Vocal Synth Logic
Ilona Brownson
I have a problem to run izotope vocalsynth 2 in Logic pro 10.4.2 under OS X Sierra. I have no problems with Logic 10.3 under OS X El Capitan, so I'm wondering what is the issue. The OS or the version of Logic?
Yes, Logic Pro X includes the EVOC 20 PolySynth vocoder. This plugin offers extensive sound modulation capabilities and is suitable for traditional vocoding and advanced sound design. It features multiple synthesis modes and various adjustable parameters, including formant shift and filter response.
Logic Pro X also allows the use of third-party vocoder plugins, providing flexibility beyond the native EVOC 20. Users can easily integrate these plugins into their projects, enhancing their sound design with diverse vocoder options.
Its formant shift tool and extensive filter bank allow for the precise shaping of vocal effects, making it particularly effective for unique soundscapes. Additionally, the EVOC 20 offers side-chain inputs that enable creative layering of effects, further broadening its applicability.
Users value its straightforward interface, which simplifies the complex process of vocoding and facilitates quick learning curves. This makes the EVOC 20 an excellent choice for anyone looking to integrate vocoder effects seamlessly into their projects.
Vocal Synth 2 by iZotope offers a rich palette of vocal effects through its advanced vocoding and vocal synthesis capabilities. It has five innovative modules: Biovox, Vocoder, Compuvox, Talkbox, and Polyvox, each offering distinct sonic possibilities.
This versatility allows producers to blend and manipulate these modules for a wide range of effects, from subtle vocal enhancements to transformative sound alterations. The plugin also includes an intuitive interface, and AI-driven controls that simplify the process of achieving desired vocal textures.
Its real-time visual feedback aids in making precise adjustments, which is invaluable for both live performances and studio productions. Vocal Synth 2 stands out for its ability to merge complex processing technology with user-friendly functionality.
The UAD Softube Vocoder is renowned for its analog emulation, capturing the classic warmth and clarity of vintage hardware vocoders. This plugin delivers a rich, textured sound that enhances any track. It offers precise control over the vocoding effect, allowing users to finely tune the sound to their liking.
The plugin features carrier options, including saw, noise, and pulse, providing a wide range of sound textures. Users can adjust the number of bands for detailed sound shaping, making it versatile for both subtle and pronounced vocoding effects.
Tal Vocoder, known for its simplicity and effectiveness, brings a distinctly vintage vocoder sound to modern productions. It emulates the sound characteristics of vocoders from the 1980s, offering a blend of nostalgia and current technology.
This plugin is particularly user-friendly, with straightforward controls and a clear interface, making it accessible even for beginners. It provides 11 bands that can be easily adjusted, ensuring detailed sound sculpting capabilities.
Tal Vocoder also includes built-in carrier synths, which allow users to experiment with sounds without needing external input. This makes it a great choice for achieving classic vocoder sounds and exploring creative sound design in contemporary tracks.
Optimizing vocoder plugin performance in Logic Pro X begins with effectively managing CPU resources. This can involve freezing tracks that use intensive plugins or adjusting buffer size settings for smoother playback.
Consider automating parameters such as formant shift or filter sweep to dynamically shape the sound across a track. Lastly, you should always use high-quality audio inputs. The clarity of the carrier and modulator signals greatly influences the result, making high-resolution audio preferable.
Download our most popular resource: 6 Steps for Creating Radio Ready songs to learn the fundamentals of what goes into a professional mix from renowned Producer, Songwriter & Mixer Warren Huart, who has worked on several Grammy-nominated albums!
Whether you prioritize authentic analog emulation, creative flexibility, or user-friendly interfaces, the key is to trial these plugins in your own environment. Evaluate them based on how they complement your workflow and enhance your musical creations.
Before the signal is sent through these modules, the audio is processed by a Pitch Correction module which you can use to subtly tune your vocals or be more aggressive and create that AutoTune style effect. The Pitch Correction section also has a musical scale selection option which is very important as all the other modules will use that information too. To top it all off there is a effect section that has 5 processors (Distort, Filter, Transform, Shred & Delay)
One of the most amazing aspect of VocalSynth is that with just a click of a button, you can enable MIDI control of all these modules. No need to route in a carrier signal (you can if you want to), just use the built-in wavetable based synth and control it via MIDI.
