Pitch correction is about identifying the pitch, determining which one is correct, and processing the track with the correction included. Being able to correct a pitch in the studio is a fairly new technological advancement. From the beginning of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), there have been many adjustments to former techniques. Pitch correction adjusts the pitch of the entire audio region. However,experts do not consider it the best algorithm for adjusting the pitch of the lead vocal. Hence, artificial sounds are more common.
The Evolution of Pitch Recording
Pitch correction has dramatically evolved over the course of time into algorithms. These algorithms are capable of identifying and correcting the pitch with minimal artefacts. These were the first steps for intoned vocals. Nowadays, having a vocal track on a pop record with slight fluctuations in pitch is quite rare. In addition, engineers can easily correct the pitch inside a studio, which has led to sterility in the sound of the vocals on a pop recording. Moreover, much of the emotion carried by the vocalist is through the subtle variations of the pitch.
People commonly associate this description with the pop music genre. But every style of music uses this kind of correction. For instance, engineers use it to perceive the processing done on commercially released recordings.
Monophonic Track
Pitch correction works efficiently on a monophonic track. The reason is that is easier to identify the pitch from this kind of sound source. This is due to a periodic waveform that can easily recreate into a different pitch. Recent developments have changed dramatically. Now they involve a much more complex process of identifying the fundamentals and harmonics of individual notes on a specific track.
Pitch Correction: Pros and Cons
Depending on the point of view, pitch correction can be either helpful or hurtful to the quality of recordings. On the one hand, some vocalists have found it helpful since they no longer need to record every single line as accurately as possible. On the other, some consider that it has been more focused on getting feeling and inflexion in the voice. This can lead to better vocal performance for a song.
