Dreaming in 3D

This song is reminiscent of the Song “Here in your Arms” by Hellogoodbye. Anyone remember that song? I’m gonna put that one in further down. But anyway, this song has a very dreamlike “Sing-songy” feel. I think it has the perfect use of auto-tune in order to really convey the feel of being in a dream like state. I absolutely love this song. Shoutout to Spotify to recommending it to me. I guess it knows that I really like auto-tune. haha.

Here in Your Arms

I absolutely love this song as well. This song was practically the soundtrack to my 2006. I remember listening to this song and playing halo… and being straight. lol. But anyway, this song has the perfect amount of auto-tune to have a nice dancey feel, while also using auto-tune to convery a sense of loneliness. anyone looking for a sad dance tune you found it. You can dance and cry at the same time. hurray.

Lovelife

This song doesn’t use nearly as much auto-tune as the others, but it uses the tool flawlessly. During the bridge, this song really convey’s happiness and it really creates a great sound. I think this song has the perfect balance of non-auto-tune vs. use of auto-tune. Unlike the other songs, which do use the tool a little heavily.

Wow, I can’t believe this was the last post. I’m really proud of what I produced here. I always have a hard time finding auto-tune type music. At least with this blog, I was able to spread some of the music I discovered. This is Aaron Kreider, signing off. Auto-tune on.

Okay, folks, we’re going to take a different route this week. Let’s talk about Imogen Heap. (That almost rhymed, omg) We’ve talked about Imogen Heap before. Remember a few weeks ago? When I made my proclamation of undying love for the song Hide and Seek? Anyone? Does anyone read these? What is life?

Sorry, I got a little existential there for a second. But anyway, Imogen Heap has been developing these awesome new gloves that will allow her to make music as she moves her body. Why would you want such a thing? Well, as Imogen’s music centers around a really synth-y sound, most of her music requires being processed through a vocoder (yay, auto-tune!). And as Imogen has eloquently put it, people are bored with someone standing on stage pushing buttons and flipping levers. With these gloves, Imogen is able to truly perform.

With these gloves, which she has named the Mi.mu gloves, she is able to create and embody music with all of her movements and all of her body. Remember how I went on rants at the beginning of the year about auto-tune being art, and we should all embody arts? Anyone? Well I remember. And guess what? Imogen Heap is EMBODYING art.

Currently, Imogen has a Kickstarter going to raise money for the development of these gloves. With her fans’ contribution, she will be able to create enough for many other artists to start playing around with the magic of these gloves. What she’s truly excited for, she has said, is for people to start hacking them. Imogen is an engineer, and she respects other engineers as well. She has said the they have intentionally left the hardware and software hack-able to see what people are going to do with it. You can see more about these gloves in a new documentary: Me, the Machine.

Below, I posted a video preview of the documentary. I also have a link to Imogen’s Kickstarter and a video of her performing with these gloves. See ya next week!

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mimu/mimu-glove-for-music

Documentary: http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/31/imogen-heap-gloves-mini-frontiers-movie/

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6btFObRRD9k

LISTEN TO IT HERE

This is one of my favorite pop tracks by Lady Gaga. Other than being the queen bee of pop music and my personal mother monster, we can hear some actual deep lyrics in her music.

Midnight rush, with a pen in my hand
Dinkin Lincoln, sand-script with a fan
Remembering me, before we began
Sometimes I felt so Def in the Jam

But the ones who loved me, told me to stop
Like homegirl can’t catch shit if it drops
A superwoman chick, you know that I am
Some shit don’t fly by me in a man

Don’t want no PAPER GANGSTA
Won’t sign away my life to
Someone whose got the flavor
But don’t have no follow through
Don’t want no PAPER GANGSTA
Wont sign no monkey papers
I don’t do funny business
Not interested in fakers
Don’t want no PAPER GANGSTA

I know, I included too many lyrics in this post but they are all so good. This song is all about dealing with fake men. I think this song correctly balances the idea of fake men with a fake sounding voice. The audio track, first of all, doesn’t even sound like Gaga. The audio track is correctly morphed to have a very techy feel in there. I absolutely love the half-pop half-rap that Gaga showcases for this track.

Overall, this audio track has it all. This track completely has all the right lyrics to fully showcase what Gaga is feeling about the men in her life. (also, for those of you who dont know, a paper gangsta is basically someone who acts thug or acts like something they’re not. Also, a ‘monkey paper’ is an official business document, this has double meaning in that Gaga will not marry this man, nor will he have any business documents because he is not a legitimate representation of anything he presents.)

For those of you who don’t know, I love Lady Gaga. As one of her many gays, I feel like I have some kind of undying loyalty to my mother monster. Don’t ever hate. She is my god. I love you Gaga.

