Because of its periodic nature, this sounds pitch can be easily identified and processed by the ATR-1a. Other sounds are more complex. This waveform:
is of a violin section playing a single tone. Our ears still sense a specific pitch, but the waveform does not repeat itself. This waveform is a summation of a number of individually periodic violins. The summation is nonperiodic because the individual violins are slightly out of tune with respect to one another. Because of this lack of periodicity, the ATR-1a would not be able to process this sound.

Some pitch terminology

The pitch of a periodic waveform is defined as the number of times the periodic element repeats in one second. This is measured in Hertz (abbreviated Hz.). For example, the pitch of A3 (the A above middle C on a piano) is traditionally 440Hz (although that standard varies by a few Hz. in various parts of the world).
Pitches are often described relative to one another as intervals, or ratios of frequency. For example, two pitches are said to be one octave apart if their frequencies differ by a factor of two. Pitch ratios are measured in units called cents. There are 1200 cents per octave. For example, two tones that are 2400 cents apart are two octaves apart. The traditional twelve-tone Equal Tempered Scale that is used (or rather approximated) in 99.9% of all Western tonal music consists of tones that are, by definition, 100 cents apart. This interval of 100 cents is called a semitone.
How the ATR-1a detects pitch
In order for the ATR-1a to automatically correct pitch, it must first detect the pitch of the input sound. Calculating the pitch of a periodic waveform is a straighforward process. Simply measure the time between repetitions of the waveform. Divide this time into one, and you have the frequency in Hertz. The ATR-1a does exactly this: It looks for a periodically repeating waveform and calculates the time interval between repetitions. The pitch detection algorithm in the ATR-1a is virtually instantaneous. It can recognize the repetition in a periodic sound within a few cycles. This usually occurs before the sound has sufficient amplitude to be heard. Used in combination with a slight processing delay (no greater than 4 milliseconds), the output pitch can be detected and corrected without artifacts in a seamless and continuous fashion. The ATR-1a was designed to detect and correct pitches up to the pitch C6. If the input pitch is higher than C6, the ATR-1a will often interpret the pitch an octave lower. This is because it interprets a two cycle repetition as a one cycle repetition. On the low end, the ATR-1a will detect pitches as low as A0 (55Hz) in its normal mode and down to 25Hz when Bass Mode is selected. This range of pitches allows intonation correction to be performed on all vocals and almost all instruments. Of course, the ATR-1a will not detect pitch when the input waveform is not periodic. As demonstrated above, the ATR-1a will fail to tune up even a unison violin section. But this can also occasionally be a problem with solo voice and solo instruments as well. Consider, for example, an exceptionally breathy voice, or a voice recorded in an unavoidably noisy environment. The added signal is non-periodic, and the ATR-1a will have difficulty determining the pitch of the composite (voice + noise) sound. Luckily, there is a control (the SENSITIVITY control, discussed in Chapter 4) that will let the ATR-1a be a bit more casual about what it considers periodic. Experimenting with this setting will often allow the ATR-1a to track even noisy signals.

How the ATR-1a corrects pitch
The ATR-1a works by continuously tracking the pitch of an input sound and comparing it to a user-defined scale. The scale tone closest to the input is continuously identified. If the input pitch exactly matches the scale tone, no correction is applied. If the input pitch varies from the desired scale pitch, an output pitch is generated which is closer to the scale tone than the input pitch. (The exact amount of correction is controlled by the Speed parameter, described below and in Chapter 4.)

Scales

The heart of the ATR-1as pitch correction is the Scale. The ATR-1a allows you to program 50 different Scales. For each Scale you can define which notes will sound and which wont. And for each note that will sound, you can decide whether the ATR-1a will apply pitch correction to input pitches near that note or leave those pitches uncorrected.
You also have control over how rapidly, in time, the pitch adjustment is made toward the scale tone. This is set with the SPEED control (see Chapter 4 for more details). Fast SPEED settings are more appropriate for short duration notes and for mechanical instruments, like an oboe or clarinet, whose pitch typically changes almost instantly. A fast enough setting will also minimize or completely remove a vibrato. Slow SPEED settings, on the other hand, are appropriate for longer notes where you want expressive pitch gestures (like vibrato) to come through at the output and for vocal and instrumental styles that are typified by gradual slides (portamento) between pitches. An appropriately selected slow setting can leave a vibrato unmodified while the average pitch is accurately adjusted to be in-tune.

