ABSTRACT

LISTENERWONTBEABLETOUNDERSTANDWHATSBEINGSAID)NMOSTCASESTHISWONT BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE ORIGINAL ARTIST SO YOU SHOULD TRY TO AVOID IT 3ONGS LIKE THESETHATFEELLIKETHEYHAVEQUITEALOTOFPACEEVENTHOUGHTHEIRTEMPOMIGHT BESLOWERAREBETTERCANDIDATESFORBEINGSLOWEDDOWNINSTEAD9OURUNTHERISK OFLOSINGALOTOFTHEFEELANDENERGYOFTHEORIGINALTRACKBUTATLEASTITWONT SOUNDLANGUIDANDSLURRED

4HEREWILL BE SOME TRACKS THAT AREMUCH SLOWER THAN YOUR TARGET TEMPO AND VERY SLOWMELODICALLY AND LYRICALLY AT THEIR ORIGINAL TEMPO 3ONGS LIKE THESE SOUNDHORRIBLEIFSLOWEDDOWNBECAUSETHEWORDSBECOMEUNINTELLIGIBLEWHERE THEY TAKE SO LONG TOBE SAID 4HERE IS ALSO THE RISK THAT THE COMPLETE LACKOF ENERGYINTHEVOCALPERFORMANCEATASLOWERTEMPOWOULDDRAINALLTHEENERGY FROM THE MUSIC AND BRING THE WHOLE TRACK DOWN /BVIOUSLY SONGS ARE BET TER CANDIDATES FOR BEING SPED UP TECHNICAL AND VIBRATO ISSUES NOTWITHSTAND ING ANDREMAININGINTELLIGIBLE)NFACTSOMETIMESSONGSTAKEONAWHOLENEW DIMENSIONWHENSPEDUPINTHISWAY)NSOMECASESONREMIXES)HAVEWORKED ONINTHEPASTWHENTHELYRICSWERENTCOMPLETELYATODDSWITHTHENEWFEEL) HAVEACTUALLYFELTTHATTHESONGSOUNDEDbetterONCEITHADBEENSPEDUP

4HEREWAS ONE REMIX )WORKEDONWHERE BOTHMYSELF ANDMY COLLEAGUE FELT AFTER TRYINGBOTHOPTIONS THATWESIMPLYCOULDNTUSEASLOWED DOWNVERSION OF THEVOCALBECAUSE IT LACKEDANYKINDOF FEELINGPASSIONANDENERGYSOWE OPTEDTOUSETHESPED UPVOCAL4HATWASNTWITHOUT ITSPROBLEMSANDIT TOOK USQUITEAWHILETOGETTHEVOCALSOUNDINGANYTHINGEVENCLOSETOUSABLEDUETO SOMEHEAVYVIBRATOISSUESANDDEALINGWITHWHATFELTLIKETOOMANYWORDSINA FEWPLACES"UTINTHEENDWEWEREHAPPYENOUGHWITHTHESOUNDANDFEELOF THEVOCAL4HERECORDCOMPANYHOWEVERDIDNOTAGREEANDTHEREMIXWEHAD WORKEDONALONGWITHALLTHEOTHERSTHATHADBEENCOMMISSIONEDWHICHALL CHOSE TOUSEA SPED UPVOCAL WERE REJECTEDANDA TOTALLYNEWSETOF REMIXES COMMISSIONEDWITH A STIPULATION TO THENEW REMIXERS THAT THEYmust USE THE SLOWED DOWN VERSION ,ATER ) WAS ABLE TO COMPARE THE NEW REMIXES AGAINST SOME OF THE EARLIER ONES THAT HAD USED THE SPED UP VOCAL AND THEY REALLY SOUNDEDDREADFUL4HEREWASNOTHINGWRONGWITHTHEPRODUCTIONVALUEOFTHE NEWREMIXESBUT THESLOWED DOWNVOCAL SUCKED THE LIFEOUTOF THESONG"UT THOSEWERETHEREMIXESTHERECORDLABELDECIDEDTOGOWITH)CHALKEDTHATONE UPTOEXPERIENCEBUTTOTHISDAY)STILLFEELWEMADETHERIGHTDECISION

