I read this piece about how Bollywood is slowly diffusing into the mainstream here in the US, and there I came across the following ad that apparently went viral:
So, naturally, I went after the original, which has Mohammed Rafi providing the vocals. There is some high octane dancing--even without Shammi Kapoor, the actor whom I always imagine manically gyrating away whenever I hear such Hindi film music :)
Well, this is infinitely better than the auto-tuned "hits"--reading the New Yorker essay was one awfully depressing experience, to know that this is how the radio Top Forty hits are manufactured :( In the Culture Desk blog, following up on the essay, John Seabrook adds:
Almost all the music you hear on Top Forty radio these days is made on machines. You may hear a real guitar once in a while, but an actual drum sound is pretty rare. The singing is still done by humans, but the voices are never ever off pitch, thanks to Auto-Tuning. Is there a problem here?Ahem, frankly I don't know if there is a problem here. But, awfully depressing to think that a Rafi might not be necessary for the magic anymore. Well, at least we have the gems, like the following one, from the past:
1 comment:
I am saddened that technology is taking the place of creative ingenuity and raw talent, especially with regard to the auto tuning and the electronic sounds. On one hand it makes it easier to manufacture someone famous who doesn't deserve the attention merely because there is a bunch of money behind them, on the other hand, one person can be a director, writer, actor, singer, and even dancer and do it all themselves with the help of technology, so it has a positive side that more people can have a voice and be seen and heard.
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