Antares AutoTune Live user manual

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Auto-Tune Li\be comes wit\f 29 preprogrammed scales. T\fe first t\free 
equal-tempered scales, c\fromatic, major, and minor, are t\fe ubiquitous 
scales typically found in Western tonal music. T\fe ot\fer scales are \fistorical, 
et\fnic, and micro-tonal scales. An in-dept\f discussion of t\fese scales and 
t\feir \fistory is beyond t\fe scope of t\fis manual. T\fe interested reader will 
find more information in Tuning In — Mi\bro-tonality In Ele\btroni\b Musi\b  by 
Scott R. Wilkinson, publis\fed by Hal Leonard Books.
A brief description of eac\f scale can be found in C\fapter 6, T\fe Auto-Tune 
Li\be Scales
Scale Det\fne 
T\fe Detune parameter allows you to 
c\fange t\fe pitc\f standard of Auto-
Tune Li\be from t\fe default A = 440Hz. 
T\fe \balue is set in cents (100 cents = 1 
semitone). T\fe range of adjustment 
is from -100 to +100 cents. For con\benience, t\fe detune amount is also 
displayed in Hertz relati\be to A440.
T\fe Detune function can be used to tune a \bocal performance to some 
irreparably out-of-tune instrument (a piano or organ, for example), or to 
allow correction to ot\fer t\fan t\fe con\bentional 440Hz standard.
A Tip: If you \fa\be a tone t\fat you want to use as t\fe pitc\f standard, select 
t\fat tone and play it in a loop. Adjust Scale Detune until t\fe C\fange meter 
reads zero. (You may be required to use t\fe  edit Scale Display to remo\be 
adjacent notes so t\fat Auto-Tune Li\be doesn’t tune to t\fe wrong note.)
T\fe default Scale Detune setting is 0 cents. Double-clicking or Command 
(Mac)/Control (PC) clicking t\fe Scale Detune knob will reset it to t\fat \balue.
Throat Length
As mentioned back in C\fapter 2, t\fe s\fape of a 
singer’s t\froat is a prime contributor to t\feir \bocal 
c\faracter. Auto-Tune Li\be lets you modify t\fe \bocal 
quality of a performance by actually \barying t\fe 
geometry of a p\fysical model of t\fe \fuman \bocal 
tract and processing t\fe your performance t\froug\f t\fat model in real time. 
T\fe T\froat Lengt\f control lets you modify t\fe lengt\f of t\fe modeled 
t\froat. T\fe range of t\fe control is 50 to 180.  values abo\be 100 represent a 
lengt\fening of t\fe t\froat w\file \balues below 100 represent a s\fortening of 
t\fe t\froat. 
						

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T\fe actual \balues represent t\fe percentage c\fange in t\fe t\froat lengt\f. For 
example, a \balue of 120 represents a 20% increase in t\froat lengt\f, w\file a 
\balue of 70 represents a 30% decrease in t\froat lengt\f.
NOT\b: This \bontrol is only a\bti\fe wh\Len Formant Corre\btion is engaged. \L
When Formant Corre\btion is not engag\Led, this \bontrol is disabled 
(grayed out). 
NOT\b: While this \bontrol gi\fes you the ab\Lility to radi\bally \bhange the 
throat length, keep in mind that t\Lhe \fariation in the\L length of human 
\fo\bal tra\bts is rarely more than about 20% i\Ln either dire\btion. If you are 
looking for a “realisti\b” \fo\bal \bhara\bteristi\b, start w\Lith modest setting\Ls of 
this \bontrol. More extreme settings \ban produ\be dramati\b results, but prob-
ably not what anyon\Le would \ball “realisti\b.”
Command (Mac)/Control (PC) click t\fe control to reset it to its default \balue 
of 100.
IMPORTANT NOT\b: This fun\btion is s\Lpe\bifi\bally for \bhanging the exi\Lsting 
quality of a \foi\be, not for manual formant \bompensation for pit\bh shift-
ing. Auto-Tune Li\fe automati\bally applies appropriate formant \borre\btion 
when it shifts pit\b\Lh with Formant Corre\btion Enabled.
Formant Correction
Click t\fe Formant button to toggle Auto-Tune Li\be’s formant 
correction function on and off. T\fe button will turn blue w\fen 
formant correction is acti\be and will be pale gray w\fen it is 
inacti\be. 
e ngaging Auto-Tune Li\be’s Formant Correction pre\bents t\fe s\fifting of 
a \boice’s resonant frequencies to ensure t\fat its \bocal c\faracteristics are 
preser\bed o\ber t\fe pitc\f s\fift range. (For a more complete explanation 
of formant correction, refer to t\fe Pitc\f S\fifting and Formant Correction 
section in C\fapter 2.)
AN IMPORTANT NOT\b: O\fer the \fery small\L inter\fals usually \Lasso\biated 
with basi\b pit\bh \borre\btion, formant shifting is \Lessentially inaudib\Lle 
and Auto-Tune’s \blassi\b pit\bh adju\Lstment te\bhnology s\Ltill pro\fides the 
optimum results. Formant Corre\btion is designed \Lto be used with o\fe\Lrall 
transposition or on \Ltra\bks where notes are shifted by large inter\fals. 
						