3ONGSTHATEXISTINTHISPROBLEMZONEWONTALWAYSPRESENTYOUWITHPROBLEMS WHEN ITCOMES TOCHOOSINGASPECIlC TEMPOTOWORKOUT4HEREASON FOR THIS ISTHATIFYOUHAVEANORIGINALTRACKATSAYBPMANDYOUREGOINGFORATAR GET TEMPOOFBPMYOUWOULDHAVE TO TIME STRETCH THEORIGINALVOCALBY BPMWHICH IS4HEVOCALMIGHT FEEL RUSHEDAT THIS TEMPOANDYOU MAYTHINKTHATSLOWINGDOWNTHETARGETTEMPOAFEWBEATSPERMINUTETO BPMMIGHTHELPBUTINREALITYTHEVOCALWILLSTILLBEBEINGSPEDUPBYBPM ACHANGEOF !LTHOUGHTHATISNTSTRETCHINGITBYASMUCHITSNOTLIKE YOUAREONLYSTRETCHINGTHEVOCALBYINSTEADOFWHICHWOULDMAKE AMORENOTICEABLEDIFFERENCE4HATSAIDITMIGHTJUSTABOUTBEENOUGHTOHELP

YOUWITHADIFlCULTVOCAL3OMETIMESONLYTHESUBTLESTOFCHANGESARENEEDED TOCROSSTHEBORDERFROMhNOTQUITEvTOhJUSTENOUGHv

.OTALLTRACKSWILLHAVETHOSETEMPOISSUES3OMEWILLALREADYBEINTHERANGE YOUWANTASYOURTARGETANDWITHTHESEYOUHAVETHEMOSTmEXIBILITY4HEFUR THERYOUGETAWAYFROMYOURTARGETTEMPOTHELESSmEXIBILITYYOUWILLHAVEUP TOAPOINT 4HEREREALLYISNOHARDANDFASTRULETHOUGHANDYOUREALLYDOHAVE TOJUDGEEACHTRACKONITSOWNMERITANDNOTASSUMETHATJUSTBECAUSETHELAST TRACKYOUREMIXEDTHATHADASIMILARTEMPOENDEDUPSOUNDINGBETTERSPEDUP THATTHENEXTONEWILLBETHESAME

4HE INTRODUCTIONOF THE6ARISPEEDMODE IN,OGICMADE TRYINGOUTDIFFERENT OPTIONS AWHOLE LOT EASIER 4IME STRETCHING ISNT A PARTICULARLY QUICK PROCESS EVENONAPOWERFULCOMPUTER SO IFYOUWANTEDTOAUDITIONTHEVOCALAT ANDBPMITCOULDTAKEAWHILETOTIME STRETCHTHEORIGINALVOCAL FOURSEPARATETIMESEVENLONGERIFTHEREAREAFEWTRACKSOFVOCALSSUCHASWITH BACKINGVOCALS 4HE6ARISPEEDMODEIN,OGICADJUSTS THEAUDIOlLESMOREOR LESS INSTANTANEOUSLY SO YOU CANQUICKLYHEAR TEMPO CHANGES AND LISTENHOW THEYSOUNDINYOUR TRACK4HETRADEOFF IS THESOUNDQUALITYBUT IT ISCERTAINLY GOODENOUGH TO GIVE YOUAN IDEAOFWHAT TO EXPECT5SING THISMODEALLOWS YOU TO TRY THINGSANDDISCOVER IF FOREXAMPLEYOULLHAVEPROBLEMSWITH TOO MANYWORDS INASHORTSPACEOF TIMEOR IF THEWORDSAREGOINGTOBEWAYTOO DRAWNOUT TOMAKE SENSE 4HE AUDIO CAN SOUND A LITTLE BIT CLUNKYOR EVEN A LITTLEhPHASEYvINPLACESSOITSNOTAGOODFUNCTIONFORLISTENINGTOSUBTLETIESOF THEVOCALPERFORMANCE.EVERTHELESS THE6ARISPEEDFEATURECANBEAREALTIME SAVERFORAQUICKANDEASYJUDGMENTOFWHETHERTOSPEEDUPORSLOWDOWNAND TODETERMINEWHICHENDOFTHETEMPOSPECTRUMFORYOURGENREYOUSHOULDBE AIMINGFOR

