This article explains how to apply the auto-tune effect to a vocal track in Audacity. To do this you will use a free add-on called "GSnap". Contrary to popular belief, Gsnap is available for Windows and Mac computers, although installing it is a complex operation.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Install GSnap on Windows
Step 1. Download the GSnap plug-in
Go to https://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm on a browser, then click the link Download GSnap (for 32-bit VST hosts) at the bottom of the page. The plug-in is contained in a ZIP folder.
The 64-bit version has a bug that prevents it from being displayed in the Effects menu
Step 2. Extract the GSnap folder
Go to the ZIP folder you downloaded, then follow these steps:
- Double click on the ZIP folder to open it;
- Click on the tab Extract in the upper part of the window;
- Click on Extract all;
- Click on Extract at the bottom of the window.
Step 3. Copy the contents of the GSnap folder
In the extracted folder that opens, press Ctrl + A to select all the files inside, then press Ctrl + C to copy them.
Step 4. Click This PC
You will see this folder in the left pane of the File Explorer window. Press it and the corresponding path will open.
If you don't see the This PC folder, scroll down the sidebar of the left pane of File Explorer
Step 5. Double click on your computer hard drive
You will see this entry under the "Devices and Drives" heading in the center of the page, usually with the name OS (C:).
If you don't see any drives in the folder, click the header first Devices and units to make them appear.
Step 6. Navigate to the Audacity "Plug-Ins" folder
To do it:
- Double click on the "Program Files (x86)" folder;
- Double click on the "Audacity" folder;
- Double click on the "Plug-Ins" folder;
Step 7. Paste the GSnap files
Click anywhere in the "Plug-Ins" folder, then press Ctrl + V. You should see both GSnap files you copied earlier appear. Now that you've added the add-on to Audacity, all you have to do is enable it.
If asked, click Continues to paste the files.
Part 2 of 4: Install GSnap on Mac
Step 1. Download the GVST plug-in package
Go to https://www.gvst.co.uk/portpage.htm on your browser, then click on the link Download GVST plug-ins for Mac (for 32- and 64-bit VST hosts) under the heading "Mac OSX - BETA".
It is not possible to download GSnap only for Mac computers, so you have to click on the link that allows you to download all the VST plug-ins
Step 2. Open the ZIP folder you downloaded
To do this, double click on the GVST plug-ins folder.
Step 3. Scroll down and double click on the "GSnap.vst" subfolder
You will find it in the "G" section of the main folder.
Step 4. Double click on the "Contents" folder
It should be the only one within the "GSnap.vst" path.
Step 5. Double click on the "MacOS" folder
You should see the GSnap files.
Step 6. Copy the GSnap file
Click the "GSnap" file, then press ⌘ Command + C.
You can also click File, then the voice Copy in the drop-down menu.
Step 7. Click the Go item
You will see it at the top of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
If you don't see Go At the top of the Mac screen, click on the desktop or open a new Finder window.
Step 8. Click Go to folder…
This item is one of the last in the drop-down menu Go. Press it and a window will open.
Step 9. Go to the Audacity Application Support folder
Type ~ / Library / Application Support / audacity in the text field of the window that opened, then click on Go.
Step 10. Open the "Plug-Ins" folder
You should find this option in the "audacity" folder.
Step 11. Paste the GSnap file
Click inside the "Plug-Ins" folder, then press ⌘ Command + V. This will paste the GSnap file into the selected path, adding it to Audacity. Now that you've completed this, all you have to do is enable the add-on.
You can also click on File, then on Paste object in the menu that appears.
Part 3 of 4: Enabling GSnap on Audacity
Step 1. Open Audacity
This program's icon looks like an orange sound wave surrounded by blue headphones. A window with the Audacity track editor will open.
Step 2. Click Effects
This tab is located at the top of the Audacity window. Press it and a menu will open.
On a Mac, Effects is one of the menu items at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Click Add / Remove Plug-ins…
This item is one of the first on the menu Effects. Press it and a window will open.
If you don't see the option you're looking for, scroll up
Step 4. Scroll down and click GSnap
It is located in the "G" section of the window.
Step 5. Click Enable
You will see this button below the list of available plug-ins. Press it and the Gsnap status will change from "New" to "Enabled".
Step 6. Click OK
It is located in the lower part of the window. Press this button to confirm the changes and close the window.
Step 7. Make sure GSnap has been installed
Click the tab Effects, then scroll down until you see GSnap at the bottom of the menu. If you see GSnap, you can start using auto-tune on your vocal tracks with Audacity.
If you don't see GSnap, you've probably installed the 64-bit version of the plug-in on a Windows computer. You need to delete the GSnap file from the Audacity "Plug-Ins" folder and download the 32-bit version
Part 4 of 4: Using Auto-Tune on Your Vocal Tracks
Step 1. Import the vocal tracks
Click on File, select It matters, click on Audio… then double click on the audio file you want to edit.
If you haven't recorded the vocal track yet, you need to do so before continuing. If necessary, connect a USB microphone to your computer
Step 2. Select the vocal track
Click and hold the mouse pointer on the section of the track you want to auto-tune.
You can select the whole track by pressing Ctrl + A
Step 3. Click Effects
The drop-down menu will open.
Step 4. Click GSnap…
You will see this item among the last ones in the menu Effects. Press it and the GSnap window will open.
If you don't see the entry GSnap … scroll down in the menu.
Step 5. Select a shade
Click the button SELECT A SCALE … at the top of the window, choose the key of the song (for example TO or La), select Major or Minor, then click OK
Step 6. Set the auto-tune level knobs
While you can change the values as you like to get a unique sound, use the following settings if you want to replicate the "classic" auto-tune sound:
- MIN FREQ: 80 hz.
- MAX FREQ: 2000 hz.
- GATE: -40 db.
- SPEED: between 1 (fragmented vocal track) and 10 (continuous vocal track).
- THRESHOLD: 100 cents.
- AMOUNT: 100%.
- ATTACK: 1 ms.
- RELEASE: 61 ms.
Step 7. Test the settings
Click the green "Play" button
in the lower left part of the window, then listen to the vocal track.
Step 8. Make the necessary changes
The two main aspects to check are the "AMOUNT" and "SPEED" values:
- AMOUNT: 100% produces the maximum effect of auto-tune, so reduce the value if the changes are too pronounced.
- SPEED: a low speed creates a fragmented vocal track, in the style of T-Pain, while with a higher number the vocals will be more fluid.
- You can also remove sharps and flats by clicking on the green circles of the black keys located on the left side of the window.
Step 9. Click Apply
You will see this button in the lower right corner of the window. Press it and you'll apply the desired effect to the track.
Step 10. Customize the auto-tune
Keep tweaking the settings to get exactly the sound you want, but consider the following:
- Higher "ATTACK" and "RELEASE" times make your voice more natural.
- Adding a vibrato effect can make the voice more natural.
- The lower the "THRESHOLD" value, the more robotic your voice will sound.
- The more the vocal track is "out of tune" (out of key), the more your voice will be corrected by the effect.
Step 11. Save the project as a music file
You can export the track as a song by clicking on File, Export audio …, entering a name and a path, then clicking Save.
