So… I came across a video of the new version of Melodyne. For anyone who isn’t into recording, Melodyne is the pitch correction software used to “fix” the vocal tracks of all your favorite pop stars. Well, with the new release due out this year, you can not only “fix” vocal tracks but it separates all the individual notes of a chord and allows you to change them. First of all, I don’t even know how this is possible, but it seems to work seamlessly in the sample video.

As a guitar player who has spent too many hours practicing, playing until my hands are arthritis riddled mandible claws, I have an objection. I’ll admit having the ability to change the pitch of an individual note is cool from a technical standpoint, but actually using it isn’t. It is like genetically modifying a human. Sure it would be cool to make a race of super-humans capable of incredible feats of perfect pitch, but should you?

Before Melodyne, at least a minor talent was required to record and release music. But now, the Paris Hiltons and Lindsay Lohans of the world can “Melodyne” themselves to perfect pitch, and the same thing is about to happen for guitar players and other instrumentalists. There are already enough releases by “artists” with more money than talent; we don’t need to make it easier.

With the advances in music software, it has become so easy to edit a recording that it has replaced actual talent. These are some of the many possible changes that happen now in a typical recording:

• A each drum is recorded on separate tracks and then replaced with samples
• The drums are then quantized so they are perfectly in time
• The other instruments are recorded in many takes and many parts because they can’t be played the entire length without mistakes (soon to be replaced by Melodyne)
• The vocals are pitch corrected then doubled, or tripled, or more
• All the tracks are equalized, compressed, and have effects added
• The tracks are mastered generally removing whatever dynamics are left

There is so much processing being done that it is no wonder musicians don’t sound like their recordings live (I’m not mentioning any names… *cough* *cough* Fall Out Boy). Most songs have been so modified that you can hardly even credit the musician for recording it.

Basically, music as an art form is disappearing. It has become more of a technical field where there is more value in being a great mix engineer or producer than in being a musician. It is part of the reason recorded music is losing its value, anyone can “sing well” in a recording. Support musicians who can play by seeing them play; and put the value back into music.

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