Today I finally purchased a copy of Melodyne Editor.

Heads up: I fully intend to use it.

We had a bit of a debate here a few months back about making sure uploads are as perfect as possible, and I guess I’m coming around to the side of producers having the responsibility of making sure they do whatever is necessary to perfect a track before uploading - whether it means “fixing” vocals, piano, guitars etc.

My personal view is that uploads are uploads, whether they are instrumentals and I chop them to bits/re-pitch/time stretch - or vocals. And if I want to change/modify/”perfect” the pitch, I will go right ahead and do so.

Now my question is this: what are your collective thoughts about if ccm members who upload stems should have a say in how their uploads are used? Should there be a veto right against changing the original upload, or should it always be anything goes?

And if anything goes - how many feel uncomfortable with that?

Maybe it’s a non-issue - but I just wanted to test the waters before going hog-wild.

I think the greatest thing about ccmixter is that you never know how your original source is going to appear out the other end - a bit like Christmas dinner lol. Seriously though, , the matra of “anything goes” with no veto or moderation allows surprises, good or bad who cares? Btw melodyne is great but I never use it, had a burl at the free Celemony DNA beta test and I was blown away with the possibilities. It truly promises to change the game. I’ll save my pennies for that one. Happy new year Colab :-)

Well I guess it comes down to the question, “Have you actually improved it?”

I consider pitch correction to be one of those things that is situational: it works on some singers, and doesn’t on others. Pitch correcting Tom Waits would be just wrong.

I’ve heard a lot of acappellas by some phenomenal singers here at CCM that have been pitch corrected - you can tell very easily with a pella. I often wish I had the original source in such cases, just like I wish I had a reverbless version of some of the same ones. Some of the vocal wavering brings out the humanity and fragility of a singer, and adds to the performance: a whole note that suddenly goes robotically on-pitch may actually jar the listener where the wavering original might have inspired them.

Certainly if you heard a great part, and came back a couple of weeks later to find that the great part in question had been altered with effects in ways that you would not choose to do, you might be disappointed.

But ultimately, I suppose that is up to the artist who posted the part.

I suspect that it will not be a surprise to hear that my view is that samples are samples, ‘pella or otherwise. I do not believe in such a veto right, either by rule or de facto. I treasure the right to morph and transform even vocal samples, and I freely cede that right, too. I once hurt someone’s feelings when I mentioned that I wished to take a lovely pella, convert the wav to midi, and then replay the track through a completely different instrument. I’ve never felt in the wrong for saying so. Samples are samples. They are there to modify.

is there an “outer limit” at which I would draw the line? Perhaps, for, say, an edit to a truly objectionable lyrical sentiment or some such. But within a broad set of boundaries—planets in breadth—I think it’s fine to melodyne, mangle, improve, deconstruct, alter, reuse, recycle, remix and redefine any sample, ‘pella or otherwise.

My view is that if you want to have a say in how your source material is used then you shouldn’t upload it here. I too have Melodyne Editor and have used it to correct pitch where the vocals were clearly out of tune, but also to change the timing, length and loudness of individual words. This was seldom because the pella was not good enough, but mostly to make it sit better with the rest of the mix. I for one would steer clear of uploads that would come with restrictions on how to use them (apart, ofcourse, from the license chosen).

i agree with gurdonark….if we start drawing lines, requiring approvals, well, where do we start and stop? once you put your works into the commons, well, the community can Download, Sample, Cut-Up, Share….and well, pitch shift!

I am a big fan of improving the quality of tracks on ccM….trying to get pells in key and on pitch and avoiding pops on the mic, distortion and room noise are all things that really help. but even this is only a suggestion - not a requirement.

great discussion. thanks colab.

Thanks everyone for chiming in - terrific responses.

Here’s an update on my use of Melodyne so far - I haven’t used it on any of the pellas I have worked with yet. :)

I have been using the melodye for 2 years and it’s amazing!!!. First and foremost you go by your ear and if you hear it’s out you fix it. I don’t use the auto settings. I do each note manually to make it as natural as possible. Don’t forget when you shorten or elongate a note there is a wave on it and you are bringing them closer or further and it can sound funny. But i use it to fix timing also which really helps when tightening up a mix!