Doubled vocal tuning

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sixer2007

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Hey guys,

I'm trying to use a double vocal in a couple songs, but I feel like both need a bit of tuning help. I plan to use Variaudio in Cubase 5, which is similar to Melodyne so I'd be working with individual notes rather than a set and forget plugin. How do you guys deal with this? I feel that I might make a decision on the main track and then forget after the entire song, then on the double not make it the exact pitch that I did before. Should I only worry about the main or do them both? Has anyone used Variaudio and can you work on 2 tracks simultaneously, in different windows?

Thanks!
 
I used to use Cubase 5 and I loved variaudio. As far as I remember you can go back to a track and see what you did.
 
You've got 2 vocal tracks (doubled) that both need tuning? Re-record them both, or drop one.
 
If you can't hit the same pitch twice...mmmm.....maybe a little more vocal practice before reaching for pitch correction.

If it's just a note/word here and there, but overall the vocal takes are solid...my prefered method is to do a few takes, and then comp down to one (or two, as needed).
I know I will hit all my notes right between a few takes, so there's never any need to use pitch correction software...just slice-n-dice the takes into a couple of good ones.

The time spent pitch correcting a bunch of stuff to where it sounds good (and still sounds like you) will be more involved, IMO, than just banging out 4-5 takes...and then comp. Plus, if you do a few more takes, you may self-correct as you sing...since you are still "practicing" the vocals over and over while recording.
 
Here's what I've done, and my issues. Let me elaborate.
I had the vocalist record 4 - 6 takes of each track, doing punch ins where i felt they might be needed. Then, I went through all of those and comp'd them down to 2 full tracks all the way through.
This singer has great vibe and emotion in his words, but let's just say his pitch could use some work. It's mostly in the notes at the end of phrases that i notice most, where he holds them and tried to go to a note he couldn't reach as well.
In most cases, he's off pitch in the same way on both comps because i aimed to make them as similar as possible. So, they both need correction.

Re tracking would be great, but we're sort of on a limited time frame because I'll be leaving the country in around a month and we wanted to have this done before I disappear for a year (and i'm a free service to them right now!)

I really like the idea of doubled vox, but maybe that's just not worth it in this case. What do you think?
 
Well...if you can make the pitch correction work...then go for it.
Not sure if you want to do them both at the same time, as the pitch may be similarly off, but still different from each other, so just do them individually for correct pitch, otherwise you might be fighting with them if you do them together.

I would take the "primary" track...and first nail that with pitch correction...and completely ignore the second track that is going to be the double.
Then, correct the second TO the first...that way you'll get them much tighter, and maybe less work.

If you can make the pitch correct work in real time...I like to loop the section I'm correcting...maybe the whole word/phrase so it's in context...and then in real time adjust the pitch.
When you do the second track...you loop both the first and second in that spot, and adjust the second to the first.

Don't get hung up on one spot for too long...'cuz you start to "lose" your pitch hearing. Go through the whole track, and then come back and listen to it again. Also, don't just listen to the vocals the whole time...listen to how they sound against the backing track. Pitch correction can play games with your hearing when you isolate stuff too much for too long.
 
Thanks Miro, That's along the lines of what I was thinking, i just hadn't thought to play them back together while correcting the double to match them up better. I think that's what will make this work.

Also, Have you used Variaudio in Cubase? I'm a bit curious as to how it works in terms of saving and processing power. It opens in the sample editor, so I plan to bounce each vox track individually so they're 2 full samples, then do the correction. I suppose variaudio runs in the background then, but does it take extra processing? My point being, should i bounce them again after the correction to save on that? (My machine can't handle any more than it must with a wimpy 2Gb of ram). If i don't bounce, all changes will remain with a simple file save right?
 
Sorry...can't help you with the Variaudio in Cubase...try the Cubase Forum down aways below this one.
 
when i double i always tune them both manually and separately. It just makes them sit together that much better. Be careful not to tune them to strongly or else you'll start to get some TI and Pit Bull sounds.

Sometimes vocals sound in great tune individually, but when they're doubled you can hear all of the flaws.
 
I'm not familiar with Variaudio so I don't know if this is possible, but IMHO, there is FAR more to be gained by tightening up the TIMING of your 2 vocal tracks than it is pitch.

I use Sonar's V-Vocal for this and it does the job without any bother whatsoever.
 
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