this song with Taylor Swift's natural voice. And I got what I asked for.

[@TheIrishmanFootball]

Hi Fil. Love the channel and I know it's requests. But, I don't really like the auto tune stuff being every video now. Some nice old fashioned analysis vids maybe?? Nothing but love.

[@drewpall2598]

@Brian Morrissey if you did not know Fil had injured his left wrist about 5 weeks ago as soon as his wrist is back to normal, he'll start doing guitars demos again 🙂

[@Funkybassplayer]

@@drewpall2598 I did not know that. 👍🏻

[@TheIrishmanFootball]

@@drewpall2598 No. I didn't realise. Get well soon Fil!

[@sig4319]

i really love her voice tho ❤️plus she writes great lyrics

[@thommy_kni]

As always I really enjoy your content. Great expertise and explanation!!