GSnap Manual

Welcome to GSnap
GSnap is an auto-tune effect. It can be used subtly to correct the pitch of a vocal, or, with
more extreme settings, to create a robot-voice effect. It requires a monophonic input signal
to operate.
Installation
1. ll G!S" plug-ins come compressed in a #I$ file, so the first step is to extract the
files from the #I$ file.
%. &nce extracted, you should have one or more '(( files, these are the plug-in files.
). *ou need to copy the plug-in files to the appropriate folder for your host program.
+. In most cases, you will need either to restart the host program or re-scan the plug-in
folder in order for newly-installed plug-ins to appear.
Hints
, "ry GSnap with non-vocal material for interesting effects.
, GSnap-s effect is more useful with simple material. .omplex material with rapid note
changes may require several hours of dedicated /I'I programming to deal with, and
may still end up sounding less than realistic.
, 0se the automatic correction with 1orced 2ey to help approximate that famous vocal
effect.
, utomate switching between 1ixed and /I'I mode for ultimate control3 allow GSnap
to do its thing automatically for much of the material, and then 4ta5e over4 for
passages or notes that need specific wor5.
, "ry feeding GSnap some /I'I information in real-time during a vocal passage. *ou
may find the results even more interesting than that 4other4 vocal effect6
Interface
The GUI features a set of 12 knobs which control all of the plug-in's parameters. Each has
its function clearly labelle abo!e" an features a user-eitable reaout below. #itionally"
twel!e $switches$ ne%t to the pitch ata !iew correspon to the twel!e semitones of a full
octa!e in the &estern chromatic scale" an are use to supplement the $fi%e$ moe of
G'nap. Two further switches allow the user to select between $fi%e$ or $mii$ moes"
e%plaine below.
The controls are i!ie into three groups( )etection" *orrection" an +I)I. The )etection
section allows you to fine-tune G'nap's ability to eal with incoming auio. *orrection
etermines the metho an auible effect of the tuning algorithm. +I)I controls etermine
how G'nap eals with particular +I)I information.
To the left of the controls is a !isual representation of the pitch of the source an $tune$
material. The source material appears as a re line graph" an the tune material a green
one. This can help the user ,ero in on problem notes" an also pro!ie a seconary way
-the primary being your ears./ with which to gauge G'nap's effect on the source material.
Detection Controls
The incoming auio is first processe by this set of controls" which help gi!e G'nap a bit
of a break by narrowing own the range of fre0uencies an souns that the plug-in has to
eal with.
Min Freq: #llows the user to set the minimum fre0uency" in 1ert," that G'nap will
consier for correction. The !ast ma2ority of human !oices will ne!er go below 344 1,.
Max Freq: This allows the user to set the highest fre0uency that will be consiere for
tuning. &hile the harmonics of the human !oice can go abo!e 3544 1," the funamentals
are generally below 1444 1," an are more commonly e!en below 644.
Gate: #ny source material at a le!el below this setting is not consiere for tuning. 7ou
shoul set this so that G'nap ignores backgroun noise.
Speed: The 'pee parameter sets the number of wa!e repetitions re0uire for pitch-
etection. 8ower !alues for 'pee will allow faster pitch-etection but increase the chance
of false etection" resulting in sporaic 2umps in the auio's pitch. The efault !alue shoul
be fine in most cases.
Correction Controls
9nce a pitch has been etermine" G'nap applies the specifie pitch-correction. There
are two moes of pitch correction( fi%e scale an +I)I. :i%e scale correction has a fi%e
set of snap-notes" while +I)I correction is controlle in real time by +I)I ata.
Fixed Mode: &hen this moe is selecte" notes are $snappe$ to a key of the user's
choosing. ;ressing the $'elect 'cale...$ button locate besie the $:i%e +oe$ button
brings up a ialog bo%(
# rop-own menu allows you to select the $root$ of the
scale" an another the $moe$. *hecking the $'et
Threshol...$ option will automatically a2ust the Threshol
parameter so that the chosen scale is enforce.
