|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,489
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,489 |
You can in fact bend a guitar string flat with a whammy bar, i.e. a vibrato bar. That is of course assuming you have a whammy bar on your guitar. Thank you for not calling it a tremolo - Leo Fender got a lot of things right, but got that name wrong. I use the whammy on my Parker to bend down, and since it floats, I can use it to bed up too, but if I want to bend anything but a chord up, I just bend strings. -------------------- As far as the record companies 'dumbing down' music, I say they are partially to blame. Record companies want the bulk of their catalog to be the musicians they can exploit the most - and that usually means inexperienced ones. They will have some artists that get big dollars because their records are 'automatics' and don't need a lot of promotion to be a hit. The rest of the recording universe is filled with one-hit-wonders (in the past) and one-CD-wonders (in the present). When Motown was courting us, we had experienced entertainment management and lawyers. When Motown made their final offer of .02 per record (they got publishing rights and half the songwriter credits for anything we wrote) --- the royalties were to pay for (1) the inflated cost of the recording session (2) inflated promotional costs and (3) inflated tour operating costs. Management did the numbers and figured we'd need to sell almost 2 million copies to break even, and in the late 60s there weren't half as many people on the planet as there are now, and 2 million was very uncommon on a first record. They hired their second choice band to cut the records. If we hit 3 million on the first record, we would have had a chance to be an 'automatic' and get a better deal on the next record. The record company made much its profit from the band paying back those high mark-up services. So by using mostly inexperienced people, they end up with simple music because the musicians may be talented, but haven't had the time to get more in their brains. Secondly the record companies decided that songs had too long of a shelf life in the 1960s and 1970s. They could make twice as much money if the song went from hot to passe twice as fast. So the music should not have the staying power of a "Hotel California", "Bohemian Rhapsody", or "Stairway To Heaven" anymore, but last 3 weeks on the charts and then be replaced with something new. Simple music does that. ------------ The general public likes what it is told to like in the media. Especially the younger ones who want to be 'in' with their peers. If the record companies wanted the public to like jazz, they could do it, but the production costs for jazz are higher, and the artists want more money, so the result is less profit for the corporation. So the public is trained to listen to the simplest of the simple music. And that's the problem with corporations. A small business only needs to make enough profit to pay the salaries of the employees and make some profit for the owners. Anything else is extra. Most corporations have up to 49% of the business owned by people who do not contribute anything physical to the corporation. All they have is money in stock, and they want that stock to be worth more and more every quarter. Now in order for the corporation to make more and more and more and more money every quarter, it has to sell more and more and more and more widgets. If they just stayed steady like a small business, the stock wouldn't grow and the stockholders would bail out. But nothing can grow forever, sooner or later it reaches saturation, the big record companies did what they could to keep making more and more and more profits, but many of the things they did to make more profit resulted in a decline of the quality of the music, and it only stalled the moment of saturation, (nothing can grow forever) and now they are on the decline. But that's all drifting away from the thread topic, which I said I would agree to disagree on. So I maintain this position, I feel if a singer cannot sing on pitch, he/she is not a singer. It is like a ball player that can't hit or catch a ball. Some of you feel that AT is only one more effect and you have the right to disagree with me. Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,041
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,041 |
I recently ran across the article that Josie posted but was not aware of this thread until it was pointed out to me today by a friend. BIAB has opened new vistas for Janice and me re musical genres. For many years we played in a bluegrass band where band members would fuss even about a little reverb.
Know how many bluegrass musicians it takes to change a light bulb? Five....one to change the bulb and four to complain about it being electric.
So this whole auto tune thing is relatively new to me (I never listened to Cher). This morning in a restaurant I heard a pop diva sustain a high note perfectly for a ridiculously long time and started thinking about vocal manipulation in the studio and that lead me to this thread.
I played upright bass for many years and perhaps folks thought I needed auto tune or a similar effect. I've recorded Janice off and on for 25 years and have never thought about it....perhaps folks listen to our stuff and wonder why the hell I don't use it. Dunno. I love Ozone 6 and Nectar 2 and BIAB and Logic Pro X and digital recordings and my mobile devices, i.e., I have nothing against high technology when it comes to things musical. I do find it interesting that folks get so exercised over this issue. Short of being out in public in a eatery or grocery store I NEVER listen to music that I don't like. Taylor Swift seems to be a very bright young lady with a ton of business acumen but I could care less about her music or how it is created. I guess it's because for our 34 years together Janice and I have tended to listen to what is now called Americana -- and it tends to be a tad rough around the edges.
To paraphrase Gregg Allman it doesn't matter what the genre is...if it has soul it's good. And from my perspective soulful singing has a lot of moving notes. Some times I feel that "follow the bouncing ball" singers think that a "bent note" singer is "pitchy." Again, just dunno. Like Jerry Garcia once said to David Grisman...."they are all just notes."
Pardon the acknowledged ramble. Just thinking out loud via the keyboard. :-)
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,539
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,539 |
My thoughts on AT;
Use it when it fits
Don't avoid using it, but if you do use, use it intentionally
I've used it for various reasons on tracks, some recorded by singers with very good pitch. One use is for a 'doubled' track. Tune one a bit and not the other ..
On the flip side;
Imagine if Dylan had used it .. or Robert Smith .. it would have wrecked the recording.
It's a tool. You don't need every tool for a given job, but if you do need it feel free to use it.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
this whole auto tune thing is relatively new to me ...<snip> I've recorded Janice off and on for 25 years and have never thought about it....perhaps folks listen to our stuff and wonder why the hell I don't use it.
well... I'm thinking you never thought about using autotune with Janice because... SHE DOESN'T NEED IT!! You already knew that, but if I hadn't said it, my head would have exploded. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722 |
Josie,
I know this response strays a bit from the topic or at least the intent of the topic, but it has 100% to do with perfect pitch.
Not sure if you have heard Image and Family on the online site at which I perform from time to time, but the son, Robert has perfect pitch. Robert is also Autistic, but learned all of his major and minor chords on his keyboard in less than one hour.
But what really blows me away is when his dad kicks off a tune and Robert, after hearing just one note of the intro turns around and says "wrong key".
Bottom-line is that it never ceases to amaze me when I hear someone define a note just by hearing it.
Later,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,689
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,689 |
Maybe it's my ears that are a bit off, but I don't think Johnny Cash worried too much about perfect pitch.
Don S.
Hey, Happy New Year to One and All!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,498
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,498 |
Yea I don't watch Tommy's Youtubes anymore, too depressing  . I was never that fast/accurate in my prime. Even in my own mind I was never THAT good, and you know we all THINK, or at least thought at one point in time, that we are guitar [trumpet, drum, bass, sax,..] Gods in our own minds (to deny that truth is to lie to yourself). OK, see, now I'm depressed again! I think I'll go to shooting range and turn some gun powder into smoke. Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,042
Posts799,254
Members40,015
| |
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean