Cher effect

The Cher effect is an informal term used to describe extreme digital pitch correction of singing to produce a semi-artificial voice sound effect. In its typical application, the natural small variations of pitch in human singing are flattened to exact notes, with a noticeable gliding between the notes. The sound is comparable to certain effects that can be produced with a vocoder, but is closer to a natural human voice.

The technique was made popular by the 1998 Cher song "Believe", and has since become prevalent to more obvious or more subtle degrees throughout electronic-oriented popular music. The effect has been closely associated with the Antares Auto-Tune audio effect software, which is reputed to have been used on "Believe".

Uses of the effect

The effect has been employed in recent years by artists such as Daft Punk Treacy, Christopher John. "Pitch-adjusting software brings studio tricks". The Boston Herald, February 19, 2007, The Edge, Pg. 032 ] dubious (who also use vocoders and talk boxes).

The effect was referenced for comedic effect in episode "New Kids on the Blecch" of the animated series The Simpsons when Bart formed a boy band named the "Party Posse". Ralph Wiggum had the effect applied to his voice when singing the phrase "love formation" in the song "Drop Da Bomb!"

The effect was parodied in the south park episode Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub, when an Anti Terrorist Force tried to drive a supposed cult out of a house by playing a distorted song akin to Cher's 'Believe'.

Examples of songs utilizing the effect

* "Believe" by CherSue Sillitoe, "Sound On Sound", February, 1999. [http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb99/articles/tracks661.htm "Recording Cher's 'Believe'"] . Accessed 12 February 2008.]
* "Lollipop" by Lil Waynecite web
url= http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2008/06/09/080609crmu_music_frerejones?currentPage=all
title= The Gerbil’s Revenge |accessdate= 2008-06-02 |last= Frere-Jones |first= Sasha |authorlink= Sasha Frere-Jones |date= 2008-06-09 |work= The New Yorker]
* "Only God Knows Why" by Kid Rock
* "One More Time" by Daft Punk
* "Too Little Too Late" by JoJo

References

See also

* Auto-Tune
* Pitch correction
* Vocoder