In less than a decade we have digested almost sixty years of research and design in the pro audio sector in digital format. Parametric equalization, multiband compression, convolution reverb are concepts and tools (software) now within the reach of anyone. But now apparently we are at the gates of a new era in Digital Audio Processing: the era of psycho-acoustics where the concept of "press a button and everything will sound better" dominates.
The plugin is presented in this context vocal enhancer, of the Finnish Novaltech, which with its proprietary algorithm named IAF (Intelligent Adaptive Filtering) is able, quite autonomously, to intervene on the sound no longer statically, for example by emphasizing a certain frequency for the entire duration of the track, but dynamically modifying its behavior according to the characteristics of the audio material it is processing in a precise moment. Let's see what it's about.
Initial approach
When I happen to try a software product, the first thing I do is install the package and run it without having even looked at the manual: this allows me to immediately evaluate the usability of the product, a parameter that, in the world of modern software , I consider essential. Once the installation is complete, I am ready for testing, so I look for a recently worked project, I open it, I identify the vocal track, I turn off all the effects used during the mixing and I am going to look for the new plugin among those installed. Vocal Enhancer comes in version Vst3 (in addition to VST2), therefore having a VST3 compatible host, it is cataloged in the folder Eq. I load it in a slot and I find myself having to immediately express the first point in favor of Vocal Enhancer: a single window divided into four sectors (processing, display, metering and preset) with everything you need to immediately intervene on the candidate track. undergo IAF treatment.
First listen
Since I am extremely methodical, one thing I absolutely have to do before playing the song is to search the available presets for a suitable one for the situation. In this case I have no doubts: MaleVocal. Load the preset and go, hit the play button! Incredible !! What the hell is going on? The item is perfect !! But hadn't I disabled all plugins except the one being tested? In fact that's right, there's nothing else on the track except the Vocal Enhancer with its preset. I rush to bypass it to please me with my shooting prowess, but with great disappointment I realize how flat the flat track is (actually it was recorded with a low-mid-range microphone and pre-amp). I reactivate the plug-in and again the voice stands out in a crystalline way, lively on the high frequencies, clear, defined, in short, all those adjectives that are used to define a perfect voice in a mix. The feeling of listening, however, to think about it is not very far from the memory I have of the final mix of that song. So I am going to disable the Vocal Enhancer again and reactivate the entire chain of effects used in the original mix. Equalizer, compressor, DeEsser, Gate, Delay and Harmonic Enhancer dosed with millimeter precision. Actually the listening is very close to what the IAF algorithome produces, even if not in all points of the piece, but the immediate consideration to be made is that to obtain that result I had spent several hours of meticulous work, while now I have used the few seconds it takes to select a preset from a list. It gets interesting and so at this point it's time to take the manual and understand something more.
Controls
As seen previously, the Vocal Enhancer plugin is presented in a single window divided into four operating sectors (Fig.1). Immediately on the left is the processing sector, the one containing the two main software controls and the key Strong Processing. The smallest rotary from the graphic point of view, called Focus Frequency, serves to set the action focus, the point (intended as frequency) on which the algorithm will intervene more consistently. The scale within which to move has very general indications LO (extreme left) and HI (extreme right).
The central sector of the window called , contains a vu-meter which measures the Enhancement level, that is the overall quantity of algorithm in operation and a spectrum analyzer that allows you to immediately understand how you are working on the signal. From here it is possible to modify the range of frequencies on which to make the algorithm work by moving the two white lines on the right and left of the graph with the mouse. It is also possible to modify the resonance points of the filters low-pass e high pass moving the triangles drawn on the same lines up and down. The changes made graphically with the mouse are reported, in the form of numerical values, in the text boxes below which are clearly in turn editable by entering the desired value directly with the keyboard. I must say that even here the interaction mode is not very happy because, if you want to change the resonance point with the mouse, if you don't have the skill of a professional cad designer, you inevitably end up moving the range of intervention as well. . In short, perhaps it is better to use the text boxes by manually entering the desired value. In the lower part of the central section, in addition to the editable values for setting the filters, there is a button that allows you to select the slope value of the filters among the canonical ones -12 dB / Oct e -24 dB / Oct.
