Hi everyone. I am not sure if this is the correct topic to post on but I have been trying to replicate a vocal effect for some time and recently noticed that Little Alterboy's Robot midi pitch shifting nearly achieves the effect I need. However, in the original track the vocals have a melody range that is past the -12 and +12 semitones that Little Alterboy limits, even on MIDI mode. I was wondering if it's possible to push this plugin to go beyond those 12 semitone limits, and if not, then what other alternative is there can sound like it and reach a larger frequency range.

 

you can use Melodyne first, then send the output to the next plugin in your chain (soundtoys in this case). Also, you can use Zplane Elastique for +-12 changes too. You can unlink the Timbre and Pitch parameters and then the X and Y can be fully automated. Among other options.

 

Thanks so much, I'm going to give this a try. I've seen on a live performance that an artist is getting this effect in real-time (which I may be wrong, but I think is no possible with melodyne) by using what I believe is Little Alterboy (but could be a similar sounding pitch shifter) and midi controlling it. Does Zplane Elastique go beyond the 12 semitones?

 

Elastique is also only one octave. I think this is because most automation and tweaks you will really do will only be within one octave. If you want something way more drastic, you record the audio into an audio track in your DAW. shift it up/down drastically there, and then dial in your parameters after it. Antares Autotune Artist also only does 12 semitones. Also the Izotope plugins for Vocals.

I think for these extreme changes you may be looking into is where you start seeing plugins called "Voice Changer" rather than just tuners. But you can always setup your plugins as far as you can change things, and then bounce the audio in place. the re-add your plugins. But most, if not all of them really begin sacrificing audio quality.

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2023

Yeah I'm finding it super hard to find any Little Alterboy alternative that sounds similar to the "Robot" effect with MIDI but that actually lets me pitch shift to -14 semitones or +13 semitones. I don't find these changes to be that extreme but I'm finding thes +-12 semitones to be limiting.

I found then this other artist who appears to be doing it live but cannot figure out how. I've tried asking but they seem to not be very generous with sharing their effects and techniques.

Do you know any examples of these "Voice Changer" plugins that can go beyond 12 semitones? Any that have MIDI control would be ideal.

 

@nubeat22 Did you try stacking 2 Alterboy and play with settings?

 

I actually did try that but it just doubled the semitones. so instead of having +-12 now its +-24 without access to the +-12 notes notes.

I'd like to play Little Alterboy with MIDI and have access to a wider range of semitones but I can't figure it out yet. It's hard to believe Little Alterboy can't do this and other options are not available :/

 

Just to be clear. You need more than 24 semitones? Like @clone said. One "transparent" pitch shifter (12) plus Alterboy later (another 12)

We may not be getting exactly what you want. Perhaps an example? This part I'm not sure if I get it without an example

 

I think that nubeat22 would get that particular double voice FX some trap/hip hop singers do on stage during Live performance...

Is that so?

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2023

if you are trying to get a similar effect to something you have already heard someone using, link some clips of it. If you want this to be near-realtime, that narrows it down some. Many of them introduce latency. There are many plugins for creatively tampering with vocals besides tuners. When you want these extreme changes and playable with a midi controller. the first thing that springs to mind is using a Vocoder instead, or in combination with a tuner.

Others not mentioned yet are Tone Boosters Voice Pitcher, Waves Vocal Doubler and UltraPitch, also Waves Tune. NCH Voxal Voice Changer Plus, Bleass Voices, Mu Voice, and still a hundred more probably. If you want to make experimental stuff, you need to experiment.

Accusonus Voice Changer is free: https://voice.ai/hub/app/accusonus/

 

I'll try to be more clear and provide an example. It seems like I need to clarify because I realize it may be confusing.

There is a vocal effect that I have been trying to achieve and replicate for a while. I've tested multiple effects like vocoders, talkbox, some popular vocal effects plugins but I had not gotten very close to it. Little Alterboy's "Robot" mode with MIDI is actually the closest I have gotten to it and to me it sounds like I found it. However, there is this song here (which I've seen this artist play live, idk what plugins they use - but they do use MIDI). The melody of the effected vocal has notes within 12 semitones and goes beyond it (like +14 semitones). I tried singing this melody with Little Alterboy in midi (like a vocoder) but once the plugin reaches the -12 or +12 semitone limit, regardless of the note you play on the keyboard - you cannot get the lower -14 semitone note (for example note E). Same goes for the higher notes. I'm wondering how I can play that -14 note for example in a more live setting (without using Melodyne or pitch shifting it after recording). It doesn't have to be very low latency and can have some delay, but I've seen it done in real-time (not sure if they used Little Alterboy or another plugin that sounds identical). I don't have a video of it being performed but it was definitely not recorded and being played in real-time.

This is the melody and the acapella from the song I am trying to replicate right now to see if I can get the vocal effect:
https://voca.ro/1nKRvI6JmmW1

Trying to sing this melody with Little Alterboy in MIDI Robot mode is not possible because it cannot reach notes beyond -12 or +12 semitones. Adding an extra Little Alterboy just doubles the effect and makes it either double high pitched or low pitched (from -24 to -12) and (+24 to +12) but I need to access all notes (-24 to +24 including the notes in -12 to +12).

Perhaps to better explain this, I'd like to play Little Alterboy like a vocoder (as someone suggested here). But Little Alterboy unfortunately places a limit on the pitch range (unlike a vocoder). I'm guessing it is not possible to play all notes with Little Alterboy. If so, how can I get a nearly identical sound to Little Alterboy's Robot mode so that I can access the full MIDI piano roll? Or perhaps, does anyone know a vocoder and the settings that can get me THE Little Alterboy "Robot" mode sound?

 

I tried explaining myself in more detail above and shared an example of the effect I am trying to achieve. I'm not looking for a doubler or two layers of vocals. I just want Little Alterboy to go past its -12 semitone limit so that I can play notes in a lower octave and play notes in my current octave when singing a melody. I'm trying to find away to be able to play this as I sing so semi-real-time would be ideal.

 

Thank you so much for all the suggestions, i'm going to try to check them all out and hopefully one of them can be the solutions.

I think you've been able to explain what I am trying to achieve better than I have been able to myself. Yes so the same way a vocoder can be played with a midi controller and has access to a wide pitch range (essentially the full keyboard range). I want to get that with Little Alterboy's "Robot" mode sound. I can also play Little Alterboy with MIDI but they limit the pithc range, and the +12 to -12 semitone threshold is to low for the melodies I am trying to play.

Here is an example:
https://voca.ro/1nKRvI6JmmW1

The closest I've gotten to this sound is with Little Alterboy but perhaps they are not using that plugin. However, the Little Alerboy "Robot" mode sounds nearly identical to me. Do you know what vocoder, carrier synth, and settings could perhaps emulate the Little Alterboy Robot mode sound?

 

I know it might not be easy but why not try contacting 'Lil Soda Boi' directly (or someone who collaborated with him: musicians, studio/live show sound engineer...) and ask if he/they can help you with some tips/infos about his vocal set-up is?

Sometimes artists aren't very jealous of their set-ups.

https://soundbetter.com/profiles/434975-shine-smith
https://genius.com/Lil-soda-boi-and-we-live-and-we-die-lyrics/q/producer

I'm not an engineer but I think Soda Boi uses: Auto-Tune, Heavy Compressor, Overdrive, Chorus and other FX Modulation.

 

Last edited: Sep 8, 2023

I sent him a DM a while back but didn't hear back. But I hadn't considered reaching out to collaborators and engineers he has worked with. That's a good idea actually.