Antares AutoTune EFX 2 user manual

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Chapter 2: How It Works 
Some background 
In 1997, Antares first introduced the ground-breaking Auto-Tune Pitch \borrecting P\fug-In and Recording Magazine ca\f\fed Auto-Tune a “ho\fy grai\f of recording.” In the intervening years, Auto-Tune has estab\fished itse\ff as the wor\fdwide standard in professiona\f pitch correction. Today, it’s used dai\fy by tens of thousands of audio professiona\fs to save studio and editing time, ease the frustration of end\fess retakes, or save that otherwise once-in-a-\fifetime performance.
But in addition to its use in pitch correction (and now, with Auto-Tune 7, time correction as we\f\f), Auto-Tune has a\fso gained renown as the too\f of choice for what has become one of the signature voca\f sounds of our time.
First heard on \bher’s 1998 mega-hit “Be\fieve,” variations of the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect have gone on to appear on songs from a huge variety of artists in a\fmost every music genre. This has generated intense interest in the effect and introduced the magic of Auto-Tune to an even \farger community of musicians and producers. 
As a resu\ft, we have created Auto-Tune EFX 2, an affordab\fe, easy-to-use too\f for basic rea\f-time pitch correction, creating the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect and, now in version 2, our new Auto-Motion™ Voca\f Pattern Generation.
What’s it do? 
Auto-Tune EFX 2 \fets you choose between two different flavors of the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect and rea\f-time pitch correction. Additiona\f\fy, Auto-Motion Voca\f Pattern Generation \fets you add a variety of intricate musica\f patterns to your track for an entire\fy new (and sonica\f\fy dramatic) voca\f effect.
Pitch Correction
Auto-Tune EFX 2 pitch correction works by continuous\fy tracking the pitch of your voca\f and comparing it to the notes in the (user-customizab\fe) sca\fe of your song. The sca\fe note c\fosest to the input pitch is identified 
as the target note. If the voca\f’s pitch exact\fy matches the target note, no correction is app\fied. If the voca\f’s pitch varies from the target note, either sharp or flat, the output pitch is smooth\fy corrected to the target note.
Auto-Tune Vocal Effect 
The Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect is what is technica\f\fy known as “pitch quantization.” That is, instead of a\f\fowing a\f\f of the sma\f\f variations in pitch and the gradua\f transitions between notes that are a norma\f part of singing (and speaking, for that matter), the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect \fimits each note to an exact pitch, stripping out any variation, as we\f\f as forcing instantaneous transitions between notes. 
The process of choosing the pitches to quantize to is the same as described above for pitch correction. The difference is that for pitch correction, the correction is done smooth\fy in order to make the process as transparent as possib\fe. For the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect, the correction is instantaneous.
Auto-Motion Vocal Pattern Generation
Auto-Motion Voca\f Pattern Generation is a new effect that takes advantage of Auto-Tune’s superb pitch-shifting abi\fity to add intricate musica\f patterns to a voca\f performance. 
Patterns are se\fected from a bui\ft-in (and expandab\fe) \fibrary in a variety of sty\fes and can be synced to your host’s tempo at various beat divisions. At any point in your voca\f track, simp\fy c\fick the Auto-Motion Trigger button to send your voca\f on a me\fodic adventure.   
						

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How to do it  
Auto-Tune EFX 2 has been designed to make a\fmost everything automatic. Simp\fy fo\f\fow the steps be\fow: 
Pitch Correction or Auto-Tune  
Vocal Effect
 1.  Select an effect type    Auto-Tune EFX 2 provides two a\fternative versions of the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect as we\f\f as rea\f-time pitch correction.  
   Hard EFX: This is the c\fassic Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect. Sung notes wi\f\f be restricted to the exact sca\fe pitches and transitions between notes wi\f\f be instantaneous.  
   Soft EFX: This version of the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect a\f\fows s\fight pitch variations and s\fight\fy \fess instant note transitions.  
   Pitch Correct: This setting provides high-qua\fity, rea\f-time pitch correction of your voca\f, whi\fe preserving a\f\f of the expressive nuance of the origina\f performance. 
   To se\fect an effect, either c\fick and ho\fd on the Effect Type switch and move it to the desired setting or simp\fy c\fick on the desired setting to move the switch to that position. 
Your choice.
 2.  Set Tracking   In most cases, simp\fy \feaving the Tracking switch at its defau\ft setting of “Norma\f” wi\f\f 
ensure accurate pitch detection and tracking. In the rare event that you encounter a prob\fem (e.g., a voca\f p\faying back at the wrong octave), moving the switch to “\bhoosy” shou\fd make everything right.  
  3.  Select Vocal Type 
    In order to do its magic, Auto-Tune EFX 2 needs to figure out exact\fy what pitches are being sung. It wi\f\f do its best job of pitch detection if it knows the genera\f range of the voca\f part. You can he\fp it out by c\ficking on the Voca\f Type popup menu and se\fecting your track’s voca\f type. The choices are: 
  • Soprano Voice
 • A\fto/ Tenor Voice  • Baritone/Bass Voice  • Instrument (anything that isn’t actua\f\fy a voice)
  4.  Select Key and Scale    Use the Key and Sca\fe popup menus to set the Key and Sca\fe of your track. 
The appropriate Note buttons wi\f\f \fight b\fue to indicate that they are in the sca\fe and that the input voca\f can be corrected or forced to those notes.  
						

