TC-Helicon - Figuring Out Which Harmony Notes to Sing
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Inspired by a user's idea, Craig shows you how to use a TC-Helicon device (any that has harmony and lead voice mute) to hear a harmony part by itself. It's a really great way to learn more about choosing what to sing if you're doing your own harmony parts.
Craig, I suggest you take an episode or 2) to explain the music theory behind the Scale modes (Maj1, Maj2..Min1,etc) for when they have to be used. Many people trying the VL harmonies in evaluating the purchase, or even after owning one, can be disappointed when they just start singing randomly and the harmony doesn't come out as they expect. Most times it'll be a matter of not setting correct key pitch or type, but people who don't know the theory can have a hard time with trial and error.
Oh this is perfect thank you. Such an obvious little setting but one I couldn't find. Now I can route lead vocals out of my DAW, chords from another track into the guitar input, and return just the vocal harmony.
Hi Al,
No, the Play and Play GTX are the only two that have Practice Mode. If you use something else, you'd need to get your starting pitch info from an instrument or pitch pipe.
Explaining the scale type requires writing out notes on a staff for major, mixolydian, and different minor scales on a board, :-O You can also relate the types to the chords they would go along with. That, together with some singing and comparing the output notes produced by different scale type settings, will help a lot of people out. It also will reduce the number of people who just think that the VL can't produce the right harmonies, while in realitythey don't understand the settings.
If I knew the theory, I'd make a video ;) TBH I've always been a "Hey I'm playing this thing, look." musician and never really delved into theory. I'm trying to learn more as I go though, since it helps with all of this stuff. Tom gives me pointers when I get confused hehe.
Another option helps a singer who must sing his lead a bit higher than his range. He could turn on harmony on the VL and then sing a line that would be a harmony under the lead, thus the VL would provide the lead line as it harmonizes what he's singing. It may take some experimenting in finding the right lower harmony to sing but it works. This creates the high lead from the low harmony and you can mute the low harmony being sung or keep it if the song needs it.
Hi Craig,
I know that is possible control Loop volume through Sysex midi...can you explain how?
It's really an important function for live...
+PERFORMAZIONE If the device has a loop level control in the unit itself, it will have a sysex command associated with it, but likely not a CC. We don't officially support any Sysex. If you contact support, they might have a sysex manual, which is not guaranteed to be updated or correct, that you can try for reference. Some products don't have a sysex manual at all. Basically, if we have them, we provide the manuals as a courtesy, but don't provide any support in using them.
A couple of uses for Lead Voice Mute. If a 2nd singer must sing a high harmony that's out of his range, he could mute the lead voice and sing the same melody as the lead singer, Then, only the harmony will be heard from the 2nd singer. Of course, you could just have the Voice Live from the lead singer produce the harmony, but using this other approach would sound really natural bc the 2nd singer will not be exactly in sync with the lead singer (or in tune depending on pitch correction settings).
Can someone guide me, what cable do I need to go from the xlr in from the voice play into my audio interface? Its avid and there are lines and a midi in/out also...Im really at a loss of what cable I need and how to connect it. Thank you.
I realise this video is very old so you may no longer check these messages… but I’ll give it a go with fingers crossed: I am trying to set the key for my harmonies in my voice live play gtx and cannot find anywhere what the difference is between Major 1, Major 2, Major 3, Minor 1, Minor 2 and Minor 3. I’m playing some songs in Dorian and Mixolydian and wondering which key to select. But also just out of interest what are the different keys 1,2 and 3? Many thanks!
What is the mod and how cane i used in wich High or how much i must to make the volumen for perfekt thanks
can i connect it with my Boss VE 2 this is the chain - boss ve 2 mic and guitar set to neutral and mic out to voice play ,.,, voice play to PA,., will it work?
Can someone help me?
most of the clubs i perform in, have a snake on stage and mixers are usually 100-200 feet away. Would i have a signal loss with this product?
Thank you
Hi Roberto, XLR cable loss over the length of a snake shouldn't be an issue.
TC Helicon -Hi! I have a VoiceLive2 -I often have 2 or 3 different key centers in one song. Can I program the VL to have the next key center's harmonies engaged?
to get funky..
+Xino Ximo Yeah haha i know ;)
I wanted to buy this device months ago but I was unsure if my condenser mic will work with the TC Helicon. I have a pre amp but no mixer which is connected to my avid protools device. Does it work the same or only for dynamic mic? Better yet, is it phantom power compatible?
Hola Craig, tengo un gran problema con mi play acoustic, no puedo grabar con el en mi Portátil! He instalado el software y Me aparece en dispositivos e impresoras, pero No en sonidos para ponerlo como predeterminado. Y con mi programa de edición de audio Audacity tampoco me lo reconoce, así que no puede trabajar con el en mi Portátil. Necesito ayuda!
Hey Craig, I haven't looked yet but does the VL2 have a "Practice mode" ?
Enjoy your two weeks !
