Whether you’re a home producer or work at a major recording studio, Autotune and other pitch correction software can help deal with a weak vocal performance.
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In a hurry? I love Melodyne 4 Studio from Celemony. It’s sounds incredible, leaving little to no artifacts on vocals recorded in a treated space, but are in need of a little fixing.
But Autotune isn’t reserved exclusively for pitch correction. T-Pain popularized the hard-straightened pitch, even going as far as releasing an iOS app called “I Am T-Pain.”
Pitch correction software can also be utilized for other instruments as well. I’ve even used VariAudio (the “Autotune” built into Cubase) on bass guitar parts that were slightly out of tune. The result was surprisingly excellent, with little to no audio artifacts.
There’s a lot you can do with Autotune and similar software.
With so many options for producers, how can you decide on which one to use? Fortunately, I’ve had the experience working with many pitch correction plugins to weed out the good from the bad.
I’m going to include both free and paid options, so please read on!
Have an interest in virtual instruments? Don’t miss my other roundups!
Table of Contents
1) Antares Auto-Tune Pro (Paid)
Auto-Tune is the original pitch correction software. It’s so popular that its name is synonymous and is more of a colloquial term.
Antares gives you a couple of options to pick from depending on your needs — Pro, Artist, Access, or EFX+. As you’d guess, the price moves up the more features there are.
Auto-Tune is very hands-off. I’d even go as far as to say that it’s the most straightforward plugin for correcting pitch.
Pros
- Easy to use for beginners
- Lightweight on memory
- Great-looking user interface
Cons
- AUTO mode is limited
- Difficult for beginners to use GRAPH
- A little outdated compared
When using Auto-Tune on a vocal track in AUTO mode, set the key, the retune speed, and the amount of humanization. You should be able to hit the playback button now and hear hopefully great results.
Because it’s simplicity, I find that it doesn’t perform as well as others (when using the quick settings) that require more fine-tune vocal editing.
To fix an abysmal vocal performance, use the graph mode and hand tune each note to your liking. This process is much more complicated but yields a far better result.
I am not huge on Auto-Tune (I know many are), but it can deliver exceptional results. If you take the time to learn how to use it properly, you’ll have great-sounding vocals with ease.
Auto-Tune from Antares is available at Plugin Boutique.
2) Steinberg VariAudio — Cubase Pro (Paid)
Steinberg’s VariAudio is a pitch correction software included in Cubase Pro. It’s not a standalone plugin, so you won’t be able to use it if you don’t own Cubase Pro.
But, for those of you with Cubase who didn’t realize your DAW has pitch correction, rejoice!
I love VariAudio — so much so that I couldn’t imagine switching DAWs. I’ve been on Cubase for ten years, so I know my way around, but VariAudio is the one thing that will keep me as a forever customer.
Pros
- Integrated into Cubase
- Quick to edit any clip
- Very fast and no CPU
Cons
- Audio artifacts are very noticeable if not careful
- Limited cutting resolution
- Not intuitive at first
VariAudio functions similar to Melodyne and Auto-Tune’s graph mode. Double-clicking on a clip opens up the editor, where you can choose to enable VariAudio — no plugin required.
From here, it’s simple as using Pitch Quantize and Straighten Pitch on each clip. Cutting clips also helps pitch only individual sections of a waveform.
The newest version of VariAudio introduced some incredible options for adjusting pitch that make the software even more valuable.
I highly recommend considering Cubase Pro if you plan to switch DAWs — for VariAudio exclusively!
Steinberg’s Cubase Pro is available from Plugin Fox.
3) Celemony Melodyne (Paid)
We’re moving up the price ladder, but for a good reason. Melodyne from Celemony is one of the most utilized pitch correction plugins used by professional vocal editors and producers.
Melodyne offers (to my ears) the most accurate and musical sounding algorithm, leaving no tuning artifacts that are easily recognizable to the untrained ear.
Pros
- Incredible-sounding algorithm
- Tons of flexibility when vocals sound poor
- Zero audio artifacts in most cases
Cons
- Difficult for new users
- Rather expensive
The software has incredible note detection allowing for more accurate tuning. I find that in VariAudio, there are times that the software cannot understand individual notes, so they are omitted. It’s not too often this occurs, but Melodyne does it better.
Melodyne is available at Plugin Boutique.
4) Waves Tune (Paid)
Waves Tune operates similarly to Auto-Tune and Melodyne. Before you begin tuning, the software scans the audio track and displays audio waveforms.
The process of editing is quite similar as well, though the interface is slightly dated.