.EXT WE CONSIDER THE GROOVEˆOF BOTH THE ORIGINAL TRACK AND THE PRODUC TIONYOUAREAIMING FOR'ROOVEDESCRIBES THE FEELOR TIMING!TONEEXTREME YOUHAVEWHATS CALLEDAhSTRAIGHTvGROOVEWHICH ISGENERALLYEQUIVALENT TOA STRAIGHTTH NOTEQUANTIZATIONORPOSSIBLYEVENTH NOTE ANDASYOUTRAVEL ALONG THE SPECTRUM THERE IS GRADUALLYMOREANDMOREA SENSEOF hSHUFmEvOR hSWINGvWHICHCORRESPONDSTOPROGRESSIVELY!"#ANDSOON NOTE QUANTIZATION

)NGENERALALLOFTHEELEMENTSINYOURTRACKPARTICULARLYDRUMSANDPERCUSSION NEED TOBEAT LEAST SIMILAR IFNOTACTUALLY THESAME TYPEOFGROOVE&OREXAM PLEWHILE RHYTHMIC ELEMENTSWITH GROOVES OF ! AND "MIGHTWORK TOGETHERITISUNLIKELYTHATTHOSEWITHGROOVESOF$AND&WOULDWORK PARTICULARLYWELL 4HE SAMEHOLDS TRUE FOR ALL THEOTHER ELEMENTS IN THE TRACK THAT HAVE A STRONG RHYTHMIC ELEMENT IN OTHER WORDS EVERYTHING EXCEPT SUS TAINEDCHORDSPADSOUNDSORANYSOUNDWITHALONGATTACK INTHATTHEYDONT ALLNEEDTOBEPRECISELYTHESAMEOREVENNEEDTOBEQUANTIZEDATALLASSUMING THATTHEPLAYINGWASFAIRLYTIGHTINITSTIMING BUTTHEREDOESNEEDTOBESOME SIMILARITY6OCALSDElNITELY FALL INTO THECATEGORYOFHAVINGA STRONG RHYTHMIC ELEMENT

3OWHATDOYOUDOIFTHEVOCALYOUREREMIXINGHASQUITEASTRONGSWINGFEELTO ITBUTYOUWANTTOMAKETHEMUSICMOREOFASTRAIGHTGROOVE7ELLTHEREAREA FEWOPTIONSSOMEEASIERTOIMPLEMENTTHANOTHERSANDSOMEMORESUCCESSFUL THANOTHERS!LLTHEOPTIONSWORKONTHESAMEPRINCIPLEWHICHISESSENTIALLY TOquantizeTHEVOCALRECORDINGS4WOOFTHEMETHODSDESCRIBEDHEREAREMAN UALANDQUITETIME CONSUMINGBUTGIVEMOREPREDICTABLEANDARGUABLYBETTER RESULTS!THIRDMETHODWHICHUSES,OGICSWONDERFUL&LEX4IMEFEATURESET canSOMETIMESWORKWELLWITHLITTLEMORETHANAFEWMOUSECLICKSINYOUR$!7 BUTDOESNTHAVEQUITETHEPREDICTABLYORINSOMECASESPRECISIONOFTHEOTHER TWOMETHODS

,ETS START WITH THE SIMPLESTMETHOD OF THE THREE WHICH INVOLVES USING &LEX 4IME IN ,OGIC TO ANALYZE THE VOCAL TRACKS TO TRY TO DETERMINEWHERE THE TRANSIENTPOINTSARE IN THEVOCAL RECORDINGS4HESE TRANSIENTPOINTSSHOULD IN THEORYCOMEAT THEBEGINNINGOFMOSTWORDSAS THERESHOULDBEAPAUSE FOL LOWED BY A WORD STARTING 4HE DIFlCULTY IS THAT SUNG WORDS VERY OFTEN DONT HAVEACLEARANDSHARPATTACKANDVERYOFTENSINGERSTENDTORUNWORDSTOGETHER SO THEREMIGHT NOT BE A CLEAR GAP EVEN A SHORT ONE BETWEEN EVERY PAIR OF WORDS7HENTHISHAPPENSSOMETIMESTHETRANSIENTMARKERSAREPLACEDINTHE WRONG PLACE PERHAPS A LITTLE TOO EARLY OR LATE OR PERHAPS THEY AREMISSING COMPLETELY9OUCANSTARTADDINGMARKERSINMANUALLYOFCOURSE"UTlRSTWELL DESCRIBETHEAUTOMATEDPROCESS

