Autotune...................

[fingers23]

On a recent thread here there were some instructional videos of pro tools.

One of which included a demo of autotune..................what a bit of kit!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know if there is a version that works with Audacity?

I mainly record into a Korg D1200 but I find Audacity covers for any minor tweeks I need to do............Autotune working with Audacity would be very good.

Anyone know?

[Tim Armstrong]

Certainly nothing cheap!

Besides, you really DON'T want autotune, even the expensive versions sound pretty weird, and also encourage lazy performances...



Tim

[Larry F]

It is a pretty poor musician who allows software to encourage a lazy performance.

[Tim Bowen]

I'm sorry that I can't offer technical insight, but I do have an opinion.

As used as an "effect" (Cher, Kid Rock, etc.), I have to say that it's among the goofiest sounding things that I've ever heard. I also hear it on FM radio tunes from time to time, for "correction". If I can hear it kicking in, the pitch of those original vocal tracks must have been pretty stinkin' bad. Conversely, I'd be willing to bet (speculate) that I've heard judicious and subtle use of autotune capabilities on all sorts of tunes that I really wouldn't have suspected of containing such.

In theory at least, I'm with Tim and Larry. My pop band has recently moved into the 90's (the old 2" tape machine nickeled and dimed us to death until we finally went for a Mackie 24 track digital brain). However, we still use an analog desk with no automation, and mostly approach track cutting from an old school analog bent; there's certainly no Pro Tools, Cubase, sampling, or autotune at our disposal. It's a pain in the butt to keep tracking backing vocals until they are reasonably in tune, but organic sounding tracks are always a worthwhile endeavor.

Devil's advocate foil to the above. Another of my projects is way into amibitious three and four part harmonies that require a lot of breath, range, and sustain. There are some pretty good vocalists in that project, but again, the arrangements are ambitious, and from the vocalist's point of view, quite physically challenging. We do cut in 'real time', and often double "oohs and ahhs" and let them fly, as is. However, occasionally the engineer (Pro Tools user) will add a subtle touch of autotune to three and four part harmonies, and I have to admit, it does sound sweeter to my ear. But the pitch has to be really decent from jumpsteet, else the autotune is pushed beyond its capacity of complying with good taste, and ventures into the realm of sounding cartoonish and goofy.

I've sat in on engineering sessions where the autotune band aid was pushed to ridiculous degrees, and it's quite comical. There's a bunch of bad singers out there, and some of them are even international celebrities. At the end of the day, engineers are hired to make "artists" sound good, and given the hand that they're frequently dealt, I really can't fault them for this particular gear application. They're engineers, not vocal coaches. Folks need to learn how to sing on their own time, not on the dime of a producer or a recording facility.

I sometimes cut two or three part slide guitar harmony tracks, and am curious as to how subtle autotune treatment might react with that.

[Ben Harmless]

There's no autotune app that'll work with audacity that I know of. You can always sing the piece again for free though. Do that enough times, and a performer will eventually get better!

You can also comp together vocal tracks - take the best parts from several takes. Use the same backing tracks for this though, or you'll end up having tempo problems. Some editor/mixing engineers will even mix and match parts of individual words to create the best vocal performance.

[David Barnett]

If you can't find an autotune plug-in for your software, you can always go the hardware route and buy the Antares box.

[StuH]

I have a question. Anatares stuff is pretty sweet but why would you consider an expensive plugin before updating to a better DAW?

[woodman]

Originally Posted by Tim Bowen

I sometimes cut two or three part slide guitar harmony tracks, and am curious as to how subtle autotune treatment might react with that.

we used it on an album i produced a coupla years back to subtly correct the steel guitar when he slid outa tune and it worked beautifully, totally transparent. however, we did it manually on each note rather than automatically. wish i'd had autotune for the fiddle on a demo i cut recently!

[Skully]

Some editor/mixing engineers will even mix and match parts of individual words to create the best vocal performance.

