Using The Vocal Fix Programs; General Procedure - Lexicon PCM 80 User Manual

Vocal fix algorithm card

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User manual (135 pages)

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Table Of Contents

Table of Contents

Without the Vocal Fix algorithm, pitch correction can be a very "hit or miss"

process. Typically, a MIDI Mod wheel or Pitch Bender is used to control a pitch

shifter and corrections are made on the fly by moving the wheel and listening

to the pitch.This trial and error procedure can be very frustrating and often

requires going over the same material again and again.

Some pitch shifters have a "correction" feature which forces the pitches of the

vocal track to the nearest semitone ( e.g. a slightly flat "F" is corrected to a perfect

"F"). In theory, this would allow you to turn on the pitch corrector and have your

track fixed automatically. In reality, there are several problems with using

correction this way:

First, even the best vocal performances are not "perfect." A good singer uses

vibrato, and other expressive techniques that modulate or glide the pitch.

Automatic correction will try to "fix" these pitch variations and the result will sound

unnatural.

Second, as virtually all pitch shifting processes create audible artifacts, the best

results are achieved by applying correction only where necessary.

Third, there are times when you need to fix a note that is completely wrong, not

one that's just a little sharp or flat. The note sung might be an E, for example,

when it should actually be a D. Since correction works by pushing the note to

the nearest semitone, there's no way to select a different note.

The Pitch Correct algorithm lets you select the most suitable method for the area

of the track you are working with, and apply the most effective correction process

for your material.

In general, the track with errors is routed through the PCM 80, processed by one

of the Vocal Fix presets and re-recorded. Depending on the number and type

of errors on a given track, it is possible to fix the vocals in one pass. Typically,

however, you may need to make several passes, fixing a particular note or

phrase in each pass.

Running the track through the pitch shifter adds a slight delay. The amount of

delay is dependent on the setting of the low note parameter. (See the table to the

right.) If necessary, you can align the fixed track with the original by either

slipping the fixed track ahead, or all of the original tracks behind.