Tuning the Vocal—Watch, Listen, and Learn

Presenters:
Alex Case, University of Massachusetts Lowell - Lowell, MA, USA
Ian Kagey, Berklee NYC - New York, NY, USA

Ian Kagey is a New York City-based engineer and producer constantly called upon to tune vocal tracks. Clients count on him to tune vocals while preserving emotion, timbre, and the artist’s personality. Budgets demand that such care and precision happen quickly. In this live demonstration, you’ll observe his approaches and tap into his thoughts as he takes a raw vocal up to professional tuning standards. In a parallel interview, by Alex U. Case, practical considerations are reviewed, detailing workflow and keyboard short cuts. Aesthetic issues are discussed, finding the balance between pitch perfection and musical expression.