I hate autotune so much, it's very limiting for me to find music. At the moment chilling to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHtJBj9F-sM

I think it is ok to post even if we aren’t listening, but watching or reading! We are watching BBC’s programme on *Political Thinking* hosted by Nick Robinson, who is interviewing the newly appointed Social Mobility Chairperson Katharine Birbalsingh CBE.

Listening to Radio 2 at the moment

Not right this very second, but I'm listening to a lot of TOOL and Pusifer recently. My stereo is currently in storage, so SONOS or phone mainly unless I'm in the car.

@"DavecUK"#p1436 Will you listen to anything that isn't auto-tuned, or do you have particular genres?

Apple music’s today’s hits and recent releases are my typical go to play lists. The last recent release album I listened was 30 by Adele. Elvis’s and Beatles are my all time favourites.

> @"PortafilterProcrastinator"#p1444 Will you listen to anything that isn’t auto-tuned, or do you have particular genres? I like all music, the problem is after autotune became increasingly prevalent after the mid 90s, I found myself listening to les and less…I couldn't initially work out why, then I discovered autotune and then Melodyne, There has been pitch correction for a very long time, right back to the tape and splice days with multiple takes…this isn 't a problem. Autotune is a massive problem as is hand dragged pure digital pitch correction. It changes the voice, looses all human character, and they all sound like singing Kazoos. If it isn't autotuned…I'll listen to it, I'm pragmatic. Just the same as when I go to buy a pair of Trainers, or shoes…I don't ask to look at various styles…I ask the shop assistant, what trainers have you got in size 12…they give me a puzzled look as if im an idiot, but come back with 2 or 3 pairs of trainers, which are the only 3 styles in size 12. What's getting really irritating is the production companies, in their "wisdom", have gone back and autotuned Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Simon and garfunkle etc.. to make it "better". I'm quite passionate about the companies stopping using it….as they are robbing generations of appreciating how voices can, and should sound. If you're interested, there is a great YouTube channel here, Fil does some great videos covering music, playing, performance and more recently autotune/pitch correction. https://www.youtube.com/c/wingsofpegasus

If I’m on my own the. It’s Planet Rock or my vast collection of Classic Rock through my iphone and my Bose Revolve plus. My stereo is in storage too as I have a two year old grand daughter who visits very regularly

The Hi-Fi stand is full of her toys and books atm

I do like classic Rock - deep Purple was a favourite of mine when I was young. Steve Tyler used to make me laugh as well. > @"Nightrider_1uk"#p1450 My stereo is in storage too as I have a two year old grand daughter who visits very regularly I understand 😁 ![Dent in the dust cap | HiFiVision.com](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fP2u0FCqNy0/maxresdefault.jpg) I had to protect mine from the cat with lift off shells….the more expensive ones in the front room, are not protected, he is just denied access….how he loves trying to get into the front room and is in 7th heaven when he does. [upl-image-preview url=//i.imgur.com/P2VakbB.jpeg]

This week I've mainly been listening to Leonard Cohen - Song's of Love and Hate, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanangan - Ballad Of The Broken Seas and Amy Winehouse At The BBC - all recent purchases (albeit third copy of the Cohen album!), interspersed with BBC 6 Music. I'm old fashioned, still listen almost entirely on vinyl and still buying it. I'm really interested in music and always have been, dabbled in recording and production for years, not so much now but still interested in it. Still play guitar, electric and acoustic. The discussion on the sound of a lot of modern popular recordings is interesting - it's not to my taste either. It's fashion though - that sound is what is popular now. Production is constantly changing as engineers and musicians use the latest developments available to them - been that way since recording started. That Cher song Believe, was the first big song to use Auto-Tune - and use it in a way that it was not designed to be used. It was initially intended to be a subtle correction tool but she cranked it to 11 for that robot voice sound and started a fashion. My other big gripe with modern music is that it generally lacks dynamics, what people sometimes refer to as the loudness wars. I think this is due to how people consume music now. When I was a teenager, getting your first "separates system" was a right of passage. Hi-Fi was a thing. And you listened to physical albums. Now people listen on streaming services through cheap earbuds or tinny bluetooth speakers. Artists (and record companies) no longer make money on sales, them make them on streamed "listens" - and without an immediate punch and catchy gimmick it's very easy for the listener to simply skip to the next song. So everything gets "louder" to attract attention. Recording even has a new measurement to cater for this need - the LUT, which is basically a measure of loudness. You should add that to your hate list alongside overt use of Auto-Tune. I'm less upset about Melodyne though as it is generally used as a subtle production tool rather than an effect; when used well it should be transparent and can make a good recording of a great voice even better. I do enjoy the imperfections in older recordings though.

What I'm listening to/Watching at the moment

SouthMark45

Been listening to The Smiths again recently….. Jonny Marr is a genius cannot believe how old he was when he was creating the guitar riffs he did

Yep I am a massive Guitar fan 😀

SouthMark45

Oh and just finished Afterlife S3 very good

LMSC

Guys, please watch Tinder Swindler on Netflix. It’s absorbing and shocking!

DavecUK

LMSC I must admit to having had to look up Tinder Swindler….just to understand what it was.

