Antares Vocal Express user manual

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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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\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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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  
						

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2: PUNCH Evo 
VOCAL I MPACT E NHANCER
PUNCH Evo is a processor that is designed to 
optimize the level of a vocal track to allow it to 
cut through a dense mix with power and clarity. 
It provides a combination of compression, gain, 
limiting, and overload protection with a user 
interface designed for speed and simplicity.
Controls
Input Level
This meter displays the input level of the signal to 
be processed. 
NOTE : This display is for reference 
purposes only. None of the following 
controls affect the input level. The result 
of all processing will be reflected on the Output 
Level display described below.
Gain
This control allows you to increase the gain of 
your vocal. It will typically be set in combination 
with the Impact control below.
The effect of this control will be reflected on the 
Output Level display.
Command (Mac)/Control (PC) click the control to 
reset it to its default value of 0.0.
Impact
This control lets you select the amount of 
“punch” that is added to the vocal. As you 
increase the value of this control, level variations 
in the vocal performance are equalized and their 
level raised. The effect of the control will be 
reflected on the Output Level display.
Command (Mac)/Control (PC) click the control to 
reset it to its default value of 0. 
						

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Ceiling
This control allows you to attenuate the signal 
after all other processing. 
Although PUNCH Evo allows you to create a full-
level signal without risk of ugly distortion, it will 
usually be wise to apply at least a little attenuation 
here to allow yourself some room for any further 
processing that might apply gain. The default 
setting of -3.0 dB is a good starting point, and 
you can always come back and add in more if 
necessary as you continue processing and the 
mix takes shape.
Command (Mac)/Control (PC) click the control to 
reset it to its default value of -3.0 dB.
Output Level
This meter displays the level of the signal after 
all processing by PUNCH Evo. The Gain, Impact, 
and Ceiling controls should be set in combination 
such that no clipping occurs. 
Usage Tips
• PUNCH Evo is available in mono and stereo versions.
• Since the point of PUNCH Evo is to optimize the impact of your vocal track in the mix, it 
makes sense to set the controls while listening 
to the track in the context of the entire mix.
• Every vocal performance is unique. Finding the optimum settings for PUNCH Evo is very much 
a matter of experimentation. Luckily there are 
only two controls that really matter, so the 
prospect is not exactly daunting.
• The Impact control has been purposely designed with a wide enough range to produce 
some pretty odd effects at its extreme. If 
you’re looking for that sort of thing, check it out.
• While PUNCH Evo has been designed for the voice, it can perform its magic effectively on 
pretty much any recorded part. It will even do 
interesting things to entire recorded mixes. 
Check it out. 
						

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3: DUO Evo 
VOCAL M ODELING A UTO-DOUBLER
The DUO Evo Vocal Modeling Auto - Doubler 
automatically generates a doubled vocal part 
from any existing monophonic vocal. Unlike 
conventional doublers that simply apply pitch 
and delay variation to the original part, DUO Evo 
makes use of Antares’ unique vocal modeling 
and vibrato processing technologies to create 
a doubled part that actually sounds like another 
singer. There is no easier or quicker way to create 
a realistic doubled vocal part.Controls
VOCAL R ANGE
Use this control to select the range of the track 
you will be processing. Choices include Soprano 
Voice, Alto/ Tenor Voice, Bass/Baritone Voice and 
Instrument (a general setting for anything that 
isn’t actually a vocal). Matching the appropriate 
algorithm to the input results in faster and more 
accurate pitch detection.
To select the desired Vocal Range, click on the 
Vocal Range pop-up and then select the desired 
range from the pop -up list. 
NOTE : Choosing the wrong Vocal 
Range (or just forgetting to set it 
at all) can result in compromised 
performance. Pay attention.