Waves OVox Tutorial: Creating a YouTube Jingle with Vocal Effects

A Next-Generation Voice-Controlled Effect Built on the Latest Technology

Released by Waves, OVox is billed as next-generation voice control, and makes it easy to create all kinds of vocal effects, including voice/synth morphing, harmonization, vocoder and talkbox sounds.

Hundreds of effective presets are included, making it useful for real-time live performance, lead vocals, sound effects and many other applications.

Here, we will use OVox to create a jingle for our YouTube channel!

Creating a Jingle with Waves OVox — Video (Originally Scheduled for February 16 at 22:00)

Selected Questions and Answers from the YouTube Video

Can the setup shown at around 24:30–25:10, where the MIDI track output is routed to OVox, also be used in Logic Pro X?

Yes. In Logic, load OVox on an instrument track. We found the following English-language article and tested the setup; it worked without any problems. https://www.waves.com/support/how-to-control-ovox-vocoder-with-midi-in-logic

This looks like a plug-in with vocoder-style effects. Can it also be used like Auto-Tune?

As demonstrated in the video, making the vocal follow MIDI notes forces its pitch to change. The result is not exactly the same, but you can create a similar effect. You can also try the demo version from the page below. https://www.waves.com/plugins/ovox-vocal-resynthesis#ovox-next-generation-voice-controlled-synth

Purchase the product: OVox Vocal ReSynthesis

Launching and Applying OVox

To use OVox in a DAW, insert it as an effect on the track you want to process.

Enable input monitoring to hear the OVox effect in real time.

OVox also supports standalone operation, so you can launch and use it on its own even without a DAW.

When using the standalone version, specify your microphone input and audio output devices in Preferences from the top menu.

How to Use OVox

Let us look at the parameters used to control OVox.
Here, we will use OVox in a DAW, but many of the operations are the same in the standalone version.

When first opened, the interface is in a simplified mode that displays only the essential parameters.

Click the icon at the upper right to expand the window and access more detailed editing controls.
The explanations below use this expanded view.

A Wide Selection of Presets

OVox includes plenty of presets, so you can experience its sounds and features right away without specialist knowledge.

Open the preset categories from Load at the top and look for the sound you want.
OVox runs efficiently, making it comfortable to switch between presets.

Editing the Oscillator Section

You can work entirely with presets, but we also recommend learning how to edit them to get sounds that suit your taste and purpose.

OVox has two oscillators and creates its sound by combining the incoming voice with synthesized sound.

You can easily switch each oscillator on or off.
Click its indicator so that it goes dark to turn it off.
This alone can change the sound considerably, so try switching the oscillators on and off and listening to the difference.

Here is what each oscillator parameter does.

• Yellow: Selects the sound mode. This is an important parameter because it has a major effect on the character of the sound.
• Green: Drag within the matrix to set the waveform characteristics. HARMONICS controls the overtones; higher settings add more harmonics.
• Blue: NOISE strengthens the sound by mixing in noise, while LP/HP filtering shapes it by cutting low or high frequencies.
  TUNE adjusts the pitch in semitone steps, while FINE makes adjustments in hundredths of a semitone. Deliberately shifting the pitch by an octave can also produce distinctive sounds.
• Orange: VOICES layers the specified number of voices to make the sound thicker and stronger.
  DETUNE slightly offsets the pitches of the layered voices to add chorus-like thickness, while SPREAD widens the sound to the left and right for a greater sense of space.

The FORMANT section contains important parameters that determine the character of the voice.

• Green: FORMANT adjusts the vocal character, and SPEED sets how quickly the formant changes.
• Yellow: VOICE DYN controls volume dynamics. Increasing it reduces dynamic variation and produces a more even volume.
  PAN controls the stereo position, and GAIN sets the volume itself.

Shape the sound by adjusting the volume balance of each section.