Thank you it’s help a lot 🙏
Hello. Can this help announcing? I announce various sporting events and due to conditions(weather, stadium setup), voices can sound too high, too low, etc. Also, depending on the event, a higher pitch helps whereas announcing rosters often requires a lower pitch. Any assistance greatly appreciated.Thank you in advance.
For sure! We have voice over artists, podcasters and comedians using our gear for voice manipulation. You'll want a unit that can do both pitch and gender adjustments. I'd look at something like a VoiceLive Play that would allow you to create some presets for various types of events or venues. Plus, it's always fun to make the opposing team's names all sound like tinkerbell ;)
Hey TC- what about ERRORS DETECTED
ERROR CODE 2008000
is it manufacture problem ?
I AM DISAPOINTED
Does anyone know what to do when it won't start? All the lights are coming on but nothing is happening. I can't get any of the buttons working.
Dear Craig
I have got a Tc Helicon VoiceLive Play, the blue one. I would like to know how can I use the Harmonize or the Double effects, because I need to use them only while I'm pushing the botton HIT.
I would like the effect was active pushing the botton and inactive releasing it.
Is there a way to do that or I have to buy the Switch 3?
You're amazing ... thank you
Hi Paul! There's no way to set the HIT button to momentary mode in Play. You can set any effect to momentary via the Switch3 though, so that would be the direction I'd suggest.
Cheers!
TC-Helicon thank you so much! I will buy Switch 3 ! See you in south Italy this summer 😉
Hey! Is it possible to find the key of an instrumental with the tc helicon? Greets
tc helicon can use on cubase 10 on i put on direck effect + with my sound card steinberg usb how to do can that can u help me ?
Hey can you pls help. I have a question. I have a voice live play and I'm thinking of purchasing a device that focuses solely on looping. I was wondering if I'd be able to somehow connect the voice live play to the looper and add effects to the loop. Maybe with the out put stereo or aux inputs? Idk I'm still trying to understand all of the cord mumbo jumbo
futuresuperstar4life Yep, you sure can. You'll need to run the TC-H unit before the looper in your signal chain so you can record the loops with the effects. Gain staging still applies. You'll want to set the TC-H unit per the manual and then will likely need to turn down the input stage of the looper to make sure you don't clip. You can certainly use an Aux input on the looper in stereo if the Aux records to the looper. Some Aux inputs are there just for backing tracks etc. and may not record into the loops. Just double check that with the looper manufacturer.
I understood about half of that haha. What do you mean by signal chain and gain staging? and what kind of chord would i need to connect the two?
I have one of your units. My set up consists of a computer, a Focusrite interface, the Voice Live, and an Akai Mpk225. Would the Voice Live run through the interface or straight to the computer?
Also, if ran through the interface, would it be full time and just bypassed when not used, or only connect when used?
I’m sure you figured it out by now but yes it would run through your interface first
Please give the way of looping
On the Voice rack 2, what does the "Hardtune" do or stand for and when should I use it? Thanks
Heya. HardTune is our version of Autotune. It can be used aggressively for the T-Pain style sound, or can be dialed way back for a smooth and natural correction. It uses key/scale information in the same was as harmony in order to prevent notes outside of the set or detected key and scale from being used.
Please answer this can not do three part harmonies is that correct?
Hey Big Dog! Yeah all of the products we make with harmony features have the option of adding 2 harmonies, which means you can perform in 3 part harmony! Some of our products actually allow you to add more harmony by controlling the voicings through a midi-enabled keyboard!
Hi guys. Can the VL3X get the tone from the playback recorded/playing internally (lika a karaoke)?
The backing tracks can guide key/scale if that's what you're asking. You'd load the tracks into the unit and then they'd guide the harmony/hardtune for you. Success will vary with mixed music, but as long as we can clearly hear chords in the music it's all good.
Yes, that's the idea, thanks for the response. Already ordered my unit. Cheers.
Is it possible to set minor/major? I only find the option to set the root note, but i cant change from major to minor...
Yep, if it's VoiceLive Play like the one in the video, you press/hold any of the "soft" buttons around the screen when on the harmony edit page and you'll find 3 choices each for major/minor scales. When you save the preset, the key and scale are both saved.
Guys can i use a megaphone or slight distortion along with slight reverb and a subtle doubling effect? I'm in a punk / rock band and would like something to help
Sure. I'd look at something like a VoiceLive Play. It's got 7 vocal effects including megaphone, reverb, doubling, echo, harmony and more that you can set up presets for.
Figuring out WHICH. Not witch
Ha thanks! I'm normally the one pointing out the horrendous their, they're, there, to, two, too on the internet so I'm red in the face on this one. ;)
TC-Helicon it happens to all of us! Lol
Sounds like auto tune...
The harmony voices are pitch corrected and sound generally as bad as they possibly can when played alone with no lead voice. The idea here is to illustrate how the harmony note choices are made in order to help someone learn to sing harmony. In a real world situation, the harmony level would be way down and the lead vocal would be in the mix.