Comments on: Paul McCartney – Good Evening New York City DVD

By: Paul McCartney – Hey Tokyo – 1993 | retroblog.net

Paul McCartney – Hey Tokyo – 1993 | retroblog.net — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:03:24 +0000

[...] I’ve been listening to some old Paul McCartney boots these last few days just to wash the bad aftertaste left from this whole autotune debacle. I’d rather listen to a pure, un-altered performance of a Macca show than some artificially pitch-corrected mess that’s on Good Evening New York City. [...]

By: Izak

Izak — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:10:50 +0000

I as an musicteacher and audiophile can say that i’m 100% sure that he uses autotune in some way on the “GOOD EVENING NEW YORK CITY” release. The signs are to strong to deny it (and that’s why i put “Paul McCarthney autotune” in the google searchwindow). Nevertheless it’s a good concert but i would like to hear the natural “Macca”, can’t be that bad…can it?

By: McCartney fan

McCartney fan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:03:15 +0000

I agree with the use of autotune. It’s very obvious from time to time. But I disagree that McCartney should retire to a more somber singing style. I do think his rock voice is still in good shape, while he seems to struggle more and more with mellow ballads. Like it’s easier for McCartney these days to shout at the top of his lungs. The use of autotune must be some some kind of laziness, instead of redoing vocals, or just leave it like it is.

By: retroDan

retroDan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:26:53 +0000

I totally agree with you Paul. If you didn’t see it early, here’s my complete review of the 2-disc audio CD of Good Evening New York City:
http://www.retroblog.net/2009/11/20/cd-review-good-evening-new-york-city-marred-by-auto-tune/

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:36:51 +0000

I have and still am a number one fan of Mccartney. I pretty much have seen every performance of his, whether that be live or dvd/you tube. I am also an audio engineer/musician/singer for about 15 years. When I first saw the video clips of his “Good Evening New York City” concert, my ears were TOTALLY shocked. I noticed auto-tune/melodyne or whatever pitch correction RIGHT AWAY. I have seen numerous concerts of Paul with pretty much the same set list. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY pitch correction in comparison. Other videos do NOT utilize it, and you can tell. If you cannot then the trick has worked on you. As great as he is for a singer, at 67 he does waiver on notes. Paperback writer is a prime example. The sustained note is TOO perfect. I can even predict when he is going to fail in strength on some notes, having seen/heard the set same set lists of many concerts. But the bottom line is.. there are far more untrained ears in the world than there are trained, so for the most part it doesn’t matter. But this may be a tell tale sign that my hero may have to realize that his godly voice has finally given up the ghost and needs to retire to a more somber singing style. Aging sucks.

By: retroDan

retroDan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:52:23 +0000

hey Jeff. take it easy. everyone’s allowed their opinion on this.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:18:39 +0000

Ro the reverend John C. Link: You are a jack***. A stupid, stupid jack*** who has no idea what the hell you are talking about. If you can’t hear auto-tune, then you obviously have terrible ears. Are you freaking kidding me? “Paul Hicks told me so!” I don’t care if Paul told me himself that auto-tune wasn’t used. The proof is on the recording. Jack***.

By: retroDan

retroDan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:13:20 +0000

Yes, I saw the message in the forum and my guess is that the production crew along with Macca wouldn’t want fans to know that they used pitch correction on the recordings. so of course they’d deny using it.

Also, maybe it was the way the person phrased the question to Paul Hicks? maybe Hicks said no to the use of “Autotune” by Antares but would have said YES to the use of Celemony’s “Melodyne”.

By: Rev. John C. Link

Rev. John C. Link — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:07:05 +0000

There is no Auto Tune on “Good Evening New York City”. A member of the Steve Hoffman Forum contacted Paul Hicks, who along with Geoff Emerick did the audio mixing for this album, & he laughed when he was asked the question & said that it was not used. I’d say that’s pretty undeniable proof that there is no Auto Tune. If anyone claiming this can actually prove it, then I’ll be glad to stand corrected.
The thing is I don’t hear this at all. I think the album sounds great. In fact I think it’s his best post-Wings live album. I’d love to hear McCartney himself address this, & I bet there would still be folks who, even then, would claim it’s on there. The problem is that Auto Tune is out there now, & it’s on people’s minds, so they are listening for it, wondering where it is & isn’t used. In this case they are sadly mistaken & while they are certainly welcome to their opinions if they don’t like the sound, they, frankly, look like fools when they claim, with utter certainty, that Auto Tune is being used here, when someone like Paul Hicks assures us this is not the case.

By: CD Review – Good Evening New York City marred by auto-tune | retroblog.net

CD Review – Good Evening New York City marred by auto-tune | retroblog.net — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:04:54 +0000

[...] I’ve been listening to the newly released two-disc audio CDs of Paul McCartney’s Good Evening New York City this week and I have to say that I’m pretty disappointed by the blatant use of auto-tune (pitch correction software) on Paul’s vocals. yes, I understand that auto-tune is pretty much standard practice nowadays in the pop music industry but for an iconic voice as Paul’s, the tell-tale signs of auto-tune just ruins for me. [...]