Auto-Tune 5 Pitch Correcting Plug-in Owner’s Manual
Hi Five! ©2006 Antares Audio Technologies. All rights reserved. Certified Isinglass-free™ All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Antares Audio Technologies 231 Technology Circle, Scotts Valley, California 95066 USA www.antarestech.com Printed in USA Rev 1.
The Obligatory Legal Mumbo-Jumbo The Antares Auto-Tune 5 software and this User’s Manual are protected by copyright law. Making copies, adaptations, or derivative works without the prior written authorization of Antares Audio Technologies, is prohibited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law. Antares Audio Technologies retains all ownership rights to the Auto-Tune 5 software and its documentation. Use of Auto-Tune 5 is limited by the following license agreement.
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. Limitation of Liability IN NO EVENT WILL ANTARES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS OR OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF AUTO-TUNE 5 OR ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS.
Contents Chapter 1 Getting Started What’s New in Auto-Tune 5 Installing and Authorizing Technical Support 3 5 6 Chapter 2 Introducing Auto-Tune 5 Some background A little bit about pitch How Auto-Tune 5 detects pitch How Auto-Tune 5 corrects pitch Automatic Mode Graphical Mode 7 7 9 9 10 12 Chapter 3 Auto-Tune 5 Controls Common Controls Automatic Mode Controls MIDI Functions Graphical Mode Controls Pen Tablet Input 15 18 23 30 39 Chapter 4 Auto-Tune 5 Tutorial Tutorial 1: Automatic Mode Basics Tutoria
vi Chapter 5 New Features Quick Start Guide Chapter 6 Creative Applications 51 57
Welcome! On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, we’d like to offer both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to purchase Auto-Tune 5, the most powerful intonation correction tool in the world. Before you proceed any farther, we’d like to strongly encourage you to register and authorize your copy of Auto-Tune 5. (You can skip ahead to the Authorization and Installation instructions on page 5. We’ll wait.
Chapter 1: Getting Started If you are new to Auto-Tune, we encourage you to read this manual and work through the tutorials in Chapter 4. It’s the quickest way to become familiar with what Auto-Tune 5 does and how it does it. If you are upgrading from a previous version of Auto-Tune, you will find that most of what you’re already doing will continue to work in Auto-Tune 5, only better.
• Selectable Clock Source: For hosts that do not provide valid time information, Auto-Tune 5’s clock display and selection functions let you use an internal time reference for AutoTune 4 style operation. • Realtime pitch tracking display: During the Track Pitch process, the graphic representation of the pitch will be displayed in realtime as the audio plays.
The Contents Of This Manual Installing Auto-Tune 5 Chapter 1: Getting Started The chapter you are reading. Any unique instructions for installing AutoTune 5 for your specific plug-in format are located in the Auto-Tune 5 Read Me file that accompanies the plug-in. This file may also contain any last-minute Auto-Tune 5 information that didn’t make it into this manual. Chapter 2: Introducing Auto-Tune 5 This chapter explains basic facts about pitch and how Auto-Tune 5 functions to correct pitch errors.
Technical Support In the unlikely event that you experience a problem using Auto-Tune 5, first try the following 1. Make sure you have the latest version of the software. You can download and install the latest version of the software from the following web page: http://www.antarestech.com/download/ update.shtml 2. If you are having problems authorizing your software, be sure that you have the latest version of the PACE Interlok drivers.
Chapter 2: Introducing Auto-Tune 5 Some background In 1997, Antares Audio Technologies first introduced the ground-breaking Auto-Tune Pitch Correcting Plug-In. Auto-Tune was a tool that actually corrected the pitch of vocals and other solo instruments, in real time, without distortion or artifacts, while preserving all of the expressive nuance of the original performance. Recording Magazine called Auto-Tune a “holy grail of recording.
exactly, as in the periodic waveform shown in the diagram below: Because of its periodic nature, this sound’s pitch can be easily identified and processed by Auto-Tune 5. Other sounds are more complex. This waveform: is of a violin section playing a single note in unison. Our ears still sense a specific pitch, but the waveform does not repeat itself. This waveform is a summation of a number of individually periodic violins.
How Auto-Tune 5 detects pitch In order for Auto-Tune 5 to automatically correct pitch, it must first detect the pitch of the input sound. Calculating the pitch of a periodic waveform is a straightforward process. Simply measure the time between repetitions of the waveform. Divide this time into one, and you have the frequency in Hertz. Auto-Tune 5 does exactly this: It looks for a periodically repeating waveform and calculates the time interval between repetitions.