• SIBILANCE: Sets the level of sibilant sounds. Higher values emphasize them more.
• VOICE: Adjusts the level of the original voice. Mixing in a small amount can help make the words more distinct.
• SYNTH: Adjusts the level of the synth sound created in the oscillator section.
• OVOX: Adjusts the level of the OVox sound, which combines the voice and synth. This is the core of OVox, so it is often set relatively high.
• TONE: Sets the frequency balance. Lower settings reduce the highs and emphasize the lows; higher settings reduce the lows and emphasize the highs.
  This is useful for fine-tuning the sound to fit an accompaniment or other material.
• OUT: Adjusts the overall master volume of OVox.

Applying Modulation and Effects

OVox provides numerous modulators that can automatically vary parameters to add movement to the sound.

Select a modulation source at the bottom of OVox.

Drag it onto the parameter you want to control to assign the modulator.

Assigning it alone does not change the sound.
The assigned modulator appears in a slot. Drag up or down on the slot to set the amount of modulation.

An EQ section is also provided for quick frequency adjustments.

The EFFECTS tab lets you insert up to five effects.
Spatial effects such as reverb and delay are particularly important when creating a sound.

The NOTE Section

OVox can make the vocal pitch follow notes in a scale, and it also includes a harmonizer that can turn a single note into a chord.

To use this feature, turn on NOTE MAPPER so that its indicator lights up.

The pitch of the incoming vocal is analyzed automatically.
Simply select the song's key and the desired scale, and the voice will automatically play at the corresponding pitches.
To make the voice play chords, click the keyboard-shaped EDIT icon on the right.

The pitch that OVox detects from the incoming vocal is shown in white on the keyboard.
Pink squares are arranged above the keyboard. Click one to specify the notes that will sound when its corresponding input note is played.

With that square selected, click the desired keys to display blue markers above them. In the image, the notes are F/A/E/A from lowest to highest.
These are the notes that will be played.
Click a key again to remove its blue marker and disable that pitch.

SPREAD/FOLD determines what happens when notes an octave higher or lower are played.

• SPREAD: For example, if you assign a chord to C1 and then play C2 one octave higher, the notes of the chord also play one octave higher. This is suitable for playing scales and harmonies.
• FOLD: For example, if you assign a chord to C1, playing C2 one octave higher still produces the same chord notes at their original pitches.

Specifying the Pitch with MIDI Notes or a MIDI Track

By entering the desired pitches into a MIDI track, you can make OVox follow that MIDI performance.
This also works when playing a MIDI keyboard in real time, making it useful for live performance.

Create a MIDI track in your DAW.

Enter the pitches you want into the MIDI track, and select OVox as its MIDI output.

In OVox, change NOTE SOURCE to MIDI.
That completes the setup. The pitches produced by OVox will now follow the MIDI performance.

Using the Arpeggiator

OVox also includes an arpeggiator, a familiar feature of synthesizers.

Use ARPEGGIATOR at the upper right to specify the octave range of the performance.
Use RATE to its right to set the rhythmic note value.

A demo version is also available for this product.
Try experiencing the next-generation sound of OVox for yourself!

Product URL: https://bit.ly/3cf8Fs7

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I use Waves OVox without a DAW?

Yes. OVox supports standalone operation, so you can launch and use it on its own without a DAW. Simply specify your microphone input and audio output devices in Preferences.

Q2. What should a beginner do first in OVox?

We recommend starting with the wide range of presets. Choose a category from Load and look for the sound you want to get an intuitive feel for OVox's appeal and features.

Q3. Is there a feature that automatically adjusts vocal pitch?

Yes. OVox includes NOTE MAPPER and a harmonizer. By selecting the song's key and scale, you can make the incoming voice play at the corresponding pitches. You can also configure it to play chords.

Q4. Is OVox a lightweight plug-in?

Yes. OVox runs efficiently, allowing comfortable preset switching and real-time monitoring so you can work smoothly.

Q5. What does the FORMANT section adjust?

It contains important parameters that determine the voice's tone and character. Adjust the vocal character with FORMANT and the speed of formant changes with SPEED to create distinctive vocal effects.