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Options
Clicking t\fe options button will bring up a window contain -
ing a number of settings t\fat fall into t\fe “set and forget” 
category. T\fey are: 
						

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Kno\f Control
Lets you select \fow you want to control t\fe \birtual “knobs” in t\fe Auto-Tune 
Li\be interface.• Linear  Position t\fe cursor o\ber a knob, press and \fold t\fe left mouse 
button (or t\fe only mouse button, if you’re using a one-button mouse) 
and mo\be t\fe cursor up or to t\fe rig\ft to turn t\fe knob clockwise or 
down or to t\fe left to turn t\fe knob counterclockwise. T\fe current \balue 
of t\fe knob’s parameter appears in its associated numeric display.
• Circular  Click anyw\fere around t\fe circumference of t\fe knob, press 
and \fold t\fe left mouse button and “rotate” t\fe knob in t\fe desired 
direction. T\fe current \balue of t\fe knob’s parameter appears in its 
associated numeric display.
• Follow Host  Some \fosts also allow you to select a knob control met\fod 
and pass t\fat selection on to plug-ins. If yours does, selecting Follow 
Host will automatically set Auto-Tune Li\be’s Knob Control to t\fe met\fod 
selected in your \fost. If you select Follow Host, but your \fost doesn’t 
supply t\fat information to Auto-Tune Li\be, knob control will default to 
Linear.
MIDI Control A\b\bignment\b
T\fese controls let you assign MIDI controllers to \barious Auto-Tune Li\be 
controls for real-time MIDI control of key Auto-Tune Li\be performance 
parameters from a MIDI controller keyboard or ot\fer MIDI control surface. 
(Refer to your \fost application’s manual for details on \fow to route MIDI to 
Auto-Tune Li\be.)
For eac\f a\bailable control, you can select a MIDI controller in t\fe range 
of Controller 0 to Controller 119. Alternati\bely, you can select “N/A” (Not 
Assigned) to exempt a particular control from any MIDI control.
Additionally, you can type Controller numbers directly into t\fe data fields. 
e ntering “0” is t\fe same as selecting N/A. If you attempt to enter a number 
t\fat is not in t\fe range 0–119, you will not be able to proceed until you select 
or enter a number in t\fat range.
NOT\b: If you assign the \Lsame MIDI \bontroller to multiple \LAuto-Tune Li\fe 
\bontrols, only one of th\Lem will a\btually respond to that \bontroller (whi\bh 
one responds depends on\L the parti\bular mix\L of \bontrols sele\bted).  
So in general, don’t do that. 
						

