Kenny played on my first official album, and the engineer (who I dearly love and is a good friend of mine) kept messing with the effects. Kenny came in over the talk-back mic saying, "We're trying to sound cool, like Flatts and Scruggs here...not Rascal Flatts." We were on the floor laughing, but those were fighting words to my engineer, and the producer, RS Fields, had to hold engineer back from going in to have a word with Kenny. Creative tension...it was funny that day. Kenny's a legend. He's such a good story tellet too. Keep 'em coming, Otis!
I love that Kenny can appreciate how amazing it could sound on a synth pop record. The man has wide-open ears. But also the good taste to know when something just "sounds dumb".
The same thing goes for rhythm. If you get a bunch of musicians playing in the studio, and establishing a solid groove, the mix will sound and feel perfect. If you take that recording and line up every micro beat precisely according to the software on a damn machine, it will lose its natural "feel". What you have then is robot music IMO.
Just like auto-tune, the click-track ruins all types of music. It can dull-down any enthusiasm. I’ve played a thousand plus dances and what makes for a great sound is that give and take, the minor variations in tempo that makes the music breathe.
@@johnnielson7676 I was thinking more of post-production computer adjustments, but click tracks are a total abomination. Just say, "NO!" to click tracks.
@@bobaldo2339 my ignorance of what you were talking about reveals how many decades it’s been since I laid down a track in a a professional studio. I think I had a mullet, shoulder pads and a pager! 🙀
Just saw The Black Crowes a few weeks ago and was blown away by how good Chris Robinsons voice sounded. May not be pitch perfect but at 55 he’s still killing it.
My daughter is a choral instructor at a high school and has sung opera with various companies. She adjudicates singing competitions periodically. Sometimes performances are submitted virtually and other times it's live. She encountered a student who submitted an auto tune performance which she immediately recognized as such. Not sure if she'd encountered it before but after hearing Kenny, I guess it is distinctive enough for a trained ear to recognize.
One of the many worst things that happened to country music. Goes along with a roomful of yuppies and hipsters with a thesaurus and a rhyme book writing "songs" daily that they never lived and never related to.
Kenny is such an incredible artist and seems like such a kind, down to earth guy. Auto tune has got to be such an alien concept to a guy like him who speaks through his instrument so well. I can listen to him talk for hours. Love to meet him some day just to say THANKS!!
It's all frosting and no cake. Ask yourself this. How far would Johnny Cash get on American Idol? Bob Dylan? If those guys started today they would laugh them off the stage. Most of my music heroes wouldn't make it past the first round.
American Idol is a joke but was worse when the Simon Guy was on. One time pissed every single singer on the show live once and they had to fill the dead space of a show blank at the end with a super chopped down old Family guy from the seasons after the first cancel as Turner networks owns the entire rights to air that whole part.
Amen, Kenny! I'm not a fan of auto-tuned vocals, and it's a big part of why I don't listen to much popular music. It's a bad look for country/ roots/ blues/ folk/ Americana... Thanks, Otis! 🙏
I spoke to a young contestant that we had in a regional contest here, as I heard her literally emulating autotune in her vocals. She was amazing, and the extra "color" was limiting her. She just wrapped a tour opening with a group that *lives* by autotune. I have failed.
As a musician I'll only ever pretend to accept auto-tune when the robots finally take over the planet... but only to save my own life and that of my nomadic tribe.
This is a good take on autotune, as someone who played in a rootsy country band and now makes electronic music. I should have known better but I thought Kenny would be against it, I must have just been being ageist. Kenny is so damn cool!
Sadly being truly talented seems to matter less and less these days, the labels want a sound and are willing to ruin true talent in order to get that. Too bad they keep forgetting that some of the most successful sounds were ones who went against the grain - Waylon was the antidote to the Nashville sound; Randy Travis, George Straight and Dwight Yoakam were traditional when Urban cowboy ruled - all could sing, none were signing what was popular at the time but they changed what was popular.
I really really hate it. I hate this digital world. I’m an acoustic guitar builder. I was just fine with the pre-2000’s. By then, I already thought Pro Tools had ruined recording! (I’ve changed my mind on that now. But it’s a bit like levelling the playing field by making sure everyone has a gun) Thanks, Otis and Kenny! Peace
I concur. Anything digital that can be achieved by analogue means is better left analogue. Anything that can _only_ be achieved using digital technology is unnecessary.