10 Automatic Mode Auto-Tune 5’s Automatic Mode works by continuously tracking the pitch of an input sound and comparing it to a user-defined scale. The scale tone closest to the input is continuously identified. If the input pitch exactly matches the scale tone, no correction is applied. If the input pitch varies from the desired scale tone, an output pitch is generated which is closer to the scale tone than the input pitch.
11 Retune Speed Auto-Tune 5 also gives you control over how rapidly, in time, the pitch adjustment is made toward the scale tone. This is set with the Retune Speed control (see Chapter 3 for more details). • Fast Speed settings are appropriate for short duration notes and for mechanical instruments, like oboe or clarinet, whose pitch typically changes almost instantly. A fast enough setting will also minimize or completely remove a vibrato, as well as produce the infamous “Cher effect.
12 Graphical Mode The Graphical Mode is similar to the Automatic Mode in that it also continuously tracks the pitch of the incoming sound and modifies the output pitch to be closer to a desired pitch. But in the Graphical Mode, the desired pitch is not a predefined scale tone, but rather is a graphical representation of your desired pitch. As in Automatic Mode, the rate of change towards the desired pitch is controlled by the Retune Speed control.
13 The Graphical Mode also includes the Envelope Graph, which displays the amplitude (loudness) envelope of the sound whose pitch is shown in the Pitch Graph. The horizontal scale of this graph will either 1) show the envelope of the entire extent of the pitchdetected sound or 2) align with the horizontal scale and position of the Pitch Graph above it. In Graphical Mode, you can draw the desired target pitches using line and curve drawing tools or selectively modify the existing pitch contours.
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15 Chapter 3: Auto-Tune 5 Controls This chapter is a reference for all of the controls used in the Auto-Tune 5 interface. How these controls are used together for intonation correction is demonstrated in Chapter 4, Auto-Tune 5 Tutorial. If you are upgrading from Auto-Tune 4, you can probably skip ahead to Chapter 5, New Feature Quick Start Guide. Common Controls The following controls and displays are visible regardless of which operating mode is selected.
16 most isolated track. For example, if one track is a close mic’d vocal while the other is mic’d from farther away for ambience, or is heavily processed, select the close mic’d track. ANOTHER NOTE: Auto-Tune 5 will only pitch correct true stereo tracks. If the second track (i.e., the track not selected as a pitch reference) is simply an independent unrelated track, unpredictable (and potentially unpleasant) sounds may result. On the other hand, something interesting might happen. You never know.
17 KNOB CONTROL Lets you select how you want to control the “knobs” in the Auto-Tune 5 interface. VERTICAL: Position the cursor over a knob, press and hold the left mouse button (or the only mouse button, if you’re using a one-button mouse) and move the cursor up to turn the knob clockwise or down to turn the knob counterclockwise. The current value of the knob’s parameter appears in its associated numeric display.
18 Automatic Mode Controls Knobs and Sliders Auto-Tune 5’s continuous controls are represented graphically as knobs or sliders. Depending on your preference, you can control knobs by vertical, horizontal or radial mouse movement. Set your preference in the Options dialog described above. Double-clicking on a knob will return it to its default value.
19 • • • • • • by tuning twelve pure perfect fifths upward and adjusting the octaves downward. This leads to some pure intervals and some very impure intervals. Just (major chromatic): a twelve-tone scale. Just intonation tunes the most frequently used intervals to be pure (integer ratios in frequency). These tunings depend on the mode (major or minor) and the key. This scale is tuned for major mode. Just (minor chromatic): (See Just (major chromatic), above) Meantone chrom.: a twelve-tone scale.
20 The Edit Scale Display The Edit Scale Display is used to create custom scales or to modify any of the preset scales. Edits made using this display are associated with each scale. That is, each scale retains its own edits independent of the other scales. For example, if you select C Major and Remove or Bypass certain notes and then change to C Minor and make other edits, when you return to C Major your previous edits associated with C Major will be restored.
21 2. If a performance contains only a single error, you can set all notes to Bypass except the one “sour” note. Auto-Tune 5 will then pass the entire performance through unprocessed except for the sour note, which will be corrected. Remove If the Remove button is lit, then the note is simply removed from the current scale. For example, selecting the Chromatic scale and then setting C#, D#, F#, G#, A# to Remove would cause a C Major scale to remain.
22 Virtual Keyboard The Virtual Keyboard displays Auto-Tune 5’s pitch detection range and acts as a realtime display of the currently detected pitch, a display of the current Scale settings, and as a tool for setting target note behaviors in specific octaves.