Vibrato

The ATR-1a can also apply a vibrato to the input sound. You can program the vibrato depth, vibrato rate and the onset delay of the vibrato (or even control it in real time via MIDI). You can also choose the shape of the pitch variation in the vibrato (sine, ramp or square). By combining a fast Speed setting with the ATR-1a Vibrato settings, you can even remove a performers own vibrato and replace it with the ATR-1as programmed vibrato, all in real time. Also, unusual combinations of Vibrato Waveform, Rate and Depth settings can be used for some interesting special effects.

An example

As an example, consider this before-and-after graphic representation of the pitch of a vocal phrase that contains both vibrato and expressive gestures.

Chapter 2: Setting Up the ATR-1a
Setting up the ATR-1a is a very straightforward. 1. Find a suitable location. The ATR-1a is designed to be mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack. 2. Confirm that the included power supply is correct for the electricity in your part of the world. If you are not sure, or the power supply has a plug that is incompatible with your wall sockets, contact your local Antares dealer for help. Important! Do not attempt to modify the supply or use any other supply that is not specifically intended for the ATR-1a. 3. First, connect the power supplys 7-pin DIN connector to the AC INPUT jack on the rear of the ATR-1a. Then plug the power supply into an AC outlet. 4. Connect a balanced or unbalanced audio input to one of the INPUT jacks (see Chapter 4 for details). 5. Connect a cable to one of the OUTPUT jacks and route the output as appropriate for your application. 6. If you will be controlling your ATR-1a via MIDI, connect a MIDI cable from your MIDI source to the ATR-1as MIDI IN jack. An Important Note: Unless you plan to be defining the ATR-1as target pitches via MIDI, be sure that MIDI NOTE MODE is set to OFF in the System Edit pages (see page 29 for details). If MIDI NOTE MODE is set to ON and no MIDI note data is present, the ATR-1a will pass through all audio unprocessed, regardless of the settings of the Program Scale Page giving the impression that the ATR-1a is not functioning. An Important Note About Grounding: The ATR-1a is an extremely quiet piece of gear. When properly connected and grounded, noise and hum will be inaudible. However, as youre no doubt well aware, every studio has its own unique quirks when it comes to connections, grounding and noise. For the absolute best sonic performance, ensure that your input and output are fully balanced.
An Important Note About Monitoring: If the ATR-1a is used to pitchcorrect an artists performance in real time, it is very important that the performer is able to monitor their original signal, not the pitch-corrected signal. Trying to react musically to the processed signal will drive them crazy and, in most cases, drive them farther off pitch.
Chapter 3: Panel Controls and Connectors
As you have almost certainly noticed, the ATR-1a has relatively few controls. Well cover them here.

The Front Panel

1 Non-existent Power Switch Thats right. There isnt one. The ATR-1a is designed to remain on continuously. You can, of course, plug it in to a switched power strip or power conditioner if you like, but leaving it on all the time will do it no harm. 2 LCD An easy-to-read 20 character by 2 line display. You can set the optimum viewing angle in the System menu (See Chapter 4). 3 Data Entry Knob As the name implies, turn it to enter data. 4 CURSOR Buttons The cursor buttons let you move the cursor in the LCD display from field to field so that you can change the fields value using the knob. 5 PROGRAMS Button Press this button to edit a Program or Song. It is state-sensitive. That is, if you are in Program Mode when you press this button, you will be taken to the Program Edit pages. If you are in Song Mode, you will be taken to the Song Edit pages. The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in an edit mode. When the LED is lit, press the PROGRAMS buttom again to exit the Program Mode. 6 PAGE Button While in Program, Song or System Edit Mode, press this button to cycle sequentially through the available edit pages. You can only move in one direction, but there are so few pages in each mode that you are never more than a few presses away from where you want to be.

