Operation of TC voiceworks vs. the TCVW plus

[kenackr]

Tweak,

I'm getting ready to get a harmonizer and I've read your article on harmonizers several times.

When I researched the customer reviews on both the TC voiceworks and TC voiceworks plus, The plus got a significantly lower average score (about 5) and the regular voice works got an 8.

Many of the complaints on the plus centered on steep learning curve and poor performance while the the regular unit didn't seem to have any of those complaints.

Are these 2 units really that different in operation?

One reviewer thought his unit was "fake" sounding. Do you notice that as well?

Ken

[quarlofx]

I am in the same boat, but it appears not too many others are ... at least on this board. The demos for the VW+ sound great and not all do. For example, the lower end TC-Helicon and DigiTech products are noticeably inferior even when demo'ed by their tech pros. I really can't see dropping $2K on an Eventide, but I really (as in *REALLY*) don't want to get stuck with "Rectosaur Meets the Larvae of Megasoids" vocal treatments. I have only to open my mouth to get those. I'm several light years from even a half-@$$ed music store so can't demo in person.

If I take the blind leap, I'll post back on results (unless you've already taken it???). More commiseration than help - sorry.

FX

[Wolfhead]

Personally I wouldn't waste my time or money... I had the Voiceworks and the learning curve is very steep with mediocre results. I tried to get something to sound good on it for about a month and then sold it. The only thing it was good for was when my kids would come in and talk on the mic and I would change the sound of their voice... they loved it. For serious recording it's junk.

[_controlfreak]

^ +1, these things are bad for live use and awful for studio use. Use Melodyne to either generate or correct harmony parts made from scratch.

[Wolfhead]

Yeah... what he said.
I use Melodyne as well. It can be a little tricky to learn also but the results are pro.

[quarlofx]

Well, I wanted opinions and I guess I got 'em! Thanks a lot for your collective honesty - I am way past being amused by sounding like a robot or a chipmunk (well, a little anyway ... OK, OK ... since last Thursday!). I feared as much, but as a lone musician (with limited vocal range) living in the middle of the desert, I have few options for harmonies. Tweak seems/seemed to like his so I thought, hmmmm ... maybe.

I have looked at Melodyne in the past, but recalled it looking like an intensely manual and time consuming process. Perhaps that's just reality and that's just the way it is.

Do your (or anyone else's) opinions apply to Eventide units as well? I am absolutely not (well ... probably not, heh heh) gonna dump $5K+ on an H8000FW, but an Eclipse ... quien sabe?

Anyway, thanks again for your input!

FX

[quarlofx]

I have looked at Melodyne in the past, but recalled it looking like an intensely manual and time consuming process.

Just checked out the newest Melodyne demos and they look to have enhanced the product since I last looked (well over a year ago). Innarestin' ... which version(s) are y'all speaking well of, if I may ask? Tanx!

[_controlfreak]

Uno will work for harmonies, although it can get annoying when you want to start stacking a bunch of parts. It's definitely possible; I do it all the time, but you just have to "keep in mind" what the original track is doing and it doesn't allow for efficient experimentation.

[SCN]

I agree with Wolfhead and the others, I own a Voiceworks, and it is not very easy to use. It's almost like buying a very expensive paper weight. The most usable thing that I can get out of it is thickening effects at certain times.

Spend your money of the VoiceDoubler instead. It is a much better piece of gear and they just lowered the price from $999 to $499. I bought one of these and noticed right away, even the factory presets are extremely usable. It also has a pretty good list of big names who are using the product for their live tours. I used it live for the first time this weekend, and it worked well.

-Scott

[quarlofx]

<snip ...> It's almost like buying a very expensive paper weight. <... snip>

Arrrrrrgggghhhhh, I certainly have enough of *those* around already! The VW+ looked good for it's claimed ability to do "more - much, much more" (where have I heard that hype before?). Without recommendations from real users like you guys, I'd be at the mercy of doctored mfg demos and "reviews" from publications that take ad money from the manufacturers they review. Thanks for all of the software and hardware advice - I'm gonna take my time with this one. Paper weights I got!

FX

[Wolfhead]

quarlofx, I hear ya...
Before I found this site I purchased thousands of dollars of gear with hit and miss results. Of course the magazine reviews are going to make the product shine and I believed them. Thank God for Ebay, it makes getting rid of the junk gear a little easier...

[Tweak]

I will standby my review of the voiceworks. Perhaps melodyne is better in a (compatible) sequencer environment, but you won't be doing anything in real time with it. It might be true that auto tune does somewhat better correction (in a compatible software environment), but it does not do harmonies. The Voiceworks is also a substantial improvement over the previous range of affordable harmonizers like the digitech series.

You can sync harmonies to MIDI chords direct from the sequencer and correct pitch at the same time. Like all boxes with small LCDs (synth modules, FX boxes, keyboards) you have to get the button presses down to get the most out of the unit. That is a where the learning curve is.

Unlike the software, you don't have to be concerned with compatibility with a sequencer. Voiceworks will work with your multi track recorder, your reel to reel whatever else you might record to.

I'd not go as far to call it junk. A professional might not want it, unless they could not afford a 3k Eventide or a 2.5k VSynth XT.

[quarlofx]

I will standby my review of the voiceworks. <... snip>

Hey, thanks a lot, Rich! I am still torn and really don't have an Eventide budget. I really appreciate your comments (and everyone else's). Great board here - thanks so much for creating it and I am very glad to have found it!

FX

[Tropical Sound]

I agree with Rich - the voiceworks is fantastic for real-time and live usage and adding tight harmonies after the fact. I simply create a MIDI track in the sequencer and feed into the vw while also sending a second track of the vocal and I get whatever chord I want. In my opinion, it works best for adding short-time, quieter background harmonies on bridges and chorus reprises rather than turning a complete solo into a duet or more. Much quicker than using a plugin and no compatibility or CPU issues. To say that pros don't use it is not true. I know of at least two current pro singers who have used the voiceworks for adding harmonies on their tracks after the sessions.