Auto-Tune is now an effect??? LMAO! Some effects are acceptable to enhance the purity of the sound, but the more effects involved, the less REAL the vocal and music become. For my ears it is sometimes favorable for the singer who isn't 100% pitch perfect to remain that way on the recording. It can add feeling and emotion that helps express the songs meaning. I always love Kenny's stories. I remember when he first hit lower Broadway in Nashville.
The "No Singer Left Behind Box" ;)
Except the really good ones who happen to be not very photogenic, losing out to those who can't sing but looks like a supermodels.
Kenny played on my first official album, and the engineer (who I dearly love and is a good friend of mine) kept messing with the effects. Kenny came in over the talk-back mic saying, "We're trying to sound cool, like Flatts and Scruggs here...not Rascal Flatts." We were on the floor laughing, but those were fighting words to my engineer, and the producer, RS Fields, had to hold engineer back from going in to have a word with Kenny. Creative tension...it was funny that day. Kenny's a legend. He's such a good story tellet too. Keep 'em coming, Otis!
haaaaaaa'...Great Story.
I love ...."For country music it just sounds dumb." I couldn't agree more.....
Kenny is much kinder about auto-tune than me. I hate it for the sound itself as much as for how it destroys the soul of everything it's used on
I love that Kenny can appreciate how amazing it could sound on a synth pop record. The man has wide-open ears. But also the good taste to know when something just "sounds dumb".
The same thing goes for rhythm. If you get a bunch of musicians playing in the studio, and establishing a solid groove, the mix will sound and feel perfect. If you take that recording and line up every micro beat precisely according to the software on a damn machine, it will lose its natural "feel".
What you have then is robot music IMO.
I agree with Rob Aldo. Natural includes the human touch. That is what I relate to.
Just like auto-tune, the click-track ruins all types of music. It can dull-down any enthusiasm. I’ve played a thousand plus dances and what makes for a great sound is that give and take, the minor variations in tempo that makes the music breathe.
@@johnnielson7676 I was thinking more of post-production computer adjustments, but click tracks are a total abomination. Just say, "NO!" to click tracks.
@@bobaldo2339 my ignorance of what you were talking about reveals how many decades it’s been since I laid down a track in a a professional studio. I think I had a mullet, shoulder pads and a pager! 🙀
Just saw The Black Crowes a few weeks ago and was blown away by how good Chris Robinsons voice sounded. May not be pitch perfect but at 55 he’s still killing it.
Yep. Kenny is spot on. That stuff is fine for say, Owl City, but not Country or Rock.
My daughter is a choral instructor at a high school and has sung opera with various companies. She adjudicates singing competitions periodically. Sometimes performances are submitted virtually and other times it's live. She encountered a student who submitted an auto tune performance which she immediately recognized as such. Not sure if she'd encountered it before but after hearing Kenny, I guess it is distinctive enough for a trained ear to recognize.
Facts!
One of the many worst things that happened to country music. Goes along with a roomful of yuppies and hipsters with a thesaurus and a rhyme book writing "songs" daily that they never lived and never related to.
1st time heard auto tune in country I was so disgusted.
Otis thanks for introducing me to Kenny I had never heard of him I’m from Scotland. He’s an amazing guitarist and seems a really cool guy.
Kenny Vaughn telling it how it is.
Kenny is such an incredible artist and seems like such a kind, down to earth guy. Auto tune has got to be such an alien concept to a guy like him who speaks through his instrument so well. I can listen to him talk for hours. Love to meet him some day just to say THANKS!!
It's all frosting and no cake. Ask yourself this. How far would Johnny Cash get on American Idol? Bob Dylan? If those guys started today they would laugh them off the stage. Most of my music heroes wouldn't make it past the first round.
American Idol is a joke but was worse when the Simon Guy was on. One time pissed every single singer on the show live once and they had to fill the dead space of a show blank at the end with a super chopped down old Family guy from the seasons after the first cancel as Turner networks owns the entire rights to air that whole part.
Love these stories!
Amen, Kenny!
I'm not a fan of auto-tuned vocals, and it's a big part of why I don't listen to much popular music. It's a bad look for country/ roots/ blues/ folk/ Americana...
Thanks, Otis! 🙏
Sad that we can't even hear the real voices. The commercial industry is insane...
Uncle Kenny rocks 👍
Great player!
I spoke to a young contestant that we had in a regional contest here, as I heard her literally emulating autotune in her vocals. She was amazing, and the extra "color" was limiting her. She just wrapped a tour opening with a group that *lives* by autotune. I have failed.
