AVOX 4 Antares Vocal Toolkit Owner’s Manual
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The Obligatory Legal Mumbo-Jumbo The Antares AVOX 4 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. AVOX 4 License Agreement Antares Audio Technologies grants you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use AVOX 4 under the terms and conditions stated in this agreement.
Term of the Agreement This agreement is effective until terminated by you or Antares. You may terminate the agreement at any time by notifying Antares and destroying all copies of the manual, and erasing AVOX 4 from all machine-readable media, whether on-line or on archival copies. 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.
Contents Chapter 1 Getting Started 2 Chapter 2 Introducing AVOX 4 4 Chapter 3 Harmony Engine Evo Vocal Modeling Harmony Generator 8 Chapter 4 Mic Mod EFX Classic Microphone Modeler 8 Chapter 5 THROAT Evo Physical Modeling Vocal Designer 9 Chapter 6 DUO Evo Vocal Modeling Auto-Doubler 19 Chapter 7 CHOIR Evo Vocal Multiplier 23 Chapter 8 PUNCH Evo Vocal Impact Enhancer 26 Chapter 9 SYBIL Evo Variable Frequency De-Esser 28 Chapter 10 ARTICULATOR Evo Digital Talk Box 31 Chapter 11
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1 Welcome! On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, we’d like to offer both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to purchase the AVOX 4 Antares Vocal Toolkit, a suite of uniquely powerful DSP tools for creating spectacular vocal tracks. As an AVOX 4 owner, you are entitled to receive notification of any software updates, technical support, and advance announcements of upcoming products. But we can’t send you stuff unless we know who and where you are. So please, register.
2 1: Getting Started How to use this manual The plug-ins that make up the AVOX 4 suite have been designed with clear, consistent, friendly user-interfaces. If you come to AVOX 4 with previous vocal processing experience, you will find that most of their functions are self-evident and are extraordinarily easy to use. However, since some of the AVOX 4 tools do things that have never been done before (or do them in new ways), a few aspects of their user-interfaces may not be immediately obvious.
3 Authorizing AVOX 4 Authorization is the process by which AVOX 4 is allowed to run on your computer. Detailed instructions covering the available authorization options will be found in the file “Authorization Read Me” which is included on the installation DVD ROM or with your software download. AVOX 4 authorization requires an iLok USB smart key. If you already own other audio plug-ins, you probably already have one.
4 2: Introducing AVOX 4 The heart of any great song is a great vocal sound. With the AVOX 4 Antares Vocal Toolkit, we’ve combined eleven state-of-the-art vocal processing modules that open up an entirely new world of vocal processing capabilities. AVOX 4 gives you the power you need to create stunning vocal tracks in any musical style as well as design unique vocal effects for audio post-production applications.
5 AVOX 4 Overview The AVOX 4 Antares Vocal Toolkit includes: Harmony Engine Evo Vocal Modeling Harmony Generator Harmony Engine Evo is a real-time harmony generating plug-in that puts professionalquality vocal harmony arrangements within reach of any songwriter, producer, musician or engineer.
6 CHOIR Evo Vocal Multiplier Neither a harmonizer nor a conventional chorus effect, CHOIR Evo is a unique processor that actually turns a single voice into 4, 8, 16, or 32 distinct individual unison voices, each with its own pitch, timing and vibrato variations. The voices can, if desired, be spread across the stereo spectrum. Assign an instance of CHOIR Evo to each of four voices singing four-part harmony and voilà, instant choir.
7 AVOX 4 Processing Guidelines While it might seem to be convenient to consolidate all of the AVOX 4 functions in one huge integrated plug-in, some of the AVOX 4 functions use quite a bit of processing power. By organizing them as separate plug-ins, you can choose to instantiate only those you need for each particular vocal track, thereby using only as much of your computer’s DSP power as you absolutely need.
8 3: Harmony Engine Evo Vocal Modeling Harmony Generator You’ll find a separate Harmony Engine Evo PDF manual included with your AVOX 4 download. Read it, try out the factory presets, and play with the included tutorial sessions. 4: Mic Mod EFX CLASSIC MICROPHONE MODELER You’ll find a separate Mic Mod EFX PDF manual included with your AVOX 4 download. Read it.