It gets more minute than that -- syllables, consonants. One can also change the timing.

[fingers23]

Hmmmmmm.............think I'll try and get it right first time.

[Larry F]

Originally Posted by Ben Harmless

You can also comp together vocal tracks - take the best parts from several takes. Use the same backing tracks for this though, or you'll end up having tempo problems. Some editor/mixing engineers will even mix and match parts of individual words to create the best vocal performance.

I read that Dusty Springfield used to record individual words, in essence comping in the vocal booth. And of course, Glenn Gould (piano) was notorious for that.

[Skully]

Hmmmmmm.............think I'll try and get it right first time.

Rest assured that very few (or, more likely, none) of your favorite recording artists feel the same way.

I read that Dusty Springfield used to record individual words, in essence comping in the vocal booth. And of course, Glenn Gould (piano) was notorious for that.

Don Henley and the rest of the Eagles would record individual syllables, and many others would carve up magnetic tape with razor blades. This existed long before the advent of digital recording, it's just easier and faster.

[f69tele]

Melodyne Uno 1.5 -
it doesn't work with Audacity, but .wav files can be imported into it and saved once "tuned". Then, the tuned file can be imported into Audacity.
They have a demo model of Uno 1.5 on their website that can be downloaded for a trial run. Works good.

[klasaine]

I sometimes cut two or three part slide guitar harmony tracks, and am curious as to how subtle autotune treatment might react with that.

Hey Tim.
I've autotuned some bends on a couple of things just in the interest of time. It seemed to work fine. You know, stuff recorded at the end of a long day when your ears are shot, you wanna go home and nobody really gives a rats crack anymore? You come in the next day and hear your part slightly out of tune? It can fix that if it's not extremely out of tune.
__________________

[Larry F]

Originally Posted by f69tele

Melodyne Uno 1.5 -
it doesn't work with Audacity, but .wav files can be imported into it and saved once "tuned". Then, the tuned file can be imported into Audacity.
They have a demo model of Uno 1.5 on their website that can be downloaded for a trial run. Works good.

Incidentally, Melodyne also does a very nice job at transcribing a melodic line into MIDI/pitch notation. A lot of research has gone into that. So, if you want to sing or play a melody into a mic and transcribe it, the tools now exist for that. A lot of caveats, meaning you'd have to understand pitch notation, but it's a significant leap forward.

[getbent]

Actually, I looked into this a little bit and I do believe that autotune WILL work with Audacity provided you purchase the VST version of the plugin...

it is kind of weird thing (like buying a cadillac to park in front of an old army tent) but I think that it would work..

Try downloading the vst demo and try it... I don't have all the same hardware you do, but I was able to get it to load on my mac with the vst demo....

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by woodman

we used it on an album i produced a coupla years back to subtly correct the steel guitar when he slid outa tune and it worked beautifully, totally transparent. however, we did it manually on each note rather than automatically. wish i'd had autotune for the fiddle on a demo i cut recently!

Originally Posted by klasaine

Hey Tim.
I've autotuned some bends on a couple of things just in the interest of time. It seemed to work fine. You know, stuff recorded at the end of a long day when your ears are shot, you wanna go home and nobody really gives a rats crack anymore? You come in the next day and hear your part slightly out of tune? It can fix that if it's not extremely out of tune.

Thanks gents, that's good to know for future reference.

Yes, I know full well about the long grueling studio date. Some things are worth splitting hairs over, and sometimes the quick fix is the ticket.

__________________________________________________

As for the autotune thing on vocals, I'm not without my share of prejudice. I think it's a great tool for sustained, multi-part "ooohs and ahhhs". However, when it comes down to the main melody, and IF the lead vocalist is capable of delivering such, I vote for the caveman approach. If it's a vocal tune, the lead vocal will almost certainly be the most highly scrutinized aspect of the track, and I'd prefer to re-cut the phrase(s) in question, old school-style.