ISN'T IT TIME SINGLE VERSION (BBC Radio 2) LISTEN NOW

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

AUTOTUNE really pisses me off because I do all my recordings clean and live, I spend hours on vocals then these modern assholes sh*t out a vocal and AUTOTUNE it and people buy it.

It's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. If you are going to try to 'fix' pitches, well...the person actually has to be a decent singer in order to have it come out right. The idea of taking a terrible singer and performing 'studio magic' and making them sound like they are a good singer...well, it's a myth. Most of that comes from comping vocals, and that's been done since the 70s.

Now, if you're talking about the auto tune effect , well, that's a different animal entirely. All over the net, you can find different settings to use to get that 'T-Pain' effect. Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

[runnersdialzero]

It's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. If you are going to try to 'fix' pitches, well...the person actually has to be a decent singer in order to have it come out right. The idea of taking a terrible singer and performing 'studio magic' and making them sound like they are a good singer...well, it's a myth.

'tain't always a myth. I've heard a vocal by someone who was close to on key maybe 10% of the time get turned into a pitch-perfect vocal. No comping, either. It definitely sounded fairly synthetic, but the end result wasn't, for lack of a better term, unimpressive - the job done on it was definitely convincing.

It can be a little overstated anymore, but man. I mean, Paris Hilton put out a record a few years ago. Fuckin' everybody has put out a record in the last decade or so.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Well i think it sounds crap. Not including the slowies, Isn't It Time was by far the most successful 'pop' track on the new album, a genuinely really good song, far better than the title track. Now they've ballsed it up and turned a nicely produced, almost subtle song into a unpleasant sounding mess. Who's dumb idea was it to up the auto-tune? All the nice little stop-start moments now all seem to just blend into one big tinny goo. Don't like. Album version every time for me.

[seltaeb1012002]

AUTOTUNE really pisses me off because I do all my recordings clean and live, I spend hours on vocals then these modern assholes sh*t out a vocal and AUTOTUNE it and people buy it.

Fml

Hey, don't let it piss you off. The autotuners aren't pissed at you for not tuning your vocals. 

I believe that if Brian Wilson had the ability to tune his vocals in the 60's, and that was the in-sound at the time, he DEFINITELY would've done it...

As musical as he was, he was a competitive pop guy, in it to win it.

And believe it or not, like Billy C said, not EVERYONE can be autotuned effectively. You still need to have a good tone, and the ability to deliver a passionate lead vocal. And it still takes hours to lay down professional vocals (with or without autotune), they aren't just crapped out.

Some modern singers suck, but then again so did a lot of 60's singers.

Sticking to the topic: That said, I do think they went a little overboard with the autotune on Brian's verse here.

[Zach95]

AUTOTUNE really pisses me off because I do all my recordings clean and live, I spend hours on vocals then these modern assholes sh*t out a vocal and AUTOTUNE it and people buy it.

It's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. If you are going to try to 'fix' pitches, well...the person actually has to be a decent singer in order to have it come out right. The idea of taking a terrible singer and performing 'studio magic' and making them sound like they are a good singer...well, it's a myth. Most of that comes from comping vocals, and that's been done since the 70s.

Now, if you're talking about the auto tune effect , well, that's a different animal entirely. All over the net, you can find different settings to use to get that 'T-Pain' effect. Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

Search, Kesha without Autotune, and I think you may change your opinion.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

We really need to drop the idea that Autotune, as used on this record is a modern production technique, outside of the lowest of the low terrible pop puppets.

I've just produced  a record, two tracks playlisted on BBC radio here in the UK, and there isn't a drop of Autotune on the entire lp. Also, when used well, you don't even know it's there.

Funny how older musicians so often lose the ability to make good production calls on their records. Colin Blunstones records these days are always slathered with ineptly applied autotune, and the guy still has an AMAZING voice, and clearly doesn't need it.

Also- check the cool cool water stems on the Stephen Desper thread. Loads of the individual parts are definitely pitchy, but mixed with the skill they are, you'd never know. Imagine if they'd have worked with Desper again! Produced by Jim O Rourke!

[Mike Lovechild]

Have listened to this about 5 times now. All my brain can say is WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?! This band continues to boggle my mind!

[Sheriff John Stone]

I like "Isn't It Time". I think it's a good song, almost a very good song. Not a great song, though.

I also can totally see why it was chosen as a single. Other than "Spring Vacation", which should've been the first single BACK IN THE SPRING, "Isn't It Time" sounds like your typical single.

