A bass part, a flute solo or a drum loop can be edited using Melodyne assistant with the same speed and flexibility as vocals. Whether you're correcting errors or altering the original melody or rhythm of recorded material, Melodyne assistant offers you a degree of freedom in the manipulation of audio that will suggest totally new ideas to you.

 Melodic and Rhythmic

Melodyne assistant offers you all the functions found in the more powerful Melodyne editor – with one exception: chords in Melodyne assistant are edited as entire units. In Melodyne editor, on the other hand, the patented DNA Direct Note Access technology allows you to open chords and modify the individual notes within them. If you are working with monophonic material, Melodyne assistant is the ideal tool. If, later on, you wish to perform detailed editing of polyphonic material, it is possible at any time to upgrade to Melodyne editor.

Melodyne assistant: Applications

Melodyne assistant will be your companion as you eliminate errors and correct mistakes. Nor will it abandon you at more creative moments.

First Take: Final Take

With Melodyne assistant, that inspired first take can be the final one—even if it was not error-free. Just reach into the recording and move out-of-tune notes to the correct pitch. If you wish, you can even correct the pitch and timing of notes automatically using macros.

Perfect Vocals

Melodyne assistant has proved itself a thousand times over in the correction and optimisation of vocal recordings. Intonation and timing problems, erratic volume, exaggerated or insufficient vibrato—all these can be corrected with a few mouse clicks, yielding results of the finest Melodyne quality.

Perfect Timing

With Melodyne assistant, it's child's play to get your timing spot-on. When quantizing, Melodyne moves individual notes to the correct beats and even adjusts their length individually in the process. That guarantees results of unprecedented musicality. Just as effortlessly, you can give your recordings a swing or a completely new rhythm.

Polyphony à la carte

With Melodyne assistant, whilst you can't alter existing harmonies as you can with Melodyne editor, you can create new harmonies. Just copy a note to a different location and then move it to the desired pitch. In this way, you can implement doubling, create second voices, or construct chords where none were there before.

Sound Library Reloaded

With Melodyne assistant, much will change—including your sound library, which will become virtually infinite in extent. You will be able to change the tempo, tonality and melody of melodic samples in next to no time.

Or transform a drum loop through the copying, moving, stretching, transposing and tonal alteration of beats into something new every time. From now on, you'll always have perfect samples to hand for the production you're working on. With as many variations and permutations as you could wish for.

No Detours

Melodyne assistant operates directly within your DAW. You hear all edits in the context of the other tracks of your project and can use as many instances as you like and your computer will allow. And for the swift editing of a sample at other times, you can also run Melodyne assistant in stand-alone mode, without having to launch your DAW first.

System Requirements and Compatibility

for Melodyne essential, Melodyne assistant and Melodyne editor

1. Melodyne stand-alone

The Melodyne singletrack program family (i.e. essential, assistant, editor) will run on the following systems.

32 bit:

• Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, 2 GB RAM or higher
• Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 on G5* or Intel Macs, 2 GB RAM or higher
  * on a G5 the detection and editing speed is significantly slower compared to that on an Intel Mac

64 bit:

• Windows Win7/64, 4 GB RAM or higher
• Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6 on Intel Macs, 4 GB RAM or higher

2. Melodyne in your DAW

System Requirements and specifics of different DAWs when using the Melodyne singletrack program family as a plug-in

• Logic Pro
• Pro Tools
• Cubase and Nuendo
• Ableton Live
• Sonar
• Studio One
• Digital Performer

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

64 bit:

• Logic Pro 9.1.2 on OS X 10.6.4

 

32 bit:

• Logic Pro 9.1.2 (32 bit) on OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.4
• Logic 8* (32 bit) on OS X 10.4.11, 10.5.8

* although all functions of Melodyne can be used in Logic 8, we do recommend to use Logic 9, especially because of the 64 bit advantages, but also because of some more comfortable workflow aspects.

 

If your personal Logic configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Logic:

 

[I/O buffer size]

In Settings > Audio we recommend that you set the I/O buffer size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load.

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, bypass all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[mute and solo]

Melodyne will continue to play back its audio signal even when the underlying region is muted in the arrangement. While this behavior is a common thing in any other host, it is new to users of previous Logic versions and it has some consequences on other features, too: when you use the solo tool (or global solo), Melodyne will still play, even when its underlying regions are not part of the solo selection. To avoid this problem you need to use the corresponding buttons in the channel strip, instead of muting or soloing the regions. This way you can mute or solo Melodyne, too.

Alternatively you can use the mute or solo buttons in the track header, but you have to configure them first:

Go to Preferences > Audio > General. In the field Track Mute/Solo you have two choices:

 

• CPU-saving (Slow Response): This will make the track mute/solo buttons perform a mute/solo of all regions within the particular track. This will NOT affect Melodyne.
• Fast (Remote Channel Strips): This will make the track mute/solo buttons double the action of the respective channel buttons, and therefore they will affect Melodyne.

