Autotune

I was driving around, minding my own business, when my ears and senses were assaulted by a sound so hideous that I was shaken directly to my core. This sound can only be described as a cross between the sound of two semi-trucks in a head-on collision and a herd of feral cats being squirted with a fire hose. Truly dreadful and horrendous. I looked around to see what had made this horrible sound. Did I run over a demon? Did my car cause a rip n the space-time continuum? No, it was just a song on the radio. I don’t even remember the song or the singer. Here’s what I do remember, the singer (if you can still call them that) was using autotune.

If you’re not familiar with autotune, it was originally developed to help correct pitch issues for singers. The first song I ever heard that really showed it was autotuned was Cher’s “Believe.” It was bad, really bad. It’s even a joke in our house because my oldest son, Isaac, can do a great interpretation of Cher on that song. If you know, ask him.

Autotune has become an easy way to mask the fact that some of these “singers” aren’t. Want to make a band today? Round up a few guys or gals who look good in little to no clothing, can dance reasonably well, and can somewhat carry a tune. Then you take them into the studio and have real musicians play the instruments to songs that other people write, have your “band” do their best at singing the lyrics, and autotune their voices until they sound, well, autotuned. You’ll make a million!

The problem is, the singers can’t really sing, all you’ve done is mask their inadequacies.

I see so many people who choose to mask their pain, fear and inadequacies instead of facing them. They have autotuned their lies to the point that they look good on the outside, but inside they are hurting, broken and in pain. Rather than let anyone know they are hurting, they put on a mask and try to struggle through life alone. The problem is, we aren’t meant to go through life alone. We need friends, we need support, we need people. Just being around people isn’t enough. It is possible to be the loneliest person in a crowded room.

And the one thing we really need to make it through life is a relationship with God. One of the most beautiful descriptions of God came from an article I read called, The Father Heart of God.” In it, Lorne Cunningham explains that God is the perfect father that all of us wanted, but none of us had. When you were five years old, God was the father that knew exactly that your fingerpaint portrait was a house, not a boat. When you were a little kid, God was the father who always had time to play catch. When you were a teen, God was the kind of father who always knew just what words to say to make you feel better. If your image of God is some big blue meanie in heaven, you will be wary of trusting in him or in believing that he really cares for you. When we begin to think of God as the perfect father, it makes it easier to trust him. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (TLB)

So we have the perfect dad, who also has plans for us that are full of good and hope? Sounds pretty good to me. All we have to do is believe and trust. There is no need to mask our hurt, pain and insecurities from him. He understands, and he wants better for us. Give him a try…

Hating autotune, but loving God… Jerry