A testament to the DR200s

[Doug Hart]

Not to change this to an "Autotune Thread"... but...
I've found it to be very useful in certain situations.

I've mentioned before that my parents have a gospel group.
4 part harmony deal. Similar to a Chuckwagon Gang style if you're familiar with them.
Anyway... they are quite good, so they don't "need" any pitch correction.
However, I've found that by inserting a very subtle pitch correction on the vocal channels, it takes a very good vocal mix and makes it perfect.
Used very sparingly and subtly, autotune is a wonderful tool.

[BrentEvans]

However, I've found that by inserting a very subtle pitch correction on the vocal channels, it takes a very good vocal mix and makes it perfect.
Used very sparingly and subtly, autotune is a wonderful tool.

This is exactly what AutoTune is designed for. People who can't/don't sing often don't understand how amazingly difficult it is to give a live performance and get it right all the way through... and work the crowd at the same time. Gospel music is no exception to this phenomenon, even if the experience is a little different.

Autotune got a bad rap when a couple of <choke> artists </choke> decided to use it to make artificial sounds. We'd all be surprised if we knew how many major recording artists use it live. If memory serves, Reba McIntyre, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw have all used it live at some point. I'm sure the list is far longer than that... but most won't fess up.

[el_ingeniero]

Autotune got a bad rap when a couple of <choke> artists </choke> decided to use it to make artificial sounds. We'd all be surprised if we knew how many major recording artists use it live. If memory serves, Reba McIntyre, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw have all used it live at some point. I'm sure the list is far longer than that... but most won't fess up.

Britney Spears ... can dance, but can't sing and dance to save her life

[Sydney]

Used very sparingly and subtly, autotune is a wonderful tool.

I suppose...
Like a stick - a useful tool - you can poke with it or use it as a crutch...
I recall a video segment that used a recording of a tone deaf individual that was "tuned" and the comments were: I didn't know you could sing
I'm compiling a list of things I'd rather be subjected to than that popular Black Eye Peas
tune.
I guess this thread needs Autotrack

Syd

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

If memory serves, Reba McIntyre, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw have all used it live at some point. I'm sure the list is far longer than that... but most won't fess up.

Graham Nash should be on that list. In the studio he's great, live you'd swear that he was tone deaf.

[Sydney]

live you'd swear that he was tone deaf.

Well I have heard him( them- CSNY ) numerous times since the 70's...
Most of the time he/they were very good; Those were the times when their priority was the performance.
At times when their priority was personal indulgence; the performance was bad.
( See David Crosby's autobiography )

Syd

[Doug Hart]

I'm sure the list is far longer than that... but most won't fess up

Add Rascal Flatts to the list too. They can actually sing, and are very good, but they do use Autotune to polish.
I'd be willing to bet that probably 90%+ of the big performers use autotune live and in the studio.

Autotune got a bad rap when a couple of <choke> artists </choke> decided to use it to make artificial sounds.

Blame Cher's producer/engineer... he started it. Although on that song, it was a pretty cool effect.
It just got way out of hand once people figured out what it was.

[spongebob1981]

search "autotune the news" in youtube for a good laugh
My native language is spanish so I have trouble understanding what's been said and "sung", hope its not too politically incorrect; but it clearly gives away what can be done with the tool. (Specially when set to eleven lol)

Also: The BFM part of the thread is quite impressive!
I'm so hunting a dr200 building job for a couple of local bands
see ya!

[Rick Lee]

Was looking for a Chris Tomlin song the other day- found a YouTube video w/ a "morning of the show" interview at a radio station where he played the song live w/ just guitar. Then I went to the CCLI site to download the chart and played the short audio clip they provide from the original recording. Realized, "Smart man!" The key in the morning show was a whole step down from the original! Nice alternative to AutoTune.

[Rick Lee]

Indeed. For instance, while a DR280 / 36" T48 rig appears to provide the biggest bang for the buck, there's no room to scale down from that point. And sometimes, that versatility is what's required from the client or situation as noted.
This information is golden because people jumping into this field cold-turkey need to quantify just how powerful these cabs really are. For folks with no experience, I see (only from active posts on the forum) a propensity towards larger, fewer cabs; when in actuality, all the data point to groupings (if even required) of smaller cabs, as Bill has posted in the stickies.

Very well said.

[Mikey]

Regarding the DR part of this thread ... what hasn't been mentioned is that the DR200 and DR250 share 120 degree horizontal dispersion, while the DR280's is only 90 degrees.

Right tool for the right job.

[J_Dunavin]

Brent do your 200's have the melded or straight array?
And as another question to that... you can mix and match that right? Melded on the bottom cab, and straight on top, if your stacking?

[Chris_Allen]

you can mix and match that right? Melded on the bottom cab, and straight on top, if your stacking?

Yep. It is better to have the top cab straight array and the bottom cab melded.

[BrentEvans]

Brent do your 200's have the melded or straight array?
And as another question to that... you can mix and match that right? Melded on the bottom cab, and straight on top, if your stacking?

Melded.