/NCE THE TRANSIENTMARKERS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE lLE YOU CAN THEN TREAT THEAUDIOINTHESAMEWAYAS-)$)DATAINTHESENSETHATITCANBEQUANTIZED BYUSINGAMENUCOMMAND4HISALLOWSYOUTOQUICKLYCHANGETHEFEELOFTHE VOCAL FROM THROUGH & AND ALL THE WAY BACK AGAIN 4HE CHANGES TO THE QUANTIZATIONHAPPENMOREORLESSINSTANTLYALTHOUGHITMAYTAKEAFEWSECONDS TO KICK IN DEPENDING ON THE POWER OF YOUR COMPUTER THE LOAD ON THE#05 FROMPLUGINSANDAUDIOINSTRUMENTSANDTHELENGTHOFTHElLEYOUARETRYINGTO QUANTIZE7HICHEVERWAYYOULOOKATITITISCERTAINLYMUCHQUICKERTHANEITHER OF THEMANUALMETHODSWE CONSIDER LATER ) OFTEN TRY USING THISMETHODlRST BECAUSESINCEWHENITDOESWORKASYOUWANTITTOITCANTAKEJUSTTWOORTHREE MINUTESASOPPOSEDTOOVERANHOURTODOhMANUALLYv

4HESECONDOPTIONAGAINUSESTHE&LEX4IMEFEATURESANDBUILDSUPONTHEAUTO MATICMETHODDESCRIBEDEARLIER9OUCANSTILLSTARTTHESAMEWAYBYLETTING,OGIC PLACETHETRANSIENTMARKERSANDTHENYOUCANGOINANDMOVEADDORDELETE ADDITIONALMARKERSTOHELPTIDYUPTHEQUANTIZINGPROCESS/NETHINGTOCON SIDERISTHATMANYVOCALISTSEASEINTOCERTAINWORDSSOWHATMAYLOOKFROMTHE WAVEFORMVIEWTOBETHESTARTOFTHEWORDMIGHTNOTBETHEPARTYOUWANTTO BEONTHEGROOVE! LITTLEEXPERIMENTATIONMIGHTBENECESSARY TO REALLY GETTHEMARKERSINTHERIGHTPLACE/NCETHEMARKERSareINTHERIGHTPLACEYOU HAVEALL THE SAMEOPTIONSAS YOUDIDON THEAUTOMATEDPROCESSASDESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY BUT THIS TIME THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE THAT THE NEWLY REQUANTIZED VOCALWILLBENICEANDTIGHTONTHETIMING

4HEDOWNSIDEOFTHESElRSTTWOMETHODSISTHATTHEPROCESSOFMOVINGTHETRAN SIENTMARKERS AROUND CAUSES THE &LEX 4IME ALGORITHM TO STRETCH OR COMPRESS THESECTIONSOFAUDIOBETWEENTHEMTOMAKESURETHATEVERYTHINGlTSANDmOWS 7HILETHEQUALITYOFTHEALGORITHMISUNDOUBTEDLYVERYGOODANDTHEAMOUNT OFSTRETCHINGORCOMPRESSINGISGENERALLYVERYSMALLITDOESSTILLREPRESENTAFUR THERSTAGEOFPROCESSINGFORANAUDIOlLE THATMAYALREADYHAVEUNDERGONEAT LEASTONEANDPOSSIBLYMORESTAGESOFMANIPULATION%VERYTIMEWEPROCESSTHE ORIGINALVOCALlLESTHROUGHTIME STRETCHINGORPITCHPROCESSINGTUNING WEARE GRADUALLYDEGRADINGTHESOUND4HE LEADVOCAL ISSUCHANIMPORTANTPARTOFA REMIX YOUWANT TO AIM FOR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PROCESSING AND AMINIMUM NUMBEROFhPASSESv%VENIFYOUAREGOINGTOHAVEQUITEAHEAVILYEFFECTEDVOCAL SOUNDINTHEENDITISSTILLGOODPRACTICETOTRYTOMINIMIZEPROCESSING