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

OS:

• Mac OS X 10.4.11, 10.5.8 and 10.6.2
• Windows XP SP3 and Win 7

 

Recommended Pro Tools version:

• Pro Tools HD 8.1 HD
• Pro Tools LE and M-Powered 8.0.4

 

Older PT versions:

You can use Melodyne on older Pro Tools versions (7.4 or higher) running on an OS, that matches the AVID requirements of your specific PT version. It's understood that the performance on such an older configuration is often less powerful than on a newer version. In this respect Melodyne and other plug-ins benefit from newer PT versions.

 

If your personal Pro Tools configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Pro Tools:

 

[Buffer Size]

In Setup > Playback Engine we recommend that you set the H/W Buffer Size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load.

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, deactivate all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[Window Resizing]

To resize the Melodyne window, drag its bottom right corner. In the RTAS plug-in version, the window will resize after releasing the mouse button, not while moving the mouse (as it is the case in the stand-alone version).

 

[MP3 export]

In Pro Tools, exporting audio as MP3 can lead to a crash with the error message: Set ENV Var KMP_Duplicate_Lib_ok = True. If this happens, proceed as follows:

 

• Right-click My computer and choose Properties.
• In the System Properties window, click on the Advanced tab and select Environment Variables.
• In the User Variables section, select New.
• Enter KMP_DUPLICATE_LIB_OK into the Variable Name field.
• Enter TRUE into the Variable Value field.
• Click OK to exit first the New User Variable, then Environment Variables, then System Properties windows.
• Restart Pro Tools

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

32 bit:

• Windows XP SP3, Vista, Win 7
• Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.4

 

64 bit:

• Windows 7/64

 

Version:

• Cubase 5.5
• Nuendo 5.0

 

If your personal Cubase or Nuendo configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Cubase and Nuendo

 

[Buffer Size]

We recommend that you set the I/O buffer size of your audio driver to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load. In order to change the buffer size in Cubase or Nuendo, call up Device > Device Setup. In the left part of the window select your audio device under VST Audio System. This will change the content on the right side of the window, where you then click on Control Panel. In the following new window you can change the setting for the buffer size. 

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, deactivate all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[32/64 bit]

When running Cubase/Nuendo as 64-bit in Win7/64 it's not recommended that you run the 32-bit version of Melodyne via Bit Bridge. Use the 64-bit version of Melodyne. It's much more powerful.

 

[Sync offset by cycle length]

Activating the cycle in Cubase or Nuendo, but starting the playback at any position behind the cycle will offset Melodyne.

Workaround: when you want to play back at some later point in the song, turn cycle off in Cubase/Nuendo.

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

OS:

• Windows XP SP3, Vista, Win 7
• Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6

 

Version:

• Live 8.2.1

 

If your personal Live configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Live

 

[Buffer Size]

We recommend that you set the audio buffer size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load.

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, deactivate all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[Session view]

Melodyne seems to play wrong parts when working in the session view. That's because of Live's handling of time: The clips in Live's session view represent shorter loops within the linear progressing timeline of the arrangement. Melodyne is following this (arrangement-)timeline. Pretty much simplified it looks like this:

 

Arrangement time	-------------------------------------------------->
Melodyne time	-------------------------------------------------->
Session Clip time	<-----><-----><-----><-----><-----><----->

 

If you want to use Melodyne within the session view, you must activate the (arrangement-)loop in Live and set it to the length of the clip that you want to use Melodyne for. Then the loop is the same in the clip and in the linear arrangement (and therefore in the plug-in):

 

Arrangement time	-------------------------------------------------->
Melodyne time	<-----><-----><-----><-----><-----><----->
Session Clip time	<-----><-----><-----><-----><-----><----->

 

This means, you would prefer to bring in Melodyne when you're working in the arrangement—which is most likely what you would do anyway when you are for example correcting vocals or other instruments. And remember: in Live it is very easy to make clips become part of the arrangement, use the plug-in, render it and make new clips out of it.

 

 

[Change of time signature]

Melodyne follows not only the time, as we have just described, but also the bar ruler of the Live arrangement. In this place, however, Live knows no change of time signature, so Melodyne, too, is obliged to operate with a fixed time signature. If you are working on the level of the clips, however, with changes of time signature, discrepancies can arise between the time signature displayed and that heard. The problem, however, is purely an optical one; the audio output and the editing functions of Melodyne, including the quantization, are in no way impaired.

 

[Tempo Automation]

When automating the song tempo in the master track of Live's arrangement view, Melodyne won't play in sync. A workaround for this would be to render the melodyned track before using tempo automation.

You can, however, change the tempo manually in Live by dragging the tempo field to a new constant song tempo and use the tempo dialog in Melodyne (which is accessed by the broken chain symbol) to learn the new constant tempo.

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

OS:

• Windows Vista, Win 7

 

Version:

• Sonar Producer 8.5 x64, 8.5 x32

 

If your personal Sonar configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Sonar

 

[ASIO and Buffer Size]

Use ASIO as your audio interface driver and set the buffer size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load. Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in you computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, bypass all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[32/64 bit]

Sonar is most powerful when being used in 64-bit. So is Melodyne. Make sure to use the 64-bit version of Melodyne. No need to bridge the 32-bit version.