7 SYSTEM Button Press this button to set various parameters that affect the ATR-1as overall functionality (MIDI response, LCD contrast, etc.) The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in System Edit Mode. When the LED is lit, press the SYSTEM buttom again to exit the System Edit Mode. 8 BYPASS Button Press the Bypass button to pass audio through the ATR-1a without any pitch correction or other processing. Switching the Bypass state will not cause any audio artifacts, so it can be used in performance or in the middle of a recorded track. The ATR-1a can also be placed into Bypass Mode via a footswitch (see below) or by MIDI. The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in Bypass Mode, whether the mode was initiated by the Bypass button, the foot switch, a Song Step Item or MIDI. 9 SIGNAL LEVEL Meter These six LEDs light to indicate the input signal level in dBs. Ideally, you should adjust the input to the highest level that does not consistently cause the top red LED to light. (The red LED lights at a level of -3dB. Digital clipping, which introduces a particularly nastysounding distortion, will occur if the input exceeds 0dB.) 10 PITCH CHANGE Meter These LEDs indicate, in real time, the amount of pitch correction being applied to change the input pitch to the target pitch. The green LEDs indicate that the input is flat and that positive correction is being applied. Conversely, the yellow LEDs indicate that the input is sharp and that negative correction is required. They are labeled in cents (i.e., 100ths of a semitone).

The Back Panel

1 AC POWER INPUT Plug the 7-pin DIN connector from the included power supply in here. Do NOT use a supply which is not expressly intended for the ATR-1a (even if you could find one with the that weird plug on it). Bad things could happen. 2 MIDI IN Connect the MIDI Out from a MIDI keyboard, sequencer, or other MIDI source in here. 3 FOOT SWITCH Plug in a foot switch here. A 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) plug is required. There are two varieties of foot switch: those that are shorted by default and those that are open by default. You should plug in your foot switch and then power on the ATR-1a. The ATR-1a will detect which kind of foot switch you have and behave accordingly. 4 BALANCED LINE INPUTS Inputs can be 1/4-inch TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) Phone, 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone or female XLR. Note: The XLR input is NOT a microphone input. A line level signal is required. Also Note: If you use a 1/4-inch TS plug, the input will of course not be balanced. Yet Another Note: The two inputs will not mix two signals. Plugging in a phone plug will disconnect the XLR input. 5 LINE OUTPUTs Outputs can be 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone Unbalanced or male XLR Balanced.

Chapter 4: Display Screens and Menu Pages
Flash Screen ATR-1a version 1.3 ATR-1a Processor
The Flash Screen appears for a few moments after the ATR-1a is powered on. The first line displays the firmware version. The second line can display any message that will fit in 20 characters. As it comes from the factory, the ATR-1a displays the rather unimaginative message above. However, you can create your own (much more clever) message in one of the SYSTEM pages (see page 36).

Mode Pages

The ATR-1a operates in one of two modes: Program Mode or Song Mode. When powered on, the ATR-1a reverts to the mode to which it was last set. (When initially powered on from the factory, the ATR-1a will be Program Mode.)

Program Mode Main Screen

In Program Mode, this Main Screen (the page visible when the Program and System LEDs are not lit) appears:

PROGRAM XX:aaaaaaaaaaaaa

where XX is the program number and aaaaaaaaaaaaa is the program name. In Program Mode, the parameters of the selected program govern the pitch correction algorithm.
To select a Program, move the cursor to the Program Number field and use the data knob to choose the desired Program. If the Program Mode Main Screen is displayed and MIDI Program Changes are enabled in the SYSTEM menu, a MIDI Program Change command of will select the corresponding Program. If the Program Mode Main Screen is displayed and the Foot Switch is set to STEP in the SYSTEM menu, pressing the foot switch will step to the next higher numbered Program. To move to Song Mode (see below), move the cursor to the top line and use the data knob to select Song Mode.

