antares atr1a

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docpaul

New member
Does anyone have experience with these? I'm probably going to buy one and use it in conjunction with an aw2816. I wonder if it's best to use these live as you record, or lay down the track first and then manipulate it. Also, if you do the latter, wouldn't the "corrected" vocal have to go onto a separate track?
 
I'm looking at one of these units too. I use an AW4416. You do have to record on one channel and then loop it to another channel...... or go through it when you record.

I figure I can record the initial vocal on say track 1.....then loop it through the autotune to whatever.... and then record some other instrument on one of track 1's virtual tracks..... leaving the original vocal there just in case. I've done this with other outboard effects.
 
I just now bought it from zZounds for $329. Should be here in 2 days. (My birthday was this week!) I'll post here in a couple of days as to how well it works looping it.

Later
 
Thanks for the reply kjam, I kinda figured that's what I'd have to do. I know they say there's a 4ms delay and that's probably not noticeable, but if it is, then I suppose you'd have to time-slip the vocal track to match the original. I saw that price on zsounds also; thought it was funny that there's one on ebay for $350 not including shipping.
 
docpaul said:
Thanks for the reply kjam, I kinda figured that's what I'd have to do. I know they say there's a 4ms delay and that's probably not noticeable, but if it is, then I suppose you'd have to time-slip the vocal track to match the original. I saw that price on zsounds also; thought it was funny that there's one on ebay for $350 not including shipping.
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Yeah.... I took it that the 4 ms delay was it's reaction time in tuning.... not that it would delay the signal? Maybe I didn't think about it right. I think the recomended usage is to loop it through an effects loop. I payed $7 to have it shipped 2 days (even though zZounds offered the free shipping) I'm impatient in my old age :)

I'll let you know.
 
The hardware version is really useless... mainly because it only offers "auto" mode - which is very inflexible.

The software version features both the "auto" and graphical modes - the auto mode is equally useless in the plug, but the graphic mode is what makes this tool effective and is really the only way to use these properly without undue artifacts.
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
The hardware version is really useless... mainly because it only offers "auto" mode - which is very inflexible.

The software version features both the "auto" and graphical modes - the auto mode is equally useless in the plug, but the graphic mode is what makes this tool effective and is really the only way to use these properly without undue artifacts.
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I've read a lot of posts about the thing. I knew you didn't like it. And a lot of people do like it.

That "undue artifacts" is going to be the key isn't it?

I figure if I dont' like it I'll put it on ebay for a couple hundred bucks and tell my wife this wasn't a good birthday present afterall and I need to replace it :)
 
Just as an FYI -- taken from this thread, the topic was the Antares Vocal Producer....

JesusFreak said:
Hey All,

Thanks to everyone for their advice. It is very much appreciated.

A little update:

I took Bruce's words to heart and tried to think of other ways I could make my vocals sound "more professional" without using either of the two box's.

So I go to my local music store and the guy has an Antares unit there that is open and he tells me, "just take it home, use it. If you don't like it, bring it back".

I figured that I would do that just so I had first hand experience with it that might be helpfull for others.

Well, it took me all of about 30 min to decide that this thing would have been a total waste of money if I had decided to buy it. The mic models appear to be a joke in that you could probably get the same sounds just by changing some mic position and messing with your mic pre a little.

Most of the other stuff, I can do and do better on my D1600.

So anyway, back to the drawing board. I'm thinking of starting to build a live setup for me so that when I do finish my CD I'll have the equipment to get out there and play.

Also, I do appreciate your guy's advice on other equipment that you think could help. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks again.
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Yeah..... the unit I bought isn't the Vocal Processor. I'm not trying to model mics. I just want something that will fix intonation in my voice when it ain't right. We'll see how good it works for that.

Like I say... if it isn't good... I'll sell it for what I can and minimize the damage.
 
kjam22 said:
Yeah..... the unit I bought isn't the Vocal Processor. I'm not trying to model mics. I just want something that will fix intonation in my voice when it ain't right. We'll see how good it works for that.
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What ever happened to good ol' practice?! :D
 
I have the precursor to the ATR1A and even thought it is auto you can set up any scale you want and eliminate notes you don't want acted on. This way you can fine tune to just the notes you need to have corrected.

It is a bit laborious but sounds a little cleaner with the hardware. The plug in is nice though. Very convenient.
 
