Even Out Vocal Levels with Melodyne

Is Celemony's Melodyne really better than compression in some cases? Try it, and find out...

by Craig Anderton

Although most people think “pitch correction” when you say “Melodyne,” there’s much more to the program than that. And interestingly, the percussion algorithm can be a fantastic tool for creating more uniform vocal levels as an alternative to slamming vocals with a compressor, or going through clips and adjusting the gain manually. If a singer loses steam on some words, wanders from the mic, or can’t maintain a level when reaching the limits of the vocal range, this is an ideal place to start repairing the track.

The procedure is quite simple:

1. Open up the vocal that needs fixing in Melodyne, then choose the Percussive algorithm.

2. The “blobs” represent individual words or in some cases, phrases. Grab the Amplitude tool.

3.  Click on a blob; drag higher to raise the level, or lower to decrease the level (the blob in red is having its level raised)..

4. Here’s the result of editing—a smooth vocal line with consistent levels. Yes, it really is that simple. Really. And don’t forget you can split blobs if you need more control, for example, just the end of a word needs to increase.

You can keep Melodyne open, but if the vocal is as you want it, you might as well just render the clip so you can cross “fix uneven vocal levels” off your list. If you then want to compress or limit the vocal, you won’t need to use as much processing, and the effect won’t be as obvious.

Now, about the downside: Hmmm...actually, I can’t think of any. Just don’t try to increase the levels beyond your available headroom, and be aware that some blobs might be a breath inhale or plosive; you don’t want to raise those, so listen while you adjust.

 Craig Anderton is Editor Emeritus of Harmony Central. He has played on, mixed, or produced over 20 major label releases (as well as mastered over a hundred tracks for various musicians), and written over a thousand articles for magazines like Guitar Player, Keyboard, Sound on Sound (UK), and Sound + Recording (Germany). He has also lectured on technology and the arts in 38 states, 10 countries, and three languages.