Song Mode Main Screen

When in Song Mode, this Main Screen appears as follows:
Song:XXaaaaaaaaaaaaa Step:YYbbbbbbbbbbbbb
where XX is the song number, aaaaaaaaaaaaa is the song name, YY is the Song Step number and bbbbbbbbbbbbb displays the name of the Program or navigation message at Step YY. To select a Song, move the cursor to the Song Number field and use the data knob to choose the desired Song. If the Song Mode Main Screen is displayed and MIDI Program Changes are enabled in the SYSTEM menu, a MIDI Program Change command of 120 will select the corresponding Song. If the Song Mode Main Screen is displayed and the Foot Switch is set to STEP in the SYSTEM menu, pressing the Foot Switch will step to the next non-0" Song Step in the Songs Step list. When in Song Mode, the Speed and Vibrato settings programmed for the selected Song override the Speed and Vibrato settings in any Programs called up by Song Steps.

Scale Page

You tell the ATR-1a exactly which notes you want to correct on the Scale Page:

XX:CC#DD#EFF#GG#AA#B By:

This page allows you to specify the scale notes to which the ATR-1a tunes the input sound. If you have used the Make Scale From MIDI function described above, the notes input via MIDI will already appear on the page and can be further edited here. There are 12 notes in this scale, i.e. C, C #, etc. Each note in the scale can be set to one of three states: Tune (i.e., the note name appears in the display, but the By: field under the note is blank): When the input is near a note set to Tune, the ATR-1a will retune the input to that note. Bypass (i.e., the note name appears in the display and an * appears in the By: field under the note): When the input pitch is close to a note set to Bypass, the output remains uncorrected. Blank (i.e., the note name disappears from the display): A note set to Blank will be omitted from the scale. For example, setting C , D , F , G , A to Blank causes a C Major scale to remain. In that case the ATR-1a would always retune the input to the closest note of the C Major scale. As an example, the following settings result in a D Major scale with no pitch corrections applied to F and C :
23: C#D E F#G A B By: * *
Why set Scale notes to Blank?
To understand why it is sometimes necessary to set even correct scale notes to Blank, lets look again at the example from Chapter 1.
This phrase is in D Major and, if all the pitch errors were no greater than about 49 cents, would work fine with a standard D Major scale (D, E, F , G, A, B, C ). However, the pitch error of three semitones at the end of the last note is so large that with B and C present in the Scale, as the pitch fell, the ATR-1a would see first C and then B as the target pitch and therefore allow the error to remain. With C and B removed from the Scale, the ATR-1a continues to see D as the target pitch for the entire duration of the note and therefore pulls the phrase up to the correct pitch.

Vibrato Page

As explained in Chapter 1, the ATR-1as Song Mode is designed to give you an easy and flexible way to control, in as much detail as you require, exactly how the ATR-1a will process each note of a song. Pressing the PROGRAMS button while the Song Mode main screen is displayed will place the ATR-1a in Song Edit Mode.
To edit a specific Song, you must first select that Song as the current Song. Do that by calling up the appropriate Song number on the Song Mode Main Screen. Then, press the PROGRAMS button (the red LED under the PROGRAMS button will light). The number of the Song being edited will always appear in the top left corner of the various Song Edit pages. When editing a Song, you progress from one edit page to the next by pressing the PAGE button. When you are finished making changes, press the PROGRAMS button again. You will be prompted to save the changes (see the Save Song Page, below).

Song Speed Page

Song:YY Speed (0 is fast): xxx
The Song Speed page operates in exactly the same manner as the Program Speed page described above. However, the Song Speed overrides the Speed settings of any Programs called up by any of the Song Steps.

Song Items Page

Song:XX : Programs:
Heres where the action is. The Song Items page allows you to specify a sequence of Programs along with a variety of options for navigating the sequence. To specify the contents of a Song Step, use the cursor buttons to move to the step number and then use the data knob to select the desired Item for that Step. Each Song contains 15 Steps. Continuing to press a cursor button when the cursor has reached the leftmost or rightmost displayed Step Number will cause additional Step Numbers to cycle across the display. Each Song Step may contain one of the following Items: ## (A Program Number) While this Song Step is active, the input audio will be pitch corrected according to the scale associated with this Program. All other Program parameters (i.e., Speed and Vibrato) will be ignored. B (Bypass) While this Song Step is active, the ATR-1a is put into Bypass Mode.

