Its a different genre though, vocal harmonies over a big sounding rock track are gonna sound more powerful because of how you sing them compared to a soft sounding track where the singers dont really need to project much of their voice (Mama's and Papa's) especially in a live environment. Like i said, when the music cuts out in the song they all split 2 harmonies to 2 girls, when the music comes back in they go back to singing seperate harmonies from low to high thats why it sounds louder because of the blonde girl singing the low harmony.

I didnt watch Xtra Factor but I honestly dont listen to a word Gary says anymore, he seems to be paid to just sit there and look miserable until someone comes on stage and sings a love song over an acoustic guitar.

I suppose so

Thanks for that. Nearly all of the acts tonight were much better than they usually are - easily the best week of the competition overall. They need to make monitors standard on the show.

Little Mix were fantastic tonight. Unfortunately, I fear people take Gary Barlow seriously (why, I have no idea) and this may put them in trouble.

I think one judge said they sing accapella in rehersals, and sound amazing, so i don't think the auto tune was used.

You can put live vocals through a modern auto tuner so long as you tell them the key of the song. The auto tuner knows which notes are right and which are wrong because of the key you specify. Saying that heavily auto tuned vocals are quite distinctive and I didn't notice anything artificial about their vocals. Their harmonies always sound spot on though which is even harder to get right than singing a straight vocal, so are they using a harmoniser?

I bet Frankies voice was put through an auto tuner on the M&S advert. Certainly sounded like it!

They weren't completely in tune the entire time,but close to it.

The tempo of the song and simplified harmonies they sang to modify it were well within their believable range of ability,so I think if they used it at all it was minimal. I don't think it was used,though..I think that there is just a girl band on X Factor who can actually (ghasp! ) really,reeeally sing!

They are not getting autotuned to any extent and if they are they don't need it. If you want to look at backing tracks swamping out the vocals and autotuning, I suggest you go back to 2010 and watch every rubbish performance by One Direction. That group has hardly any actual singers and they are poor at best.

Gary spends his time planting suggestions in peoples minds and throwing doubt about the other judges acts, even when he seems to be saying something positive.

I think these are so precise they are pre scripted. Go back and watch him Eurostar. X Factor production playing head games.

I honestly couldn't tell whether or not their backing track was that loud or not. It was completely obvious with One Direction last year, but I didn't notice it last night.

I really like Little Mix and I think it's a shame if the backing track used on the choruses was really that loud because are good singers and don't need it

The correct answer.

How do you know this. Just because the judges spout crap like this does not mean they are right.

In a live performance with screaming crowds and jangling instruments, no one, yes no one can say that 4 different singers were pitch perfect.

you need complicated instruments to make that statement, not just your ears.

You made that stement cos it is cool to make it and sound like a knowledgeable judge.

Has anyone here used Auto-Tune or Melodyne (the other big player)?

Its very difficult to get out of tune vocals to sound seamless. It can be done but you need to know what your doing, and do it manually which takes time. If you use the auto setting and let the software do its job, it corrects 90% OK, but some notes sound weird, and can even be auto-tuned to the wrong semi-tone.

While it CAN be used live - you have to be VERY confidant the vocalist will be pretty much spot on and maybe drift slightly, or you will ruin the track. It will be very obvious. I doubt very much that X-Factor are using any form of pitch correction live. The fact that they DID miss a few notes actually proves its not used as if it was those notes would have been tuned as well.

Recorded vocals - like the group sing on Sundays and the M&S Advert, are auto-tuned and its so obvious - even more than the miming.


It is much more likely that the in-ear monitors they are now using meant they could hear themselves - and more importantly for the groups hear the others, and so could be much tighter.

If anything the harmoniser is more probable - however there pretty easy to spot as well, and in a group would result in more than 4 parts. You can distinguish between the 4 voices at times - singing different parts. a harmoniser would thicken the harmonies to 8 parts at those points, and I didnt hear it. It is possible though.

As for Frankie ?? Janets is so obviously auto-tuned int he M&S advert, and I think Mishas and Craigs are too. My guess is they all are to some extent though.

No, there are about 5-10 professional singers who sing along witt he choruses from backstage. It was revealed last year when a member of One Direction appeared to be simgimg withe the voice of a female soul singer.

It's a shame that being able to read music is something that qualifies these girls to be classed as great. I know there are some great musicians out there who don't read music but that always surprises me a lot more than the fact that somebody who wants to make music their career has taken the time to learn their craft.

I liked the girls last night but think there were some heavy pre-recorded backing vocals helping out. Nowhere near as much as Wand Erection had but Little Mix can actually sing to a decent level so are not in such need.

But totally agree, shame about their mentor. She's appalling.

Oh strange I missed that and was really into X factor last year.

As others have said i think the ear monitors helped them. Sofa bet did an article last year on how the groups are always at a disadvantage due to the noise in the studio as well as having to hear each other whereas the soloists only have the music and the audience. I am glad they have finally realised these are an essential piece of equipment

Tulisa is brilliant as a Mentor, these girls can sing live which is missing in most recent girl groups who seem to be put together purely on looks. The same applies to One Direction, picked so that every girl could have a boy to dream over, but incapable of any quality singing. Oh and I actually think Little Mix are an attractive bunch as well, just blessed with a real advantage called singing ability (and 3 can read music too, there's a first!).

God forbid that they could actually be good singers!!!!

I actually dont think so cos they sang perfectly in tune on xtra factor last week off the cuff.

When people have been autotuned you can hear it it sounds a little bit electronic. Remeber Gamus first audition?

I honestly don't know how you could tell, in some places the recorded vocals were so loud you couldn't work out which was a live vocal and which wasn't

No it's not acually 3 from one direction can too

But getting back to Little Mix i am glad they are doing well and are very talented and posters are accepting the made up groups section can be good too

It is possible to autotune live vocals. BUT, Little Mix so obviously weren,t doing that. They didn't sound as one, you could hear the individual harmonies. It was just very good.

Or maybe they've just been practicing.

It's obvious they can all sing, even Kelly said she's heard them doing a capella and they sound good.

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Last edited by realitybites1 : 20-11-2011 at 12:34

Well, to be fair, they've probably been practising throughout, but as you say, Kelly says she's been extremely impressed with them in rehearsals and we saw them do it on Xtra Factor too.

The difference is the in-ear monitors, which are particularly handy for anyone singing in harmony, especially in front of a screaming crowd.

I really hope they continue to use them in future, because I thought last night's performances were much better all around.