4OTHISENDTHEREISATHIRDMETHODTHATMIGHTBEABETTEROPTIONBUTDOESTAKE ALITTLELONGERTOWORKTHROUGH)NFACTTHEBASICPRINCIPLEISEXACTLYTHESAME INTHATWHATWEAIMTODOISSPLITTHEORIGINALlLEINTOhREGIONSvATTHEPOINTS WHEREWE FEEL THEWORDS SHOULD BE LOCKED TO A PARTICULAR GROOVE !GAIN THE POINTWE SHOULDBEQUANTIZINGMIGHTNOTBE THE EXACT BEGINNINGOF AWORD 4HERE COULD BE A LEAD IN TO AWORD PERHAPS A HINT OF AN h3v SOUNDWHICH NEEDSTOSITAFRACTIONAHEADOFTHEBEATSOTHATACTUALPOINTWENEEDTOQUAN TIZEIS JUSTAFTER THEACTUALBEGINNING4HEREISNOHARDANDFASTRULEHEREAND YOUMIGHTlNDTHATYOUNEEDTOMAKEAFEWADJUSTMENTSASYOUGOALONGBUT ONCEYOUHAVEMADEYOURBESTGUESSASTOWHERETOSPLITTHElLEYOUTHENNEED TOQUANTIZETHOSEVOCALS4HEFOLLOWINGDESCRIBESHOWTODOTHISUSING!PPLES ,OGIC)FYOUREUSINGADIFFERENT$!7THEPROCESSSHOULDBESIMILARCONSULT YOURUSERMANUALORHELPlLESFORSPECIlCS

)N,OGICTHEREISANOPTIONTOQUANTIZEAUDIOlLESINTHESAMEWAYYOUWOULD QUANTIZE-)$)INFORMATIONALTHOUGHTHEMETHODISSLIGHTLYMORECONVOLUTED 9OUlRSTHAVETOSELECTALLOFTHEAUDIOREGIONSYOUWANTTOAPPLYTHEQUANTIZE TO 4HENOPEN THE ,ISTS PANEL TO THE RIGHT OF THEMAIN!RRANGEWINDOW AND SELECTTHE%VENTTAB9OUSHOULDSEEALLOFTHEAUDIOREGIONSYOUHAVESELECTED SHOWING UP AS INDIVIDUAL EVENTS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED WITHIN THE LIST )F YOU DONTTHENYOUMIGHTNEEDTOGOBACKTOTHE!RRANGEWINDOWANDMAKESURE THEAUDIOTRACKTHATCONTAINSTHEREGIONYOUWANTTOQUANTIZEISTHECURRENTLY

SELECTEDONEANDTHATTHESPECIlCREGIONSYOUWANTARESELECTEDTHENCHECKING THAT THOSE REGIONS ANDONLY THOSE REGIONS AREHIGHLIGHTED IN THE LIST/NCE YOUHAVEMADESURETHATTHISISTHECASETHENJUSTABOVETHETOPOFTHATLISTYOU WILLSEETHEREAREOPTIONSFORQUANTIZINGTHEEVENTSINMUCHTHESAMEWAYSAS YOU CAN FOR-)$) DATA 9OU SIMPLY SELECT THE GROOVE YOUWISH TO APPLY AND THEEFFECTSARE INSTANT9OUCAN THENSTARTPLAYBACK TOHEAR THEEFFECTSOFYOUR CHOICE)TMAKESSENSETOHAVEAPARTOFTHETRACKTHATCONTAINSTHEREGIONSYOU AREQUANTIZINGSETTOLOOPSOTHATYOUCANLEAVETHETRACKPLAYINGWHILEYOUTRY DIFFERENTOPTIONS