System Edit Pages

Pressing the SYSTEM button at any time will place the ATR-1a in System Edit Mode. The System Edit pages allow you to set parameters which affect the ATR-1a globally, independent of whichever Song or Program is currently active. Note: You can go directly to System Edit Mode from either Program Edit or Song Edit Mode. Simply press the SYSTEM button. If you have made no parameter changes to your Program/Song, you will immediately enter the System Edit pages. If you have made Program or Song parameter changes, you will first be presented with the Save Song or Save Program page. After making your choice to save or not, you will then be taken to the System Edit pages.
When editing System parameters, you progress from one edit page to the next by pressing the PAGE button. After you have finished making changes, press the SYSTEM button again. Unlike Program and Song editing, you are not prompted to save the changes, they are automatically saved for you.

Bass Mode Page

Bass Mode OFF
When operating in its normal mode, the ATR-1a is reliably able to detect pitches down to A0 (55Hz). Turning Bass Mode ON lowers the lowest detectable frequency by about one octave to 25Hz. Since the lowest E string on a bass guitar is approximately 41Hz, Bass Mode (as its name so ably implies) allows you to apply pitch correction to those pesky fretless bass lines as well as other low bass range instruments. Note: When Bass Mode is enabled, pitches above A4 may be incorrectly tuned by a perfect fifth. Consequently, its a good idea to enable Bass Mode only while working on pitch correcting bass range instruments and then turn it OFF again when finished.

Sensitivity and LCD Page

Sensitivity LCD aa bb
The Sensitivity parameter ranges from 0 to 25 and controls exactly what its name implies. At settings of 09, you will be rude and boorish to those who love you most, wish harm upon small furry animals, and enjoy the Jerry Springer Show. From 1020 you will (in varying degrees), see the good in every situation, cry openly in public (especially if you are male), and be in close touch with your inner child. From 2125 youll be in close touch with everybodys inner child. OK, were kidding about that. (And those of you who are not in the USA, please forgive the North American-centric references.) Actually, in order to accurately identify the pitch of the input, the ATR-1a requires a periodically repeating waveform, characteristic of a voice or solo instrument. The Sensitivity control determines how much variation is allowed in the incoming waveform for the ATR-1a to still consider it periodic.

If you are working with a well-isolated solo signal (e.g., tracking in a studio or off of a multi-track tape) you can typically set the Sensitivity control to 10 and forget it. If, on the other hand, your signal is noisy or not well-isolated (as might be more common in a live performance situation), it may be necessary to allow more signal variation (higher Sensitivity numbers). However, if you back off too much, the ATR-1as ability to detect pitch may be affected. As a rule, you should start with settings of about 7 to 10. If you want to detect only highly stable sounds in low-noise conditions, settings of from 2 to 5 may be appropriate. If there is ambient noise or other interfering sounds, try settings of from 15 to 20. Values close to zero or 25 are extreme, and will typically not do anything useful. The LCD parameter lets you set the maximum display contrast for your viewing angle.
Foot Switch and Detune Page
Foot_Switch Detune aaaaaa bbbb
The Foot_Switch parameter controls the function of a connected foot switch. When set to BYPASS, the foot switch functions exactly like the BYPASS button on the front panel. When set to STEP, if the Program Mode main screen is displayed, pressing the foot switch steps to the next higher numbered Program. If the Song Mode main screen is displayed, pressing the Foot Switch will step to the next non-0 Song Step in the Songs Step List. The Detune parameter allows you to change the pitch standard of the ATR-1a from the default A = 440Hz. The values are cents (100 cents = a semitone). The range of adjustment is from -100 to +100 cents. The Detune function can be used to tune a vocal performance to some irreparably out-of-tune instrument (a piano or organ, for example), or to allow correction to other than the conventional 440Hz standard. Refer to the following table to convert cents to Hertz relative to 440Hz.

