The Observer (Kampala)
David Tumusiime
11 November 2009
Kampala — It is defined as "a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed many musical artistes to produce more precisely tuned recordings."
It is the music technology that makes Michael Ross and Navio in the song Tell Me sound the way the sound. But they are not the only Ugandan artistes who have used auto tune to sound better and unique.
Mowzey Radio and Weasel have been known to employ auto tune to "sweeten" their vocals, among other things.
It is a growing trend in Ugandan music that has got many industry insiders debating on whether auto tune is a good thing or not. AyDee of the duo Ngoni and Goodenuff Studios is perhaps more informed about the history of auto tune than most Ugandan producers. He is not at all surprised that it has become a popular programme in the studio.
"I think the first music producer to popularise auto tune was Quincy Jones, the guy who used to produce Michael Jackson's music," he says. "I think he was one of the very first producers to use it in a way that made other producers sit up and notice what it can do. Auto tune has always been around, it's just that now it is in fashion and some people are over using it."
AyDee adds: "Auto tune cannot make a good singer. Auto tune just emphasises what is already there. It corrects things like off key notes that you would not notice the first time someone is singing."
Musician Viboyo who has made a name for himself with such songs as Nyumbani and Muzik, couldn't agree more. "Nowadays you hear people dissing auto tune. But they don't know how many people have become rich from using auto tune. I'm a supporter of auto tune, although I don't support it being over used and abused," he says.
"Listen to Akon's Lonely or T-Pain's music, doesn't it sound good? Some musicians like Lil Wayne have even mixed auto tune into their style and come up with something so different. You cannot use auto tune if you don't have a good voice and it helps you," Viboyo argues.
Swangaz Avenue owner and main producer, Benon Mugumbya, agrees that auto tune is the in-thing nowadays. "Some people are getting it wrong though. If somebody uses auto tune, that doesn't mean they are not talented. It works for some people and it doesn't work for others. Most people think that if I can't sing, I will go to a studio and use auto tune. The results will still be terrible," he explains.
"Music can never be stagnant. With time the craze for auto tune will fade away and something else will replace it. I use it depending on what I'm doing and what sound I'm going for, though I tend to use it sparingly in most cases."
Benon says he used the innovation in Single and Searching by Mowzey Radio and Weasel, as well as Michael Ross' Tell Me.
"I have even used it on my own voice if you have listened to the song Feelings I did with Vamposs and Peter Miles." Blu3 Manager, Aly Alibhai, is a supporter of auto tune because "if used correctly, it can produce very nice results." Alibahi says it was used on Lillian's voice in Kakkana on Blu3's new album. "It is also used in the Bad Girl video, when you hear the robotic sound, that's auto tune."
Omulangira Ssuuna (who prefers to be called OS now) of Moureen Studios has also exploited auto tune. In fact, if it were possible, OS would like to claim that he popularised the use of auto tune among Ugandan music producers.
"I first used auto tune in 2007 on Mowzey Radio and Weasel's voices in Nakudata. It was a wake up call for many producers about what auto tune could do," he says.
"I don't use it very much. It's just for enhancement. What matters is the way you are using it. If you use it excessively, there comes a time when you have to perform live and people will wonder how come you don't sound like you do on your CDs. From my point of view, it is not bad but it should be used sparingly."
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