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A TIP: If you don’t know the key of your track, trial-and-error works pretty well. Start by setting Major or Minor and then just trying one Key after another until one sounds good. 
 5.  Play your track     Auto-Tune EFX 2 wi\f\f process your input voca\f and,  depending on your choice of Effect Type, wi\f\f  either correct or quantize it to the target sca\fe notes. Mr. Hand wi\f\f continuous\fy indicate the current target note.
    If you \fike the resu\ft, you’re done. If not, continue with the next step.
 6.  Custo\fize the Scale     Depending on the specific voca\f \fine, adding or removing sca\fe notes can give you distinct\fy different resu\fts. Try any combination of the fo\f\fowing: 
  • \b\fick on a \fit b\fue Note button to remove it from the sca\fe and prevent Auto-Tune EFX 2 from correcting or quantizing the output to that note. 
  • \b\fick on an un\fit Note button to add it to the sca\fe and a\f\fow Auto-Tune EFX 2 to 
correct or quantize the output to that note. 
    \b\fick and p\fay and c\fick and p\fay unti\f you get exact\fy the resu\ft you want. 
Auto-Motion Vocal Pattern Generation
 1.  Select a Pattern 
    Auto-Tune EFX 2 comes with a varied se\fection of me\fodic patterns (but see \bhapter 4 for info on expanding the se\fection and creating your own). \b\fick the Se\fect Pattern menu to pick one.
   Whi\fe we’ve tried to name each pattern in a way to suggest its sty\fe, the easiest way to become fami\fiar with them is just to try them out.
 2.  Select a Pattern Style    The Auto-Motion Pattern Sty\fe switch \fets you se\fect the speed of the transition between the notes of the pattern. The choices are simi\far to those of the Effect Type switch:
   Hard EFX: The c\fassic Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect. Transitions between notes of the pattern wi\f\f be instantaneous.   
						

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   Soft EFX: Transitions between notes of the pattern wi\f\f be s\fight\fy \fess 
instantaneous. 
   Legato: The notes of the pattern wi\f\f g\fide smooth\fy from one to the next.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Despite the similarities, the Pattern Style selection is completely independent of the Effect Style selection. For example, if you select Hard EF\b for the Effect Type and Legato for the Pattern Style, you will get classic Auto-Tune Vocal Effect on the vocal when a pattern is not being triggered, but when a pattern is being triggered, there will be smooth transitions between the notes. Conversely, if you select Pitch Correct for the Effect Type and Hard EF\b for the Pattern Style, your vocal track will be smoothly pitch-corrected while Auto-Motion patterns will exhibit the Auto-Tune Vocal Effect.
 3.  Set Pattern Te\fpo    Auto-Tune EFX 2 provides two ways to set the tempo of your se\fected pattern:
  
Sync to Host: Sync to Host mode ensures that your Auto-Motion patterns wi\f\f be perfect\fy synced to the tempo of your track (assuming, of course, that you recorded your track to a c\fick track or other time reference). Se\fectab\fe beat mu\ftip\fiers or subdivisions a\f\fow for a wide variety of comp\fex rhythmic possibi\fities.
   \b\fick the Sync to Host button (it’\f\f turn b\fue) to sync the pattern tempo to your DAW’s c\fock. The Receiving \b\fock “LED” wi\f\f \fight to confirm that it is getting a va\fid c\fock from your host. (If the LED does not \fight, check to see that your host does in fact route its c\fock to p\fug-ins. Most do, but there may sti\f\f be a few out there that don’t.)
   In Sync to Host mode, the Tempo knob \fets you se\fect what division or mu\ftip\fier of the beat wi\f\f define the \fength and position of each note of your pattern. 
   The choices are:
 • 4/4 (who\fe note, 4 beats) 
 • 3/4 (dotted ha\ff note, 3 beats) 
 • 2/4 (ha\ff note, 2 beats) 
 • 1/4. (dotted quarter note) 
 • 1/4 (quarter note, one beat)
 • 1/4T (quarter note trip\fet) 
 • 1/8. (dotted 8th note) 
 • 1/8 (8th note) 
 • 1/8T (8th note trip\fet) 
 • 1/16. (dotted 16th note) 
 • 1/16 (16th note)
 • 1/16T (16th note trip\fet) 
 • 1/32. (dotted 32nd note) 
 • 1/32 (32nd note) 
 • 1/32T (32nd note trip\fet)
    For examp\fe, if you se\fect 4/4, each note of your pattern wi\f\f \fast for four beats, whi\fe se\fecting 1/16 wi\f\f resu\ft in one pattern note per sixteenth note. 
   Absolute BPM: When Sync to Host is not se\fected, the Tempo knob \fets you set the tempo in beats per minute. The avai\fab\fe range is 20 BPM to 260 BPM.  
						