Pros
- Included in many of Wave’s plugin bundles
- Relatively lightweight on CPU
Cons
- Outdated
- Difficult to use
I have never enjoyed using Waves Tune but figured it needed a mention since Waves is one of the most popular audio plugin companies.
5) Waves Tune Real-Time (Paid)
While cheaper than the regular version of Tune, Tune Real-Time offers a quick and user-friendly experience for tuning vocals. I’d compare this plugin to using Auto-Tune on AUTO mode.
Note transition is iffy at best and artifacts are present throughout (at least when I used it). The plugin isn’t smooth sounding at all, and there aren’t many parameter changes available.
I’d recommend Real-Time for two different scenarios. The first being someone new to audio production looking to fix a vocal without technical knowledge of tuning vocals. You won’t get the most professional sound, but it will be acceptable.
The second scenario is for producers working with singers in the studio who struggle to sing on pitch.
Using a pitch-correction software can boost the confidence of the singer in the booth, though I can’t say for sure if this will lead to a better sounding vocal take.
Despite the marketing of Waves Tune Real-Time, claiming instant vocal tuning, I could envision latency becoming an issue in some home studio settings.
Free Auto-Tune VST Plugins
If you’re on the fence about which one to get or want to save a little cash, try some of these free pitch correction plugins I’ve listed below.
Things To Consider When Choosing a Pitch Correction Software Plugin
Despite all the choices I’ve laid out, you still may be confused on the correct option. Here are some things to consider before making a decision.
Does the software maker provide a trial?
If so, take the trial and check out the software! There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a plugin only to find out that it’s non-refundable.
Do you need graph editing functionality?
Graph editing, like seen in Melodyne and VariAudio, is for advanced vocal editors. If you need a quick tuning for a little enhancement of a track, you may not need to edit each note.
If you want to draw in the notes physically, a more advanced pitch correction software will be necessary.
Further features you may desire are formant control, MIDI input (for vocoder), and note straightness. These types of effects are often essential in a lot of today’s popular music.
Does your DAW already have pitch processing?
Mine does — that’s why I’ve included VariAudio in this list. Digital audio workstations like Propellerhead’s Reason and MOTU Digital Performer also come with their native pitch correction software.
Wrapping Up
Which one do I like most? If I didn’t have VariAudio included in Cubase, I’d most likely be using Melodyne exclusively. It sounds incredible, and the workflow is so intuitive.
So there you have it — my list of the best Auto-Tune/pitch correction VST plugins. Which one do you currently use in the studio? I’d love to hear from you down below in the comments. Thanks for reading!
Autotune and pitch correction plugins have become massively popular in modern music production. After all, they can fix subtle imperfections and boost a vocalist’s performance. Heck, you can even record organic instruments and fine tune them to attain a natural, smooth, and gliding sound! So, there are a smorgasbord of possibilities that autotune VSTs can open up. Now then, you could either shell out hundreds of dollars or simply snag some decent free autotune VST plugins which can overlay vocal effects popularized by Daft Punk, T-Pain, Cher, to name a few.
But, the quandary is there are tons of free autotune VSTs lingering in the depths of the internet and finding the right one can be overwhelming. So, if you are looking for a list of decent free autotune VST plugins then we have got you covered with some great autotune VSTs that provide incredible functionality!
14 Free Autotune VST Plugins List 2020
1) GSnap
Arguably the finest autotune and vocal harmonizer VST effects plugin that one can snag for free, GSnap subtly corrects the pitch of your vocals or instrument(s). It can be further tweaked with more extreme settings to replicate the famous robot-voice effects popularized by Daft Punk.
The nifty GSnap VST can correct individual notes that need to be fine tuned by switching between automatic mode and manual treatment. Just remember to add stereo effects after the GSnap VST since it requires a monophonic input signal to operate and you are all set!
2) Fine Cut Bodies La Petite Excite
Exciter plugins are renowned for adding subtle harmonics to your vocal tracks for some super sonic excitement in the higher range. With the free La Petite Excite from Fine Cut Bodies at the helm, you too can have a gala time fine tuning high pitched vocals.
Throw this beast of a VST on your vocals and tweak it all you want to attain subtle harmonic distortion. Albeit you will have to sign up to snag La Petite Excite for free.
3) Son of a Pitch (S.O.A.P)
Saltline’s Son of a Pitch is an LFO-controlled pitch correction VST that can be deployed for a gamut of extreme pitch bend effects. This nifty free VST features a pitch knob that can be tweaked from a range of +3 full octaves to -3 octaves of the original pitch.
There is more tweakage to be had as the pitch of the incoming signal can be controlled via a pitch knob or a sync to host LFO. Interestingly, it can be used as a virtual whammy bar for other instruments although you can adjust the pitch response to suit diverse vocal styles.