LMSC

DavecUK 🤣

Doram

Just finished watching The Father with Anthony Hopkins. Very powerful film. Thought it was really excellent.

DavecUK

Doram Just finished watching The Father with Anthony Hopkins. Very powerful film. Thought it was really excellent.

I was going to watch that, but with my mum in a care home, with dementia, I thought it might be upsetting for me..ATM there is Covid in the home, so they have closed to visitors, been 3 weeks now.

Doram

DavecUK I was going to watch that, but with my mum in a care home, with dementia, I thought it might be upsetting for me..ATM there is Covid in the home, so they have closed to visitors, been 3 weeks now.

Really sorry to hear that Dave. This can definitely be upsetting (and quite terrifying if I am honest). It is such a good film, so can be hard to watch.

Pompeyexile

I know everything is subjective, but I thought I’d give (as many seem to think it is great) the American version of The Office a go.

I know for the first few series they uesd the same story and script from the Brit version and tweaked it a bit for the American market which is fine, but it was the actors playing the parts for me that made it virtually unwatchable.

Carell just wasn’t funny or more importantly as cringingly embarrassing as Gervaise made him coupled with the pathos, and as for the guy playing the part of Gareth…just awful.

Same story, same lines but terribly delivered.

Many moons ago, Steve Coogan had a character whose catchphrase was ‘Bag-O-Sh*te!’ Sorry, but that is exactly what I thought of it.

Tin Hat on…

Norvin

Pompeyexile

I loved the original Gervais Office but didn’t get past the first 15 minutes of the American version, just didn’t find it funny at all. I didn’t realise that they used the same scripts in the early episodes.

I find most of the American sitcoms not very funny and I find the overblown canned laughter very annoying. I tried watching Schitt’s Creek once after seeing good reviews, even endured about three episodes hoping that it would improve, it never did.

Doram

Pompeyexile I know everything is subjective, but I thought I’d give (as many seem to think it is great) the American version of The Office a go.

I know for the first few series they uesd the same story and script from the Brit version and tweaked it a bit for the American market which is fine, but it was the actors playing the parts for me that made it virtually unwatchable.

Had the exact same experience as you. Felt like I am watching a high school band trying to reproduce the Beatles. Watched a few episodes and gave up.

The people who recommended it said I have to persist because it gets better, but I couldn’t be bothered. Watched the good version again with the children instead. :-)

Re persistence needed: Started watching Breaking Bad a few years ago. Saw three episodes and gave up. But people insisted it was one of the best shows in history and I just needed to persist. So tried again and persisted all the way to the end. Still didn’t like it.

And that’s the thing with American shows: they make so many seasons with so many episodes. It is very rare that this sort of length is justifiable for me (although there are a few exceptions). I much prefer the British format - more concise without painfully stretching everything to death just so they can sell more advertisement.

Pompeyexile

That’s ‘subjective’ right there, because I thought Breaking Bad was brilliant. I’m not right and others who think differently are wrong, because as Python once said…'You’re all individuals!'

I still think Lee Evans was one of the best visual and funniest comediens ever, who actually had me almost crying with laughter….I know some people who couldn’t stand him. There are only a few ‘stand up’ comedians I can think of today who make me laugh out loud, Lee Mack, Ed Byrn and Greg Davies, as for all the others, rarely a titter and my most unfunny of all, who for me is stealing a living…John Bishop (who is also cr*p in Dr Who) and yet others love him.

Horses for courses as they say.

DavecUK

Pompeyexile There are only a few ‘stand up’ comedians I can think of today who make me laugh out loud,

I like Peter Kay, he is very good indeed….as is Gervais in stand-up. Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell was very good as well).

Systemic

Having ditched the licence fee a couple of years ago - still wondering why I persisted with terrestrial TV for so long. Guess old habits die hard - something the BBC is happy to milk.

BBC will be celebrating its centenary this autumn, so expect big helpings of self congratulation and fawning adulation from the usual suspects. Will the BBC survive? Who knows. A few weeks ago a YouGov poll found that only one in four people aged 18-30 watch the BBC every week. A third of them never watch it at all. Chilling news for the top brass at Broadcasting House.

Streaming services like Netflix with mega budgets will leave the BBC in its wake unable to compete.

LMSC

Systemic Having ditched the licence fee a couple of years ago

How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

We got rid of Sky completely last year, saving £60 a month, after keeping it and wasting money for 20 years. Never missed it.

Rob666

Systemic I think perhaps you are forgetting the sheer breadth of the BBC’s output. Radio 4 and 4 Extra are good examples. Then there are the music radio stations that cater for most tastes. R1, R2, R3 and R6 not to mention the sport channel. No licence fee? Good bye to all that. Then there are the documentaries, current affairs and dramas on TV. Some of the most respected web material too.

Systemic

Sheer volume of choice on streaming services like Netflix is positively daunting. Having dipped our toes chasing Scandi Noir output, over the last couple of years, we’ve enjoyed great entertainment from from different countries. One thing about that has struck me is how different cultures go about making drama is subtle different ways. Watched a few Turkish dramas and been struck with the way dialogue is used in almost a poetic way - fascinating.

