Antares ASPIRE User manual

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Contents 2
Contents
Introducing Aspire 3
Quick Start 4
Choose Whether to Increase, Reduce, or EQ the Aspiration Noise 4
Choose How Much to Increase or Reduce the Aspiration Noise 4
Apply Parametric EQ to the Aspiration Noise 4
Check the Result in the Display 4
Controls 5
Audio Input Controls 5
Voice Type 5
Tracking 5
Aspiration Increase/Reduction Controls 6
Increase/Reduce 6
Reduction 6
Increase 6
Aspiration EQ Controls 7
Frequency 7
Q 7
Gain 7
Display 8

Contents 3
Introducing Aspire
Aspire is the first tool for modifying a voice’s breathiness independently of its harmonic
content. With Aspire, you can match a vocal quality to a performance style by
decreasing or increasing a voice’s natural breathiness .
Aspire analyzes a vocal in real time and separates the aspiration noise (breathiness)
from the harmonic content.
It then allows you to adjust the amount of aspiration noise, and affect its character
independently by applying a parametric EQ to the noise component.
It also includes a real-time display that lets you visualize the effect of the aspiration
noise processing.
Whether reducing vocal rasp or adding a bit of smokiness, Aspire allows modification of
the amount and quality of a voice’s breathiness—without affecting the vocal’s harmonic
characteristics.

Contents 4
Quick Start
Follow these steps to get started with Aspire
Choose Whether to Increase, Reduce, or EQ the Aspiration Noise
The Increase/Reduce switch lets you choose between two different modes of operation.
Choose Increase to boost all of the aspiration noise, and/or to use the EQ controls to
selectively boost or cut a specific frequency band of the aspiration noise in the audio
signal.
Choose Reduce to decrease all the aspiration noise (breathiness) in the audio signal.
Choose How Much to Increase or Reduce the Aspiration Noise
If you’ve chosen the Reduce setting adjust the Reduction knob to lower the level of the
aspiration noise.
If you’ve chosen the Increase setting adjust the Increase knob to boost the level of the
aspiration noise.
Apply Parametric EQ to the Aspiration Noise
If you’ve chosen the Increase setting for the Increase/Reduce switch, use the Frequency,
Qand Gain controls to apply EQ to the aspiration noise.
Check the Result in the Display
The Display gives you a graphic representation of how Aspire is processing your audio.
The red line represents the aspiration noise, the white line represents the harmonic
content, and the green line represents that parametric EQ curve.

Contents 5
Controls
Audio Input Controls
Voice Type
The Vocal Range menu lets you select the pitch range of your
track, to optimize Aspire’s pitch tracking algorithm.
Options include Soprano, Alto/Tenor, Baritone/Bass, and Instrument.
Tracking
In order to accurately analyze the input, Aspire requires a periodically
repeating waveform, such as a voice or solo instrument.
The Tracking control determines how much variation is allowed in
the incoming waveform for Aspire to still consider it periodic.
If you’re working with a well-isolated solo signal you can typically leave the Tracking
control at its default value.
If your signal is noisy or not well-isolated, or if it’s a particularly breathy voice, you may
need to set it to a higher value. If you’re encountering artifacts such as clicking or
popping, try setting it to a lower value.

Contents 6
Aspiration Increase/Reduction Controls
Increase/Reduce
The Increase/Reduce switch lets you choose between increasing
and reducing the aspiration noise in the audio signal.
When the Increase button is selected, the Reduction knob is disabled. When the Reduce
button is selected, the Increase knob and the Aspiration EQ Controls are disabled.
Choose Reduce if you’d like to decrease all the aspiration noise in the audio signal.
Choose Increase if you’d like to boost all of the aspiration noise, or if you’d like to use
the EQ controls to selectively boost or cut a specific frequency band of the aspiration
noise in the audio signal.
Reduction
The Reduction control lets you choose how much to reduce the
level of the aspiration noise. The range is from 0 to -12 dB.
Changes to the Reduction setting will be reflected in the red
aspiration curve on the Display.
Increase
The Increase control lets you choose how much to boost the level
of aspiration noise. The range is from 0 to 12 dB.
Changes to the Increase setting will be reflected in the red
aspiration curve on the Display.

Contents 7
Aspiration EQ Controls
The Aspiration EQ Controls let you apply a one-band parametric EQ to just the
aspiration noise within the signal, and not to the main harmonic content.
Frequency
The Frequency control selects the center frequency of the band to
be boosted or cut. The range is from 0 to 4000 Hz.
Q
The Qcontrol lets you adjust the width of the frequency band to be
boosted or cut. Low Q values result in a wide bandwidth, and high
values result in a narrow bandwidth.
Gain
The Gain control lets you set the amount of boost or cut that will be
applied to the selected frequency band.

Contents 8
Display
The Display gives you a graphic representation of how Aspire is processing your audio.
The red line represents the aspiration noise, the white line represents the harmonic
content, and the green line represents that parametric EQ curve.