Scofield Studio: For Vocal Producers - How To Fix Vibrato in Melodyne

YouTube Summary:
In this HiTS video Jocelyn explains how to create, adjust and refine vocal vibrato using Melodyne. Contrary to what some believe, vibrato can be edited in the software. She demonstrates how to recognize vibrato as a wave-like line in Melodyne, ideally resembling a consistent sine wave. She notes that vibrato doesn’t usually start immediately on a note, especially in pop and Broadway styles, and explains the stylistic differences between classical (vibrato sustained through the note) and pop (often straightened out at the end).

Through practical examples, she shows how to:
-Smooth out uneven vibrato by adjusting pitch curves.
-Increase or decrease vibrato width to make a singer sound more polished.
-Calculate vibrato speed: at 120 BPM, three vibrato cycles per quarter note = about six cycles per second (normal is 5–7). Classical and R&B singers often have slower vibratos, while pop tends to be faster.
-Manually adjust vibrato by chopping notes at crossing points and evening out pitch deviations.

She emphasizes the importance of subtlety. Editing should make the vibrato sound intentional without becoming artificial. Natural entrances and endings should usually be preserved, while the middle of a note can be carefully shaped. Jocelyn highlights that every production choice should sound deliberate, and producers must rely on their ears above all.

In conclusion, vibrato editing in Melodyne is absolutely possible and useful for making vocals sound more professional. She hints at possibly making a future video focusing on classical vibrato.

Timestamps
0:00 – Intro: Can vibrato be fixed in Melodyne?
0:40 – Identifying vibrato in Melodyne
1:30 – Pop vs. classical vibrato styles
2:10 – Example 1: Fixing uneven vibrato
3:00 – Adjusting vibrato width
4:00 – Understanding pitch center
5:00 – Manual adjustments for smoother vibrato
6:10 – Vibrato speed: cycles per second
7:30 – Example 2: Editing a long note
9:00 – Making vibrato intentional
10:20 – Editing strategy: middle vs. ends of notes
12:00 – Fine-tuning and smoothing curves
13:30 – Listening back and trusting your ear
14:30 – Wrap-up and future classical vibrato video