DETUNE SETTING

A=HERTZ
-20 -16 -12 -8 -+4 +8 +12 +16 +20
This table can be extended in either direction by adding or subtracting 4 cents per Hertz, as appropriate.

MIDI Page 1

Channel Note Sustain aaaa bbb ccc
The Channel parameter selects the channel over which the ATR-1a receives MIDI messages. The choices include: Individual MIDI channels 116 If an individual channel is selected, the ATR-1a will respond to messages received on that channel only and will ignore any messages on other channels. OMNI If OMNI is selected, the ATR-1a will respond to messages on any MIDI channel. Setting the Note field to ON allows MIDI notes to define the scale used by the ATR1. Specifically, when Note is set ON, the scale of the currently active Program is ignored. Instead, the ATR-1a continuously monitors the MIDI input for Note On messages. At any instant, the scale used for correction is defined by all MIDI notes that are on. For example, if MIDI notes A, C and E are held, the ATR-1a input will be retuned to an A, C or E, whichever is closest to the input pitch.

Use the MIDI Note function to create amazing ornamental flourishes and trills. Connect a MIDI keyboard and turn on the MIDI Note function. Set a fast Speed and sing a sustained note while playing the keyboard. Go crazy! While the ATR-1a is not really intended to be a harmonizer, you can create some very high quality close two-part harmony by singing one part and using the MIDI Note function to retune what you sing to the appropriate harmony notes.

Appendix

Factory Programs
The ATR-1a comes from the factory pre-programmed with the basic chromatic, major, and natural minor scales in Programs 113 as listed below. You are, of course, free to overwrite these as you desire.
PROGRAM MAJOR SCALE NATURAL MINOR SCALE
(Chromatic) C Major D /C Major D Major E /D Major E Major F Major G /F Major G Major A /G Major A Major B /A Major B Major user defined user defined user defined A Minor B /A Minor B Minor C Minor D /C Minor D Minor E /D Minor E Minor F Minor G /F Minor G Minor A /G Minor user defined user defined user defined

Scale and Chord Guides

Here are some of the most commonly used scales, modes and chords, and their associated ATR-1a settings. All spellings use sharps because the ATR-1a software uses sharps to describe all accidentals (the black notes on the keyboard).
Scales/Modes reference chart
While the major scale needs no introduction, the others might need some explanation. For example, the difference between the natural and harmonic minor is only one note, the seventh scale degree. The natural minor uses a flat seventh and is typically found in most jazz and pop styles. The harmonic minor uses the raised seventh, sometimes called the leading tone, and is used in classical music styles. The raised seventh also produces a large interval between the sixth scale degree and the seventh (an augmented second or three semitones) this sound is featured often in Middle Eastern styles. The dorian mode is used in popular music styles because of the opportunity to use a major subdominant chord in a minor key (i.e., using an A Major chord in the key of E Minor). The phrygian mode, which features a lowered second scale degree as its most distinctive characteristic, is seldom used in popular music, though found fairly often in world music styles. The mixolydian mode is basically the major scale with a lowered seventh scale degree, and is often used in rock music.

<vibrato delay> <pgm name 1> <pgm name 13> <song data> = <song number> <speed> <vibrato type> <vibrato depth> <vibrato rate> <vibrato delay> <song name 1> <song name 13> <program 1><program 15>
0 to 25 (see DELAY TABLE, below) all values between 32 (ASCII blank) and 7FH 1 to to = off, 1 = SINE, 2 = SQUARE, 3 = SAW 0 to 100 cents 1 to 97 (.1 to 9.7 sec) 0 to 25 (see DELAY TABLE, below) all values between 32 (ASCII blank) and 7FH 7CH = B Bypass 7DH = <- Loop 7EH = E End 7FH = -> Link 0 = (empty) 1 to 50 = program number
Transmitting <system data> causes values to be immediately used in the ATR-1a. Transmitting <program data> or <song data> causes the data to be put into the ATR-1a permanent memory, but the values do not take effect. To have those data take effect, you can: from the front panel: in Song Mode: a new Song must be selected. in Program Mode: a new Program must be selected. from MIDI control: in Program or Song Mode, send a MIDI program change message to recall the affected Program or Song. Note that Song or Program downloads dont change Modes. You must have the correct Mode selected before transmitting a MIDI program change, or you must transmit a SysEx message to change to Program or Song Mode, as appropriate. Note: Due to the necessity of writing parameter changes to EEPROM, a delay of at least 200 milliseconds is required after the transmission of Song, Program or System parameter changes. Note: The ATR-1a does not protect itself against SysEx parameters being out of range. Unpredictable results may occur if out-of-range SysEx parameters are received.