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 4.  Trigger the Pattern  
P\fay your track. At any point, c\fick and ho\fd 
the Trigger button to p\fay the se\fected pattern. \bontinuing to ho\fd down the Trigger button wi\f\f cause the pattern to repeat for as \fong as you ho\fd it down. Re\fease the Trigger button to stop the pattern. Repeat as desired.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the Auto-Motion patterns are being generated from your vocal track, they will only play as long as there is actually vocal present on the track. If you continue to hold down the Trigger button in a portion of the track where there is no vocal, the pattern will cease sounding. However, the pattern will continue to cycle through the silence and will again sound at the point that the vocal once again enters.
ANOTHER NOTE: The overall pitch of the pattern is determined by the note being sung at the moment you click the Trigger button. If you continue to hold down the button, the pattern will continue to repeat at the same pitch, regardless of the pitch of subsequently sung notes. However, if you briefly release and then re-click the button during a different note, the pattern will be transposed to reflect the pitch of the new note. 
Auto-Motion Pattern Generation offers enormous possibi\fities for striking effects. As a\fways, experimentation is the order of the day
Some useful tips 
Pitch Correction and Auto-Tune  
Vocal Effect
  1.  If you’re not getting the resu\ft you want, even though you’re sure you’ve set the correct Key and Sca\fe, try some other keys and/or sca\fes. Sometimes a me\fody might actua\f\fy give a more interesting effect in other than its “correct” sca\fe.
  2.  Use your host’s automation faci\fity to change the Key or Sca\fe, or togg\fe the state of various Note buttons, in rea\f time. This is particu\far\fy usefu\f for songs with comp\fex chord progressions or modu\fations.
  3.  Try the chromatic sca\fe. If you are doing pitch correction and the singer is never more than 49 cents off (i.e., just \fess than ha\ff a semi-tone — actua\f\fy a pretty huge error), everything shou\fd work just fine, regard\fess of key changes or modu\fations.
    A\fthough our experience shows that if you’re going for the c\fassic Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect, chromatic rare\fy provides it, for a specific song, it might be just what you want.
 4.  \breate a custom sca\fe for a particu\far voca\f track. Start by se\fecting any chromatic sca\fe and remove se\fected notes unti\f you’re \feft with a combination that sounds good.
  5.  Try re-pitching the voca\f \fine. Watch Mr. Hand and note which notes appear in the me\fody. Remove one or more of those notes from the sca\fe and try adding various adjacent notes. You might end up with something interesting (but then again, you might not).
  6.  Don’t forget your host’s Bypass function. Limiting the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect to specific phrases can provide sonic contrast in your song.  
						

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Auto-Motion Vocal Pattern Generation
 1.  Auto-Motion depends on the same Voice Type, Tracking, Key, and Sca\fe settings as pitch correction and the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect. Even if you aren’t doing pitch correction or using the Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect, be sure to correct\fy set those contro\fs.
  2.  Try using different patterns in different parts of your track by using your host’s automation capabi\fity to switch patterns at the appropriate points in the track.
  3.  Try triggering a pattern on different beats or beat subdivisions of your track. Starting a pattern on an offbeat or beat subdivision can have a very different rhythmic effect than starting it on a downbeat.
  4.  Experiment with trip\fet or (especia\f\fy) dotted-note subdivisions for interesting po\fyrhythmic or syncopated resu\fts. As in #3 above, try triggering them on offbeats or beat subdivisions for even more rhythmic interest
  5.  Set a pattern to a very fast tempo or sma\f\f note subdivision (if using Sync to Host) and repeated\fy retrigger the pattern for an unusua\f rhythmic stuttering effect.
  6.  Have fun!  
						

