Al Helps Explain Auto-Tune on "Know Your Meme"

[dynaboyj]

I thought it was cool when I saw Al on the homepage of YouTube...at first, I didn't realize Know Your Meme was a show, and thought it was just a parody of Know Your Enemy...

I'm assuming it WAS really Al.

[amzo39]

No it wasn't Al actually. It was a puppet that looks like him.

[TMBJon]

Al's use of autotune is actually pretty noticeable sometimes. Listen to Pancreas and Confessions Part III, they're autotuned to hell and back.

There's nothing wrong with using autotune for its practical purpose: making a singer sound pitch perfect when they are not. I just really dislike the stylistic decision to make it abundantly clear that you're autotuning - like Cher and T-Pain. In fact, the only artist who uses that sound who I think is effective with it is Lil' Wayne. Otherwise, totally annoying.

But a parody artist using it so he can sing with the dynamic range of Usher? That's fine by me.

[Bruce the Duck]

Al's use of autotune is actually pretty noticeable sometimes. Listen to Pancreas and Confessions Part III, they're autotuned to hell and back.

There's nothing wrong with using autotune for its practical purpose: making a singer sound pitch perfect when they are not. I just really dislike the stylistic decision to make it abundantly clear that you're autotuning - like Cher and T-Pain. In fact, the only artist who uses that sound who I think is effective with it is Lil' Wayne. Otherwise, totally annoying.

But a parody artist using it so he can sing with the dynamic range of Usher? That's fine by me.

+1 Well, except for the bit about Lil Wayne. I find him annoying too.

[weirdojace]

Oh yeah, it's definitely okay to use it for that purpose. I use it on my own stuff sometimes.

[dynaboyj]

I wonder how Al gets the key of his parodies accurate...maybe through Autotunes? I mean, his classic songs from the 80's were WAY out of key (Eat It, Fat...)

[AlejandraDD]

I wonder how Al gets the key of his parodies accurate...maybe through Autotunes? I mean, his classic songs from the 80's were WAY out of key (Eat It, Fat...)

Eat it / Fat were transposed, not out of key. Well, I mean, they *were* out of key, but on purpose. Al's vocal range is not the same as Michael Jackson's.

[Kristine]

Al's use of autotune is actually pretty noticeable sometimes. Listen to Pancreas and Confessions Part III, they're autotuned to hell and back.

Pancreas is using a different technique- it's not AT. From what little I know about sound engineering, it's basically doubling the track (but there's probably way more to it than that). Go into any sound program, record something, and duplicate it into a second layer. It will sound kinda like two identical people singing together.

CPIII uses it because, well, that's part of the style. That's the point is to use it, like the video talks about.

[JCM]

Let's all just agree Al has never used autotune ever except to engineer songs to perfection.

[Killingsworth]

Al's vocal range is not the same as Michael Jackson's.

or Usher or Brian Wilson as Jace pointed out...or Joan Jett, Freddie Mercury, Greg Kihn, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany, Billy Idol or Avril Lavigne for that matter...and I'm sure there's more...

Let's all just agree Al has never used autotune ever except to engineer songs to perfection.

Agreed.