 

[Configure as tempo-based effect]

You need to configure Melodyne as a tempo based effect. You will find this option under: Cakewalk Plug-in manager > VST Audio Effects > Melodyne ... > Plug-in Properties

 

[Track Insert vs. Clip Based]

Melodyne works as a track insert. Operation as a clip based effect or calling it up in the "Process" menu are not supported.

 

[Blob Monitoring, Scrubbing and Local Playback]

To use these powerful Melodyne functions in Sonar, you need to take one of the following actions (chose the one you prefer):

• Activate Input Echo in the track header
• Activate Audio Play Effect Tails in Audio-Options > Advanced

 

[Playback Cycle]

In Sonar, an active playback cycle will not terminate the transfer in Melodyne. Instead, the transfer is continued and filled with the repeated audio. You should therefore deactivate any cycle before the transfer.

Also, in playback mode, Melodyne won't sync to the cycle which is set up in Sonar. While Sonar is running in a loop, Melodyne will rush ahead without looping.

 

[Bypass]

If in the course of playback you switch Melodyne to bypass mode and then back, Sonar and Melodyne may in some situations be no longer in sync. If that happens, you should stop Sonar briefly before restarting it.

 

[Timeline Jump]

If you click in the timeline while playback is running, Sonar unfortunately does not pass this information on to Melodyne. As a result, Sonar and Melodyne will cease to play in sync. To avoid this, you should stop Sonar first, if you want to jump to a different part of the song.

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

OS:

• 32 bit: Windows XP SP3, Win 7, Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.4
• 64 bit: Win 7/64, Mac OS X 10.6.4

 

Version:

• Studio One 1.6

 

If your personal Studio One configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in Studio One

 

[Buffer Size]

We recommend that you set your audio buffer size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load.

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, deactivate all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

The current version of the singletrack family (i.e. Melodyne essential, assistant and editor) is tested and supported by us in the following constellations:

 

OS:

• Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.4

 

Version:

• Digital Performer 7.2

 

If your personal DP configuration differs from what we have tested, we encourage you to test Melodyne editor for 30 days free of charge. If Melodyne performs well on your system during the test period, it will still do so after you purchased it.

 

 

That's what you need to know in DP:

 

[Buffer Size]

We recommend that you set your buffer size to 1,024 samples. Smaller values lead to a significantly higher CPU load.

Should you need to set smaller values, e.g. when doing the headphone mix directly in your computer and not via an external channel strip or mixer, deactivate all Melodyne instances while tracking. Switch Melodyne back on when you start editing your new tracks.

 

[Blob Monitoring, Scrubbing and Local Playback]

To use these powerful Melodyne functions in DP you need to activate Input Monitoring on the respective track. Furthermore the track has to have a physical input assigned.

 

[Cycle Playback]

Melodyne won't sync to the cycle which is set up in Digital Performer. While DP is running in a loop, Melodyne will rush ahead without looping.

 

[Saving projects]

Digital Performer won't mark its song as edited when you do edits in Melodyne. This may lead to situations where you hit save (Command-S) but your edits don't get saved. To avoid this, either touch any slider in DP (e.g. the volume of any mixer channel) or move the realtime controls (Pitch, Formant, Volume) in Melodyne back and forth to mark the song as being worth saving.

 

Other DAWs

Melodyne assistant: Overview

Features

• single-track audio editing environment with Melodyne technology
• suitable for monophonic and rhythmic/complex audio material
• works as a plug-in (VST, AU, RTAS) in compatible DAWs under Mac OS X and Windows
• can also be used in stand-alone mode
• activation on up to two computers or via iLok
• user interface and manual in English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese

Applications

• manual or automatic correction of intonation and timing errors
• refashioning of melodies, timing and rhythm
• transposition including adjustment to scale
• modifying various note parameters such as volume, vibrato, formant spectrum
• pitch shifting and time stretching
• (re-)quantization

Monophonic Material

In the case of monophonic (solo voice, saxophone, bass guitar...) audio material, the following possibilities exist for editing notes:

• modifying the pitch
• modifying the pitch drift
• modifying the pitch modulation
• modifying the position
• modifying the length
• modifying the volume
• shifting the formant spectrum
• modifying the pitch transition between notes
• modifying the volume transition between notes
• shifting the formant spectrum of transitions between notes
• timing (re-)quantization, manually or via macro
• pitch quantization, manually or via macro
• cut, copy and paste

Rhythmic and Complex Material

In the case of rhythmic as well as polyphonic and complex material, separation is according to beats, so if several notes (e.g. click, snare and piano chord) sound on the same beat, they are available for editing in the shape of one Melodyne blob. For such blobs, the following editing possibilities exist:

• modifying the pitch (relative)
• modifying the position
• modifying the length
• modifying the volume
• shifting the formant spectrum
• modifying the volume transition between blobs
• shifting the formant spectrum of transitions between blobs
• timing quantization, manually or via macro
• cut, copy and paste

System Requirements