The new version 3 of the audio editing software Melodyne cre8/studio for Windows XP and Mac OS X is shipping.
Melodyne3 offers a new algorithm that allows any type of audio material to profit from Melodyne’s unique editing functions and sound quality; in other words, Melodyne is no longer limited to the editing of melodies but can handle homophonic and polyphonic textures. Melodyne3 also offers fully automatic analysis of the audio material, powerful macros for the correction of intonation and timing errors, and numerous improvements in the user interface. Melodyne3 is not only capable of doing far more than its predecessors; it is also faster and easier to use.
With Version 3, Melodyne is no longer limited to melodies but offers a unique algorithm that can perform high quality time stretching on full chords and complex audio signals; so now harmonic material (such as rhythm guitar or piano parts) — whether homophonic or polyphonic — can be transposed (without altering the tempo), slowed down or sped up (without altering the pitch) and even quantized. This can be done in real time with the sound quality for which Melodyne is known.
Melodyne3 employs the same audio analysis engine as Melodyne uno: the process of note recognition is therefore fully automatic and the results more reliable and delivered more swiftly than heretofore. That’s one way in which Melodyne3 makes working with audio files easier. Others are the Correct Pitch and Quantize Time macros, which allow the most common flaws in vocal and instrumental recordings to be removed with a few mouse clicks.
Context-sensitive combi-tools, logically arranged menus and intuitive new methods of operating in the arrange and edit windows streamline the workflow as well as reducing the time taken to master the program. There are also improvements in the way Melodyne integrates into other sequencing applications and Melodyne3 can read sound libraries created using Melodyne technology such as those of Ueberschall’s Liquid Instruments, thereby obtaining access to an almost inexhaustible supply of licks and phrases.
“The ability at last to apply Melodyne’s unique editing functions to any type of audio material is certainly the main argument for Melodyne3,” says Peter Neubäcker, the founder and mastermind of Celemony. “This uniquely flexible way of handling audio material will lead to a whole new style of working in the studio: with Melodyne3, the note-based rearrangement and remixing of songs are child’s play, and we’ve streamlined the workflow in numerous ways in response to requests from users. As a result, Melodyne is far simpler and more practice-oriented than ever before.”
Melodyne3 studio (the full edition with the new polyphonic time stretching) costs 699 euros; the smaller Melodyne 3 cre8 319 euros. The upgrade to Melodyne3 costs registered cre8 users 99 euros and users of the studio edition 149 euros. It will be available from music dealers or the Celemony web site. For purchases registered after the 1st September 2005, the upgrade will be free.
More information and samples are available at the Celemony site.