9 5: THROAT Evo Physical Modeling Vocal Designer THROAT Evo is a revolutionary vocal tool that lets you process a vocal through a meticulously crafted physical model of the human vocal tract. THROAT Evo begins by neutralizing the effect of the original singer’s vocal tract and then gives you the ability to specify the characteristics of the modeled vocal tract.
10 are simply unattainable by any other means. In order to understand what THROAT Evo is doing and how you can use it to process your vocal tracks, it helps to know how our throats actually work to create what we perceive as unique vocal qualities. Vocal production starts with the vocal chords. Air from our lungs is forced through the vocal chords, causing them to vibrate. The contour of this vibration is the glottal waveform.
11 Pitch There is no need to obsess over subtle distinctions. If in doubt, just pick one. Once you have set up a model, you can always come back and try another setting and see if it makes a (positive) difference. The Pitch control is a new addition to THROAT Evo that allows you to shift your entire vocal up or down up to an octave in either direction in semitone increments.
12 throat modeling Model Throat Length The Throat Length control allows you to globally lengthen or shorten the modeled throat. Values above 1.00 represent a lengthening of the throat while values below 1.00 represent a shortening of the throat. The sonic character of the breathiness will depend both on the articulation of the original vocal and, more dramatically, the setting of the Highpass Frequency control described below.
13 Model Throat Width The Throat Width control allows you to globally widen or constrict the modeled throat. Values above 1.00 represent a widening of the throat while values below 1.00 represent a narrowing of the throat. The actual values represent the percentage change in the throat width. For example, a value of 1.20 represents a 20% increase in throat width, while a value of 0.80 represents a 20% decrease in throat width.
14 To select vocal type, click on the Vocal Type pop-up and then select the desired stylistic character from the pop-up list. Glottal Pulse Width This control allows you to select the pulse width of the modeled glottal waveform. If you are at all familiar with analog synthesizers, you can think of this as being vaguely similar to the variable pulse width control on a square wave oscillator (and if you’re not familiar with analog synthesizers, don’t worry, just move the slider and listen to what happens).
15 changes are self-evident. For width changes, any part of the model plot that lies above the original plot indicates a widening of the throat while any part of the model plot below the original plot indicates a narrowing of the throat. • Here are some things to consider when working with the Throat Shaping display: • • • • • Point (1), which represents the vocal chords, serves as the anchor of the vocal tract. It can be adjusted for width but not length.
16 Very Important Note: This function is provided for ease of A/B comparisons with the original vocal. It inserts some processing into the modeled vocal path that can have a very small but nonetheless real effect on the overall audio quality. Once you have a model you like, turn the Level Matching function Off and use the Output Gain to adjust the proper level. Click the Level Matching button to toggle its state. The button will display On or Off as appropriate.
17 • The actual range of variation in human anatomy is quite small relative to the overall range offered by THROAT Evo. When you’re first getting started, try limiting control changes to around +/- 15%. As you get a feeling for the effect of various settings, slowly increase the ranges until things start sounding weird (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing). If you just want to start playing, try the following brief tutorial.
18 A few words about the THROAT Evo factory presets Unlike synth presets, which will always sound the same for all users, the THROAT Evo presets are heavily dependent on the vocal tracks that you use them on. Consequently, they serve primarily as starting points for various general effects, with the expectation that you will tweak them to work best with your particular audio. Specifically, they all contain the default settings for Vocal Range and Source Glottal Waveform controls.
19 6: DUO Evo Vocal Modeling Auto-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.
20 Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/ Option (Pro Tools) click the control to reset it to its default value of 0. Vibrato The Vibrato control allows you to select the amount of variation in vibrato depth applied to the doubled voice. Selecting a positive value increases the doubled voice’s vibrato depth relative to the original voice. Selecting a negative value decreases the doubled voice’s vibrato depth relative to the original voice.
21 Timing Variation The Timing Variation control lets you select the amount of random variation in timing applied to the doubled voice. The higher the value, the larger the maximum amount of allowable variation. DUO Evo’s timing variation is completely independent of pitch variation. To get a good idea of the effect of timing variation, use the level controls to listen only to the doubled voice. set Vibrato to 0 and Pitch Variation to 10.
22 Usage Tips • • • • DUO Evo is available in mono and stereo versions and, depending on the capabilities of your host program, a mono -> stereo version (which in most cases is the preferred routing). In the case of the stereo version, DUO Evo processes only the left channel. DUO Evo is dramatically more effective with the original and doubled parts panned apart, so if at all possible, try always to use it with stereo output. For best performance, DUO Evo requires a clean, pitched monophonic signal.