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MIDI Input Channel
T\fis control lets you select t\fe MIDI c\fannel to w\fic\f Auto-Tune Li\be 
responds. T\fe c\foices are c\fannels 1–16 or omni (i.e., Auto-Tune Li\be will 
respond to messages on any MIDI c\fannel). Additionally, you can select  oFF, 
w\fic\f turns off MIDI control, regardless of w\fet\fer any controls are mapped 
in t\fe section abo\be.
NOT\b: Although these da\Lys \firtually all maj\Lor hosts allow the\L routing 
of MIDI to plug-ins\L, there may still be a few hosts lurking o\Lut there that 
do not support it.\L If you happen to b\Le using one of thos\Le, the abo\fe MIDI 
fun\btions will not \Lbe sele\btable.
Save a\b default
W\fen t\fe “Sa\be as default” box is c\fecked, any c\fanges you make to t\fe 
\barious  options settings are sa\bed as defaults for all future instances of 
Auto-Tune Li\be. 
If you want to make a temporary c\fange to an  option setting for a particular 
track, but want to retain t\fe pre\bious default for future instances, unc\feck 
t\fe “Sa\be as default” box before clicking t\fe Sa\be button. Your modified 
\balue will take effect in t\fe current instance of Auto-Tune Li\be, but future 
instances will re\bert to t\fe pre\biously sa\bed \balue.
Bypass
Auto-Tune Li\be does not include a dedicated Bypass control as t\fat function 
is typically pro\bided by t\fe \fost application’s plug-in interface. 
Pitch Correction F\fnctions
Retune Speed
Retune Speed controls \fow rapidly t\fe 
pitc\f correction is applied to t\fe incoming 
sound. T\fe units are milliseconds. A \balue of 
zero will cause instantaneous c\fanges from 
one tone to anot\fer and will completely 
suppress a \bibrato (note t\fat any related \bol -
ume c\fanges will remain).  values from 10 to 
50 are typical for \bocals (unless you’re going for t\fe iconic Auto-Tune  vocal 
e ffect effect, in w\fic\f case use 0). Larger \balues let t\froug\f more \bibrato 
and ot\fer interpretati\be pitc\f gestures but also slow down \fow rapidly pitc\f 
corrections are made. 
Alt\foug\f t\fe abo\be suggestions can be used as starting points, finding t\fe 
correct Retune Speed setting for a particular performance is largely a matter 
of trial-and-error and depends on suc\f attributes as song tempo, note dura -
tion and \bocal style, among ot\fers. As always, let your ears be your guide. 
						

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T\fe default Retune Speed \balue is 20. Double-clicking or Command (Mac)/
Control (PC) clicking t\fe Retune Speed knob will reset it to t\fat \balue.Humanize
one situation t\fat can be problematic is a 
performance t\fat includes bot\f \bery s\fort notes 
and longer sustained notes. T\fe problem is t\fat 
in order to get t\fe s\fort notes in tune, you’d 
\fa\be to set a fast Retune Speed, w\fic\f would 
t\fen make any sustained notes sound unnatu -
rally static. Luckily, t\fe Humanize function easily 
sol\bes t\fis problem.
T\fe Humanize function differentiates between s\fort and sustained notes 
and lets you apply a slower Retune Speed just to t\fe sustained notes. T\fus, 
t\fe s\fort notes are in tune and t\fe sustained notes still allow t\fe natural 
\bariations of t\fe original performance.
Here’s \fow it works:
Start by setting Humanize to 0 and adjusting t\fe Retune Speed until t\fe 
s\fortest problem notes in t\fe performance are in tune. At t\fis point, any 
sustained notes may sound unnaturally static. If so, start ad\bancing t\fe 
Humanize control. T\fe \fig\fer t\fe Humanize setting, t\fe more t\fe Retune 
Speed is slowed for sustained notes. T\fe goal is to find t\fe point w\fere t\fe 
sustained notes are also in tune and just enoug\f of t\fe natural \bariation 
in t\fe performance is present in t\fe sustained notes to sound natural and 
realistic. (If you set Humanize too \fig\f, any problem sustained notes may 
not be fully corrected.)
T\fis is anot\fer of t\fose settings w\fere you \fa\be to let your ears be your 
guide. T\fe optimum Humanize setting for any particular performance will 
depend on t\fe performance style, t\fe ot\fer parameter settings and t\fe 
specific effect you desire.
T\fe default Humanize setting is 0. Double-clicking or Command (Mac)/
Control (PC) clicking t\fe Humanize knob will reset it to t\fat \balue.
Natural Vi\frato
T\fe Natural vibrato function allows 
real-time modification (eit\fer increase or 
decrease) of t\fe dept\f of any \bibrato pres -
ent in t\fe input audio w\file preser\bing t\fe 
original s\fape and c\faracter of t\fe \bibrato. 
						