The third sector of the screen, called metering, is the one that contains three large vu meters for measuring the input and output signals and for measuring the compression level. The processing button allows you to disable the processing of the input signal while leaving the analysis algorithm to work, which you can continue to see in action in the spectrum analyzer. Which would not be possible using the classic bypass button. The gain comp button instead takes care of enabling / disabling the automatic gain compensation to allow you to keep the output level of the plugin unchanged.
Fourth and last sector, called preset, does not need any particular explanation except for the presence of an A / B selector that allows you to store (using the store key) two configurations on the same preset and to be able to quickly switch from one listening to another for the classic close comparison. Small note of disappointment even if marginal considering the low number of parameters available: the presets list cannot be modified by the user.
Second listening
With greater awareness of what I am analyzing and satisfied with the previous result obtained practically without any effort, I try to repeat the experiment on a female voice. I look for in my most recent archives a project that can lend itself to the experiment and I repeat all the steps taken with the other project. In this case I clearly identify a preset for female voice that obviously cannot be missing: FemaleVocal (Fig.2).
I always start with the FemaleVocal preset which, however, makes this already very bright voice particularly sparkling on the highs. At this point I realize that the main problem with this preset is the “Strong” setting which alters the high frequencies too much for my taste. Eliminated this and reduced also in this case focus, enhancement and range of intervention (Fig.3)
Other evidence
Clearly the curiosity to try the plugin on any type of audio material comes spontaneously, but to avoid spending the night recovering the hard disk of the past, I try to focus the tests on a few but classic situations. The acoustic guitar, undisputed queen of natural harmonics, treated with this plugin, reminds a little of the psycho-acoustic effect of Sony Inflator in the sense that everything seems more beautiful to you but you can't understand why. So with two mono tracks and two instances of Vocal Enhancer I can quickly get a warm and very deep acoustic guitar / vocal duo that almost makes me believe I have become a real mixing professional. Using the plugin instead on an already closed mix, on which the master has not yet been operated, the feeling is pleasant, but immediately you have the perception that dedicated tools can provide a much better result. In all cases, having nothing else available, the sparing use of the Vocal Enhancer on this type of material can undoubtedly be useful for improving listening compactness. The last test is on a live recorded voice track: unfortunately the disturbances (re-entry, background noise, audience etc.) greatly annoy the analysis algorithm which inevitably ends up not calibrating the right intervention point, completely nullifying the utility. of processing.
Conclusions
Vocal Enhancer is a plugin that falls into the category of psycho-acoustic processors, so the evaluation of how it sounds is quite subjective. I found the Novaltech software very interesting from the point of view of usability, as even in the Project Studio field, or perhaps especially in the Project field, it manages to give liveliness and color to monochromatic recordings made with preamps and microphones of not excellent quality. . Perhaps having available shooting tools of a certain value it is more difficult, even from a psychological point of view, to intervene with a plugin of this type as one tends to preserve the character of one's own instrumentation which perhaps in some way also characterizes one's own works. However, considering that the most interesting productions today are made low-cost in small project-studios, I have no doubt that the use of this instrument can have a great diffusion as it solves problems often due to the impossibility of filming in acoustically treated environments.
Furthermore, the tendency to develop software able to work autonomously to improve the available audio material seems to be the new frontier of daw and although we all agree that these tools hide a high complexity and therefore provide excellent results only in the hands of professionals, we cannot but admit that they also manage to improve the life of the budding musician who, with a preset and a minimum of good taste, manages to give dignity to their works. Well yes, we are at the gates of a new era and dear sound engineers ... I foresee hard times!
PRO
- Easy to use
- Immediate results
AGAINST
- Controls not always easy to handle
- Slightly high price
USEFUL NEWS
Producer's website: www.noveltechaudio.com
Available formats: TC's Powercore - Native VST, AU, RTAS
Price: $199
