Antares AutoTune user manual

							 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
i
 
Auto-Tune
 
User Õs Manual
 
tm
 
Intonation Correcting Plug-In 
						

							 
ii
 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
© 2000 Antares Audio Technologies. All Rights Reserved.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Antares Audio Technologies
464 Montery Ave. 2nd Floor
Los Gatos, CA 95030
voice: (888) 332-2636
fax: (408) 399-0036
email: [email protected]
web: www.antarestech.com
Printed in USA Rev 1 04/2000
Auto-Tune software and this User Õs 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 con-
stitutes a punishable violation of the law. 
Antares Audio Technologies retains all ownership rights to the Auto-Tune
software and other software offered by Antares Audio Technologies and
their documentation. Use of Auto-Tune is limited by the license agreement
printed on the envelope containing your original diskette and distributed
on Þles with Auto-Tune. This license agreement also appears below.
All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
 
Auto-Tune License Agreement 
 
Carefully read all the terms and conditions of this license agreement. If you do not agree with
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, notifying Antares Audio Technologies and de-
stroying all copies of the manual, and erasing Auto-Tune from all machine-readable media,
whether on-line or on archival copies. 
Software License Agreement 
Antares Audio Technologies grants you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use
Auto-Tune, under the terms and conditions stated in this agreement. Use of Auto-Tune indi-
cates your agreement to the following terms and conditions.  
License 
						

							 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
iii
 
You may:
1. use Auto-Tune on only one computer at a time;
2. physically transfer the program from one computer to another, provided that the 
program is used on only one computer at a time.
You may not:
1.  make copies of Auto-Tune or of the user manual in whole or in part except as ex-
pressly provided for in this agreement. Your right to copy Auto-Tune and the user 
manual is limited by copyright law. Making copies, verbal or media translations, 
adaptations, derivative works, or telecommunication data transmission of Auto-
Tune without prior written authorization of Antares Audio Technologies, is prohib-
ited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law.
2.  make alteration or modifications to Auto-Tune (or any copy) or disassemble or de-
compile Auto-Tune (or any copy), or attempt to discover the source code of Auto-
Tune. 
3.  sub license, lease, lend, rent, or grant other rights in all or any portion of Auto-Tune 
(or any copy) to others. 
Term of the Agreement  
This agreement is effective until terminated by you or Antares Audio Technologies. You may
terminate the agreement at any time by notifying Antares Audio Technologies and destroying
all copies of the manual, and erasing Auto-Tune from all machine-readable media, whether
on-line or on archival copies. 
In the event of breach of any of the terms of this agreement, you shall pay the attorneys fees
of Antares Audio Technologies that are reasonably necessary to enforce the agreement plus
resulting damages.  
Limited Warranty and Disclaimer 
Auto-Tune AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ÒAS ISÓ WITHOUT
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FIT-
NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Antares Audio Technologies does not warrant that the functions contained in the program will
meet your requirements. The entire risk as to the use, quality, and performance of Auto-Tune
is with you. Antares Audio Technologies warrants the diskettes on which the program is fur-
nished to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of
ninety (90) days from the day of delivery to you as evidenced by a copy of your receipt. An-
tares Audio Technologies entire liability and your exclusive remedy as to the diskettes will
be the replacement of the diskettes.
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IM-
PLIED 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, CONSEQUEN-
TIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF Auto-Tune OR AC-
COMPANYING MATERIALS. THIS LIMITATION WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANTARES
OR ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH 
						

							 
iv
 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
DAMAGE. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LICENSE FEE REFLECTS THIS ALLO-
CATION OF RISK. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OR EX-
CLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO
THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. 
Welcome! 
On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, weÕd like to offer
both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to purchase the
Antares Auto-Tune, the most powerful intonation correction tool in the
world.
Before you proceed any farther, weÕd like to strongly encourage you to Þll
out and return the Auto-Tune registration card. To make it as easy as possi-
ble, weÕve included a sticker with your serial number attached to the card.
The serial number also appears on the bottom of the box, but itÕs probably a
good idea also to write it in your manual for future reference.
As an Auto-Tune owner, you are entitled to receive notiÞcation of any soft-
ware upgrades, technical support, and advance announcements of upcom-
ing products. But we canÕt send you stuff unless we know who and where
you are. So please, send that card in.
At Antares, we are committed to excellence in quality, customer service,
and technological innovation. With your purchase of the Auto-Tune, you
have created a relationship with Antares which we hope will be long and
gratifying. Let us know what you think. You can count on us to listen.
Again, thanks.
The Whole Antares Crew 
						