This module can give you that gender-bender effect where a female vocal can be pitched down to sound more like a man or even Darth Vader-ish, or on the other extreme make it sound like a chipmunk. I find this module to be more useful when in MIDI mode. You can create really nice harmonies for the voice by just playing in the respective MIDI notes. The vocals in Hide & Seek by Imogen Heap would be a good example of what you could create with an effect like this.
One of the most powerful aspect of this plugin is the fact that all the effects can run simultaneously. The mixer section has faders for each of the 4 modules as well as a dry signal fader. If you do choose to use all 4 modules, you should be aware of the CPU usage. One instance of VocalSynth with all modules engaged can take up a significant amount of your CPU usage, though this will also depend on the output buffer size.
On top of all the vocal processing modules, you get 5 general audio effects that can further process your vocal tracks. You get a Distort module to add subtle or extreme distortion to the audio, depending on which of the 4 modes you select (warm, analog, edgy & fuzz). A Filter module with 4 modes (low pass, high pass, scream & combo). A really cool Transform module that uses convolution to recreate 8 different devices like guitar cabinets, speakers, a radio and other strange devices. A Shred module that creates stutter repeats which can be synced to the project tempo. Finally, you also get a Delay module with standard delay based controls.
Since these effects process the incoming audio from the main modules in series, iZotope have also included a Dry/Wet control on each. So you can tone down the amount of processing from each of these modules.
Vocal Synth features an XY pad for modulation of any two parameters from all the main vocal processing modules as well as the effects section. You get two drop-down menus to make the assignments to the X & Y axis respectively. Modulating the level of different modules can create some interesting changes over time. Personally I like assigning the formant controls from the Polyvox & Talkbox to the XY pad to get some really dramatic vocal changes over time.
It's really helpful to have built-in carriers for the Vocoder, Compuvox & Talkbox but if you specifically want to use an external audio signal as the carrier, you can enable Side-Chain mode. The way audio comes into the plugin varies from DAW to DAW but once that is setup, any audio signal can work as a carrier.
Rishabh Rajan is an award winning music producer & educator currently based in New York. He produces electronic music under the name code:MONO & hosts a YouTube channel featuring music and live mashup videos using performance controllers like the Ableton Push. He is also a sample library developer having worked with companies like Bela... Read More
The vocoder in Logic Pro is a unique and fun effect for music producers, though many avoid it because it can be overwhelming or confusing to set up. If you're not familiar what a vocoder sounds like, then this is a good song reference by Daft Punk.
In essence, the vocoder is used with a vocal (or audio) track. The vocal track is passed through the vocoder and it turns the sound into an almost robotic sound. The cool thing is that the vocoder sound can be edited by changing the synth parameters but also by creating different midi notes and chords for the vocoder to play. In Logic Pro, you can do this with a pre-recorded audio track or you can also do it live using system monitoring. I'll go over both ways in this post.
First, let's walk through the main setup of the vocoder and how to use the vocoder in Logic Pro with a pre-recorded audio track. At the end, I'll show you how to do it live without any pre-recorded audio.
Open up a new project in Logic Pro. In order to use the vocoder, you'll need to add two new tracks. The first track should be an audio track. This would be used for your vocal. The next track would be a software instrument track. This is the track that we will add the vocoder.
Go ahead and add these two track types now, take note of the image above. You'll notice that there is already an audio region within the audio track. You should have this as well. If not, record your vocal in Logic and then meet us in the next step.
When you do this, you're linking up the software instrument track to the audio track through this plugin so that they can work together. In other words, this is allowing the output of the audio file to control the vocoder.
You might be asking yourself, "why do we mute the track or set the output to "no output?" We do this because we only want to be triggering the vocoder. In other words, we only want to hear our voice through the vocoder plugin. If we didn't mute or set the output to no output, we would hear the vocoder and our regular singing voice. If that's the effect you'd like, then make sure to skip this part.
c80f0f1006