!TTHISPOINTYOUMIGHTWELLHEARSOMEREGIONSWORDSINTHISCASE THATARESIT TINGINTHEGROOVENICELYBUTOTHERSMIGHTBEALITTLETOOEARLYORLATEBECAUSE YOUDIDNTGET THESTARTPOINTSETQUITECORRECTLY )F THIS IS THECASEYOUCANGO BACK INTO THE!RRANGEWINDOWANDMOVE THESTARTPOINTOF THE REGIONA LITTLE EARLIERORLATERANDTHENTRYREAPPLYINGTHEQUANTIZATIONTOJUSTTHATONEREGION UNTIL IT IS RIGHT!LTERNATIVELY YOU CAN ZOOM IN ANDMOVE THE REGION AROUND MANUALLY UNTIL IT lTS )N FACT SOMETIMES A VERY RIGID QUANTIZATION OF VOCAL PARTSDOESNTSOUNDALLTHATGOOD%VENIFYOUALLOWFORTHEINACCURACIESOFSET TINGYOURSTARTPOINTSFORTHEREGIONSTHATDOESINEVITABLYGIVETHEVOCALTIMING ASLIGHTLYMORERELAXEDFEELINGTHATAPERFECTLYACCURATELYQUANTIZEDSYNTHLINE WOULD9OUMIGHTSTILLWANTTOJUSTNUDGETHETIMINGOFSOMEOFTHEVOCALPARTS TOPUSHTHEMEVERSOSLIGHTLYBEFOREORAFTERTHEEXACTBEAT

!TTHISPOINTYOUMAYHAVEACOUPLEOFISSUESWITHTHEVOCALTHATNEEDSORTING OUT)FYOUHAVEINDEEDCUTTHEORIGINALVOCALSINTOREGIONSATTHEBEGINNINGOF EVERYWORDOREVERYPOINTINAWORDWHERETHEREISANOBVIOUSCHANGEOFNOTE OR OTHER EVENT THAT NEEDS TIMING CORRECTION THEN YOU COULD lND YOUR VOCAL NOWHASANUMBEROFLITTLEGAPSOROVERLAPS4HE&LEX4IMEALGORITHMDESCRIBED EARLIERWILLKICKINHEREANDSTRETCHTOlLLGAPS ORCOMPRESSTOREMOVEOVER LAPS THEVOCALS

'IVENTHATWEWANTTHEMINIMUMAMOUNTOFPROCESSINGPOSSIBLEWEWILLLOOKAT ALTERNATIVES4HEEASIESTOPTIONISOFCOURSEIFTHEREISANATU

RALGAPBETWEENWORDSANYWAYBECAUSEIFWECHANGEDTHE LENGTHOFTHATGAPBYATINYAMOUNTWHICHITWOULD BE IFWE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CHANGE IN THE GROOVE OF A VOCAL THEN THE OVERALL EFFECT SHOULDNT BE AFFECTED )F HOWEVER THE WORDS ORIGINALLY RAN INTO ONE ANOTHER AND THERE IS NOW A TINY GAP THENWHAT)WOULDNORMALLYDOINTHISCIRCUM STANCEISDRAGOUTTHEENDOFTHElRSTREGIONOR DRAG BACK THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND REGION TOCOVERTHATGAP4HEN)WOULDZOOMINASFAR ASPOSSIBLETOMAKESURETHATTHEPOINTATWHICH ONElLEENDSANDTHEOTHERSTARTSISATAzero cross-

ing pointFORBOTHREGIONS)NORDERFORTHISTOHAPPEN ITMAYBENECESSARYTOSHIFTONEOROTHEROFTHEREGIONS

A zero crossing point is a point at

which the waveform crosses the horizontal centre line in the

waveform display. More accurately it is the point at which the amplitude

of the waveform is exactly 0dB or, in physical terms, the point in the

waveform where the speaker would be at its “neutral”

center position

BY A TINY AMOUNT 'IVEN THE SMALL AMOUNTWEWOULD NEEDTOSHIFT ITBYONLYAFEWMILLISECONDSUSUALLY THERE SHOULDNT BE ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE GROOVE )FYOURE LUCKYTHATSALLYOUNEEDTODO .OWSOLOTHEVOCALTOCHECKTHATTHETRANSITION ISSMOOTHAPPLYAVERYSHORTcrossfadeBETWEEN THETWOREGIONSIFITNEEDSALITTLEHELPANDTHEN YOUREAREDONE