WE’RE HERE! We’ve reach our first ‘mistake in the music’ post! I want to start out by stating that I LOVE Katy Perry, however… the mistakes made in the song Part of Me are pretty much unforgivable. The auto-tuning is just SO rough… it really is not okay. *white girl voice* i literally can’t.

There are certain points in this song that Perry’s voice are so heavily auto-tuned that her voice becomes practically unrecognizable. There is one point in particular that really makes me cringe… just listen to it. Its at about 1:12 were Perry says “who.” This one particular word must’ve been sang off-key and the music producers thought they could get away with just correctly it superficially.

Honestly, the word “who” right at that moment is so bad. I can’t stand this part of the song. But I honestly understand. Perry needed to release this song as soon as possible. This song was released less than 4 weeks after her divorce from comedian Russell Brand. I’m sure when she announced an attachment to her hit album Teenage Dreams, the record label put a lot of pressure on her to release the new songs as possible after the announced release. That’s okay, Perry… i get that record labels can put a lot of pressure on people. But, seriously Perry… you shouldn’t have settled on this one.

Okay, I know I did Kanye last week, but ever since I saw him in concert I’ve been obsessed with 808’s and heartbreaks. The lyrics are so awesome in this song I just can’t get over how good Kanye actually is. Like who writes stuff like this?

In the night, I hear them talk the coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul
To a woman so heartless [echoes 3X]
How could you be so heartless [echoes 3X]
Oh, how could you be so heartless?

This is a classic song of love and loss but it has a really interesting twist to it. Overall, the auto-tune adds such a fantastic element to the overall feel of this song and creates a sense of confusion that, as I’ve said before,  can really be aided through the use of auto-tune.

How could you be so Dr. Evil?
You bringing out a side of me that I don’t know
I decided we weren’t gonna speak so
Why we up 3 A.M. on the phone?
Why would she be so mad at me for?
Homie I don’t know she’s hot and cold
I won’t stop wont mess my groove up
Cause I already know how this thing go
You run and tell your friends that you’re leaving me
They say that they don’t see what you see in me
You wait a couple months then you gonna see
You’ll never find nobody better than me

While some argue that the lyrics of this song are a little cheap, I think that the lyrics not only add to the pain of the song but overall lay down some phat beats. Yeah, I just said phat beats. please dont judge me for it. Overall, I need to stop writing about 808’s and Heartbreaks, but I implore you to listen to it.

Next week, we’ll analyze some mistakes in auto-tune and we can all collectively make fun of artists that don’t use it well. get your fingers ready as we point and laugh. See you next week! 🙂

Its that time again! We’re back to Kanye with one of my favorite tracks off of the acclaimed album 808’s and Heartbreaks. (Also, a shout out to Grey’s Anatomy ONCE AGAIN. No, I didn’t discover this song because of the show, but they did play it… and it made me happy.) I also decided to choose this song because I recently attended the Kanye West concert here on campus and oh my god. Thats all I have to say. Oh my god. Also, I was in the front row… which was bitchin’.

Let me know
Do I still got time to grow
Things ain’t always set in stone
That be known let me know
Let me
Seems like, street lights, glowin
Happen to be just like moments, passin
In front of me so I hopped in, the cab and
I paid my fare see I know my destination

This song is just brilliant. It’s all about trying to figure out where one is going in life. The use of auto-tune in this song creates a masterful blend that aids the overall field of music. The auto-tune creates an uncertainty which gives weight to the lyrics.

At the time of this album’s release, Kanye’s mother had recently passed away. While he showcased his grief in the song Coldest Winter, the emotions carry over. The general theme of 808’s and Heartbreaks was that of grief and loneliness. I think this song showcases the uncertainty of life while also accenting West’s ultimate talent for music production and busting some sweet rhymes. Overall, I congratulate you on, West, on another fantastic song. This is not one of the most popular, but in my opinion its one of the most meaningful.

LISTEN TO IT HERE

Ever heard a song and thought, wow this sounds like it should be playing in Hollister? That would definitely be Lose Control by Back Ted n-Ted. (Don’t ask me how to say the name of that artist I honestly have no idea.) But anyway, the happy vibes in this song are just too contagious to handle and that is why I chose this song. (Happy, and it uses auto-tune which is always a plus.)

Okay, so I’m gonna do it again: I’m gonna post the lyrics to the song. I know, you all love me for it.

lets play this game one more time before you go away,
away to a bigger city…
thats not as cool as my city. 

I can’t keep trying to make things work when they ain’t,
…they ain’t supposed to work,
right now so I think you should go.

