Negative Effects Of Auto-Tune On The Music Industry

The music industry constantly evolves depending on what people listen to. Often times, after listening to similar music for so long, the audience craves a different sound. Because of the audience’s need for variety, integral technological parts of music such as the electric guitar, samplers, and synthesizers, gained traction and became a part of music history. Recently, auto-tune has become a similar important technological aspect for the music of today. Mathematician Andy Hildebrand created auto-tune in 1996. It uses pitch correction software in order to alter vocal and instrumental music performances. Since the popularization of auto-tune began during the late 1990s and 2000s, it has been used in almost every popular song played on the radio. Often compared to the electric guitar, auto-tune was never meant to change

Auto-tune can be used sparingly to slightly improve an artists pitch, or it can be used excessively, making artists barely sound human. When most people think of auto-tune, the latter is usually what comes to mind. Because of this perception of auto-tune, many believe it have overall caused a negative impact on the music industry. Although the berating of popular music has always been present, critics of auto-tune consider it to be one of music’s worst inventions because it causes artists to move away from using their real voice. In addition to this, some argue that auto-tune perpetuates the idea that unauthentic music, or music made solely for entertainment, is more valued than music with meaning. Finally, those who dislike the use of auto-tune believe that because anyone can correct their voice, those who do not have the actual ability to sing receive fame and fortune for using a machine rather than becoming famous based on their own merit, which again, takes away the authenticity of