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Chapter 3: \futo-\bune EFX 2 \butorials 
This chapter introduces you to how Auto-Tune EFX 2 works by guiding you through three brief tutoria\fs. The tutoria\fs require a number of audio fi\fes. They can be found on the Auto-Tune EFX 2 DVD, or you can down\foad them from:  
http://www.antarestech.com/down\foad/update.shtm\f 
Then just fo\f\fow these steps: 
Tutorial 1: Auto-Tune Vocal Effect 
 1.  \breate a new project in your host and import the tutoria\f fi\fes “hidin_voca\f.wav” and “hidin_accomp.wav” onto two tracks of the project.
  2.  P\fay the tracks and adjust their re\fative \feve\fs to your taste.
  3.  Instantiate Auto-Tune EFX 2 on the voca\f track. Set Effect Type to “Hard EFX.”
  4.  Set Voca\f Type to “a\fto/tenor.” Set Key to “A flat” and set Sca\fe to “minor.”
  5.  P\fay your project. Voi\fà! Instant Auto-Tune Voca\f Effect.
  6.  \bhange the Effect Type to “Soft EFX” and p\fay again to hear the difference.
  7.  Switch back to Hard EFX and c\fick the A#/Bb button to remove that note form the sca\fe.
  8.  P\fay the project again and note that you’ve subt\fy changed the me\fody. The sy\f\fab\fe “-ther” of “together” and the word “on” at the end of the second phrase are now forced to “B” instead of their origina\f Bb.
Tutorial 2: Pitch Correction 
  1.  Mute or discard the tracks from Tutoria\f 1 from your project. 
  2.  Import the tutoria\f fi\fes “dont_give_up_voca\f.wav” and “dont_give_up_accomp.wav” onto two tracks of your project.
  3.  P\fay the tracks and adjust their re\fative \feve\fs to your taste. Note the various pitch prob\fems in the voca\f.*
  4.  Instantiate Auto-Tune EFX 2 on the voca\f track. Set Effect Type to “Pitch \borrect.”
  5.  Set Voca\f Type to “soprano.” Set Key to “D” and set Sca\fe to “major.”
  6.  P\fay your project. Voi\fà! Instant pitch correction.
  * Our very talented singer made us promise to tell you that she did this on purpose at our request.  
						

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Tutorial 3: Auto-Motion Vocal 
Pattern Generation
The best way to become fami\fiar with Auto-Motion is simp\fy to p\fay around with it. To get started:
 1.  Load the “hidin” fi\fes from Tutoria\f 1 and set the contro\fs as instructed in that tutoria\f.
  2.  Set your host’s tempo to 132 BPM and set the Auto-Motion tempo to “Sync to Host” and “1/16.”
  3.  Set the Auto-Motion Pattern Sty\fe to Hard EFX.
  4.  Se\fect the pattern “Ha\ff Steps.”
  5.  Start p\faying the project. \b\fick and ho\fd the Trigger button at the beginning of the words “fa\f\fing apart” at the end of the second phrase. Ho\fd the button through these words and then re\fease it. 
  6.  \b\fick and ho\fd the Trigger button again at the beginning of measure 10 (in the midd\fe of the phrase “you’re in the dark”). Re\fease it at the end of the phrase.
  7.  Repeat again at the beginning of measure 16 (at the beginning of the phrase “nothing at a\f\f”).
  8.  Fina\f\fy, repeat again at the beginning of measure 20 (at the beginning of the phrase “set up to fa\f\f”).
  9.  Repeat a\f\f of the above using a different pattern (e.g., try “\bircu\far S\fur” for a bit more dramatic effect or “Down 4 Up 1” for some serious wackiness). 
\bontinue to experiment with different patterns, different note divisions, and different combinations of Effect Type and Pattern Type settings. 
Most of a\f\f, have fun.  
						

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Chapter 4: Creating, Editing and 
Updating \futo-Motion Patterns
For the adventuresome among you, Auto-Tune EFX 2’s patterns are stored in a dedicated fi\fe in the standard MusicXML format. Besides making it easy for us to re\fease updated and expanded pattern co\f\fections without having to re\fease comp\fete\fy new versions of the p\fug-in, it a\fso a\f\fows anyone with an app\fication that can open and edit MusicXML fi\fes (and there are free open source apps that can do this) to edit existing patterns and create entire\fy new patterns of their own devising.
If this interests you, p\fease refer to the “Updating, Editing and \breating Pattern Fi\fes” PDF document inc\fuded on your insta\f\fation DVD or down\foadab\fe from: 
http://www.antarestech.com/down\foad/update.shtm\f