23 A TIP: The main purpose of the Momentary function is to allow you to deal easily with specific individual events in a performance. However, you can also use it to “play” the target melody notes in real time. To do this, set the scale to Chromatic and use the Scale Edit window Remove All button to remove all notes from the scale. Set Keyboard Edit to Remove and Momentary to On. Now use your mouse to play the target melody on the keyboard.
24 As each note is played, the corresponding Remove button in the Edit Scale Display is turned off (adding that note to the scale as a Scale Note). Assume, for example, that your melody starts with D, B, and then A. After playing those notes the display would look the above. When you have played the entire melody, press the Learn Scale From MIDI button again to end the process. The Edit Scale Display will now contain a scale containing only those notes that appeared in your melody.
25 When this function is ”On,“ Auto-Tune 5 uses the impressively named Stochastic Optimal Linear Estimation Theory to attempt to recognize vibrato and differentiate between it and intended note changes. Our testing has shown that it works a lot of the time — but not always (it depends a great deal on the actual performance). When it works, Auto-Tune 5 ignores the wide vibrato as far as target note selection is concerned.
26 Nonetheless, one situation that could previously send you to Graphical Mode was a performance that included both very fast notes and longer sustained notes. The problem was that in order to get the fast notes in tune, you’d have to set a fast Retune Speed, which would then make any sustained notes sound unnaturally static. The solution was adjusting in Graphical Mode. Now, with the new Humanize function, you can get the same results quickly and easily in Automatic Mode.
27 RATE Sets the rate of the vibrato over a range of 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. The default Rate setting is 5.5 Hz. Double-clicking or Command (Mac)/Control (PC) clicking the Rate knob will reset it to that value. VARIATION Sets the amount of random variation that will be applied to the Rate and Amount parameters on a note to note basis. Useful for humanizing the vibrato by adding random “errors.” The Create Vibrato Section The controls in this section are designed to add a synthesized vibrato to the input.
28 NOTE: As mentioned above, PITCH AMOUNT Sets the amount that the pitch changes. The range is from 0 (no change) to 100 (maximum change). The default setting is 18. Command (Mac)/Control (PC) clicking the slider will reset it to that value. AMPLITUDE AMOUNT Sets the amount that the loudness changes. For the most realistic vibrato, the amount of amplitude change should be substantially less than pitch change, although for special effects, anything goes.
29 The Pitch Change Amount Indicator The Pitch Change Indicator shows you how much the pitch is being changed, measured in cents (100 cents = one semitone). For example, if the indicator bar has moved to the left to -50, it indicates that the input pitch is 50 cents too sharp and Auto-Tune 5 is lowering the pitch by 50 cents to bring the input back to the desired pitch.
30 Graphical Mode Controls Track Pitch The Track Pitch function is used to detect the pitch of the audio to be processed so that it can be displayed on the Pitch Graph Display. Locate the desired audio and press the Track Pitch button. (If you are using Auto-Tune 5’s Internal clock (see below) you may (depending on your host) need to click the Reset button to reset the clock position to 00:00:0.) The Track Pitch button will flash red to indicate that AutoTune is in Track Pitch mode.
31 Additionally, if your host does not provide valid time information or does not strictly adhere to its plug-in format specification, sync problems could ensue. In that case, see the Selectable Clock Source section below. (Again, check the Read Me file for any specific examples.) Using Internal Clock Mode To select Auto-Tune 5’s Internal clock, click the Internal button. To track and correct pitch in Internal Clock mode: 1.
32 Make Curve The Make Curve button is enabled whenever there is any red input pitch contour data present in the Pitch Graph (whether it is displayed in the current Pitch Graph view or not). Pressing the Make Curve button causes blue target pitch contour objects (curves for short) to be created from the input pitch contour data. These curve objects can then be dragged and stretched for very meticulous pitch correction.
33 Retune Speed The Retune Speed setting is used only during the pitch correction process. It’s similar in function but separate from the Retune Speed control in Automatic Mode. In Graphical Mode, the target pitch is not the scale tone nearest to the input, but rather the blue target pitch curve. The Retune Speed control allows you to specify how quickly AutoTune 5 will change the pitch of the input to that of the target pitch curve.
34 The Pitch Graph Display The Pitch Graph displays the pitch contour of the audio to be processed as well as the target pitch contour objects that you create. On this display, the vertical axis represents pitch (with higher notes towards the top) while the horizontal axis represents time. The red curve represents the original pitch contour of the input track, while the desired target pitch or pitch contour is indicated in blue. The horizontal grid lines represent scale pitches.
