Best Practices for Using AutoTune Live on Stage
Our expert guide to master AutoTune on stage and achieve perfect pitch, live.
July 21, 2023
Read time: 5 mins
AutoTune is a real-time pitch correction software that automatically adjusts your vocal pitch while you sing. It’s a plugin designed to be subtle and transparent, which preserves the characteristics of your unique voice while gently correcting any pitch deviation on the fly. When used live, AutoTune brings to life a pitch-perfect performance that captivates and emotionally engages the audience.
Using AutoTune to upgrade the quality of a live performance is a common practice among beginner and professional singers alike. Just like in the recording studio, AutoTune is an indispensable companion that makes live shows memorable for the audience and the artist. AutoTune delivers vocal performances of the highest quality, anytime and anywhere.
Let’s look at how AutoTune can be used live, how it works, and the best setups to make the most of this powerful tool.
Photo by Dominic Hampton
How AutoTune Enhances Live Performance
The benefits of using AutoTune during your gigs are plenty. First and foremost, it lessens the pressure felt by the vocalist to hit every single note perfectly. This allows them to focus more on connecting with the audience and achieving the peace of mind necessary to deliver an unforgettable performance.
Aside from seamless pitch correction, using AutoTune live also offers endless creative possibilities. Artists can experiment with unique vocal effects to expand their sonic palette while performing live. Whether it's a subtle vibrato or a perfectly-placed pitch bend, AutoTune takes vocal expression to a whole new level.
Over the years, artists across all genres and levels have found creative ways of using AutoTune both in the studio and live by exploring the endless possibilities this creative tool has to offer.
How to Use AutoTune in Live Performances
Using AutoTune Artist, optimized for low latency performance on stage or in the studio, is extremely intuitive. However, if you want to make the most of this resourceful plugin, you’ll need to define the ideal setup that’ll unlock your creativity while keeping you focused on your live show.
The basic live AutoTune setup should have three key components:
- A high-quality microphone that captures the artist's vocals with clarity and finesse.
- A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) hosting the AutoTune software responsible for processing the vocal input in real-time.
- A direct box or audio interface to establish a seamless connection between the microphone and the DAW, ensuring fast and crystal-clear transmission of the artist's voice.
Now that you know how AutoTune Artist can enhance the quality of your performance on stage, let’s see how the plugin works.
AutoTune listens to every note you sing, and in the blink of an eye, it works its magic to ensure you hit those notes with absolute precision. This way, you won’t have to worry about going off-key or hitting a sour note: AutoTune reacts in real time and corrects the inaccurate note before your voice reaches the PA system. Once AutoTune analyzes and adjusts your vocals, the signal is sent to the audio system, blasting through those speakers and straight to the audience's ears.
Just like when you use AutoTune in the studio, you can personalize every setting of the AutoTune Artist plugin beforehand. This helps you ensure that the impact it has on your live performance is precisely how you envision it.
Alternatives to DAWs
While DAWs offer an intuitive and affordable digital platform where you can personalize and refine your sound signature, they can also be problematic when used live. DAWs can crash, and subtle changes can be hard to make while in the middle of an energetic performance: these are just a couple of reasons why singers might not want to use a DAW during their shows.
Some artists prefer a more “tangible” approach and avoid the intricacies of digital workstations. If that rings a bell, don’t worry: there are other ways to use AutoTune live without resorting to DAWs.
Methods of Controlling Live AutoTune
When controlling AutoTune live, artists have two main methods at their disposal. The first is through a rack mount, managed by an off-stage crew member or audio engineer. This approach allows for precise adjustments and fine-tuning in real time, offering constant support during the performance.
The main advantage is the precision and the seamless support: you won’t have to worry about technical hiccups. Your crew member can make real-time adjustments during the performance, so your vocals will always sound spot-on. Losing control of your effects while performing on stage can lead to disaster: so if you’re not confident you can oversee your effects while singing, relying on an audio engineer might be the best option.
The second method involves using foot pedals to control the infinite power of AutoTune with your hands or feet. The main advantage of this method is creative freedom: you can activate Auto-Tune whenever the mood strikes, to improvise, or to bring to life a completely new sound texture on the fly.
This method empowers performers to make real-time adjustments, or add an element of spontaneity and creative expression to their act. Just like with any other tool, mastering AutoTune in live performances takes some practice: you’ll have to get used to using pedals to control your sound and have a clear understanding of how the effect can impact your vocals depending on its settings.
Furthermore, you can create a complete pedalboard with reverb, echo, and as many other effects as you like, which will help you take your performance to a new level. Although foot pedals can give you the artistic freedom you need, sometimes it’s easy to exaggerate with effects, which is why it's crucial to find a balance between spontaneity and pitch-perfection.
Both floor pedals and rack mounts can give you the freedom to ditch the traditional DAW setup and go for something more straightforward. Regardless of your style and workflow, AutoTune is a transformative tool that elevates vocal performances on stage to unprecedented heights.
The key to unlocking this pitch-perfect magic lies in assembling the right equipment: a reliable microphone, a DAW housing the AutoTune software, and a seamless audio interface. With alternatives like floor pedals and the power to choose between rack-mounted precision and foot-controlled spontaneity, artists can tailor their live AutoTune experience to suit their unique style.
Other Vocal Effects During Live Performances
In addition to AutoTune, Antares offers a suite of powerful plugins that can further enhance live performances and take your vocals to the next level. Here are some of the best tools you can use to make your gigs memorable:
Harmony Engine: This versatile vocal harmonizer plug-in lets you create lush harmonies and vocal arrangements in real-time. With intelligent harmony generation, Harmony Engine adds depth and richness to your vocal performances, making it sound like you have a choir accompanying you on stage.
Warm: An excellent plug-in for adding character to your vocals, as it emulates the sound of classic analog tube preamps. As the name suggests, Warm adds a touch of a vintage warmth to your performance.
Throat: This is a unique vocal modeling plugin that lets you alter the physical characteristics of your voice. You can modify the vocal timbre and formants to achieve different vocal styles and create out-of-this-world vocal effects. It's an excellent tool for adding an extra touch to your live vocals.
These additional Antares plugins complement AutoTune and offer comprehensive tools for enhancing vocals during live performances. Whether you're looking for vocal harmonies, warm and vintage character, precise dynamics control, or experimental vocal effects, Antares has a wide array of powerful plug-ins to bring your live performances to new heights.
Singers Who Use AutoTune Live
Numerous artists have successfully used AutoTune for live performances to enhance their shows and create unforgettable moments. For example, The Weeknd's spectacular Super Bowl Halftime Show featured his signature falsetto vocals enhanced with tasteful AutoTune, adding to the grandeur of his performance. Relive the moment here: The Weeknd Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Even bands like the pop-punk legends blink-182 use AutoTune for live performances! A testament to the wide appeal of AutoTune across many genres of music.
Another example is Twenty-One Pilots' energetic live performance of "Ride" at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, where the band showcased their genre-blending artistry, with AutoTune adding an edgy and experimental element to the alternative hit.
These artists' performances illustrate how AutoTune can be a powerful tool for enhancing live vocal performances across various genres, from R&B and pop to funk and electronic music. This, more than anything else, is a testament to the versatility and creativity that AutoTune brings to the world of live music.
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Written by
Antares Editorial
Antares is a leading developer of software for music recording and live performance. For over 20 years, Antares has powered the music of top-charting and indie artists with products including the industry standard for pitch correction, AutoTune™.