Harmony Mechanics

[nextlevel88]

So, I never got the Beatles or Green Day, and harmonies are still a new thing to me. If this is a bad question, I apologize, but I thought I saw it mentioned before, so perhaps it's not just me. Anyway, if I'm struggling with a pitch on vocals, and I try to find the correct pitch that I should be singing at, I tend to "sine sweep" (for a lack of a better description) my voice from my lowest pitch to my highest, and watch the arrow rise until it finds the pitch line, then I proceed to use that to gauge the rest of the song.

However, when I try to use this technique to find the pitch of a harmony, the arrow tends to snap or jump from one vocal line to the other, most often to the blue "lead singer" line. It hovers around that line, then sort of snaps back again, making it very difficult determine the correct pitch for the harmonies. What causes this, and how do you prevent it?

[nextlevel88]

So, I never got the Beatles or Green Day, and harmonies are still a new thing to me. If this is a bad question, I apologize, but I thought I saw it mentioned before, so perhaps it's not just me. Anyway, if I'm struggling with a pitch on vocals, and I try to find the correct pitch that I should be singing at, I tend to "sine sweep" (for a lack of a better description) my voice from my lowest pitch to my highest, and watch the arrow rise until it finds the pitch line, then I proceed to use that to gauge the rest of the song.

However, when I try to use this technique to find the pitch of a harmony, the arrow tends to snap or jump from one vocal line to the other, most often to the blue "lead singer" line. It hovers around that line, then sort of snaps back again, making it very difficult determine the correct pitch for the harmonies. What causes this, and how do you prevent it?

[Icemage]

All of the harmony vocal engines (TBRB, GDRB, RB3) take a wild guess at which pitch line you're trying to follow. If you wander to close to another line's note - even if it's in a different octave, the arrow's trail will start "blazing" that color and move the arrow near that line, which is what makes it look like the arrow is snapping.

You can't prevent it other than to learn the song properly or get better at picking out harmonies by ear and reproducing them.
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PS3 Expert Rock Band Vocalist
My YouTube vocals videos

[Icemage]

All of the harmony vocal engines (TBRB, GDRB, RB3) take a wild guess at which pitch line you're trying to follow. If you wander to close to another line's note - even if it's in a different octave, the arrow's trail will start "blazing" that color and move the arrow near that line, which is what makes it look like the arrow is snapping.

You can't prevent it other than to learn the song properly or get better at picking out harmonies by ear and reproducing them.
_________________

PS3 Expert Rock Band Vocalist
My YouTube vocals videos

[r0bd0g]

If the harmony in question is the same note as the lead, it might not actually be possible to hit said harmony. The harmony phrase in I Am The Walrus is likely completely out of reach for somebody with a single mic.

[r0bd0g]

If the harmony in question is the same note as the lead, it might not actually be possible to hit said harmony. The harmony phrase in I Am The Walrus is likely completely out of reach for somebody with a single mic.

[HyadesD4]

Keep in mind that you can isolate harmonies in practice mode. Even just hearing the single line once is better than wild guessing. Eventually, you'll pick up common patterns if you have a good ear.
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MasterNobody wrote:

And somebody make D4 a banner! ^^^ He's an awesome guy and doesn't afraid of anything.

[HyadesD4]

Keep in mind that you can isolate harmonies in practice mode. Even just hearing the single line once is better than wild guessing. Eventually, you'll pick up common patterns if you have a good ear.
_________________

MasterNobody wrote:

And somebody make D4 a banner! ^^^ He's an awesome guy and doesn't afraid of anything.

[nextlevel88]

Thanks for all the tips. I knew the arrow kind of pulled towards the line when you were close to pitch, it just makes it kind of tricky when the harmonies are very tight.

Gunna check practice mode out too. I didn't know that was an option. I'd just assumed practice was as useless to vocalists as ever.

[nextlevel88]

Thanks for all the tips. I knew the arrow kind of pulled towards the line when you were close to pitch, it just makes it kind of tricky when the harmonies are very tight.

Gunna check practice mode out too. I didn't know that was an option. I'd just assumed practice was as useless to vocalists as ever.

[twistedoak]

Practice mode is a must if you're going to do harmonies correctly. Isolate the harmony you want to do and listen to the flute like pitch helper... it will absolutely help you with where that harmony is.

Also, "sine sweep".... I love it. I wish there was an emoticon of someone clapping just for that phrase.
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[twistedoak]

Practice mode is a must if you're going to do harmonies correctly. Isolate the harmony you want to do and listen to the flute like pitch helper... it will absolutely help you with where that harmony is.

Also, "sine sweep".... I love it. I wish there was an emoticon of someone clapping just for that phrase.
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[nextlevel88]

[nextlevel88]