It's part of the modern vocal landscape. I use the it for some stuff. I will use it at the gig tomorrow too.
Just watched the Lucinda williams ACL episode. Kenny is such a pro on stage.
I don`t like trying to fake a vocal or anything else. Might as well not sing at all.
That “sound” is crap for most artists.
I’m waiting for that country album: Dumb It Up.
Is Tom Petersson ,from Cheap Trick, Kenny's father? The resemblance is uncanny.
Lol! Priceless! Kenny is coming to my town with Marty soon. I cant wait to thank him for the belly laugh. “Just sounds…dumb.” Lololololol! Awesome.
Why I like bar music especially someone with a guitar or piano no computers
As a musician I'll only ever pretend to accept auto-tune when the robots finally take over the planet... but only to save my own life and that of my nomadic tribe.
Coolest dude. Great American.
Wow! I sure hope they added some "snaps". 😄😄😄😄. ...Peace.
The other thing that is Ruining Contry if used too much.
Who is the singer he's talking about?
This is a good take on autotune, as someone who played in a rootsy country band and now makes electronic music. I should have known better but I thought Kenny would be against it, I must have just been being ageist. Kenny is so damn cool!
All digital music feels like an illusion to me. When you go to grab it and there's nothing there. Sort of like Diet Coke vs.Coke Classic.
And at the worst it is Coke Zero VS Coke Classic when overused.
How many times could they have auto-tuned Gram Parsons? Probably enough to kill off all the humanity in his voice.
Great comments Kenny. Thanks Otis.
Technology can be cool within certain application. Keep it real and you’ll do fine
I can only imagine what George Jones or Johnny Cash would have said or thought about Auto-Tune. I don't imagine it would have been pretty.
Sadly being truly talented seems to matter less and less these days, the labels want a sound and are willing to ruin true talent in order to get that. Too bad they keep forgetting that some of the most successful sounds were ones who went against the grain - Waylon was the antidote to the Nashville sound; Randy Travis, George Straight and Dwight Yoakam were traditional when Urban cowboy ruled - all could sing, none were signing what was popular at the time but they changed what was popular.
I wanted to guess Hilary Lindsey or Sarah Buxton.
oops! thought it said Astro-Turf . . oh well guess can stick around and watch it anyway
We put paint on our candy..so it taste better.
I guess the auto tune is for that bro country shit
auto tune is like sped up guitar you dont ask for it or want it but it makes the next generation freakishly good at certain things
First air2 s army out
Shazam!
Nashville/CountryMusic has always had some stupid effect they go overboard with. Chorus pedal being one of the worst.
For those of us who can't sing, but still want to record themselves singing, Auto-Tune
but for those who Can sing we want to hear them
and that fairy disney stuff they put into every pop song in the 70s and 80s and now.
I really really hate it. I hate this digital world. I’m an acoustic guitar builder. I was just fine with the pre-2000’s. By then, I already thought Pro Tools had ruined recording! (I’ve changed my mind on that now. But it’s a bit like levelling the playing field by making sure everyone has a gun)
Thanks, Otis and Kenny!
Peace
I concur. Anything digital that can be achieved by analogue means is better left analogue. Anything that can _only_ be achieved using digital technology is unnecessary.
It has the buzz of flies around a steaming pile . Calling what they are putting out now country music is a stretch.
What was it Ray Wiley sang about Country program directors and Nashville record executives? 😉
Kenny speaks my heart in every one of these clips.
Auto-Tune is now an effect??? LMAO! Some effects are acceptable to enhance the purity of the sound, but the more effects involved, the less REAL the vocal and music become. For my ears it is sometimes favorable for the singer who isn't 100% pitch perfect to remain that way on the recording. It can add feeling and emotion that helps express the songs meaning. I always love Kenny's stories. I remember when he first hit lower Broadway in Nashville.
If you can't sing - learn how to play accordion. Bless
Or the banjo. 😅
This is yet another reason why I HATE Top 40 "Country" music.
Auto-ruin
Auto-Tune sucks always.
If it wasn't for Autotune Kanye West would sound like two cats in a sack.
He sounds like 2 cats in a bag with autotune,no difference.
He said it, for country it sounds stupid. Might I add it sounds stupid for 90% of the music our there. Except for me because I can't sing for shit!
It always sounds dumb.
Wow, have they lowered the bar on vocalists or what? No wonder singer wannabes are a dime a dozen.
I hate what he said. Rearrangjng harmonics?.get people used to AI! I'M GOING TO THROW UP.
Country music has gotten so dumb.