4) Graillon 2
Relatively new on the radar, Graillon 2 sports a retro-futuristic GUI and offers a ton of quirky settings to get you started. Simply insert its correction module in one of your vocal tracks and see the effects kicking in. Not to mention, Graillon 2’s lush bitcrusher which can add digital distortion to your vocals.
It can also alter formant controls and change the tone of an instrumental or vocal track with ease and grace. If you are a fan of bitcrushed robotic voices, this one’s a surefire no-brainer.
5) Alex Hilton A1 Trigger Gate
Free T Pain Autotune Plugin Download
Wanna push the limits of your vocal range? Alex Hilton’s A1 Trigger Gate is a great free autotune VST plugin that lets you try out cool effects on your vocals. You can use its step-style sequencer that packs in a gamut of effects suitable for multiple genres, right from baroque pop to metalcore.
All in all, the A1 Trigger Gate panders to the needs of producers who like experimenting with vocals a lot.
6) Melda MAutoPitch Auto-Tune
Considering how much invaluable Auto-tune has become in the modern music production landscape, MAutoPitch is one of the best free autotune VST plugins around for producers dealing with vocal melodies.
T Pain Autotune For Free
It can do pitch corrections, fix off notes, and gives you the legendary T-Pain/Cher effect as well. All in all, MAutoPitch is a vocal mixer’s secret weapon.
7) Acon Digital Multiply Chorus
Do your vocals sound dull and uninspired despite every possible EQ setting? Add a dash of colour and bring your vocals to life via Acon Digital’s Multiply Chorus VST. An out-and-out chorus plugin, Multiply Chorus thickens up your sound and makes your vocals stand out in the mix.
What’s more, it offers a smorgasbord of tiny delays (running up to milliseconds) that fill out your vocals and liven them up by a notch.
8) X42 Autotune
With a GUI that’s reminisces early-2000s VSTs, many users would be surprised that X42 Autotune can fix out-of-tune vocals with zero fuss. Although you cannot alter a sound’s formants, this free autotune VST utilizes its bias and offset features to help you retain vocal texture.
For instance, Bias can keep a note natural even if a vocalist alters the pitch of its sustain. A little dated, X42 Autotune nevertheless brings in great functionality to the fore with MIDI and audio side-chain inputs.
9) Auto-Tune Evo
Another solid free autotune VST on our list, Auto-Tune Evo offers two distinctive ways to deal with pitch correction. For basic pitch corrections and correcting off notes in live performance in real-time, Automatic Mode would suffice as it identifies closest pitch in a user specified scale (minor, major, chromatic, etc).
For fastidious tweaking you can revel in Graphical Mode where you can specify the desired pitch using a gamut of graphics tools and modify or correct the most elaborate pitch variations.
10) Autotalent
Renowned as a slick vocal harmonizer and autotune VST, Autotalent provides immaculate real-time pitch correction and ensures that only the specified notes are hit.
You can use this auto-tune VST as a straight up simple pitch shifting/pitch correction audio effect or use it to recreate iconic Cher-like vocal effects as well as chiptune style-effects and full-blown robotic mashes. There’s a lot of creative tweakage to be had with formant controls. All together, one of the best free autotune VST plugins on the market.
Free Autotune Download Full Version
11) KeroVee Autotune
A classic autotune and pitch correction VST plugin to the brim, KeroVee provides simple pitch correction to audio signals. It also offers the quintessential T-Pain/Cher autotuneeffect when the Tuning Speed is set to Max.
What’s more, you can also mix two independent transposed outputs of pitch-corrector or bypass output with KeroVee autotune VST plugin at the helm.
12) 4 Band Shifter
A classic 4-band pitch correction plugin by Bitterspring, 4 Band Shifter can independently shift the pitch of four adjoining, user-definable frequency bands. Better still, its formidable pitch correction range goes from -12 semitones to a solid +12 semitones.
13) AAS Autotune
Quite an oddity on our list of free autotune VST plugins, AAS Autotune doesn’t boast a GUI or interface. Simply set this “invisible” VST on a track and see the magic pour in to your vocal track(s).
Very easy to use (of course), and easy on the CPU, AAS Autotune is a force to reckon with if you are seeking that digitised hip-hop, trap or EDM-driven vocal flair.
14) Acustica Ochre EQ
A keen sense of EQ is pertinent for good mixing right at the outset. And, vocals are no exception. Which is why, Ochre EQ by Acustica is a useful VST that is just perfect for sculpting out the best vocals you can in a short span of time.
And..that’s a wrap! Did you like our list of the best free autotune VST plugins? Sound off in the comments!
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