Buzz
Auto-Tune stands as the recording industry's benchmark for vocal refinement. Discover how to leverage Auto-Tune for superior vocal quality in Part 2 of our series.
Elevating Vocals with Auto-Tune: A Deep Dive into Part 2
Guide to Enhancing Vocal Quality with Auto Tune Part 1
Before diving into advanced Auto-Tune techniques, ensure Auto-Tune is installed on your computer. Download and set up Auto-Tune, then explore part 1 of our vocal enhancement guide.
Advanced Vocal Enhancement with Auto-Tune Part 2
Pitch Tracking in Auto-Tune Explained
The initial step involves capturing or tracking the pitch of your audio in Auto-Tune for analysis and mapping out the sound notes. This enables not just a swift response from Auto-Tune but also the seamless connection of adjusted notes, a feat not achievable in Auto Mode due to its real-time operation. To start:
- Activate the Track Pitch button. This button will turn red to signify the Track Pitch is active.
- Play the music: Ensure your song plays from start to end or in segments. As long as all the necessary adjustments are tracked, you can proceed.
- Disable the Track Pitch button: This is essential to commence the tuning process.
Now, you have two options for tuning: drawing or automatically generating lines or notes. The difference lies in notes being generally easier to manage, dealing with sound areas as blocks or notes, and a line or curve allowing for the manipulation of curves between specific notes.
Available Tools
Here are some tools to get started:
- Line Tool is for drawing multipart lines on the pitch chart, ideal for maintaining straight lines or transitions from one pitch to another.
- Curve Tool allows for freehand drawing within pitch, though it is more challenging to use.
- Note Tool is for drawing notes.
- Arrow Tool is the most commonly used for selecting and editing existing lines or notes.
- Scissors Tool cuts existing lines or notes into separate parts for individual editing.
Manual Editing / Dragging Lines and Notes in Auto-Tune
In the example below, after capturing (Track Pick) vocals into Auto-Tune, the next step is to select the Line tool, click on Snap to Note to force any segment of the line to a specific note. Double-click to finish the line when selecting the last segment.
Once drawn, this line remains selected and retune speed can be set for this line independently from others. If unselected for any reason, use the Arrow tool to reselect it and adjust retune speed. The advantage of using the Line tool is to maintain curves from one note to another.
In the example below, the Note tool is selected, then use the tool to draw notes. Drawing notes from a position on a key to another desired key at the start and end of the note yields the best results. The advantage of using the Notes tool is the ease of moving notes from one pitch to another, much easier than moving a line.
Automatically Generating Lines and Notes in Auto-Tune
Select an area: With the I-Beam tool, highlight the area you wish to populate with notes or lines.
Scroll down to the plug-in next to Track Pitch for the Make Curve and Make Notes options to generate curves or notes.
- Make Curve: Hit the Make Curve button to automatically draw a curve, perfectly aligning with pitches captured from the earlier Track Pitch function. Observe on the right, the green lines overlay the detected pitches, with anchor points on either side of each event. These anchors can be individually adjusted by clicking and dragging up or down, proving particularly useful for tuning. Additionally, the Arrow tool can be used to manipulate these points.
In the example below, the area selected using the I-Beam tool, then by employing the Arrow tool, curves are moved from one pitch to another, keeping the notes intact. If moving only a segment of the curve or line, it can be split into two by clicking at the desired split point using the Scissors tool. Now, control each segment individually.
In this instance, after selecting the aforementioned area, the Make Notes button is engaged. This approach maintains note adjustments or manipulations, preserving the curves between notes.
Use the Arrow tool to edit these notes. For optimal outcomes, extend the edges of each note to intersect points where the original sound is activated or transitions. Adjusting start and stop points at these intersections enhances clarity and realism in the sound produced.
Thus, through this Part 2 guide on using Auto-Tune for better vocal tuning presented by Mytour, you've learned how to enhance your singing with Auto-Tune. It's hoped that this knowledge empowers you to begin using and adjusting your vocal performances with Auto-Tune effectively.
