TC-Helicon VoiceDoubler Addendum User Manual

VOICEDOUBLER V1.20 ADDENDUM

Introduction:

This document is an addendum to the existing VoiceDoubler v1.00 manual detailing the new features and factory presets available in software version 1.20.

Overview

1. Introduction to new features

2. New presets list and descriptions

New Features

VoiceDoubler’s edit menu is divided into groups indicated by the characters in the LED window. The following parameters have been inserted into the Pitch edit group P and the System edit group S.

Portamento Time 0-500ms in 10ms increments Preset parameter

Those familiar with synthesizers will be familiar with the term Portamento. Also known as Glide, this is a feature that slows down the time it takes to change pitch from note to note. This feature can add realism to VoiceDoubler’s overdub voices by introducing subtle pitch differences between the dry singers’s voice and the overdub voices. As the singer moves through sustained note transitions, the pitch will glide gently from note to note. No effect is heard between sung notes that stop and start.

Many factory presets in version 1.20 use Portamento. The Portamento setting is controlled along with the other pitchbased parameters by the PITCH edit knob in Preset mode. This allows you to adjust it without having to enter Edit mode if you prefer.

In the edit menu, Portamento is expressed in milliseconds. On sung melodies with fast tempo and wide intervals, lower values (<100ms) work fine but on slow tempo, narrow intervals you can use higher values.

All four overdub voices are controlled by the one Portamento parameter value so they all will reach notes at the same rate.

Gate Threshold Off, -60 to 0dB in 1dB increments System parameter

The Gate parameter was added to help silence VoiceDoubler’s overdub voices during times when the band is playing but the singer is not singing. At these times, VoiceDoubler searches for pitches to lock onto in order to create the overdub effect which can cause low level chattering. If this is noticeable in your performance environment, the Gate can be utilized to minimize it.

This parameter will not mute the Dry Voice signal path through VoiceDoubler if it is enabled. Also, the path from the dry voice through the µMod effect is never muted by the Gate.

The value of this parameter sets the threshold level required to allow audio to pass through VoiceDoubler. At values from say, -60 to -15dB, very quiet sounds will open the gate. Between -15dB and 0dB, increasingly strong signals will be required. Note that “ess” sounds and voiced sounds are sensed differently by the gate. Higher threshold settings that work for sung melodies may actually mute esses so you may need to lower the threshold a few dB to allow them to be heard.

As with most noise gate products, its effect is not perfect. Some noises will slip through and some low level sung passages may be muted. Gate Threshold should be rechecked at every sound check and during performance to ensure that every word and syllable is heard.

V1.20 PRESET LIST & DESCRIPTIONS

1. Two Overdubs - A nice stereo simulation using 2 of the

4 voices with a little scooping. No porta. Sounds great 100% wet.

2. Four Overdubs - All 4 voices with more scoop, pitch detune, randomization and portamento.

3. Mono Overdub - 1 voice panned center with slight pitch effects and portamento. Simulates a single overdub track.

4. E Type McrShift - Overdub voices muted. An updated µMod-only effect offering an uncanny tribute to a popular processor.

5. Correct Overdub - A single overdub voice lightly corrected to a chromatic scale and portamento provide a different flavour of doubling.

6. Oct Down Stereo - 1 voice with overdub pitch effects shifted down an octave and processed 100% wet through µMod.

7. Oct Up Quartet - 4 voices shifted up an octave with various female gender settings. Some µMod effect added.

8. Mixed Genders - 4 unison voices with various male and female genders, overdub detuning and pitch effects.

9. Teen Double x4 - A brighter 4 voice double effect with female genders. Emulates female unison backing with a male singer.

10. Deep Double x4 - 4 unison voices with deep male genders. Good for female singers as well as males.

11. 2 Vox Mono - Porta and scooping on 2 overdub voices panned center.

12. 4 Voices Mono - A little more randomization and porta help this sound like 4 overdubs panned center.

13. 1 Vox Oct Down - A single voice emulating a “dry” octave overdub. Some male gender, pitch effects but no µMod processing.

