# Extensive use of autotune / variaudio / pitch correction... tips?



## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

Maybe I've been lucky up til now, but my use of pitch correction has been limited to the odd note here or there....

Right now I have a mix to do and the vocalist is all over the place. It needs some work on pretty much every section, every part. (8 vocal tracks, 3 minute song)

Leaving aside the moral questions about whether I should be doing it or not...does anyone have any tips?

I'm finding the process a bit unmanageable, and I'm having to go through each part note by note...correcting it as much as I can before it starts to sound artificial. If I try to do a whole verse or even just a whole phrase, it's not sounding good.

I'm using Cubase Variaudio, but I can get access to Melodyne (I would rather avoid it). I don't really want to look at other solutions because the job isn't paying enough to warrant splashing out on software, but if something else is better suited, i'd still like to hear about it.

Thanks,

Jonathan


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

Melodyne is your friend.

Phrase by phrase, there is no easy way. You could use antares but it's too artificial to me. Once you get used to melodyne you'll fall in love with it and work flow will be faster. You could do one section and copy/paste if it's all supposed to be the same pitch and such.


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

yeah, I've used melodyne, and I think it sounds better than Variaudio, but I don't own it. This is not a question about which is better, I think they both have their strengths and weaknesses..

I think with Variaudio being so integrated is absolutely fantastic and is a real time saver in some respects, but it's still a lengthy process. I think If I was doing things the same way with Melodyne, it would still take as long or even longer, though the end result might sound a little better.

So it's more the general process I'm asking about. What do you mean exactly about the copy paste thing? Do you mean just correct say, one of the choruses, and then use it each time? I don't think that will work in this case because there are no parts that are strictly the same as any other....


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

jonathanm said:


> So it's more the general process I'm asking about. What do you mean exactly about the copy paste thing? Do you mean just correct say, one of the choruses, and then use it each time? I don't think that will work in this case because there are no parts that are strictly the same as any other....


Yeah, that's what I mean by it. It won't work all the time, but if it does, do it. Auto tune is no fun, but ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

It's frustrating because I would much rather pay a good singer to come in and nail the song. You know the phrase garbage in = garbage out......but it's the original singer that's footing the bill, lol. :doh:


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## tehguit (Jul 19, 2009)

I love melodyne.

I just hit 100% on automatic detection, then just listen through and tweak.

Works for me, but maybe your singer is something else.


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## planetnine (Mar 3, 2009)

Often it's all in the timing -how quickly you lock onto pitch -that determines how natural it sounds.

As suggested, try completely automatic first on problem phrases, and then go back and tweak from the starting-point it has given you.

Is the material so bad that you need to treat the vocal from the whole song?

>


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

planetnine said:


> Is the material so bad that you need to treat the vocal from the whole song?


If it's anything like some stuff I've worked with...Probably haha. I wasn't being paid to mix
it however, so I didn't tune.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

I feel your pain... :rant:

Still, if you're being paid for your time... 

I haven't updated Cubase yet (still on v4.5.2) so I don't have Variaudio, but Melodyne is fantastic :T


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## Rob61 (Jun 3, 2010)

Melodyne keeps more of the subtleties intact when pitch correcting. It also provides a more natural tuning when vibrato is used. However, the latest version of AutoTune has definately improved a lot in these areas. Most pop singers can use AT, even use it hard for that "T Payne" effect. For jazz or classical singers, Melodyne is still a better approach.


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