Pitch correction...

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 4:25 am

On the subject of how "automatic mode" can work, it stands to reason that if the tuning error is never as much as 1/4 tone it would be possible to correct by simply choosing the nearest note (chromatic mode).

If the song is in a normal diatonic key the error could be larger and the software still correct because, as already explained some notes could not have been intended as they don't occur in that key. This means the error can be anything up to but not including a semitone in most cases or a 1/4 tone in the two cases where the legitimate notes of the scale are only a semitone apart.

So, what happens if the tuning error is greater than this. To me the obvious answer would be for someone to play the correct tune on a parallel MIDI track and the tuning corrector to use that as a reference. I don't know if any current software does this.

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:36 pm

Fozzy's got it correct.
It's like quantizing for pitch instead of time.
If the vocal is too far off pitch, then you need to come out of 'Auto mode' and move to 'Graphic mode' - Here you can drag the offending note as close as you want to the correct note.
It takes a little skill, but stellar results can be had.

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:03 pm

Most "automatic" modes are smarter than the simple round to the nearest pitch option. I wrote one years ago that used a moving time average of the detected pitch to smooth out the intended note. Some have an attack and release control so that if the pitch dips bellow the -1/4 tone threshold for a small amount of time, and then rises above it the pitch is not incorrectly tuned to the wrong note. This is useful for large vibrato, and poor vocalists.

Fozzy wrote:

... To me the obvious answer would be for someone to play the correct tune on a parallel MIDI track and the tuning corrector to use that as a reference. I don't know if any current software does this.

GSnap, and It's free (Pretty sure Melodyne and Autotune will do this as well.)

Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:01 pm

Melodyne is the way to go. I've been sold on this for about a year now. It's like taking the wave file display, and putting on what almost looks like a sequencer for midi-it also analyzes the pitch to get it to the closest note. and it doesnt mess with the tempo when you change the pitch. I was able to make it seem like i was able to hold a note longer than normal. and it works on instruments as well, though i didnt use it for that yet. its pretty crazy. i use to comp my vocal tracks, but now that seems like it takes way too long. you can make almost anyone sound good. it sounds more natural than antares, which i had a rack unit for prior to melodyne until it broke down. i think that this may soon become an industry standard. wait a minute, i sound like an ad. maybe because this software has given me something my studio has really needed.

Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:39 pm

Autotuning her in realtime won't sound good in this situation will it? I mean, if she's completely off key all of the time, you'll probably have to have really short attack times and whatnot. Then you'll get that effect we've all come to hate so much. Smile

Will Melodyne have these same artifacts? I haven't used it enough to know. If she's really off key, and from what you said I am assuming she is... I second the multiple takes idea. Do 100. You'd have to be able to comp a decent vocal out of 100 takes right? Smile

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:39 am

they have a demo version on the melodyne website. i suggest you try it. there are very small differences that only a trained ear can tell- if it is used well. it is much more natural sounding than antares. i'm kind of eager to see what the new pitch correction is like on protools 8LE. if it is any good i might just have to go back to my mbox. any beta testers reading?

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:53 am

Sonar 8 (and 7) comes with V-Vocal. Almost as good as Melodyne.

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:29 pm

GeckoMusic wrote:

Most "automatic" modes are smarter than the simple round to the nearest pitch option. I wrote one years ago that used a moving time average of the detected pitch to smooth out the intended note. Some have an attack and release control so that if the pitch dips bellow the -1/4 tone threshold for a small amount of time, and then rises above it the pitch is not incorrectly tuned to the wrong note. This is useful for large vibrato, and poor vocalists.

Wait, how did I miss this? YOU wrote the GSeries plugs?? All hail! I use them EVERY day. That series has the best sounding HP and LP filters I've heard, with no CPU usage. Amazing! Thank you! The GClipper is awesome as well. They all are. Smile

Oh, and the Tri-Chorus... MMMMMM.

Edit:

Also, everyone probably already does this but... I like to float the Autotune in and out with automations when I use it. This way it sounds more natural because it leaves some slightly off notes. Plus it's not running the good notes through the processor.

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:38 am

Sorry, I was not clear. I wrote an auto tune plug in for my own use. G-Snap is a free on that I recommend. I wish I could write that software. Those are some of my go to plug ins for a number of tasks.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:01 pm

To qualify, I'm strictly amateur.

I use Melodyne Uno for $200. It was the best two bills I ever spent. okay, it's the SECOND best money I ever spent. The best was voice lessons, as was mentioned earlier. They should never be underestimated.

Before I got Melodyne, this is what I did. I recommend it for people who don't have really great pitch themselves:

-Use your midi to create a one-note-at-a-time piano track, which corresponds to the lead vocal, exactly as it is to be sung.
-Make a CD with the bed tracks, and this piano track fairly loud, kind of like a kareoke thing
-give the CD to the vocalist, and tell her to put it in her car CD player, and sing along with it for about a week.
-On recording day, you include the piano track in the headphones for her to follow. She'll be used to it by then.
-Then of course, you just drop out the piano track, and her vocal will be as good as it's ever going to get.
-It can also help if she's a chronic scooper or diver with her notes.

Worked wonders for me.

Back to the Melodyne software:

There are times when it can add some goofy things to the notes, but in the end, they are usually so subtle that they are hidden in the mix. It may not be perfect, but it's a hundred times better than an out of tune vocal. That just hurts the ears!

You can take a note, lengthen it, shorten it, or make it into an entirely new melody, and a host of other things.

I'm right now working on a project where I'm assembling a whole bunch of vocalists, each is an amateur, each is in their own 'studio'(read bedroom/living room). Some of them have sung the melody entirely wrong, most are out of tune. I'm able to make them all do the same melody, in the same time, in tune, and put the whole works together. It's all working really well.

If you move a note more than a tone, you can tell it doesn't sound quite right, but hey, you can't have everything.

Get it. Use it. Learn it. You'll be amazed at what the stuff can do.

cheers
Keith

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