Harmony - Nectar 3 Help

May 2024 · 6 minute read

Overview

A harmonizer can be used to build vocal harmonies by creating pitch-shifted copies of a vocal track. The Harmony module includes a node-based X/Y pad interface for easily adjusting the level, pan, pitch and timing of up to eight voices. The MIDI mode feature in the Harmony module allows for voices to be triggered by a MIDI controller.

Controls

The Harmony module panel includes general controls for adjusting processing applied to all voices, as well as an X/Y pad interface with controls for customizing individual voices.

The following parameters are available in the Harmony module panel:

Global Voice Controls

The right side of the Harmony module panel includes parameters that affect processing that is applied to all voices.

Set Scale

Determines the scale used for pitch correction processing in the Harmony module.

Clicking the Set Scale button will open the Pitch module. The Vocal Register and Scale settings on the left side of the Pitch module panel influence the pitch correction processing applied to the voices added by the Harmony module.

Shared Pitch & Harmony Settings: Scale & Vocal Register

The Vocal Register and Scale settings in the Pitch module panel are shared by the Pitch and Harmony modules. See the Pitch module chapter to learn more about the Vocal Register and Scale settings.

Voices Only

When enabled, the main voice will be muted and all voices created by the Harmony module will be played back in isolation.

Voices

The Voices section on the right side of the Harmony module panel includes controls for adjusting the amount of pitch correction, time variation and pitch variation applied to all voices generated by the Harmony module.

Pitch Correction

Adjusts the amount and character of pitch correction applied to the voices generated by the Harmony module.

Tip: Adjusting the Pitch Correction Control

Time Variation

Scales the amount of time offset applied to the generated voices.

Increasing this control can help to reduce phase cancellation in the generated voices, as well as increase the chorus-type effect of multiple performers singing the same part.

Pitch Variation

Scales the amount of pitch offset applied to the generated voices.

Increasing this control can help to humanize the character of the harmonies by varying the pitch of each voice slightly. It can also be used to reduce phase cancellation in the generated voices.

Filter

The small filter display on the right side of the Harmony module panel includes low and high shelf filter controls for shaping the output of the Harmony module.

Note

The post filters are applied to the wet (processed) output signal of the Harmony module.

MIDI Mode

Enables the ability to control the pitches of harmony voices using a MIDI controller or MIDI track.

When MIDI mode is enabled, the nodes in the Voice XY Pad Controller will be highlighted when an incoming MIDI note is playing the voice. Voices are assigned to incoming MIDI notes in the order they are received. The voice node numbering determines which voice will be played first, the lowest available voice node number will be played first.

Example: MIDI Note Voice Assignment

For example, if four voice nodes are enabled in MIDI mode:

Need help setting up MIDI mode?

Click on the ? button (to the right of the MIDI button in the Harmony module) to view a setup screen with steps for configuring MIDI mode in your DAW without leaving the plug-in.

Voice XY Pad Controller

The XY pad controller on the left side of the Harmony module panel allows for the adjustment and management of Voice nodes.

The x-axis (horizontal) of the XY pad represents the stereo pan position of a voice. The y-axis (vertical) represents the gain (level) of a voice.

Adding and Removing Voices

Voices can be easily added and removed from the XY pad. The Harmony module supports adding up to eight voices.

Add Voices

The following methods can be used to add voice nodes to the XY pad:

Remove Voices

The following methods can be used to remove voice nodes from the XY pad:

Tip: Quickly remove multiple nodes

Click and drag in the XY pad display to make a rectangular selection that selects multiple nodes. Remove all selected nodes using the delete or Backspace key on the keyboard.

Voice Node Controls Panel

The voice node controls panel appears when a node is selected in the Voice XY Pad Controller area.

The following controls are included in the voice node controls panel:

General Voice Node Controls

The left side of the node controls panel includes parameters for enabling, disabling and soloing the currently selected voice node.

Interval

Determines the musical interval of the generated voice in relation to the pitch of the main vocal.

By default, the Interval is set to “Unison” to match the pitch of the generated voice to the pitch of the main vocal. The Interval setting allows for a range of -12 (one octave down) to +12 (one octave up).

Fine

Determines the amount of fine pitch adjustment applied to the selected voice.

The Fine control allows for adjustments ranging from -100 ct (cents) to +100 (cents). 100 cents is equivalent to 1 semitone.

Delay

Determines the amount of time delay applied to the selected voice.

The Delay control allows for adjustments ranging from 0 ms (milliseconds) to 100 ms (milliseconds).

Gain

Displays the amount of gain added to the currently selected voice.

The Gain control allows for adjustments ranging from -20dB (decibels) to 0dB (decibels).

Voice Gain Adjustments

The level of a selected voice node can be adjusted using the following methods:

Pan

Displays the stereo pan position of the currently selected voice.

The Pan control allows for adjustments ranging from -100 (hard left) to +100 (hard right).

Voice Pan Adjustments

The Pan value of the selected voice node can be adjusted using the following methods:

Global Module Controls

The module chain features common controls for each module, including Bypass, Solo, Remove, Reorder, and Wet/Dry Mix.

Global Controls Chapter

To learn more about the module chain and other global controls in Nectar 3, visit the Global Controls chapter.

Nectar 3.7.0

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