Voice alteration claim strikes sour note at 'X Factor'

LONDON – An award-winning record producer defended X Factor yesterday over claims the TV talent show used technology to make …

LONDON – An award-winning record producer defended X Factoryesterday over claims the TV talent show used technology to make some contestants' voices sound better.

Viewers filled internet forums with complaints about the use of “autotuning” during the programme.

Some threatened to boycott the show in protest at the alleged use of the studio technology, used to correct pitch and off-key mistakes.

But Donal Hodgson, who won a Grammy for his work with Sting, said using it was perfectly acceptable as long as it was not a total “fabrication”. He said: “The issue would be if the X Factor was using it on people that really couldn’t sing, and making something that was a fabrication.

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“I didn’t see the show, but I imagine if you have a lot of young people who have never sung live on stage before then they will sing out of tune. Of course, if the X Factor fabricated the whole thing it would be self-defeating and they would end up with someone who couldn’t sing.”

Most of the allegations surrounded teenage contestant Gamu Nhengu, who sang a version of the Katrina and the Waves hit Walking On Sunshine.

After hearing her effort, judge Simon Cowell told the 18-year-old, from Clackmannanshire, Scotland, she was “really talented” before she was unanimously voted through to the next round.

But some viewers went online to accuse the producers of using autotune. On the show's website, robhayes wrote: "Absolutely disgusting use of . . . autotune . . . does X Factorreally think we are idiots? I see the idea of making the show more entertaining, but this is taking the mick . . . really."

Smstrat91 added: "Cannot believe they autotuned her, listen to the words 'door' and 'telephone' and it's very clear. She's so good as well, but obviously the producers of X Factordidn't think she was good enough."

Similar accusations were made about another contestant, Caroline, who also made it through to round two.

A spokesman for X Factorsaid post-production work was necessary due to the number of microphones used during filming.

“The judges make their decisions at the auditions stage based on what they hear on the day, live in the arena.

“The footage and sound is then edited and dubbed into a finished programme, to deliver the most entertaining experience possible for viewers.”

Saturday’s first episode, which also saw Glasgow househusband Stephen Hunter go through after a soulful version of Disco Inferno, was watched by 11.1 million people, a big increase on last year’s figure of 9.9 million.

The audience peaked at 12.6 million, nearly half of the total Saturday night TV audience.