Antares Vocal Producer

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 26 Oct 2002 10:47 pm

Anyone have one of these babies? I would like to know how you set yours. Maybe a trick or two would be helpful! Thanks.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 27 Oct 2002 12:23 am

Never heard of one. What' it's function?
Got any pics?

------------------
<pre> ~ ~
©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.
www.ntsga.com</pre>

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 Oct 2002 9:34 am

It's major function is to make "good singers from bad ones". It has the capability to correct sharpness or flatness in a melody line, in real time. You sing a note a little "flat", and the device "corrects" the flatness by frequency-shifting your "bad" note to the next closest note on the scale. It sometimes makes the vocals a little "lifeless", but it's better than being off-key.

Many of those "flawless" live vocal performances you hear nowadays are processed through an Antares unit. Of course, in the studio today, the same type of "correction" is usually done by computer software after the vocal track is laid down.

Matt Steindl · Post by **Matt Steindl** » 27 Oct 2002 10:56 am

I have the Antares Auto tune, but it is a plug-in. I think yours is a rack piece.

It can get pretty deep, but to do basic pitch repair, it is pretty easy.

------------------
Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 27 Oct 2002 11:14 am

And for artists like Cher, you just turn it on and leave it on.
-John

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 27 Oct 2002 11:52 am

Actually, I think the vocal producer product gives AutoTune, Mic Modeller, tube "emulation", with a mic preamp package of EQ, compression etc.

I used AutoTune (the plug-in) on the baritone sax on one track of our new CD. It works well, and I suspect it's much less noticeable on instruments than vocals! We had to correct a single bum note in a solo, and fix some of the lowest notes where the baritone was enough away from the rest of the horns that it, er, stank.

There are lots of reviews out there. What feature were you interested in?

Ian

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 28 Oct 2002 10:53 am

WOW!! With that,even I could be a great singer! I guess I'll have to shop around for one. Maybe,I can get "deal" on 2 of 'em. One for me,& one for Sammy Kershaw.

------------------
<pre> ~ ~
©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.
www.ntsga.com</pre>

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 28 Oct 2002 1:59 pm

Ian,
You said it works better in instruments than human voice. Any chance you've tried it on fiddle? I need to fix some fiddle parts.

btw, there's a good editorial in MIX magazine this month about this type of 'fix in the mix' behavior in modern studios. Is it cheating? Is comping a vocal track with editing cheating? Does all this technology just define another style?

Brittany Spears canceled a concert at Red Rocks a few years ago because (it was reported) that her equipment would not fit on the stage. I'd never seen her perform and was curious about her talent - so finally saw her do an uninspired 'unplugged' performance on TV and knew instantly why she declined the Red Rocks show - with out all that stuff - she can't sing. But most people over the age of 15 know that anyway. I guess it's just business.

Like Chet Atkins said when ask about 'the Nashville Sound", he just jingled the coins in his pockets in reply.

I still need to fix that stupid fiddle part

chris

------------------
Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"We can't afford to let Nature run wild" - govt. offical - Alaska
www.seldomfed.com

Matt Steindl · Post by **Matt Steindl** » 28 Oct 2002 2:09 pm

Using an autotune would be perfect for fiddle. My only complaint(and maybe I am using it wrong!), is that when i fix some thing, it kinda slides up(or down) to the correct pitch. being that violins are fretless, it would brobably sound more natural. W/ my voice, it kinda sounds like i am yodeling.

What kinda system are the tracks recorded on? If you are doing it on PC, I can show ya how to get a free copy of the Antares autotune program.

------------------
Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 29 Oct 2002 9:53 am

Autotune only works well if you automate it and write in where you want your changes by hand over the waveform. It's very seldom that you can set it and forget it. That's why I don't think buying a hardware processor is a good idea. As a software plug in it's a great tool. BTW it does not make bad singers sound good. It makes a good singer having a bad day sound better.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 29 Oct 2002 10:44 am

I'm very curious what will happen with a nice slide on the steel from one chord to another, a nice Hughey-turnaround

------------------

my bands CODand TSC

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 29 Oct 2002 3:59 pm

It will not work on chords, but it will work on single note lines. On a slide, depending on how it's set, Auto tune will hold the note flat and then when your slide gets a quarter tone up, it will jump to the next note. It could be an interesting effect I suppose.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 29 Oct 2002 9:19 pm

Thanks guys. I don't really have a great setup and I wanted to use it going into my Roland HD recorder. But, I find the modeling noisy, and you have to really be close to pitch vocally or it does jump. I played bass through it and was pleased with the sound. I think a plug in would be more effective and I could use it in mixdown as opposed to recording with it. But, I don't record on a PC yet. I do have Samplitude on my computer for mastering, but I just have the cheap soundcard. I guess I must upgrade to get what I need. Thanks so much.
Hey, Smiley, I will sell you one!

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 30 Oct 2002 1:58 am

I only used the plug-in version. It worked fine on the sax. For fun, and when she was out of the room, we tried it on our lead singers' vocals, but she was absolutely spot-on pitch so it had nothing to do! We did muck about for some special FX, and from what I could tell if you leave the tracking fairly loose it will just tighten up the "very close" notes while leaving room for pitch bending.

So, it may well work on steel.

I have a fully licensed version at home, so if you want to send me the fiddle part as a .wav file, with some notes as to what you want corrected, I'll be happy to try it. At least it'll be a learning experience for me!

Cheers,

Ian