However, I really wish they would've taken "Summer's Gone" and gone in that direction. Not ALL of the Beach Boys' singles have to be these happy, bouncy, fast songs. Go for a different mood; the other side of Brian Wilson. He nailed the vocal on "Summer's Gone". They got the sound that they wanted (I think). It's a nice length for today's singles. I can hear it on the radio. It actually might've touched some people. It touched us didn't it? More than "Isn't It time"?

I think sometimes they outhink themselves.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

AUTOTUNE really pisses me off because I do all my recordings clean and live, I spend hours on vocals then these modern assholes sh*t out a vocal and AUTOTUNE it and people buy it.

It's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. If you are going to try to 'fix' pitches, well...the person actually has to be a decent singer in order to have it come out right. The idea of taking a terrible singer and performing 'studio magic' and making them sound like they are a good singer...well, it's a myth. Most of that comes from comping vocals, and that's been done since the 70s.

Now, if you're talking about the auto tune effect , well, that's a different animal entirely. All over the net, you can find different settings to use to get that 'T-Pain' effect. Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

Search, Kesha without Autotune, and I think you may change your opinion.

I have.  Both what's floating on around the net, and have heard the actual real thing -yes, the one on the net is faked. The genuine article actually proves my point, specifically

Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

[Lookit]

A total dog's dinner to my ears. It's a lazy and frankensteined remix, and very much to the detriment of the song.

[rab2591]

I really like it.

I don't mind the auto-tune: it's just an effect used in modern music. I'm sure there were people in the 60s that bitched that Spector's "wall of sound" nearly murdered their ears (basically it's all subjective). Every generation has their own tools that set them apart.

I'm SO glad Jeff is off the bridge (that "toast to kindness" line always made me cringe). Brian's vocal in the beginning sounds more peppy which is nice.

This is a really original song for the Boys in 2012 and I hope it's a successful single.

[Mike's Beard]

And for the record, I happen to like Nicki Minaj....

Her music blows but that video when she's in that bikini; man what a smokin' hot bod.

[rab2591]

.

[the professor]

I am on a plane listen 10 more times , and I am really really loving it, despite the accurate criticisms we have made. it's and net gain for me very very strong. I will play it at the great wall and see what the Chinese people think.

[punkinhead]

I'm hearing a lot of echo on Al's voice....little more keyboard/organ (which I'm a fan of) and guitar towards the end.
I miss the old bridge and I DO like Jeff's voice. little too much of Mike's voice was involved.

It's ok I reckon.

[runnersdialzero]

Mr.Stone, I'm wondering why you think "Summer's Gone" would be a good single choice. I really feel like it'd do terribly. It has no discernable chorus, hook, or climax of any sort. I like the song and couldn't care less about the former two elements, but the latter hurts it a fair amount, just as an album cut. As a single, it's still missing all three, and if "Caroline, No" bombed in a more receptive 1966 audience, why would a lesser version of it do well in a 2012 market that has no appreciation for this sort of thing?

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

AUTOTUNE really pisses me off because I do all my recordings clean and live, I spend hours on vocals then these modern assholes sh*t out a vocal and AUTOTUNE it and people buy it.

It's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. If you are going to try to 'fix' pitches, well...the person actually has to be a decent singer in order to have it come out right. The idea of taking a terrible singer and performing 'studio magic' and making them sound like they are a good singer...well, it's a myth. Most of that comes from comping vocals, and that's been done since the 70s.

Now, if you're talking about the auto tune effect , well, that's a different animal entirely. All over the net, you can find different settings to use to get that 'T-Pain' effect. Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

Search, Kesha without Autotune, and I think you may change your opinion.

I have.  Both what's floating on around the net, and have heard the actual real thing -yes, the one on the net is faked. The genuine article actually proves my point, specifically

Thing is, the person doing the vocal actually has to deliver it 'differently' in order for it to sound right.  Many times, it takes LONGER to get it to sound like that than it would be in order to get a good 'regular' vocal.

To summarize, I worked with autotune in my college class, we had the least talented and most talented singer do a take, and the autotuned take of the lesser singer ended out winning voting for the better vocal.

It's a talent killer.

[Aegir]

Mr.Stone, I'm wondering why you think "Summer's Gone" would be a good single choice. I really feel like it'd do terribly. It has no discernable chorus, hook, or climax of any sort. I like the song and couldn't care less about the former two elements, but the latter hurts it a fair amount, just as an album cut. As a single, it's still missing all three, and if "Caroline, No" bombed in a more receptive 1966 audience, why would a lesser version of it do well in a 2012 market that has no appreciation for this sort of thing?

because Sheriff John Stone likes "Summer's Gone" more.