Middleman said:
I have the precursor to the ATR1A and even thought it is auto you can set up any scale you want and eliminate notes you don't want acted on. This way you can fine tune to just the notes you need to have corrected.
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This is the point I was trying to make -- those features aren't flexible enough to be usable in practice....

Listen guys - I'm not talking out my ass here... this is DIRECT EXPERIENCE .... I had to use the Autotune to fix up vocal tracks many times... I know what works well and what doesn't work.

In auto mode, if the note is any more than a few cents off the mark, it doesn't work transparently - it leaves significant and obvious artifacts. So from what I've seen with many novice/hobby singers is that the "fixing" they need, far exceeds the Autotune's range of usefulness in Auto mode.

This is what makes the h/w version so limiting. The s/w version allows you to home in on a specific note (or set of notes) and adjust those artifact-free (unless the note is more than 2-3 cents off - beyond that, you're still subject to the same chipmunk-effect that occurs if pitch a multitrack up/down excessively to record a vocal)...

I'm trying to save you some effort here, but hey - the only way you'll know is if you buy it and try it. Don't be too disappointed with your experience though - you *were* forewarned!
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
This is the point I was trying to make -- those features aren't flexible enough to be usable in practice....

In auto mode, if the note is any more than a few cents off the mark, it doesn't work transparently - it leaves significant and obvious artifacts. So from what I've seen with many novice/hobby singers is that the "fixing" they need, far exceeds the Autotune's range of usefulness in Auto mode.

This is what makes the h/w version so limiting. The s/w version allows you to home in on a specific note (or set of notes) and adjust those artifact-free (unless the note is more than 2-3 cents off - beyond that, you're still subject to the same chipmunk-effect that occurs if pitch a multitrack up/down excessively to record a vocal)...

I'm trying to save you some effort here, but hey - the only way you'll know is if you buy it and try it. Don't be too disappointed with your experience though - you *were* forewarned!
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The hardware version that is due to arrive today is advertised as being able to pick specific notes within a scale to "home in" on. I'm going to run it after the fact in a loop. I don't plan on running it for the whole song. But I think I can punch it in and out in the right spots with it set for specific notes.

In fact... it's advertised that you can midi in the exact sequence of a section of notes.

But if it only works when the pitch is 2 or 3 cents off..... man that is a close tolerance. Lots and lots of guitar tunners don't even measure that close. I don't think my ears even hear it that close anymore. I'll probably run my voice through that and cause a power drain or blackout on the whole mid-west.
 
Too literal... I meant maybe 20-30 cents.... and it's not that it doesn't work - it's that it doesn't work without obvious glitching!

As far as "blah-blah-blah as advertised" - keep in mind that the marketing department writes the spec sheet and feature list, NOT the engineering department!

Anyways - all I can say is - "you'll see what I mean...!"

Good luck! :)
 
Well the update on my ATR1A is that I still don't have it. I paid extra for two day shipping ..... but 2 day shipping to Zzounds means you buy it Thursday and get it the next Wednesday.

I've bought from them before. But I talked to their customer service on the phone.... and it is apparent that they need the $7 dollars I paid in shipping much more than they need my future business.

They do have a 30 day money back guarantee for "any reason". So Blue Bear.... if this thing is as bad as you say.... I'll gladly pay to ship it back and cut my loses.
 
Personally I've found that the graphical mode, though better than the auto mode is a huge pain in the ass! I want full screen directx plugins, not a 4x4 inch square.

Guys come in here do one vocal take and say,"so you have autotune right?" and they think they're done. It's a great plugin/effect to really lock up the vocal melody, but if you can't sing, autotune won't do it for you.

Eric

P.S. Anyone ever work with melodyne? It's a seperate pitch correction program, its got a really great interface but the pitch correction "engine" sucks compared to the one in autotune. Maybe they have a new better version, I haven't seen it in a long time. Also, If i remember it was very expensive.
 
really blue? what version are you using? I haven't seen any of the newer versions, in fact I haven't seen the program at all in a couple of years. This was before autotune was an industry standard. When I tried to use the program I would get a lot of pops between two notes and occasionally i would get a "robot" note. Maybe it was user-inflicted damage, I only got to play with it for a few days. But as I said before, the user interface is SOOO much better than autotune.
 
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