Stickland! I need your help! I've been working hard on vocals lately, and I bought a new mic (a R0DES NT1-A) for that purpose, and I'd like to get some (more) vocal processing software. Specifically, plugins that will work in Pro Tools (but almost all the major makers have a PT plugin).

I currently use Waves CLA Vocals, the Waves DeEsser, and then Waves Tunes to do pitch editing. My experience with vocals is definitely a blind spot, and is my weakest studio engineering skill. Scott Kerr, (Jayessskerr) has given me valuable advice on recording and producing vocals, and I have lots to learn (and re-learn--it's been years since I've done vocals).

What do you recommend? I'd like to not spend more than, say, $500, and I'd be happy to spend less. (I could possibly spend more, especially if it's available from Sweetwater. My list below is a lot of features to want in one software suite.)

I've used Autotune and Melodyne both before, but not recently.

I'd like to do:
1. Pitch control
2. Cutting and re-arranging transient chunks of vocals, ala dubstep/Skrillex, etc
3. Elastic audio, quantitizing, correcting time
4. EQ and Effects and Compression and all that
5. Harmony chords accompaniment along to a vocal track

For #5, I've used Antares Harmony Engine Evo, and did some cool things with it, but I don't have a current licence in PT. I'm sure the technology has improved since I last used that type of software.

What do you all use and what do you recommend? Thanks so much!

Are there softwares that can model vocals? For instance... my twerpy, Neil Young vocals run through modeling software and coming out like Jim Morrison?

There is a profusion of guitar modeling software packages... just wondering if the technology had progressed to the point of miraculousness (as in accomplishing my above stated example)

I bought the Rode NT1-A and love it.
http://www.rode.com/microphones/nt1-a

I use a Behringer Mic100 tube driven mic pre-amp.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/behringer-mic100

I use Celemony's Melodyne 4 Studio for vocal software.
http://www.celemony.com/en/melodyne/what-is-melodyne

I also use a Digitech Vocalist Live 5 vocal synthesizer.
https://digitech.com/en/products/live-5#description

Man, I want that too! If I could just warble in one end, and it comes out Chris Cornell at the other end....dreaming!

But I do think that some of the harmony software and hardware will do backing vocals in a different gender: female background vocals with a male input and the reverse. That's kind of what you're talking about. Eventually, there will be a Robert Plant module that you'll download and then feed your voice into, and it will export ZEPPELIN!!! or something like that. But not yet, that I know of.



Thanks, Werkspace, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I also love the R0DE NT1-A so far. It's got a bump at the high end of its frequency response, but sounds great so far with my voice.

I'm really strongly leaning to plunking down the $699 for the Melodyne 4 suite.

The Digitech Vocalist 4 is no longer made or very available. But it looks like what I want to use it for. The Harmony EVO plugin--software based rather than hardware--looks like it will do much the same.

I appreciate the feedback, guys! Thanks!

I bought a used version of Melodyne on Kijiji for $250 Canadian.
Celemony handled the transaction, so that the purchase was effortless.
I've since upgraded it to Melodyne 4 Studio for $100 USD.
This was a big savings because Melodyne 4 Studio is expensive in CDN dollars.

The Behringer Mic100 is only $40 USD
and it really makes the RODE NT1-A into a very hot mic.
You can literally pick up everything. It can hear you scratch your head or breathe.
I use this as my studio mic. I have several other mics and 3 Mic100s.



Thanks, Werkspace, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I also love the R0DE NT1-A so far. It's got a bump at the high end of its frequency response, but sounds great so far with my voice.

I'm really strongly leaning to plunking down the $699 for the Melodyne 4 suite.

The Digitech Vocalist 4 is no longer made or very available. But it looks like what I want to use it for. The Harmony EVO plugin--software based rather than hardware--looks like it will do much the same.

I appreciate the feedback, guys! Thanks![/quote]

I was buying a replacement Apple Pencil from Sweetwater of all places and threw in the Behringer Mic100 for $39. I needed a mic preamp other than the ones built into my 2 Focusrite's interfaces. I read the SoS article and it sounded like what I needed. I like $39 as a price, too. Thanks for that!

You might find one here. It's a very unique vocal synth.
https://reverb.com/p/digitech-vocalist-live-5

I get a kick out of this video of the Vocalist Live 4 at 3:30 minutes into it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0QR0aBp3a4[/youtube]

That's an interesting thread Steve, though I cant offer much. I actually had a recording studio for 8 years during the digital revolution, ADAT's DA88's ProTools around Version 5 etc. So vocal processing for me was about best takes possible , high end EQ, compression and double tracking. " Tidying up " in PTools was a revolution and Dr Andy's Autotune had just hit the market .
All that aside, have fun , so much exciting gear around now that doesn't involve selling your family to get.
I still have my now semi vintage AKG 414 & 451's mics which did such great work on vocals & acoustic instruments. Cheers . B

Not software related, however on another forum I keep seeing posts about TC Electronics vocal pedals, Helicon Play Acoustic, and some others they make. Their top of the line model does some wild effects as well. There’s a few acoustic pedals out there that work well with Stick, I don’t sing, but would be curious to see what a singing Stickist would do with one of these.

Here's a neat video on mic pre-amps.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf7rNyDSMa4[/youtube]