Vibrato Delay Table

The following table identifies the MIDI controller values required to set each of the possible Vibrato Delay values:
MIDI VALUE VIBRATO DELAY (milliseconds)

3000 3500

MIDI System Exclusive Message Examples
The following examples are Scripts from Opcodes Galaxy. They show System Exclusive Messages which communicate with the ATR-1a. This message will cause the ATR-1a to select Program Mode.

Put Put Put Put Put

$F0 into Sys_Ex; $26 into Antares; 0 into Device_Num; 0 into Mode; $F7 into End_Sys_Ex;
Send Sys_Ex Antares Device_Num Mode End_Sys_Ex;
This message will cause the ATR-1a to select Song Mode.
$F0 into Sys_Ex; $26 into Antares; 0 into Device_Num; 1 into Mode; $F7 into End_Sys_Ex;
This message sets System data in the ATR-1a.
Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put Put
$F0 into Sys_Ex; $26 into Antares; $F7 into End_Sys_Ex; 0 into Device_Num; 4 into Mode; 14 into Msg_Length; 0 into MIDI_Channel; 0 into MIDI_Sustain; 0 into Pgm_Change; 0 into MIDI_Note; 0 into Pitch_Bend; 0 into Mod_Wheel; 0 into Foot_Switch; 13 into Speed_Controller; 13 into Vib_Rate_Controller; 13 into Vib_Delay_Controller;

waveform examples 10

Korg D1600

Antares Auto-Tune 3

P I T C H C O R R E C T I O N
Choose automatic pitch correction mode (shown here) or the graphic window (see inset). Choose from one of four source algorithms, in this case Soprano Voice. Choose from one of 29 preset scales, or create your own by clicking in the note panel (middle of window). New MIDI functions in version 3 let you input custom scales. You can also play the new target notes via MIDI in real time. The Retune and Tracking knobs are essential tools for optimizing performance.

Reports

P L U G - I N
Pros: Graphic and auto editing modes. Sourcespecific algorithms. Realtime MIDI input. Supports most plug-in formats. Stylish user interface. Cons: More processor- and memory-intensive than most plug-ins. Contact: Antares, 831-461-7800, www.antarestech.com $299 (DirectX), $399 (MAS, RTAS, VST), $599 (TDM)
Auto-Tune 3s graphic editing mode allows you to manually draw new pitch paths.
Add or shape vibrato by selecting a waveform type and dialing in the depth, rate, and delay. proved much more challenging. Shes a classically trained singer with thick vibrato. Right off the bat, I knew this would be tough; my first Auto-Tune experiments using Automatic mode yielded unusable results. Antares suggests increasing the Retune amount for cases such as this, which I did. The controls are sensitive, so I spent lots of time tweaking in an effort to find the sweet spot. The good news is that I was able to find accurate settings for certain phrases and sections, but I was never able to get one setting for the whole song as I had before. This song required me to delve into Auto-Tunes graphic editing mode, which is a powerful tool for surgical editing. It takes time and patience to get inside a track and massage each note like this, but its nice to have the option to do so. Antares makes no bones about this, saying: Use Auto Mode for quick fixes and Graphical Mode for meticulous tweaking.

by Greg Rule

outed as the worldwide standard in pitch correction, Auto-Tune has changed the face of modern recording. Whether being used for Cher-like pitch quantize effects or for invisible correction of notes that were played or sung off-key,Auto-Tune has indeed established itself as the heavyweight champ in its field. So how to improve upon an already great program? With useful new features and enhancements to the core algorithms, says an Antares spokesperson, and by bringing Auto-Tunes GUI into the modern age. If youre unfamiliar with the basics of Auto-Tune, refer back to our July 97 review of the original version. The hardware version, Antares ATR-1, was reviewed in Jan. 00. So no

KEYBOAR D DECEMBER 2001

beating around the bush lets get right to the performance of this new version.