The other big thing about streaming is the 4k output which will never be available to terrestrial TV. Add to that the arrival of Dolby TV and Atmos sound and you have the option, equipment permitting, to enjoy stunning 4k imagery and surround sound to rival, but not quite meet, cinema experience.

Currently watching final series of Ozark and the mini series Understanding Anna which, IMO, is pin sharp.

Systemic

LMSC How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

We got rid of Sky completely last year, saving £60 a month, after keeping it and wasting money for 20 years. Never missed it.

We had Virgin basic package and binned it. We use a MiFi set up courtesy EE for £25.00 a month with unlimited data. We get speeds of 80-85mbps download speed more than enough for 4k viewing. We stream via an Apple 4k although the TV has apps for most streaming services - Netflix, Amazon etc. We share the Netflix contract with our son so it’s a win, win for us.

DavecUK

LMSC How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

You can still watch almost 90% of everything you want to watch if you don’t pay the Licence fee…I stopped it and so glad I did. The rules are simple.

You cannot watch any Live broadcast TV, or I player…this includes +1 channels as they are effectively live broadcast (or Netflix Amazon live broadcasts). That’s it!

You can legally watch…

any catch up service - except I-player…most “live” broadcasts are available on catch up immediately after they have been shown
Any Youtube stuff, even that produced by the BBC and live broadcasts by YouTubers, Talk Radio etc.. but again no live broadcasts from proper TV stations

TV Licence is 158 per annum. I share Amazon Prime with a mate (Prime totally allows it). Disney+ seems to as well and were trying that out…if its good and I like the National Geographic stuff it works out as, Plus I have NF

£5 NF
£4 Amazon Prime (with all the benefits of prime)
£3.60 disney+

This equals £151.20 for no adverts at all, more content than I can ever watch. Much cheaper than the Licence fee. Plus I have YT as well, which is the only place I see adverts, it’s also where I watch the news (not live). I don’t feel I am missing a thing, and really I found myself watching almost nothing on BBC. They don’t make programs for me, it’s mainly now for young people who don’t watch BBC. Plus a load of trash to keep the talent paid too much money. Strictly Dancing, masked singer, East Enders, celebrity game shows, home decorating shows, Kirsty Walsh (doping something boring), Rylan…etc.. etc.. Really not stuff I actually want to watch…Oh and loads of repeats.

The only amazing thing about the BBC, is how they manage to do so little with so much, so badly.

I think the BBC like a lot of companies that provide “services to the public” have got very complacent..I was once a staunch defender of the BBC…Over the last 5+ years, I have been less and less impressed. They like all other services we buy need constant evaluation to ensure you are leveraging the best deal.

I am paying less for house/contents insurance now, than I did in 1995
I Pay|£26 per month for 150 MB/S unlimited, including phone line for incoming only, but went Smarty and use no data for mobile unlimited calls and Texts for £5
My car insurance is £260 per month for slightly better cover than Quote me Happy (£380) ad I also get any excess refunded. QMH instead of rewarding my loyalty for many years, kept hiking the price, the previous year it was more than I am paying now and then they hiked it by another £100 during a time when no one had been driving cars very much…so I moved.

The BBC is no different.

Pompeyexile

DavecUK I like Peter Kay, he is very good indeed….as is Gervais in stand-up. Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell was very good as well).

Now you come to mention them yes Peter Kay and Ricky do make me laugh out loud.

Going back years then, I thought Alf Garnett was brilliant…I think people today who say that is not acceptable are missing the point with him, because more often than not he made himself look like an absolute idiot exactly because of his bigotry and points of view.

One of my all time favourite oldie comedy programmes… Steptoe and Son.

Gagaryn

This is a really common misconception. People seem to think you only need a TV licence t watch the BBC - so they tell themselves that if they don’t watch the BBC then they don’t need to pay it.

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works - you should hold a TV licence if you watch ANY channel of LIVE TV - including ITV, CH4, Sky etc., or if you watch live broadcasts, like sport or news for example on a streaming service like Youtube or Amazon prime. Or if you record any of those live to watch later.

Doesn’t seem fair but that’s the rules. Look out for those mythical detector vans! :)

Doram

DavecUK My car insurance is £260 per month for slightly better cover than Quote me Happy (£380) ad I also get any excess refunded. QMH instead of rewarding my loyalty for many years, kept hiking the price, the previous year it was more than I am paying now and then they hiked it by another £100 during a time when no one had been driving cars very much…so I moved.

The only way to not get stung by insurance premiums going up was to move every year. I have read that now this is supposed to change because Insurance companies will not be allowed to offer renewals at a higher price than what they offer to new customers (or something like that).

I don’t know how this will work for everything, but I just got a renewal offer for home insurance from Quote me happy. It was only £1 higher than last year’s premium. Not only that, it was £20 cheaper than the best offer I found on a comparison site. For the first time ever, I did nothing and let them auto-renew my policy. Is it possible the messiah will be coming next?

DavecUK

Doram Is it possible the messiah will be coming next?

I got mine from Direct line, the one that’s not on comparison sites…unbelievably they were much, much cheaper than anyone else! £136, home and contents.

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