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New Toys: Antares Auto-Tune Vocal EQ

Auto-Tune Vocal EQ is a purpose-built vocal finishing tool/processor; I followed it with a compressor plug-in and got a top-notch vocal sound. A-T Vocal EQ starts with a six-band fully parametric equalizer with Auto-Tune pitch tracking; a dynamic equalizer is available on each band. There are separate variable high and low cut filters with 6, 12, 18, and 24db/octave slopes, a 2.5kHz to 40kHz air-band EQ, individual band solo/mute buttons, and a switchable tilt feature I used to finely adjust the overall finished EQ.

I got the best sound ever on a problematic female lead vocal that in past mixes required a lot of plug-ins, automation, clip gain moves to get it to "sit" and sound good in an R&B track. My process started with setting up a high-pass filter to lessen room rumble or p-pops. Next, Band 1 frequency-tracked a -2.2dB dip centered at 250Hz. This thinned out the singer in certain places so I added back 1dB at around 400Hz fixed. Band 3 was set at 550Hz but I used that band's dynamic EQ. 

Dynamic EQ is an awesome way to control resonances that can be recorded with the vocal. Band 4 was at 1326 Hz worked for slight expansion dynamically. Band 6 was set to 5800 Hz and used its dynamic section as a de-esser that worked well to see the exact problem areas.

Lastly, the air band was set to 15kHz with a 13dB of boost that kept a bright sound but without making the singer sound brittle. Auto-Tune Vocal EQ is a big winner for me! It sounds as natural as you want and is indispensible for wrangling a good sound out of poorly recorded singers and difficult-to-capture vocal performances.

Part of Auto-Tune Unlimited, subscribers have immediate access to Auto-Tune Vocal EQ. Auto-Tune Unlimited is well worth the $24.99 paid monthly, or $14.58 a month with paid annual subscription. 

antarestech.com/product/auto-tune-unlimited