auto-tuning a breathy vocal

[cakes]

Anyone have experience trying to auto-tune a breathy vocal? I'm having a tough time with it. The problem is that when the singer holds out a note, auto-tune detects the note, then doesn't, then does again - the red line (in graphical mode) looks like a dotted line on every note. I guess there's not enough "pitch" in her voice to detect all the time. If I try to tune the note in any way, it only tunes the parts of the note it detected, so I get almost like a vibrato - tuned, then not tuned, then tuned, etc.

I've tried different kinds of voice (soprano, alto, instrument), and different values for retune and tracking. Any ideas?

Thanks.

cakes

[Redhouse_Janke]

Tell her to take singing lessons [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Just joking,

Maybe you should try out the wave mecanics
Pitch Doctor, a friend of mine claimed it to be both cheaper and better. (I´m not a sales rep, just a simple musician). Maybe there´s a demo to help u out.

Good luck

[Rail Jon Rogut]

I take it you're tried adjusting the "choosy" parameter in the plug-in? I have had issues in the past with whispered vocals or breathy vocals where the plug-in couldn't detect the pitch.. in that case, I've resorted to using Pitch Doctor or an AS pitch shift plug-in. Pitch 'n Time may be a good option.

Rail

[jho]

You may have already tried this, but I only use auto tune usually as AudioSuite plug and just fix the very offending notes...leave the rest natural.

[D Clarkson]

How about Melodyne?
I've seen and heard wicked things with this thing,without screwing up the quality...

[cakes]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I might take a look at those other plugs, though for now I'm stuck with Auto-tune. I definitely played with the "choosy" parameter, and sometimes it helps, but not usually, at least on this vocal. And I am *definitely* only tuning certain notes, in Audiosuite. (and yes, I used simple pitch-shift plugs a couple of times)

Actually, probably the best thing that came out of this experience is that when I told the producer how much trouble I was having tuning the singer's vocals, he said he would work harder with her next time to get her to sing in tune. Nice to see, though I don't think he meant "singers in general" - just this one, because her voice is so breathy. In other words, he might work harder to record good vocals with this singer, but only because he can't get away with less.

cakes