That is: making music so it is for everyone, not making music that everyone will like…. That’s no clearer, is it? 
What I mean is this article linked to by Dan Levitin – he of the wonderful book ‘This is Your Brain on Music’.
I haven’t yet watched the video, as the video page doesn’t seem to enjoy loading on my iPhone. However, the article is interesting – though I’m not yet completely sure how I feel about it.
The main point I do like: that music was previously an activity for everyone. Everyone would sing/make music for pleasure, to accompany work, to bond groups … just because. It’s only more recently in the musical history of our species that music became something for a small group of “elite” musicians. Obviously, given the inclusion of the disgusting awfulness that is Justin Bieber et al in this group of “elite”, I have to say “I do not think it means what you think it means” … But in the sense of music-creation being the province of a small group, rather than humanity as a whole, we’ll use the word. 
In any case, nowadays instead of music being simply something we all do, it’s something that a group of elite do, and the unwashed masses listen (and watch) and adore.
I hadn’t thought about that, or realised it could/should be different, until I read Levitin’s book “This is Your Brain on Music”. It made a lot of sense to me that music should be for everyone – making music should be for everyone. Certainly it made me more comfortable with sharing my music despite my lack of elite-ness. Going along with that, I’m generally a fan of efforts to get everyone comfortable with making music, and not thinking it’s only for “great musicians”.
For some medical parallels: the fact that there is an elite group called orthopaedic surgeons who fix our broken hips doesn’t mean we don’t all look after our own stubbed toes; the existence of internal physicians who fix our pneumonias doesn’t mean we don’t look after ourselves and our loved ones with a cold; and psychiatrists dealing with psychotic depression shouldn’t mean that we don’t all deal with stress and unhappiness ourselves.
However, there’s always a but. In this case it’s the method they’re proposing: let computers do the technical stuff and just allow a human some measure of input into that process. Modify that to make it “right” – even down to auto-tuning the voice to be in key (and sound like a damn machine, most likely) – and give them the result. That reinforces for people the notion that music is something that someone (or something) other than themselves creates.
The research that’s being talked about is interesting: trying to get computers to be capable of creating meaningful music beyond simple application of rules. It may afford some great insights into what makes music what it is, but I don’t think this is a good way to reawaken the “for everyone”, community side of music. I worry that it reinforces the notion that to make music you have to be “good”, and it has to be “worthwhile” in some objective and measurable sense … that’s why the computer corrects your input to make it “right” – to conform.
Sure, I’m unlikely to go out of my way to listen to music made by people who aren’t elite in at least some respect of their music, but that’s a different thing. This is about everyone making music; about returning music to its place as something everyone does. I don’t see that you can do that by reinforcing the notion that it has to be “good”. Music doesn’t have to be “good” to be worthwhile. Just because I wouldn’t pay to listen to someone’s music – just because maybe no-one would pay for it – doesn’t mean that they should feel they can’t or shouldn’t make some form of music.
Conclusion:
Autotune makes Tsuken go stabby
I’m all for efforts to get more people making more music, and for music in all its forms to become more of a part of everyday life, but I don’t think that the way to do that is by autotuning and changing people’s music to “make it right”, thus giving them the message in fact that they are not capable, and shouldn’t try. I think the iPhone Ocarina app is an example of a better way: give people an instrument, some resources to learn, and a way to share and interact with others. Youtube is also great, for the sharing – though it’s a pity that comments there can degenerate into such hate-filled bollocks.
And I also think that destroying every bit of autotune technology in the world would be a good thing. While were at it, taking every click-track from every recording studio, and chucking them on the same rubbish pile would be good.
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"And I also think that destroying every bit of autotune technology in the world would be a good thing. While were at it, taking every click-track from every recording studio, and chucking them on the same rubbish pile would be good."
People hate what they fear and fear what they do not understand?
These are just tools, wasn't so long ago old fogies were finding reasons to dislike distorted guitar noise. It was a long while ago that the piano was hated for being music from a machine…
People use autotune these days like they used reverb in the 80's. It's an effect people like the sound of. Programs like melodyne are amazing tools that can be used to create harmonies, make new music from old, just because it involves a computer doesn't mean it's not art. It's like saying the only thing Photoshop can be used for is airbrushing out the wrinkles on models. But it's a lot more than that.
And as for click tracks, they're just common sense for genres of music likely to be remixed or played by a dj. I don't think they are by any means compulsary, but there is a time and a place
Autotune as robot-voice, yeah. I accept that as an effect. While it still makes me go stabby, I know that's simply because I happen to dislike it.
What I'm railing against with autotune and click tracks is totally different from distorted guitars; it's a diminishment of the real human aspect of the performance, in search of some imagined "perfection". In that respect, it really is about Photoshopping out the wrinkles.
Would you also like to ban track by track recording and the band being allowed more than one take?