35 The End Of Editing Modality In previous versions of Auto-Tune, tracking pitch, editing pitch objects and correcting pitch operated in a modal manner — i.e., when you were doing any one of those things, you couldn’t do either of the others. With AutoTune 5, you are now free to use any of the graphical editing functions while either tracking or correcting pitch. • Click either Make Curve or Import Auto while tracking or correcting pitch.
36 not function in those versions. However, you can get an equivalent effect by using the Snap To Note function (see below) to constrain a line segment to a semitone, and then using the Arrow Tool to move that horizontal line segment to any intermediate pitch. Unlike the Line Tool, the Pitch Graph will not scroll if you attempt to move the Curve Tool cursor outside the current display area. If you have enabled Snap To Note mode (see below), each segment will automatically snap to the nearest semitone.
37 • Moving the Arrow Tool over a pitch contour object anchor point (whether that point is currently selected or not) causes the cursor to change into the anchor point cursor (four diagonal arrows). Clicking on an anchor point with the anchor point cursor deselects all other objects and anchor points and selects that anchor point so that it can be dragged. Dragging an anchor point stretches or compresses the pitch contour object relative to the nearest unselected anchor point(s).
38 Dragging the Magnifying Glass in the Envelope Display will cause the selected time range to appear in the Pitch Display (most useful for navigating when the Envelope Display is in “All” mode). The pitch range of the Pitch Display will be automatically scaled such that all of pitch information in that time range is visible on the screen. I-Beam Tool (6) Drag the I-Beam Tool in either the Pitch or Envelope Display to select an area for Make Curve or Import Auto or Adjust Vibrato (see above).
39 The Cut And Copy Buttons The Cut and Copy buttons become active whenever a pitch contour object is selected. Cut removes selected objects. Both Cut and Copy copy selected objects to the Auto-Tune 5 clipboard. You can then paste the objects elsewhere in the Pitch Graph display. The Paste Button The Paste button becomes active whenever an object has been Cut or Copied to the clipboard. Clicking Paste places the contents of the clipboard in the center of the current Pitch Graph view.
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41 Chapter 4: Auto-Tune 5 Tutorial This chapter introduces you to how Auto-Tune 5 works by guiding you through a number of brief tutorials. These tutorials make use of a number of audio and MIDI files. (We will assume that you are familiar with loading audio and MIDI files into your host application.) If you purchased a packaged version of Auto-Tune 5, your will find the required files in the “Tutorial Audio” folder on the installation CD ROM.
42 To continue: 1. Set the Retune Speed to about 30. 2. Play “A2-A3-A2 sweep” again. Compare the 30 setting to the 0 setting. 3. Try various other Speed settings. The setting of 0 is fast: Auto-Tune 5 makes instantaneous pitch changes. The setting of 30 is slower. Auto-Tune 5 makes gradual pitch changes. This parameter controls how rapidly the pitch correction is applied to the incoming pitch. The units are milliseconds.
43 Next, we’ll use Graphical Mode for a dramatic graphic demonstration of the effect of Targeting Ignores Vibrato: 1. Still using “wide_vibrato,” set up AutoTune 5 as described in Steps 1-5 above. 2. Set Retune Speed to 0. 3. Make sure Targeting Ignores Vibrato is Off. 4. Set Auto-Tune 5 to Graphical Mode. 5. Click the Track Pitch button and play wide_vibrato through Auto-Tune 5. A red curve representing the pitch contour of wide_vibrato will be drawn to the screen as the file plays. 9.
44 Tutorial 4: Using the Automatic Mode MIDI Functions This tutorial will introduce you to Auto-Tune 5’s two Automatic Mode MIDI functions: Learn Scale From MIDI and Target Notes Via MIDI. With Learn Scale From MIDI, you can create the correct scale for a particular melody without knowing a G-sharp from a B-flat. Simply play the melody on a MIDI keyboard which is patched through your host application to Auto-Tune 5 or play an existing MIDI file with contains the MIDI notes of the melody to be processed.
45 Tutorial 5: Graphical Mode Basics This tutorial will introduce you to the basic Graphical Mode functions, again using the “A2-A3-A2 sweep” file from Tutorial 1. Begin the tutorial by doing the following: 1. Load or import “A2-A3-A2 sweep” into a track of your host program. Play the track so that you are familiar with the original audio. 2. Set up Auto-Tune 5 to be an insert effect on that track. 3. Set Auto-Tune 5 to Automatic Mode. 4. Set the Key to “A” and the Scale to “Major.” 5.