							 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
v
 
Table of Contents
 
CHAPTER 1
 
Getting Started 7 
A few words from Dr. Andy 7
How To Use This Manual 8
The Contents Of This Manual 8 
Chapter 1: Getting Started 8
Chapter 2: Introducing Auto-Tune 8
Chapter 3: Auto-Tune Tutorial 8
Chapter 4: Auto-Tune Controls 8 
Installing Auto-Tune 9
Authorizing Auto-Tune 9
Proof of Purchase: 9
Challenge String: 9
Technical Support 10 
CHAPTER 2
 
Introducing Auto-Tune 11 
What Is Pitch? 11
Some Terminology 12
The Purpose of Pitch Correction 13
How Auto-Tune Detects Pitch 14
How Auto-Tune Corrects Pitch 15
Auto-Tune Modes: Automatic and Graphical 16
The Automatic  Mode 16
The Graphical Mode 18 
CHAPTER 3
 
Auto-Tune Tutorial 21 
Lesson 1: Automatic Mode Controls 21
Lesson 2: Graphical Mode 24
Keyboard equivalents: 28
Lesson 3: A Quiz 29
Lesson 4: Precision 30
Lesson 5: Using the Make Curve Button 30 
						

							 
vi
 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
Lesson 6: Using the Make Auto Button 34
More Information and Usage Tips 37 
CHAPTER 4
 
Auto-Tune Controls 39 
Automatic Mode Controls 39
The Scale popup 39 
Modern equal temperament: 39
Historical tunings: 40
Ethnic Tunings: 40
Contemporary Tunings: 41 
The Key popup 42
The Edit Scale button 42
The Scale Detune slider 44
The Retune slider 45
The Tracking slider 45
The Vibrato Section 45
The Change meter 46
Graphical Mode Controls 46
The Arrow  buttons 46
The Graphical tools 47 
The Line tool 47
The Curve tool 47
The Pointer tool 47
The Zoom/Select tool 48 
The Undo button 48
The Cut and Copy buttons 48
The Paste Button 48
The Select All Button 49
Keyboard equivalents: 49
The Make Curve button 49
The Make Auto button 49
The Tracking slider 50
The Retune slider 51
The Playback controls 51 
The Track Pitch button 51
The Correct Pitch button 52
The Buffer size control 52 
						

							 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
7
 
CHAPTER 1
 
Getting Started
 
A few words from Dr. Andy 
I remember, as if it were yesterday, sitting in my junior high school band, happily
playing away on my ßute, when I noticed that our conductor was screaming and
jumping up and down on the podium. What was this about? Suddenly, I realized she
was screaming at me. And just in time too Ñ since I was able to duck and watch a
baton ßy past my head, missing me by inches. ÒWhy [expletive] canÕt you play in
tune?Ó she asked. But I was in tune. Everybody else was out of tune. It was then I
began to learn about intonation.
Many artists struggle with intonation. An entire concert can be spoiled by a single
sour note. Many of our most celebrated entertainers spend hours in the studio doing
retake after retake, trying to sing expressively and in tune. Afterwards, their produc-
ers spend yet more time trying to correct intonation problems using inadequate tools.
Auto-Tune is dramatically changing all of that. Because of Auto-Tune, sessions can
focus on feeling and expression, rather than retakes. Studio hours are reduced and
production costs are lowered. Even artists in live performance situations can concen-
trate on interpretation, conÞdent that any pitch inaccuracies will be caught and cor-
rected before they make it out to the audience.
WhatÕs more, Auto-Tune is incredibly easy to use (a fact attested to by the thinness of
this manual). So Þre up Auto-Tune, invest a half hour or so in reading the following
pages, and prepare to make intonation problems a thing of the past.
Andy Hildebrand Ph.D.
Founder and Chief Scientist
[email protected] 
						

							 
Getting Started
 
8
 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
How To Use This Manual 
Auto-Tune has a transparent user-interface and is extraordinarily easy to
use. However, because Auto-Tune does things that have never been done
before, some aspects of the user-interface will not be immediately obvious.
You must read either Chapter 3, Auto-Tune Tutorial, or Chapter 4, Auto-
Tune Controls, to learn the essential information you will need to operate
Auto-Tune.
 