[EgoHanger1966]

Mr.Stone, I'm wondering why you think "Summer's Gone" would be a good single choice. I really feel like it'd do terribly. It has no discernable chorus, hook, or climax of any sort. I like the song and couldn't care less about the former two elements, but the latter hurts it a fair amount, just as an album cut. As a single, it's still missing all three, and if "Caroline, No" bombed in a more receptive 1966 audience, why would a lesser version of it do well in a 2012 market that has no appreciation for this sort of thing?

because Sheriff John Stone likes "Summer's Gone" more.

Summer's Gone could be a single. From There To Back Again could be a single. Not every song has to follow the same Top 40, catchy and upbeat formula. Ballads become hits, too. For them to have a "hit", The Beach Boys need a really good promotional team to drop everything and push that song as much as they can, get it airplay, get them on late night tv (again), grease some palms, or get it in a movie, tv show, SOMETHING where people latch on.....the promotion and exposure of the next Beach Boys single kind of matters more than the actual choice of song.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I listened to SG last night, my last night before school started today, and thinking about all the summer memories, plus the song, broke me down.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

To summarize, I worked with autotune in my college class, we had the least talented and most talented singer do a take, and the autotuned take of the lesser singer ended out winning voting for the better vocal.

It's a talent killer.

I've actually had extensive experience with auto-tune in the real world, and I can safely say not always.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I listened to SG last night, my last night before school started today, and thinking about all the summer memories, plus the song, broke me down.

There you go. And what EgoHanger said, too.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of many reviewers I read, "Summer's Gone" is the best five minutes on the album. So I say, "Go with it!"

The Beach Boys waited 35 years to get a song like this from Brian Wilson, they've been trumpeting his return to the group, he came through...use him! Come on, admit it. "Summer's Gone" moves you. It's emotional. It's well done. It "sounds" cool. Isn't that what made the great Beach Boys' singles timeless? They make you feel. "Summer's Gone" makes you feel. It's not just BW singing a line or two like "Goin' On" or "Getcha Back". He sings the while song. And use Bon Jovi while you're at it. Use him! Bring in that Jersey shore influence.

"Summer's Gone" would sound fine on AM or FM or internet or Sirrus or whatever. And, the ending is great! Love the rain. A little "Riders On The Storm" action. It's Brian Wilson meets Pink Floyd meets Jim Morrison. Forget "Isn't It Time". Summer's gone. The Beach Boys have an ace; play it. They have a cannon; use it. They have Brian Wilson; put him on the radio.

[I. Spaceman]

True. But Goin' On moves me in the same way.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

To summarize, I worked with autotune in my college class, we had the least talented and most talented singer do a take, and the autotuned take of the lesser singer ended out winning voting for the better vocal.

It's a talent killer.

I've actually had extensive experience with auto-tune in the real world, and I can safely say not always.

Well, nothing is ever 100% with recording, but you get me.

[EgoHanger1966]

I listened to SG last night, my last night before school started today, and thinking about all the summer memories, plus the song, broke me down.

There you go. And what EgoHanger said, too.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of many reviewers I read, "Summer's Gone" is the best five minutes on the album. So I say, "Go with it!"

The Beach Boys waited 35 years to get a song like this from Brian Wilson, they've been trumpeting his return to the group, he came through...use him! Come on, admit it. "Summer's Gone" moves you. It's emotional. It's well done. It "sounds" cool. Isn't that what made the great Beach Boys' singles timeless? They make you feel. "Summer's Gone" makes you feel. It's not just BW singing a line or two like "Goin' On" or "Getcha Back". He sings the while song. And use Bon Jovi while you're at it. Use him! Bring in that Jersey shore influence.

"Summer's Gone" would sound fine on AM or FM or internet or Sirrus or whatever. And, the ending is great! Love the rain. A little "Riders On The Storm" action. It's Brian Wilson meets Pink Floyd meets Jim Morrison. Forget "Isn't It Time". Summer's gone. The Beach Boys have an ace; play it. They have a cannon; use it. They have Brian Wilson; put him on the radio.

The rain sounds would be perfect for a DJ outro and intro into the next song. We know it could work, but it's a pipe dream. Here's hoping Isn't It Time fares well. It was 22 years between Good Vibes and Kokomo. It's been longer than that since then, we are due for a hit single!