And is it ok to wear make-up and use soft lighting in a photo but not ok to Photoshop out the wrinkles?
Where do you draw the line? Is it the use of a computer that makes it evil?
Not that I'm saying everyone SHOULD use autotune and Photoshop out their wrinkles. Not at all. And there are some situations where I personally think airbrushing and autotune are big no no's. Live recordings (I get pissed off with overdubbing and excess editing on live albums too. It's cheating!), photo-journalism, things which are supposed to represent reality.
I'm not sure I understand your objection to click tracks. How do you feel about joe satriani playing to drum machines? Wait, you play to backing tracks too… Do you mean you hate it when songs are quantised and edited to a click?I thought you meant played to a click but now I'm not sure lol.
If I had a band I wouldn't be using backing tracks (except as recorded by the band … without a click track).
I don't like all the striving for artificial "perfection". Dream Theater is an example that comes to mind. These guys can play their incredibly technical stuff live without screwing up. Yet in the audio they record instrument by instrument, to clicks and such. I really don't get it. Where's the interaction? Where's the flow of time? One of our most potent tools as musicians is to play with the time. Ok we don't have a conductor like an orchestra does, but do we really want what is effectively a metronome as a substitute? There's a reason the adjective "metronomic" is applied only in a negative sense to a musician's playing.
I've been thinking about how to put my objections – in light of your make-up/Photoshop scenario.
To me, the make-up/lighting is like intense practising – for a gig or something: improving what is you, with your own "imperfections" and essential character intact. Photoshop and autotune/click tracks etc basically strip away that which is you, in preference for a lowest common denominator notion of perfection.
Certainly there are degrees, and I accept that there cam be value in sparing use of some things that are awful in overuse. Still overall these are technologies – or uses of technology – I really dislike.
Metronomic means playing like a metronome not to a metronome. It's easy to play with feel to a click, I don't think the fact that you play to a backing track detracts from your playing for example. A live drummer will only make the drums sound better, not you
(and I do mean because you already sound good!)
Within certain parameters yes – for individual parts, at least. But look at Stairway to Heaven: the whole song gradually changes in tempo throughout. To do that with a click you'd have to lock in a predetermined gradation of tempo – and then you're stuck with that. I submit it's much better to work with your fellow musicians and go with the moment
And iPhone wordpress is being weird and I can't actually see any if what I jut typed, so here's hoping at least some of the words are what I intended
And thank you
I'm with ya on the iPhone wordpress thing. I just press publish and hope I haven't written anything too daft
I don't always record to a click, depends where I'm going with a song. Doing OK http://www.transitofvenusproject.com/freedownload… (if you haven't heard it) is a live studio recording without a click. We just did two takes as a whole band and picked the second one because it felt better than the first. I overdubbed the vocals because there was a lot of noise leak in the live take from the band, we were all in the same room. So there ya go I'm not a click-Nazi
But I still think there is a time and a place for click tracks haha The entire EP we first released was done to a cluck because I was recording when Tory (drums) was in Germany so we saved drums for last when he got back. It was also mostly home recorded and I didn't have the equipment to do drums and couldn't afford to do everything in a studio so either way it had to be track by track. But enough about me, don't AFI record track by track from opposite ends of the Internet? 
Hi interesting discussion guys. And interesting that I didn't understand a lot what you are saying. Music for everyone? In that case all the tech stuff has it's place for professional(not elite) and serious amateurs but for all the rest of us – well we just have to feel free to sing play dance regardless of aptitude. And I think the dancing part is really important. Once music gets decoupled from movement you get audiences. And then the divisions start and people begin to compare and classify themselves as not good enough to participate. Having been told all my youth that I couldn't sing it was a great freedom to suddenly decide I will if I want to and if that offends the perfect pitch people in the same room well tough
I like it the way they are using ukeles in primary school now instead of the impossible recorder so kids can play and sing. We just have to get them dancing too
@Kristie
I always go select all | copy before I click save or publish.
As for the examples you give there (Tory's absence, and A.H.I. – not AFI, woman!!! GAAAAAAH!
), they're both the same thing, as I see it. Enabling a group of people to collaborate on music despite physical distance. That's the wonderful thing about technology, and it's very different from its use to create artificial and robotic precision (better word than perfection)
That's interesting, and something I'm coming to realise more than I have before (being not just a non-dancer, but sadly close to an anti-dancer). Again it's something (iirc) Levitin discusses in his book.
And I definitely agree about the damn recorders.
Horrid things.
And Kristie, Doing OK is well cool
Super-cool gnarly guitar sound 
Sorry about the typo/braino!
My conclusion before I run off to band practice, if you enjoy the music you shouldn't care how it was made. If you hate it, listen to something else and blame your personal taste not the musicians hehe
And everything that sjf said was choice.
And recorders are a horrid instrument and the first thing I will ban when I become world dictator.
Great post Raph and it's been fun discussing it with you