23 7: CHOIR Evo Vocal Multiplier CHOIR Evo is a unique processor that turns a single monophonic voice into 4, 8, 16, or 32 distinct individual unison voices, each with its own pitch, timing and vibrato variations. The voices can, if desired, be spread across the stereo spectrum. When multiple instances of CHOIR Evo are assigned to individual harmony parts, the result is an amazingly realistic large vocal ensemble.
24 Timing Variation The Timing Variation control lets you select the range of the random variation in timing applied to each generated voice. Each voice is individually assigned a timing variation relative to the original voice. The higher the value of this control, the larger the maximum amount of allowable variation. Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/Option (Pro Tools) click the control to reset it to its default value of 100.
25 Usage Tips • • • • CHOIR Evo is available in mono and stereo versions and, depending on the capabilities of your host program, a mono -> stereo version (which in most cases is the preferred routing). In the case of the stereo version, CHOIR Evo processes only the left channel. CHOIR Evo is dramatically more effective with the voices panned across the stereo spectrum, so if at all possible, try always to use it with stereo output.
26 8: PUNCH Evo Vocal Impact Enhancer 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.
27 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.
28 9: SYBIL Evo Variable Frequency De-Esser SYBIL Evo is a digital equivalent of a traditional vocal de-esser. When recording spoken or sung material, the sibilant sounds (Ss, Ts, CHs, and SHs) in the track sometimes (depending on the individual performer) appear louder than the rest of the signal. The effect can sound unnatural and often irritating. The solution to this problem is to compress only the sibilants, thereby lowering their level relative to the rest of the track.
29 Controls Side Chain Gain Reduction Meter The Gain Reduction Meter displays the amount of compression taking place. If the frequency and threshold controls are set properly, the meter will display little gain reduction during vowel sounds and soft consonants, and substantial gain reduction during sibilants. For this reason, the meter is a useful tool when setting the other controls. High Pass Frequency This control sets the frequency of SYBIL Evo’s sidechain high pass filter.
30 Attack Time This control adjusts the speed with which SYBIL Evo’s compressor responds to peaks in the signal coming from the high pass filter. The range of the control is from 3 milliseconds to 100 milliseconds. Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/Option (Pro Tools) click the control to reset it to its default value of 10 milliseconds. Release Time This control adjusts the time it takes the compressor’s gain to increase 6 dB after the signal coming from the high pass filter drops below the threshold.
31 10: ARTICULATOR Evo Digital Talk Box A modern-day version of the venerable talk box, ARTICULATOR Evo lets you extract the formant and amplitude information from a vocal (or other dynamic source) and apply it to any other audio track or to a built-in broadband noise generator. Perfect for talking guitars, singing synths, whispering voices, and a wide range of special effects.
32 The Audio Signal: This is the signal that the Control Signal’s formant and amplitude information is applied to. A good Audio Signal will be rich in harmonic content and sustained in nature. Examples include synth pads and patches rich in overtones, distortion-rich guitar sounds, or even entire instrumental mixes. The built-in Noise Generator also makes a good Audio Signal, but its character will pretty much always be in the nature of whispering. (It can also be mixed with an external Audio Signal.
33 Audio Units Some Audio Units hosts support sidechain input and some don’t. Consequently, the Input Routing section for the AU version provides controls that allow you to set up ARTICULATOR Evo to take advantage of whichever capabilities your host provides. internal Noise Generator functions as the Audio Signal. (This is useful primarily for whispering and modulated noise effects.
34 Depending on your choice, the resulting Audio Signal source will appear in the Audio Signal display as follows: If you select Sidechain, the Audio Source will be the stereo audio track that ARTICULATOR Evo is instantiated on. This is the most flexible configuration in that it allows for a stereo Audio Signal. • If you select Audio Track L as the Control Signal, Audio Track R will be selected as the Audio Signal.
35 Clicking the Stereo Noise button will toggle it between mono and stereo noise. The button will turn blue to indicate the selection of stereo noise. If you are working with a well-isolated solo Control Signal (e.g., tracking in a studio or from a multitrack master) you can typically set the Tracking control to 25 and forget it. Note: Stereo noise is only available from stereo or mono>stereo versions of ARTICULATOR Evo. If you have instantiated a mono version, this button will be disabled.