If I spend one more night in the city…
If I spend one more night alone…
I might just have to lose control

So there it is, this song is about completely losing your shit and thats why auto-tune really adds to the overall theme of the song. The auto-tune distorts and adds to the messy feel. Whether you’re laying on a beach or walking into Hollister you have to jam out to this jelly-shaker. (yes, jelly-shaker… aka your booty)

I feel as though especially in the “oh’s” of indistinct nothingness that the auto-tune is especially showcased. I commend Back Ted n-Ted for the genius music they have produced in this particular track. Also, for the 2nd week in a row i gotta throw out a shoutout to Grey’s Anatomy for pushing me in the direction of more awesome music. Seriously, who ever is in the music department for that show deserves and Emmy or something.

LISTEN TO IT HERE

Hooray! I’m so excited to be back and talking about the most exciting thing to ever grace the music industry– that would be auto-tune of course! 🙂 Luckily, I was diagnosed with mono over break. How is that lucky you ask? Well I had an excuse to lie in bed for 4 weeks straight and watch a TV show that has been acclaimed for its music selection: Grey’s Anatomy!

Yes, I watched over 150 hours of Grey’s Anatomy over my break and luckily enough they featured some brilliant songs which utilize auto-tune. The first of which to make the cut is entitled “Like a Ghost” by Calahan.

This song I particularly like for a few reasons:

1. Firstly, it has such a happy tone, when listening to it one can’t help but tap their foot and begin to hum the recurring melody.

2. Secondly, it has some great lyrics. Ill try not to post them specifically, because that’s something I always do. However, the song is about losing a loved one and the basic reflection from that time.

3. Wait a minute, wait a minute… Did I really just say that a song has a happy tone and is also about losing a loved one? You bet your toosh I did! That’s something else I really love about this song (and many other songs I discovered over my break). The overall tone of the song does not reflect the feel which creates a contradictory style that I’m really starting to get into. (EXAMPLE: “Concrete Wall” by Zee Avi (extremely mellow tone, with very angry lyrics))

So there you have it people! I hope you keep reading my blog as I have many new songs on the way as well as some new blog ideas. (One of those being mistakes in music, and pointing out which songs were really hurt by the use of auto-tune.) Until then, my loves!

LISTEN TO IT HERE

“Spent my life inside this room
And disappeared some more each day
…

These streets will never be the same.”

Chromatics. I have to admit, I’m stealing this song from a blog I read on auto-tune in music. I’d never heard this song before I read that blog, but I’m really happy I did. This song is brilliant and has a lot of really dark and twisted elements to it. It revolves around the aspect of being trapped in ones own body and creates an ominous tone throughout.

The echoes and encores of the song creates peaks and valleys that really create contrasting moods and add to the overall feel to the song. The simplicity of the lyrics allows for this mood, as well. Rather than focusing on complex lyrics as we heard in Hide and Seek, we are now presented with simpler lyrics which are repeated throughout the song. This creates an echo that pairs well with the echo of auto-tune in the music.

Overall, this song is very good. I have to say, the distortion of the voice (while usually one of my favorite aspect of the song) is a little excessive. However, the choice to use auto-tune in this excessive way is an artistic choice, and therefore I choose not to criticize them for it. This isn’t one of my favorite song, but its still really good. I suggest it to anyone who like inventive ways to hear auto-tune in music.

LISTEN TO IT HERE

Okay, I’m gonna be honest: I hate this song. I mean really? “Do you believe in life after love?” What does that even mean? I don’t know which I dislike more: The lyrics to this song, or Cher herself. It’s not that I don’t respect Cher– that bitch can sing. I just can’t get past her collagen-filled lips and cheeks and the fact that she has a baritone deeper than mine. That being said, I can’t have a blog about auto-tune without giving the song Believe some kind of honorable mention.

This was the first mainstream use of auto-tune… ever. No one had heard the sound before Cher decided to make herself sound like a robot on the 1998 smash hit. This song became so popular, everyone wanted the “Cher effect.” Literally. There were reports of nearly every ultra-pop artist at the time saying they wanted to sound like a robot on their latest track.

So, why did Cher use the tool that we know and love today? Well, Cher wanted a new sound. She wanted to once again push the boundaries of music and pave a new path into the future of the 21st century. And what better way to do that than make herself sound like a robot? The futuristic sound gave Cher a curb on the competition and put her at the top of her game. At the time, it was the #1 selling track by a female artist in the U.K. ever.

The use of auto-tune put Cher on top of the world and I gotta thank her for doing it. If Cher had never used the sound of auto-tune on her smash hit what would music be like today? Some may argue that someone else would’ve eventually discovered auto-tune and used it but I like to credit Cher for her advancement in the music industry. You go, Cher. Thanks for using an awesome tool to create your futuristic sound. You brought to light a tool that has been used to create some amazing songs.