PAST CREATIVE FIGURES
AUTO-TUNE

How did it affect or was it affected by the PEST environment at the time?

Political: There weren't any political factors I was aware of nor was there much I could find regarding how auto-tune affected or was affected by the political environment at the time. There may have been some campaigns against auto-tune (Jay-Z) but, none of them have been politically affiliated with any government body. To quote the Pitchfork article: "For critics on both the Left and Right of the political spectrum, this kind of standardization—popular music regimented around a Western idea of proper pitch—would be reason enough to abhor Auto-Tune. Conservatives would mourn the erosion of tradition; Marxists would tend to focus on the rapacity of capitalism as it runs rampant across the world, with pop music simultaneously propagandizing for the Western way of life while also raking in revenue for its musical commodities and for its sound-shaping technology. But one of the surprising things about Auto-Tune is how it has been twisted by its non-Western users, intensifying musical differences rather than erasing them".

Economic: As auto-tune was invented from a request from one of the inventor's friends at the time, I don't think any economic factors were even taken into consideration at the time. It wasn't until a couple years after Cher's hit single "Believe" that some economic factors may have been affected. Auto-tune helped simplify the process of tuning vocals which in turn cut post production time significantly and therefore cut studio and equipment costs. Now, as some claim, it is allowing "talentless" performers who can't sing in tune get their big break.

Social-Cultural: During the time of auto-tune's conception and creation it was kept in secret as there were many who considered the software to be somewhat cheating and almost gimmick-like. It wasn't exactly a time where there was a need for it but, prior to it hitting the market it was difficult to make vocals that weren't in tune sound in tune without having an amazing vocalist. Over the years as auto-tune has grown, there have been many in the industry publicly criticizing the use of auto-tune with some saying it has negatively impacted real musicians, being of the worst inventions of the modern era, and that it has ruined western music.

Many were claiming that auto tune dehumanized, depersonalizes and wiping away the individuality of the voice. It "lacks soul" however it can be argued that it amplifies the soul, almost superhuman if you say. It depersonalizes the voice to bring fourth more personality and image. You could also argue that in more current and experimental forms of R&B and trap that auto-tune is the sound of blackness of today.

The disdain for auto-tune can be traced back to similar upper class opinions that favor vintage aesthetics, antiques and the realm of heritage and history. On the opposing side, lower down the class spectrum, Auto-Tune shares similarities with attraction to futuristic sneakers, fresh out of the box clothing and MTV aesthetics. This is why auto-tune is so popular in densely ethnic urban areas in America and the west as well as Africa, the Middle East and India etc and why there is more of an aspirational allure rather than something to abstain away from.

"The taste for these effects and the revulsion against them are part of the same syndrome, reflecting a deeply conflicted confusion in our desires: simultaneously craving the real and the true while continuing to be seduced by digital’s perfection and the facility and flexibility of use it offers". Many thought the software would fade away as quickly as it came but years on it is more solidified than ever and with it more approving opinions from both the industry and the public. So I would say it did have a massive affect on the social cultural environment of it's time and beyond.

Technological: Prior to auto-tune many of the technologies that were used during that time to make vocals sound in tune were very complex, unreliable or as effective. It didn't really hit the market until years later and even then it didn't have as much competition in doing what it does. Only years later would it start getting some of it's main competition from software such as Melodyne which offers a much greater scope in altering vocals.

Now, primarily in genres like trap, it is possible for the vocalists to hear their vocals auto-tuned through real time processing rather than post processing, which in some cases results in the original recording intentionally being auto-tuned. Although many have said that the technology of auto-tune and others like it have taken away the "natural" human voice, it can be argued that prior to auto-tune there is nothing necessarily "natural " to vocals as they used a variety of other studio techniques such as EQ, reverb, phasing and stacking to manipulate the voice. So why is Auto Tune frowned upon?

REFERENCES

• Mistry, A. (Writer), & Raab, J. (Director). (2021, March 6. Auto-Tune (Season 1, Episode 2) [TV series episode]. In S. Dunn, S. McFadyen, A. Burt (Executive Producers). This Is Pop, Banger Films.

• Reynolds, S. (2018, September 17). How Auto-Tune Revolutionized the Sound of Popular Music. Pitchfork. https://pitchfork.com/features/article/how-auto-tune-revolutionized-the-sound-of-popular-music/