14. 2 Uni 2 Oct Dn - An interesting group with bass octaves and unison doubles for a thicker octave-down effect.

15. 2 Uni 2 Oct Up - Similar to 14 but with upper octave pitch shifts.

16. Mixed Shout - 4 voices with exaggerated pitch effects and mixed male and female genders. Best with shouted or rap vocals.

17. Group Shout - Similar to 16 but with no gender reassignment.

18. In Ear Spread 1 - These 3 presets lend a subtle stereo enhancement for singers using in-ear monitoring. All use the µMod block for small LR delay and pitch effects. This preset also uses 2 overdub voices slightly detuned.

19. In Ear Spread 2 - 5 and 7ms spread LR.

20. In Ear Spread 3 - +/- 5 cents, 5.0 and 5.2ms delay

and cross feedback.

21. 1 Vox Porta - A simple, 1 voice mono double using only portamento which is set to 120ms. Use the PITCH edit knob to adjust porta time in Preset mode.

22. 2V Porta Detune - 2 overdub voices tuned +/-6 cents and panned hard LR. 120ms porta.

23. 3V Porta Detune - A non-detuned 3rd mono voice added to 2 wide panned voices that are detuned +/-9 cents. 150ms porta.

24. 4V Porta Detune - All 4 overdub voices, 120ms porta, +/-3 cents and +/-6 cents detune, with reduced stereo width.

25. 1 Vox Detune - A single mono overdub voice, -16 cents detuned sent to +/-12 cents of µMod detuning panned wide. No dry voice FX.

26. 2Vox Flange - 2 overdub voices with a nice flanger effect. No dry voice FX.

27. 2 Vox Chorus - µMod chorus added to 2 overdub voices that have been detuned +/-3 cents. No dry voice FX.

28. 4 Vox Flanger - 4 voices detuned with pitch randomization sent through a wide flange effect. No dry voice FX.

29. 2 Vox Rotor - Leslie-type effect on 2 overdub voices. No dry voice FX.

30. Mono 4V Flange - 4 overdub voices panned center and stereo flange effect for an interesting panorama.

31. Wide Detune - The following 4 presets send the dry voice to the µMod effect block only. The overdub voices are muted although you can add them by raising the OVERDUB value in Preset mode.

32. Sweet Chorus

33. 3D Flanger

34. Stereo Slap

35. TCH Thickener - A variation of the E Type preset with

matched LR delay times and no feedback.

36. Rapper Add One - The 5 “Rapper” presets will not work for melodic singing! They provide a convincing simulation of group shout-type performances from one voice. This preset is 1 voice with high pitch random and scoop settings. Try panning the dry and Doubler hard LR.

37. Rappers Add Two - 2 voices panned wide. Try removing or reducing dry level!

38. Rapper Crowd - 4 voices with mixed genders and over-the-top pitch effects. Dry and overdub voices are processed by the µMod block.

39. Rapper Octaves - Octave down rap overdubs. Try turning off the µMod effects and lowering the dry level.

40. Rapper Genders - Unison rap overdubs with mixed male and female genders and µMod processing.

41. Oct Up Female - A single octave above overdub voice with porta, female gender and pitch randomization.

42. Oct Down Male - Same as 41 only with male gender and set to an octave below shift.

43. Female Octaves - 4 voices with detuning, female gender. Additional µMod detuning is added to both the overdub and dry voices.

44. Male Octaves - Same as 43 only with male characteristics.

45. 4 Vox Corrected - 4 voices with various correction attack times and a little timing scatter.

46. Singing Trolls - This and the following presets illustrate what happens when the parameters are set to high levels.

47. Idol Candidate - Mute the dry to hear a pitch-ey performance that will make listeners queasy.

48. Giant Stutter - Extreme time randomization and pitch effects. Best served 100% wet.

49. Hollow Tube - Delay, feedback but no modulation best when 100% wet.

50. Falling Down - Pitch dives spiralling out of control courtesy of the µMod block.