46 Now that we have some blue lines and curves on the Pitch Graph Display, this would be a good time to become familiar with the functions of the Arrow and Scissors Tools. (Refer back to Chapter 3 for detailed descriptions of the Arrow and Scissors Tools’ behaviors.) As you experiment in the following steps, play back the file to hear the effect of each action. 7. Select the Arrow Tool. 8. Drag the Arrow Tool across the Pitch Graph to select objects. 9. Move the cursor over curves and anchor points.
47 Tutorial 7: The Make Curve Function This tutorial will introduce you to the Make Curve function. The Make Curve function gives you by far the most precise control over pitch accuracy and inflection. 1. Setup to process the file “Crowd All” through Auto-Tune 5. 2. Select Graphical Mode. 3. Press the Track Pitch button. 4. Play the “Crowd All” file. 5. Select the Magnifying Glass Tool and drag out a box on the Pitch Graph that encloses the red curve for the “-gether” part of the last word, “together.
48 1. Click the Clear All button to delete the blue curve created above. 2. Use the Line Tool to draw a horizontal line as shown below (press the Option/Alt key to constrain the line to horizontal): 3. Set the Retune Speed to 20 and play back the sound. Experiment with other Retune Speeds to hear their effects. Vibratos and other pitch gestures typically occur with related loudness gestures.
49 Tutorial 8: The Import Auto Function The Import Auto function allows you to display and edit the pitch corrections that would result from specific Automatic Mode settings. 8. Click the Import Auto button. Auto-Tune 5 will compute a new blue curve object from the existing pitch data: 1. Setup to process the file “Crowd All” through Auto-Tune 5. 2. Select Automatic Mode and set the Key and Scale to C Major and the Retune Speed to the default of 20. 3. Select Graphical Mode. 4.
50 Note how the pitch errors from the previous curve have been removed. Also, note the “raised pitch” indicated above. This occurs because the Automatic Mode Retune slider value of 20 is slow compared to the rapidly increasing pitch that is occurring at that point in time. But even with the raised pitch, the average output pitch is centered on E3 and the phrase sounds in tune.
51 Chapter 5: New Feature Quick Start Guide This chapter brings all of the new Auto-Tune 5 features together in one place to help experienced Auto-Tune 4 users learn the new features without having to slog through all of the stuff they already know. (The items below also appear in their appropriate places elsewhere in the manual.) With a few exceptions, the new features in Auto-Tune 5 are additions to the current Auto-Tune 4 functionality.
52 notes and lets you apply a slower Retune Speed just to the sustained notes. Thus, the short notes are in tune and the sustained notes still allow the natural variations of the original performance. Here’s how it works: Start by setting Humanize to 0 and adjusting the Retune Speed until the shortest problem notes in the performance are in tune. At this point, any sustained notes may sound static. If so, start advancing the Humanize control.
53 Details YET ANOTHER NOTE: Be cautious Larger Pitch Edit Display As you’ve no doubt noticed, the Pitch Edit Display is now bigger. Lots bigger. Track Pitch The Track Pitch function is used to detect the pitch of the audio to be processed so that it can be displayed on the Pitch Graph Display. Locate the desired audio and press the Track Pitch button.
54 Selectable Clock Source For hosts that do not provide valid time information, Auto-Tune 5’s clock display and selection functions let you use an internal time reference for Auto-Tune 4 style operation. 6. Click the Reset button to reset the clock position to 00:00:0. Since all of the controls in the Clock section are used together, we will describe them as a group. Internal Clock nonetheless have the capability to automatically reset the clock to 00:00:0.
55 The End Of Editing Modality In previous versions of Auto-Tune, tracking pitch, editing pitch objects and correcting pitch operated in a modal manner — i.e., when you were doing any one of those things, you couldn’t do either of the others. With AutoTune 5, you are now free to use any of the graphical editing functions while either tracking or correcting pitch. You can, for example: • Draw new pitch objects while you are either tracking or correcting pitch.
56 change and the Adjust Vibrato function will scale the vibrato while leaving the intended pitch changes alone. But again, depending on the actual performance, sometimes this will work better than others. If Adjust Vibrato seems to be making changes to parts of the audio you’d like to leave alone, simply Undo the adjustment and use the I-Beam to select only the vibrato portions you wish to edit.
57 Chapter 6: Creative Applications for Auto-Tune Auto-Tune 5 works on vocals so well you may think that’s all it can do. Actually, lots of instruments can use it to great advantage. Fretless bass, electric violin, trombone, even the theremin, all feature continuous pitch potential, unconstrained by frets or keys. Here are some other ideas for using Auto-Tune 5: • Produce instant double tracking in one take! Record onto two tracks, processing only one of the tracks through Auto-Tune 5.
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