!NOTHERSCENARIOISWHERETHEWORDSORIGINALLY RAN INTO EACH OTHER BUT INSTEAD OF THERE BEING ATINYGAPNOWTHEREISATINYOVERLAPINSTEAD)N THIS CASE ) WOULD AGAIN RECOMMEND ZOOMING IN MOVINGEITHERTHEENDOFTHElRSTREGIONORTHESTARTOF THESECONDREGIONUNTILTHEREARENOOVERLAPSANDTHENMAK ING SURE THAT THE CHANGEOVERPOINT IS AGAIN AT A ZERO CROSSINGPOINT FORBOTH REGIONSUSINGASHORTCROSSFADEAGAINIFNECESSARY

"ECAUSEWEARETALKINGABOUTVERYSMALLDIFFERENCESINTIMINGBETWEENAAND A!OR"GROOVEWECANPROBABLYGETAWAYWITHTAKINGCAREOFTHEPOTEN TIALGAPSOROVERLAPSINTHEWAYDESCRIBEDPREVIOUSLY)FYOUWEREREQUANTIZING FROMTO&FOREXAMPLETHENTHEREMIGHTBEONEORTWOOCCASIONSWHEN THEGAPSTHATNEEDTOBElLLEDWOULDBEBESTSERVEDBYAVERYSMALLAMOUNTOF TIME STRETCH)FWEDOTHINGSTHISWAYWECANTIME STRETCHASFEWREGIONSASPOS SIBLEANDLEAVETHEVASTMAJORITYUNSTRETCHED

4HERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF GROOVE VARIATIONS INMUSIC BUTMOST FALL INTO A VARIATION UPON A STRAIGHT BEAT WITH A TH NOTE SUBGROOVE )F WHAT YOU HAVE TOWORKWITH FALLS SOMEWHEREALONG THAT SPECTRUMTHEN THECHANCESARE YOUWILL BE ABLE TO REGROOVE OR REQUANTIZE THE VOCAL QUITE SUCCESSFULLY USING ONE OF THE THREEMETHODS DESCRIBED EARLIER 4HERE IS HOWEVER ONE GROUP OF VOCALSTHATCOULDCAUSEIMMENSEPROBLEMSTHOSETHATCOMEFROMSONGSBUILT AROUNDTRIPLETGROOVES9OUWILLKNOWTHESEINSTANTLYBYFEELIFNOTINANACTUAL TECHNICAL WAY )F WE THINK ABOUT A TYPICAL TH NOTEnBASED GROOVE AND WE EMPHASIZETHEMAINKICKDRUMBEATWEGET

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)FWETRYTOPUTAVOCALTHATHASATRIPLETFEELOVERTHETOPOFANTH ORTH NOTEn BASEDGROOVETHERESULTSCOULDBEVERYUNCOMFORTABLESOUNDING)SAYhCOULDBEv BECAUSE IF THEORIGINAL SONGHAS AHEAVY TRIPLET FEEL BUT THE VOCAL RHYTHMAND EMPHASIS MAINLY FOLLOW THE hONEv BEATS WITH OCCASIONAL WORDS LYING ON THE hTWOvORhTHREEvTHENYOUMIGHTGETAWAYWITHITWITHA LITTLEBITOFREQUANTIZ ING"UTIFTHEVOCALHASALOTOFWORDSINITTHENCHANCESAREITWILLMAKEMUCH MOREUSEOF THE hTWOSv AND hTHREESv )F THATHAPPENS YOUHAVE SOMEDIFlCULT DECISIONSANDSOMESERIOUSWORKTODOBECAUSEARHYTHMOFTHREESDOESNOTSIT

A crossfade is a technique used to

blend two separate audio files (or regions). Where two files

overlap a fade out is applied to the preceeding file while simultaneously applying a fade in to the following

file. This semi-automatic process is called

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