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T\fis function uses t\fe same Stoc\fastic optimal Linear  estimation T\feory 
as t\fe Targeting Ignores  vibrato function (described below) to differentiate 
between \bibrato and intended pitc\f c\fanges, adjusting t\fe \bibrato dept\f 
w\file lea\bing intended pitc\f c\fanges intact.
T\fe Natural  vibrato function acts independently of t\fe pitc\f correction 
functions.  of particular note is t\fe fact t\fat setting a scale note or notes 
to Bypass still allows \bibrato adjustment for t\fose notes. So, if you want to 
adjust a performance’s \bibrato w\file making no ot\fer pitc\f c\fanges, you 
can simply set all scale notes to Bypass and still use t\fe Natural  vibrato 
function to adjust \bibrato dept\f.
NOT\b: This fun\btion a\bts \Lonly on \fibrato present in the origi\Lnal perfor -
man\be. If the original performan\be does not \bontain \fibrato, this \bontrol 
will ha\fe no audibl\Le effe\bt.
ANOTH\bR NOT\b: Natural Vibrato adjustments fun\L\btion independently\L 
of the Create Vibrato fun\btions des\bri\Lbed below. Howe\fer, sin\be both 
fun\btions \ban operate simultaneously, they \ban intera\bt in ways that ma\Ly 
or may not be usefu\Ll, depending on you\Lr intent. In most \bases, you should 
probably use one or t\Lhe other.
T\fe default Natural  vibrato setting is 0. Double-clicking or Command (Mac)/
Control (PC) clicking t\fe Natural  vibrato knob will reset it to t\fat \balue.
Targeting Ignores Vibrato
Target note identification is t\fe process by w\fic\f 
Auto-Tune decides w\fic\f note is t\fe note t\fe 
performer intended to sing or play, so t\fat it may 
re-tune any pitc\f errors closer to t\fat note. Normally, 
t\fe target note is t\fe nearest acti\be scale note to t\fe 
current input pitc\f.
T\fe Targeting Ignores  vibrato feature is designed to \felp wit\f target 
note identification w\fen t\fe performance includes \bibrato so wide t\fat 
it approac\fes adjacent scale notes. T\fe most common symptom of t\fis 
problem is a pronounced “warbling” as t\fe input is alternately tuned to 
eac\f of t\fe upper and lower adjacent notes.
W\fen t\fis function is ” on,“ Auto-Tune Li\be uses t\fe impressi\bely named 
Stoc\fastic  optimal Linear  estimation T\feory to attempt to recognize 
\bibrato and differentiate between it and intended note c\fanges.  our test -
ing \fas s\fown t\fat it works a lot of t\fe time — but not always (it depends 
a great deal on t\fe actual performance). W\fen it works, Auto-Tune Li\be 
ignores t\fe wide \bibrato as far as target note selection is concerned. W\fen  
						

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it doesn’t, it works pretty muc\f t\fe same way it would work if t\fe function 
were ”off.”
T\fe default state of t\fis control is  off. W\fen you’\be got a \bibrato problem, 
try turning it on and see if it \felps.
The \bdit Scale Display
T\fe  edit Scale Display is used to create custom scales or to modify any of 
t\fe preset scales selected in t\fe Scale popup.  edits made using t\fis display 
are associated wit\f eac\f scale. T\fat is, eac\f scale retains its own edits 
independent of t\fe ot\fer scales. For example, if you select C Major in t\fe 
Key and Scale popups and Remo\be or Bypass certain notes and t\fen c\fange 
to C Minor and make ot\fer edits, w\fen you return to C Major your pre\bious 
edits associated wit\f C MaT\fe  edit Scale window displays eac\f note of t\fe 
currently selected scale in t\fe currently selected key. If t\fe selected scale 
includes more t\fan twel\be notes, Up and Down arrows will appear to allow 
scrolling t\froug\f all of t\fe a\bailable notes.
Beside eac\f note name are two buttons: a Bypass button and a Remo\be 
button. Click on a button to toggle its state. T\fe button will lig\ft to indicate 
t\fat its mode is acti\be.
If neit\fer of t\fese buttons are lit, Auto-Tune Li\be treats t\fis note as a 
normal scale note, i.e., w\fen t\fe input pitc\f is close to t\fis note, Auto-Tune 
Li\be will correct t\fe pitc\f to t\fis note at t\fe rate set by t\fe Retune Speed 
control. 
						

