TC-Helicon PLAY ACOUSTIC User Manual page 16

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PLAY ACOUSTIC User Manual
Key parameter
Key is the most important setting for creating harmonies. Get it right, and things
sound amazing. Get it wrong and they will sound, well, bad.
Auto setting
With the Auto setting, key is set automatically based on input from...
• • the Guitar input connector
• • the Aux connector
• • the RoomSense microphones in this particular order.
The priority of inputs is as listed. For example, if you have a guitar plugged
into the GUITAR IN and tracks playing via the Aux in, the system will read key/
scale information from the guitar. If the guitar stops playing and the Aux signal
continues, the system will then look to the Aux input for chord information.
Key setting
With the Key setting, you can choose any of the 12 keys (C through b) in Western music.
Harmony Advanced page
To enter the Harmony Advanced page, press and hold any of the lit Blue Led
soft buttons. To exit the Advanced page, press the BACK button.
Scale parameter
If the Key is set manually (not auto), the advanced menu will allow you set the
scale associated with the Key.
Choose one of the following settings:
• • Major 1
• • Major 2
• • Major 3
• • Minor 1
• • Minor 2
• • Minor 3
Portamento parameter
Use the Portamento parameter to control the amount of "slide" between notes as
you sing. The more Portamento you use, the more the Harmony voices will slide,
instead of jump, from note to note.
• • The 0 setting turns Portamento off.
• • 100 is the maximum setting.
Using high amounts of both Humanize and Portamento can make your harmony
voices sound as if they've... well... been drinking... a lot. Small amounts are
usually preferable.
Humanize parameter
Use the Humanize parameter to "humanize" the Harmony voices by imparting
some timing and pitch variances to the voice.
At its core, this is actually the process of making the harmony voices less accurate
– but imperfection is something that can make voices sound more "real".
• • The 0 setting turns humanization off.
• •
100 is the maximum setting.
Double page (2/7)
The Double effect block creates the impression that one or more vocalists are
singing in unison, with small differences in the timing and timbre of each voice.
Some refer to doubling as "thickening" or "double tracking". The latter references
a recording studio method of singing the same vocal part on two separate tracks
and playing them back simultaneously.
Style parameter
Use the Style parameter to set the number of voices and the timing of the double.
Choose from the following styles:
• • 1 Voice Tight*
• • 1 Voice Loose*
• • 2 Voices Tight*
• • 2 Voices Loose*
• • Shout
• • 1 Voice Oct Up
• • 1 Voice Oct Down
• • 2 Voices Oct Up
• • 2 Voices Oct Down
• • Oct Up & Oct Down
* "Tight" and "Loose" refers to how closely the double is timed with the lead
vocal. Loose timing can feel "larger" or more effected.
Level parameter
Use the Level parameter to control the overall level of the doubling effect.
Press the right upper soft button to select this parameter and use the control
knob to adjust the level. 0 dB is the maximum volume for the effect.
Delay page (3/7)
The Delay effect block repeats the input signal based on the style and the
current tempo.
Style parameter
Select the Style menu by pressing the lower left soft button. It will be the only
one lit on the left side of the display.
Choose from the following styles:
• • Quarter • • Multitap 1
• • Eighth • • Multitap 2
• • Triplet • • Multitap 3
• • Dotted 1/8th • • Multitap 4
• • Dotted 1/4th • • Multitap 5
• • 1/4 Triplet • • Multitap 6
• • Sixteenth • • Classic Slap
• • Ping Pong 1 • • Set Time
• • Ping Pong 2
• • Ping Pong 3
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PLAY ACOUSTIC User Manual
Level parameter
Use the Level parameter to control the overall level of the delay effect. Press the
right upper soft button to select this parameter and use the control knob to
adjust the level. 0 dB is the maximum volume for the effect.
Feedback parameter
Use the Feedback parameter to control the amount of the delayed signal that is
fed back into the effect. Higher levels of feedback will make the delay continue
for a longer period of time.
Delay Advanced page
To enter the Delay Advanced page, press and hold any of the lit blue LED soft
buttons. To exit the Delay Advanced page, press the BACK button.
Dly Filter Style parameter
Use the Dly Filter Style parameter to add filters to the delay signal that will
simulate different types of delay hardware or sound.
Choose from the following styles:
• • Digital • • Hi Cut 1
• • Tape • • Hi Cut 2
• • Analog • • Hi Cut 3
• • Radio • • Low Cut 1
• • Megaphone • • Low Cut 2
• • Cell Phone • • Low Cut 3
• • Lo Fi
Some of the delay filter styles are consistent, meaning that the sound is affected
(like megaphone) and all subsequent delay "taps" sound the same. Some delay
filter are cumulative – e.g. "analog" where processing is applied throughout the
feedback loop, which changes the sound of the delay over time.
Experiment with the styles to find what works for your particular sound.
Tempo parameter
Use the Tempo parameter to manually set the delay tempo.
Settings are saved per preset. They are overridden (but not overwritten) if Global
tempo is on.
If your selected Delay style is Slap or Time, the Tempo parameter will say "Time"
instead and be represented by a millisecond value.
Reverb page (4/7)
The Reverb effect block creates "room" around your voice. Essentially, a reverb
puts your dry vocal into a simulated space, small or large, to give a sense of depth
and distance.
Style parameter
Use the Style parameter to determine the size of the simulated space and also the
type of material being used to create the simulation.
Choose from the following styles:
• • Smooth Plate • • Real Plate
• • Reflection Plate • • Real Plate Long
• • Thin Plate • • Jazz Plate
• • Bright Plate • • Quick Plate
• • Soft Hall • • Bright Chamber
• • Amsterdam Hall • • Wooden Chamber
• • Broadway Hall • • St. Joseph Church
• • Snappy Room • • Dome Chapel
• • Library • • Hockey Arena
• • Dark Room • • Museum
• • Music Club • • Indoor Arena
• • Studio Room • • Warehouse
• • Warehouse • • Thin Spring
• • Bouncy Room • • Full Spring
• • Cozy Corner
Level parameter
Use the Level parameter to control the overall level of the reverb. Press the
right upper soft button to select this parameter and use the control knob to
adjust the level. 0 dB is the maximum volume for the effect.
Decay parameter
Use the Decay parameter to define how long it takes for the reverb to fade away.
Longer Decay times generally sound like large spaces, while shorter times sound
like small spaces.
Each Reverb style has its own decay time, but you can change it.
HardTune page (5/7)
Ah – HardTune...
Some call it the Cher effect and others refer to it as Auto-Tune™. Whatever you
name it: If you are looking for that radio-pop tuned sound, this is your effect.
The HardTune effect block can also be used for scale-based, natural pitch
correction – so don't discount the effect if you are looking for correction that
does not sound "robotic"!
Style parameter
Use the Style parameter to determine the accuracy, speed and "aggressiveness"
of the tuning effect.
Choose from the following styles:
• • Pop • • Correct Chromatic (not scale
based)
• • Country Gliss
• • Drone
• • Robot
• •
Gender Bender
• • Correct Natural
Shift parameter
Use the Shift parameter to shift the note you are singing up or down by one or
more semi-tones. You can shift your voice up or down by up to 36 semitones.
Gender parameter
Use the Gender parameter to manipulate the timbre of your voice to sound more
male or more female in nature. Extreme settings for this parameter will sound
very unnatural – but that may be just the effect you are looking for!