36 The effect of this control is so dependent on the combination of each specific Control Signal and Audio Signal that the only guideline for working with it is to just check out its entire range and discover what works best for your particular needs. To adjust Throat Length, click on the knob and move the cursor up to turn the knob clockwise, or down to turn it counterclockwise. The numeric display will indicate the percentage of change.
37 has a varying dynamic range, you might, depending on your goal, consider engaging the Compressor in the Input Mixer to even it out. Tip: The easiest way to understand the effect of this control is to do the following: 1. Do whatever your DAW requires to set up ARTICULATOR Evo with a speaking or singing voice as the Control Signal. 2. In the Input Mixer, set Audio Level to -inf and Noise Level to a comfortable level. 3. Set the Formant Extraction controls as appropriate for your Control Signal. 4.
38 Audio Signal Pan This slider allows you to set the Audio Signal’s location in the stereo spectrum. Note: Audio Signal Pan only functions in Stereo or Mono -> Stereo versions of ARTICULATOR Evo. If you have instantiated a Mono version, the slider will be disabled. Display The EQ Section Display provides a real-time graphic representation of the Control Signal (red plot), the Audio Signal (blue plot) and the EQ curve (green plot).
39 Note: Control Signal Pan only functions in Stereo or Mono -> Stereo versions of ARTICULATOR Evo. If you have instantiated a Mono version, the slider will be disabled. Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/Option (Pro Tools) click the control to reset it to its default value of 0 (absolute center). Usage Tips Although we’ve already mentioned this a few times, it bears repeating that to obtain the most interesting results from ARTICULATOR Evo, it’s most important to select appropriate Control and Audio Signals.
40 11: MUTATOR Evo Extreme Voice Designer MUTATOR Evo provides a combination of tools for creating unusual, weird, or downright wacky voices. With high-quality pitch shifting, throat modeling, a pitch-tracking ring modulator for “mutation,” and a mind-bending Alienization function, MUTATOR Evo is the perfect tool for unique vocal effects and post-production sound design.
41 Controls Vocal Range Use this control to select the range of the track you will be processing. Choices include soprano voice, alto/tenor voice, baritone/bass 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 and more accurate pitch shifting and modeling. To select vocal range, click on the Vocal Range pop-up and then select the desired range from the pop-up list.
42 varying the length of the voice’s model vocal tract. It can be used in combination with the Shift Pitch control to modify gender and/or vocal quality. Values above 1.00 represent a lengthening of the throat while values below 1.00 represent a shortening of the throat. The actual values represent the percentage change in the throat length. For example, a value of 1.20 represents a 20% increase in throat length, while a value of 0.80 represents a 20% decrease in throat length.
43 Mutation The Mutation control allows you to select among 24 different varieties of mutation, as well as being able to select “0,” which, not surprisingly, will result in no mutation effect. Although the sound of each mutation setting depends to a great extent on the characteristics of the specific voice being processed, as a general rule, oddnumbered settings will typically result in more enharmonic overtones being added to the voice (i.e., weird growly or grunginess) than even-numbered settings.
44 1/16. 1/16 1/16T 1/32. 1/32 1/32T Dialect This control sets the length of the speech segments that are reversed. You can choose one of two Dialect modes, Internal or Tempo Sync. Internal Mode When using Internal Mode (i.e., when the Temp Sync button is not engaged), the Dialect control sets the length (in time) of the speech segments that are reversed. Low numbers result in short segments, while progressively higher numbers result in progressively longer segments.
45 Output Volume This control applies gain or attenuation to the output signal. Since MUTATOR Evo’s various functions can substantially increase or decrease the level of the input, you can use this control, in combination with the output level meter, to ensure that your output is at an appropriate level without clipping. To adjust output volume, click on and move the fader to the desired position. The numeric display will indicate in dBs the exact amount of gain or attenuation applied.
46 12: WARM Tube Saturation Generator Based on Antares’ legendary (at least among those of us who work here and, based on the volume of emails we’ve gotten since we discontinued it, a fair number of others as well) Tube plug-in, WARM, warms up your vocals with Antares’ world-renown tube modeling technology, while being so processing-efficient, you can put an instance on pretty much every track in your project and still barely see your CPU meter twitch.
47 subtle tube “warmth.” Additionally, WARM has been designed to be extremely DSP efficient, so that even a relatively modest native system will be capable of running WARM on an almost unlimited number of tracks simultaneously. What’s the big deal with tubes anyway? For most of us in audio recording, distortion is a bad word. We typically want the cleanest possible recordings, free of any audible distortion.