In Use

I put Auto-Tune 3 through its paces in two pop recording sessions during this review. The first vocalist had a smooth, clear voice. Using the plug-in on her track was a breeze. All I had to do was select the appropriate key signature for the song, make minor adjustments to the Retune and Tracking settings, and that was it. I was essentially able to set and forget. Other than one note in the first verse, Auto-Tune sounded completely invisible from beginning to end, correcting the sharp and flat notes spot on. Perfecto. Using Auto-Tune 3 with another vocalist

w w w. k e y b o a rd o n l i n e. c o m

Vital Stats

TDM, RTAS, AudioSuite, MAS, VST, DirectX Formats System requirements: Mac: PowerPC processor or better, host app that supports the appropriate plug-in format, OS version required by host app; TDM version compatible with PCI TDM systems running Pro Tools III or later. PC: Windows 98 or ME, host app that supports RTAS or DirectX 6.1 or later; DirectX Media Runtime recommended Key features automatic and graphic editing modes, phase-coherent pitch correction of stereo tracks, MIDI input of target pitches, 88.2 and 96kHz sample rate compatibility, enhanced Mix chip usage efficiency for more instantiations per Mix chip (TDM only), AudioSuite version (TDM and RTAS only) Presets 29 selectable scales, 4 source-specific pitch detection/correction algorithms (soprano vocal, alto/tenor voice, low male voice, bass instrument) Copy protection challenge/response Upgrade path registered owners of Auto-Tune can upgrade to version 3 for $99 (MAS, VST, RTAS, DirectX), $149 (TDM), or $229 (VST LE) Downloadable demo? Yes
What I ended up doing was bouncing several passes of the soloed track to disk, each with a different Auto-Tune setting. Then I re-imported the files back into my session, lined them up, comped the best pieces from each pass into a single track, and I had my perfect take. Admittedly this took a lot more time and effort than the first song, but it was worth it. Putting things in perspective, most of my work with Auto-Tune before and after the review has been handled successfully in Automatic mode. The example above was what Id call a worst case scenario.

Conclusions

Auto-Tune is still at the top of the pitch-correcting pack. Building upon an already great foundation, version 3 raises the bar another notch with new features such as realtime MIDI control, source-specific algorithms, and a slick new user interface. It isnt alone in the field, however. There are other realtime pitch-correction plug-ins from Digidesign, TC Works, Waves, and Wave Mechanics, but none offers the type of graphic editing available in Auto-Tune 3.
Speaking of visual editing, some of you have been asking about Celemonys Melodyne software, which has a unique approach to pitch editing. Well be reviewing it soon, but as far as we know, it wont be available as a plug-in only as an offline app. It comes as no surprise that Auto-Tune 3 is a bit of a processor and memory hog compared to many other plug-ins. Its a powerful plug-in, after all, and one that delivers on its promise. But if youve been getting by on a minimal system, be ready to invest in more memory and/or a faster computer. In my case, using native Pro Tools LE on a G3 with 256MB of RAM, Auto-Tune wouldnt operate properly if I had two other high-power plug-ins instantiated. Bottom line: For plug-in users who record live monophonic instruments and vocals (including those recorded in stereo), Auto-Tune 3 is an essential tool for keeping tracks in tune. Its easy to use, powerful, and available in practically all of the popular plug-in formats. Chalk up another Key Buy for Antares. k Greg Rule is the editor-in-chief of Keyboard. Visit him online at www.gregrule.com.