Official Dirty Loops thread!

[DSOP]

Very talented indeed, but I'd prefer hearing them without all the pitch-correction and protools crap.

[deseipel]

I don't know, I don't have the ear for that stuff, but their site mentions there is no autotune or melodyne added.

[DSOP]

That Justin Bieber cover has major digital tweakage going on. No way is that a live performance.

[Yussuf]

Sounds quantized too.

[Henrik]

I'd prefer hearing them without all the pitch-correction and protools crap.

I wasn't there for the recording/mixing of Baby, but I've known and played with these guys for a number of years now, and I can tell you that nailing those vocals in a studio environment is not a big thing for Jonah (without the aid of digital processing), and all of them can perform their songs pretty much flawlessly in a live situation. I'm sure there were a few edits here and there, but these guys are the real deal.

DSOP, when you categorically state things like that about something you have no actual insight into, using a phrase like "protools crap", you come off as a wee bit...strident. Hypocritical of me, I know, since I usually find your straight-forwardness refreshing, but in this case, since I know the guys, I felt there was room for not stating things as absolute facts but instead checking if someone might have more insight into the matter.

Sounds quantized too.

Yussuf, I can assure you that they haven't quantized anything. Perhaps another take of something they weren't 100 % happy with, but they actually are that tight.

I'm going to slap Aaron upside the head when he gets back for hanging out with Vinnie, by the way.

[Juan Expósito]

It´s clear that the black and white youtube video clips aren´t live playing.
It´s a very popular/cheap way of doing video clips: recorded sound and a nice/fake playing in the video.
That´s normal.

But, keeping in mind that I like their covers/playing, I´d feel a little dissapointed if I go to one of their concerts and I find this next performance (soundcheck video below).
Too much backing tracks for a live concert.
Maybe they need a 4th or 5th member.

[DSOP]

DSOP, when you categorically state things like that about something you have no actual insight into, using a phrase like "protools crap", you come off as a wee bit...strident.

If you're right, I apologize. And yes, you're right that I don't actually know what went on there, so best not comment. I have a pretty good ear for that sort of thing though, and I find it hard to believe that it was a live recording. If it really was, then he could possibly be the most talented singer I've ever heard. The control of pitch in some of those runs is crazy accurate.

[Yussuf]

Yussuf, I can assure you that they haven't quantized anything. Perhaps another take of something they weren't 100 % happy with, but they actually are that tight.

Henrik, I was just assuming because everything sounds so inhumanly accurate.. I also was 100% sure that the vocals were autotuned a bit. But if that's not the case, these guys really have the machine-like precision perfected. Scary.

[deseipel]

u guys are funny. on one hand everyone is saying how the industry has gone to shit (which I pretty much agree with btw) and on the other hand we have a superb example of how a band has taken full advantage of the Internet and technology and are taking the world by storm. There's nothing wrong with backing tracks, it's a newer tool in performance. Top acts use backing tracks, so does it make what they do less legitimate? I say no. I've played to backing tracks on a bar gig and it really helps the production value.

Maybe the producer shoved in autotune and fixed some of the timing issues, who knows. I'd be willing to bet that a ton of stuff everyone loves has been bastardized by Pro Tools 'correction'. The point is, so what? They're a great band and for me, they haven't crossed the line where technology is the performer. They're far from it, I'd say.

Time will tell when their album comes out, but I'm looking fwd to it. And these guys should be somewhat of a lesson: take full advantage of every tool in your arsenal to produce quality. If these guys were just mediocre, they wouldn't be getting this much attention. Although I think the Beiber cover help immensely (which is ok).

[DSOP]

I've been saying it for years: Rather than waste time playing shitty clubs where you can't guarantee good sound, just record a bunch of great sounding videos of your band and put them on YouTube. If it's really good, it will catch on. If it isn't, you'll know that it doesn't have wings and that you need to try something else.

Once something catches on with YouTube, it takes off very quickly and leads to generally good things for the artist.

There is still something to be said for learning how to play an entire show in front of humans though. That is a skill that cannot be learned any other way.