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If t\fe scale selected in t\fe Scale popup contains exactly 12 notes (e.g., 
C\fromatic, Pyt\fagorean, Meantone C\fromatic, Just, etc.), t\fe virtual 
Keyboard (see below) will be acti\be and any edits to t\fe scale notes made in 
t\fe  edit Scale Display will also be reflected on t\fe  virtual Keyboard.
NOT\b: Although Auto-Tune Li\fe allows set\Lting s\bale note beha\fiors \Lin 
indi\fidual o\bta\fes, \Lany edits made \fia \Lthe Edit S\bale Display will aff\Le\bt 
all o\bta\fes. To edit notes in in\Ldi\fidual o\bta\fes, us\Le the Virtual Keyboard.
Bypa\b\b
If t\fe Bypass button is lit, w\fen t\fe input pitc\f is close to t\fis note t\fe input 
will be passed t\froug\f wit\f no correction.
Why set Scale notes to “Bypass?”
T\fere are two main reasons to set one or more scale notes to “Bypass.”
  1.  If a performance includes pitc\f gestures around one or more specific 
notes t\fat you want to preser\be wit\f no modification w\fatsoe\ber, you 
can set just t\fose notes to Bypass. T\fis lets Auto-Tune Li\be correct any 
pitc\f problems elsew\fere in t\fe scale but passes e\beryt\fing near t\fe 
bypassed notes completely unprocessed.
  2.  If a performance contains only a single error, you can set all notes to 
Bypass except t\fe one “sour” note. Auto-Tune Li\be will t\fen pass t\fe 
entire performance t\froug\f unprocessed except for t\fe sour note, 
w\fic\f will be corrected.
Remove
If t\fe Remo\be button is lit, t\fen t\fe note is simply remo\bed from t\fe cur -
rent scale. For example, selecting t\fe C\fromatic scale and t\fen setting C#, 
D#, F#, G#, A# to Remo\be would cause a C Major scale to remain. In t\fat 
case Auto-Tune Li\be would always retune t\fe input to t\fe closest note of 
t\fe C Major scale.
\bhy set Scale notes to “Remove?”
To understand w\fy it is sometimes necessary to set e\ben correct scale notes 
to ”Remo\be,“ let’s look again at t\fe example from C\fapter 2. 
						

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T\fis p\frase is in D Major and, if all t\fe pitc\f errors were no greater t\fan 
about 49 cents, would work fine wit\f a standard D Major scale (D, e, F#, 
G, A, B, C# ). Howe\ber, t\fe pitc\f error of t\free semitones at t\fe end of t\fe 
last note is so large t\fat wit\f B and C# present in t\fe Scale, as t\fe pitc\f 
fell, Auto-Tune Li\be would see first C# and t\fen B as t\fe target pitc\f and 
t\ferefore allow t\fe error to remain. Wit\f C# and B remo\bed from t\fe Scale, 
Auto-Tune Li\be continues to see D as t\fe target pitc\f for t\fe entire duration 
of t\fe note and t\ferefore pulls t\fe p\frase up to t\fe correct pitc\f.
Cent\b
T\fe number in t\fe Cents column is t\fe associated note’s inter\bal, in cents, 
from t\fe root note of t\fe scale. It’s pro\bided for reference purposes and to 
\felp you c\foose w\fic\f notes of a micro-tonal scale to include or remo\be.
Set Major/Set Minor
W\fen any scale t\fat includes more t\fan se\ben notes (i.e., any non-diatonic 
scale) is selected, t\fe Set Major and Set Minor buttons will appear. Clicking 
on eit\fer of t\fese buttons will “Remo\be” all notes from t\fe scale except 
for t\fose notes closest to t\fe notes of a traditional diatonic major or minor 
scale (depending, of course, on w\fic\f button you clicked).
1 0.0 10.5 11.0
D3
B2
ORIGINAL
PERFOR MANCE
CO
RRE CTED BY  
AU TO-TUNE LI\fE
C# 3