Why does the vinyl mix of ATU have auto-tune? - Alphaville Forum

MarianGoldfan123 · 19 May 2017, 19:31

Why was the Around The Universe vinyl mix butchered so badly? The vocal track is absolutely laced with auto-tune and corrections. Was it a different take? Or was that the take Marian did in the studio and is the same as the one found on the original album mix? Can't be. He sings it a bit different. Can anyone clear it up for me as to why there is so much autotune on his voice in this particular mix?

humanracer · 19 May 2017, 23:07

I thought the CD version has auto tune?
I prefer the live version.

MarianGoldfan123 · 20 May 2017, 01:42

The CD version has one spot which has a slight correction. At least from what I can tell. it's at the "When will I ever cope with love" verse. The vinyl mix seems to have tons of minor "imperfections" when compared to the CD mix. For instance, you can hear when he says in the beginning "On a faded photograph from long ago" that his voice went downward in the vinyl version, whereas it sounds fine on the CD version. Same when he says "and i wondered who he was". When he says "was" his voice goes downward a bit. It's hard to explain, but it's very evident.

Foolship1077 · 24 May 2017, 01:16

Being a demo version, I guess one can expect a few flaws, but I have heard the vinyl mix elsewhere and didn't seem to mind it so much.

MarianGoldfan123 · 24 May 2017, 05:19

Is it actually a demo? I'm assuming maybe that's the studio vocal track they used on the CD release and they simply touched it up real good, and never bothered to fix it up as much with the vinyl mix.

Foolship1077 · 25 May 2017, 22:51

Maybe I should ask, is this from the bonus tracks, or did they tweak the actual one for vinyl?

I know I heard some autotune on Mafia Island's CD mix.

MarianGoldfan123 · 28 Jul 2017, 14:34

I more or less am inclined to believe maybe the vinyl version's vocals were the original take which was done in the studio by Marian and what we hear on the CD version is a very cleanly edited version of that take. I'm guessing they did what people call "comping", in where artists will do multiple takes of the song and then someone goes in and cherry picks the best parts of each take and makes a composite track so it sounds aboslutely perfect. Notice how the so called "imperfect" portions of the vinyl mix, such as when he says "photograph" in the beginning: In the CD mix, you can somewhat hear it was cut out and then comped with a better version of him saying it. It doesn't explain why the vinyl mix isn't a 1:1 match to the CD version, though... That is, unless they never got around to changing it out by the time the album was done in terms of production.

You can hear autotune in Sexyland (during the first chorus). One spot in Marionettes with Halos has some, as well (of increasing entropy). Marionettes is very well done though, so it takes a very good ear to hear it. Fever has one spot with a bit of auto-tune as well (with no idea where to turn to).

By the way: I'm not trying to discredit Marian and say he's a bad singer. I am just pointing this out is all. I'm not trying to make it seem like he can't sing, as that isn't the case... I personally don't care either way if he had to have a little bit of assistance post-take: No musician on this planet would be able to belt out a tune as well as what is heard in the final mix in the first take.

19 May 2017, 19:31	#1
MarianGoldfan123 Dreamer Join Date: 28 Dec 2012 Location: Michigan (US) Posts: 424	Why does the vinyl mix of ATU have auto-tune? Why was the Around The Universe vinyl mix butchered so badly? The vocal track is absolutely laced with auto-tune and corrections. Was it a different take? Or was that the take Marian did in the studio and is the same as the one found on the original album mix? Can't be. He sings it a bit different. Can anyone clear it up for me as to why there is so much autotune on his voice in this particular mix?

24 May 2017, 01:16	#4
Foolship1077 Travelling Companion Join Date: 28 Feb 2008 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 4,021	Being a demo version, I guess one can expect a few flaws, but I have heard the vinyl mix elsewhere and didn't seem to mind it so much. Hello, my friend...

25 May 2017, 22:51	#6
Foolship1077 Travelling Companion Join Date: 28 Feb 2008 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 4,021	Maybe I should ask, is this from the bonus tracks, or did they tweak the actual one for vinyl? I know I heard some autotune on Mafia Island's CD mix. Hello, my friend...

19 May 2017, 23:07	#2
humanracer Dreamer Join Date: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 215	I thought the CD version has auto tune? I prefer the live version.

20 May 2017, 01:42	#3
MarianGoldfan123 Dreamer Join Date: 28 Dec 2012 Location: Michigan (US) Posts: 424	The CD version has one spot which has a slight correction. At least from what I can tell. it's at the "When will I ever cope with love" verse. The vinyl mix seems to have tons of minor "imperfections" when compared to the CD mix. For instance, you can hear when he says in the beginning "On a faded photograph from long ago" that his voice went downward in the vinyl version, whereas it sounds fine on the CD version. Same when he says "and i wondered who he was". When he says "was" his voice goes downward a bit. It's hard to explain, but it's very evident.

24 May 2017, 05:19	#5
MarianGoldfan123 Dreamer Join Date: 28 Dec 2012 Location: Michigan (US) Posts: 424	Is it actually a demo? I'm assuming maybe that's the studio vocal track they used on the CD release and they simply touched it up real good, and never bothered to fix it up as much with the vinyl mix.

28 Jul 2017, 14:34	#7
MarianGoldfan123 Dreamer Join Date: 28 Dec 2012 Location: Michigan (US) Posts: 424	I more or less am inclined to believe maybe the vinyl version's vocals were the original take which was done in the studio by Marian and what we hear on the CD version is a very cleanly edited version of that take. I'm guessing they did what people call "comping", in where artists will do multiple takes of the song and then someone goes in and cherry picks the best parts of each take and makes a composite track so it sounds aboslutely perfect. Notice how the so called "imperfect" portions of the vinyl mix, such as when he says "photograph" in the beginning: In the CD mix, you can somewhat hear it was cut out and then comped with a better version of him saying it. It doesn't explain why the vinyl mix isn't a 1:1 match to the CD version, though... That is, unless they never got around to changing it out by the time the album was done in terms of production. You can hear autotune in Sexyland (during the first chorus). One spot in Marionettes with Halos has some, as well (of increasing entropy). Marionettes is very well done though, so it takes a very good ear to hear it. Fever has one spot with a bit of auto-tune as well (with no idea where to turn to). By the way: I'm not trying to discredit Marian and say he's a bad singer. I am just pointing this out is all. I'm not trying to make it seem like he can't sing, as that isn't the case... I personally don't care either way if he had to have a little bit of assistance post-take: No musician on this planet would be able to belt out a tune as well as what is heard in the final mix in the first take.