The Contents Of This Manual
 
Chapter 1: Getting Started
 
The chapter you are reading.
 
Chapter 2: Introducing Auto-Tune
 
This chapter explains basic facts about pitch and how Auto-Tune functions
to correct for pitch errors. The basic functionality of Auto-Tune is discussed,
and information you need to use it effectively is provided.
 
Chapter 3: Auto-Tune Tutorial
 
This chapter introduces you to details of how Auto-Tune works by guiding
you through several tutorials. All of the important controls are explained.
Also, important hints and tips are presented that will help you use Auto-
Tune effectively. If you only r
ead one chapter, read this one.
 
Chapter 4: Auto-Tune Controls
 
This chapter is reference information for all of the controls used in the Auto-
Tune interface. Much of the information in this chapter is also presented in
Chapter 3, however, some of the less important controls are only explained
in Chapter 4.  
						

							 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
9
 
Installing Auto-Tune
 
Installing Auto-Tune 
Instructions for installing Auto-Tune for your speciÞc platform are located
in the Auto-Tune Read Me Þle on the CD ROM. This Þle may also contain
any last-minute Auto-Tune information that didnÕt make it into this man-
ual.
 
Authorizing Auto-Tune 
Authorization (the process by which the Auto-Tune software installed on
your computer is allowed to run) is accomplished by a technique called
Challenge/Response. This is described in detail in the Read Me Þle, but
basically, the Þrst time you launch Auto-Tune you will be presented with a
string of letters (the Challenge) and will be asked to enter another string of
letters (the Response).
To receive the appropriate Response, you will need to provide us with both
proof of purchase and your Challenge string. Here are the options for
accomplishing this:
 
Proof of Purchase:
 
¥
 
Fill out your warranty card and fax it, with the serial number sticker
attached, to (408) 399-0036. This is a preferred option in that you can be
certain that it has arrived prior to your requesting your Response.
 
¥
 
If you have access to a scanner, scan your warranty card (after Þlling it
out) with the serial number sticker attached and send it as a JPEG attach-
ment in the same email as your Response request (see below).
 
¥
 
Mail us your warranty card with the serial number sticker attached. You
should only rely on this if you dont have access to either of the other
options, as you can never predict when itÕs actually going to arrive.
(However, you should still mail the warranty card in any case, so that
we can have it physically on Þle.)
 
Challenge String:
 
¥
 
Once you have reason to believe that we have received your proof of
purchase, point you web browser to: 
						

							 
Getting Started
 
10
 
Auto-Tune UserÕs Manual
 
http://antarestech.com/authorize/ 
and simply follow the directions.  You will receive your Response by
return email, typically within one working day.
 
¥
 
If, for some reason, you do not have access to the web but do have email,
copy and paste your Challenge string into an email along with your
name, the product name (e.g., Auto-Tune for MAS), and your serial
number and send it to: [email protected]. You will receive your
Response string by return email, usually within 24 hours (unless you
have sent the email over a weekend, in which case you should receive it
the following Monday).
 
¥
 
If you do not have access to the web or email, fax us your Challenge
string along with your proof of purchase as described above.  Be sure to
include your fax number.  We will fax the Response string back to you at
that number.
When initially installed, Auto-Tune will run for ten days without authoriza-
tion, so even if your canÕt contact us right away you can still use your soft-
ware in the meantime. (During this period, click the Continue button
whenever you are presented with the Authorization dialog box.) But donÕt
procrastinate too long. After those ten days are up, you will no longer be
able to launch Auto-Tune until the correct Response is entered.
 
Technical Support  
In the unlikely event that you experience a problem using Auto-Tune, try 
the following:
 
1. Make another quick scan through this manual. Who knows? You may have stumbled onto 
some feature that you didnÕt notice the Þrst time through.
2. Check our web page for tips, techniques, or any late-breaking information: www.antarest-
ech.com
3. Call your local Antares dealer.
4. Call us at (888) 332-2636, or (408) 399-0008 Monday through Friday between 9am and 
5pm USA PaciÞc Standard Time.
5. Email us at: [email protected]
 
For options 3, 4 and 5, please be prepared to provide the serial number of 
your copy of Auto-Tune.