9nce a scale is selecte -or at any point in time with
$:i%e$ moe enable/" the user may a or remo!e notes
from snap. #ll enable notes in the scale are highlighte
with light blue in small bo%es on the $piano keys$ ne%t to
the graphical isplay. )isable notes are inicate with ark blue.
Midi Mode: &hen this option is selecte" notes will snap to the nearest currently
epresse +I)I note" sent either by a controller being playe in real-time" or by a pre-
programme +I)I se0uence. :or this to work" your se0uencer must be set up so that
G'nap can recei!e both auio an +I)I messages.
Threshold: )efines the snapping region aroun each snap-note. # $cent$ is a percentage
of a &estern semitone. :or e!ery 144 cents in the threshol" you a another semitone to
the snapping region. # higher threshol allows G'nap to enforce wier $gaps$ between
notes in customi,e scales. :or stanar scales" 144 cents will allow for perfect snapping.
&ith pentatonic scales" 154 cents are necessary.
Amount: 'ets the amount of correction that will be applie.
Attack and Release: These parameters set how 0uickly a note reaches full correction an
subse0uently returns to no correction. #s a general rule" an e%tremely fast attack will
prouce a noticeable an istinctly artificial $snap$" but may be necessary to eal with
certain phrases. 8onger attack an release times can prouce a more natural soun" but
setting the times too long can also soun unnatural or be ineffecti!e" so e%ercise caution.
MIDI Controls
&hen the user has selecte $+ii$ moe" these controls are use to set how G'nap will
respon to incoming +I)I information.
Pitch Bend: #llows the user to set the ma%imum pitch ben. 'ince e!ery 144 cents
represent a &estern-scale semitone" the ma%imum ben at 244 cents is one full tone.
Vibrato: Defines the maximum range of the vibrato applied by manipulating the
modulation wheel or sending a mod wheel Continuous Controller (CC) message in a MIDI
program. Like it!h "end# its maximum range is $%% !ents or one full tone.
Speed: &epresents the speed (in 'ert() of vibrato applied by MIDI when the user uses the
modulation wheel or sends a modulation CC.
Calibrate: )his !ontrol allows the user to !alibrate the a!tual *tuning* of +,nap as it
relates to the sour!e material# with the number representing the fre-uen!y of the note *.*
in your song. )his setting affe!ts the dete!ted note and !onse-uently the amount of
!orre!tion.
)he default of ./00% '( is the standard tuning !alibration# and should be fine for the
ma1ority of situations. 'owever# there are many ex!eptions# su!h as when singing to a
tra!k with a fixed instrument (i.e. a pipe organ) that is tuned to ./023.
License
4. +5,) plug6ins are provided to the user at no !ost. 7hile every +5,) plug6in is
tested to the best of the developer8s ability# no warranty or guarantee is offered to the
end user.
$. 9o suggestions made by the developer or his representatives (i.e.# freely offered
support) are to be taken as an implied warranty or guarantee.
2. )hese plug6ins may only be distributed by the offi!ial +5,) website# or by parties
expli!itly given permission by the developer.
0. +5,) plug6ins are to be distributed only in their original form as intended by the
developer (i.e.# the unaltered ar!hive).
3. +5,) plug6ins are freeware# meaning you are never under any obligation to pay for
them: 'owever# should you wish to help support !ontinued development of +5,)
software# please !onsider donating through the offi!ial website.
Credits
; Development# !ode# website and graphi!s by +raham <eadon.
; Do!umentation by +reg ettit and +raham <eadon (many thanks to +reg for all of
his help).
; 5,) te!hnology !opyright ,teinberg +mb'.
; )he *5,)* name and logo are registered trademarks of ,teinberg +mb'.
Copyright +raham <eadon. =6mail me at graham>gvst.!o.uk.
I would not make these plug6ins available if I did not feel that they were safe and stable. 'owever# I
!annot take responsibility for any damage# diffi!ulty# or stress !aused by their use. lease do not
download any software unless you agree with the li!ense !onditions. 5,) and 7indows are trademarks
of ,teinberg and Mi!rosoft respe!tively.