48 Tube Selector WARM includes two different tube models. The Velvet (blue) tube models the subtle effects of a classic high-quality tube preamp. While this model is perfect for adding warmth to vocals, it’s just as useful for acoustic guitar, horns, strings, synth pads, in fact pretty much anything. The Crunch (red) tube models the deep, warm distortion of an overdriven tube amplifier. Use it in moderation to impart a subtle (or not-so-subtle) effect to almost any track.
49 To adjust the Drive amount, click on the fader handle and move it left or right to the desired setting. The numerical display will indicate the amplification factor in dB and the tube graphic’s will “glow” will change to provide an additional visual indication (i.e., “eye candy”). Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/Option (Pro Tools)clicking anywhere in the scale will reset the Drive value to 0dB OmniTube Without OmniTube engaged, WARM functions exactly like a tube preamp, i.e.
50 Usage Tips At its most basic level, WARM is designed to add an extremely accurate model of a tube preamp’s sound to warm your digital tracks. But we have purposely designed WARM to have a range of controls that allow you to push well beyond that model. Here are a few other things to try: • • • • Pass your entire final mix through WARM. Instantiate a stereo version of WARM (or more if you are mixing for surround) on your mix bus. Start with a little Velvet tube with OmniTube off.
51 13: ASPIRE Evo Aspiration Noise Processor ASPIRE Evo is the world’s first tool for modifying a voice’s breathiness independent of its harmonic content. Whether reducing a bit of vocal rasp or adding a bit of smokiness, ASPIRE Evo lets you modify the amount and quality of a voice’s aspiration noise without otherwise affecting the vocal’s harmonic characteristics.
52 What’s ASPIRE Evo do? Quite simply, ASPIRE Evo analyzes a vocal in real time and separates the aspiration noise component from the harmonic content. It then allows you to either increase or decrease the amount of aspiration noise, as well as letting you affect the character of the aspiration noise by applying a parametric EQ to the noise component. Controls Voice Type Use this control to select the vocal type of the track you will be processing.
53 Reduction This control allows you to select the amount of reduction of the aspiration noise. A setting of 0.0 provides no reduction. Maximum reduction is -12.0 dB. The red aspiration noise plot on the graphic display will move to reflect the setting of the control. To adjust Reduction, click on the knob and move the cursor up to turn the knob clockwise, or down to turn it counterclockwise. Command (Mac)/Control (PC)/Option (Pro Tools) clicking on the knob will reset it to its default value of -6 dB.
54 Gain The Gain control lets you set the amount of boost or cut that will be applied to the aspiration noise component at the selected Frequency. The range is from -12.0dB to +12.0dB. To adjust Gain, click on the knob and move the cursor up to turn the knob clockwise, or down to turn it counterclockwise. Command (Mac)/Alt (PC) clicking on the knob will reset it to its default value of 0.
55 Index Symbols 64-bit Compatibility 6 A AAX Support 6 Antares Audio Technologies ii ARTICULATOR Evo 6, 31 Configuration Guide 32 Controls 32 Amplitude Extraction Section 36 Amplitude Modulation Section 36 EQ Section 37 Formant Extraction Section 35 Formant Modulation Section 35 Input Level Meters 34 Input Mixer Section 34 Input Routing Section 32 Output Mixer Section 38 Signal Routing 32 Signal Selection 31 Usage Tips 39 ASPIRE Evo 6, 51 Controls 52 EQ Section 53 Increase 53 Increase/Reduce 52 Reducti
56 P Processing Guidelines 7 PUNCH Evo 6, 26 Controls 26 Ceiling 27 Input Level 26 Output Level 27 Usage Tips 27 S SYBIL Evo 6, 28 Controls 29 Compressor 29 Gain Reduction Meter 29 Side Chain 29 Usage Tips 30 T Technical Support 3 THROAT Evo 5, 9 Controls 10 Add Breathiness 11 Graphic Throat Display 14 Model Glottal Waveform 13 Output 16 Pitch 11 Settings 10 Throat Modeling 12 factory presets 18 Usage Tips 16 Tubes 47 U Usage Tips 16, 22, 25, 27, 30, 39, 45, 50, 54 V VST3 Support 6 W WARM 6, 46
