If you're wondering which free autotune to use then you've come to the right place!
In this article I'll be taking a look at the very best free auto tune plugin VSTs available to download today. I think you'll be surprised just how good some of these plugins are...
Best Free Autotune VST Plugins at a glance:
What is Autotune?
An autotune VST plugin works by modifying the pitch of a live vocalist or vocal sample. It can be used either to subtly correct imperfections in a singer's performance or used stylistically to completely change the character of the vocal, making it into an instantly recognisable signature sound (think of the robotic futuristic sounds of Daft Punk for example).
The original Antares autotune unit was made in 1997 by Andy Hildebrand, after a colleague's wife joked that she could do with something to help her sing in tune. It was an instant hit and was further popularised by its use in the Cher song "Believe" in 1998.
In more recent years, autotune has been used widely in hip-hop and trap music by artists such as Travis Scott, Kanye West, and many more.
Most autotune VST plugins cost money, ranging from just a few dollars to several hundred. If you're on a budget there are some awesome free pitch correction options available, however deciding between them can feel overwhelming.
To help you out I've put together a list of the best free autotune VST plugins available today. All you'll need is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) to host the plugin. If you don't have one, then check out this list of the Best Free DAWs.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the best free auto-tune plugins:
Best Free Autotune VSTs
Graillon 2 | Auburn Sounds
Graillon 2 by Auburn Sounds comes in at the top of my list, as its hands-down the most capable free autotune VST plugin available. It's incredibly simple to use, just place it on your track, switch on the 'enable correction' control, and you're pretty much good to go.
You can then fine tune how artificial you want the effect to sound using the 'smooth' function and mix in the effect with the dry signal using the mix knob.
Despite it being free, Auburn Sounds are still improving their product having updated their plugin as recently as July 2021 to include a new resizable interface. Graillon 2 is available in both 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU formats for PC and Mac OS.
Download: Graillon 2 Free Edition
MAutoPitch | Melba Production
MAutoPitch by Melba Production is another quality free autotune VST plugin. Although perhaps not quite as intuitive to use as Graillon, it does have some additional features such as a limiter, automated gain control, and stereo width adjustment, in addition to the usual depth, speed, and detune controls.
Melba Production produce a large number of free VSTs as part of their MFreeFXBundle, of which MAutoPitch is part of. It's worth checking out some of these other freebies as there is some great free plugins included. The downside however is that they all come bundled into a single installer file, which might make installation more cumbersome if you're only after the autotune plugin.
MAutoPitch is available in both 32-bit & 64-bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX formats for PC and Mac OS.
Download: MAutoPitch
GSnap | GVST
GSnap by GVST is another solid free option. Its standout feature is the ability to autotune the signal based on received MIDI notes. This allows for tuning in real time as notes are played on a MIDI keyboard, with the plugin pitch correcting to the received MIDI.
The UI is both intuitive and comprehensive, with three main areas to control Detection (Min/Max Frequency, Gate & Speed), Correction (Threshold, Amount, Attack & Release), and MIDI (Pitch bend, Vibrato, Vibrato Speed, and Calibrate).
GSnap not a new plugin by any means, however it remains a popular choice today due to its impressive feature set and easy to use controls.
GSnap is available in 32-bit & 64-bit formats for PC, Mac OS, and Linux.
Download: GSnap
Voloco | Resonant Cavity
If you're after a simple autotune plugin that doesn't have lots of complicated controls, then Voloco by Resonant Cavity may be the right choice for you. The UI allows you to select from six different presets (Hard, Natural, Super Vocoder, Big Chorus, Alien Warlord, & Night Chorus) for various stylised effects, as well as key and scale correction, and pitch correction amount.
The strength of this plugin is in its simplicity. If this suits you then great, however you may find yourself wanting more control over the autotune effect.
Voloco is available in 64-bit VST3/AU formats for both PC & Mac OS, as well as an IOS/Android App.
Download: Voloco
KeroVee | g200kg
Last in the list is KeroVee by g200kg. Don't let the slightly clunky looking UI fool you, as this is a feature packed free autotune VST. Not only does it sport MIDI following in common with GSnap, it also has a unique 'Nuance' control which allows you to compensate for natural vibrato.
This isn't the plugin to use if you're after more exaggerated autotune effects, however it's a good choice for making more subtle corrections to a vocal track.
KeroVee is available as a 32-bit VST for Windows only.
Download: KeroVee
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Antares Autotune?
VST developer Antarestech offer four different pricing tiers for their signature autotune product, with each version providing a variety of different features:
Auto-Tune Access $99
Auto-Tune EFX+ $199
Auto-Tune Artist $299
Auto-Tune Pro $399
Antares also provides a subscription based Autotune Unlimited product, which includes every edition of Auto-tune as well as the AVOX suite of pro vocal effects. It costs $24.99 per month, or $18.74 per month is paying up front for a year's subscription.
It's worth noting that the popular Antares Autotune EVO product has now been discontinued.
Is Antares Autotune worth the money? If you can afford it then don't hesitate as it's quite simply the industry standard autotune. If you don't have the spare cash, then the Antares Autotune free alternatives listed in this article should do you fine.
Is Autotune Bad?
Some people believe that the overuse of autotune in popular music has reduced the character and humanisation from vocal tracks that come from imperfections within a singer's performance. Many people also argue that it has removed the skill required to become a vocalist, which they see as a bad thing.
Those of you old enough might remember X-Factor judge Demi Lovato being slammed by contestant Shawn Armenta back in 2012, with the now infamous putdown "That's why you use autotune and I don't"!
Whilst this is true to an extent, autotune still has a place in vocal processing when used sparingly, or when used creatively to produce interesting audio effects.
Is Autotune Easy to Use?
Autotune VSTs are generally straight forward to use. If you're looking to use it simply for slight corrections on a vocal, then check out the video below:
What is an Autotune Microphone?
A microphone with inbuilt autotune doesn't technically exist, however some artists when singing live opt to run their vocals through a separate pitch correction processing unit. This unit can then be controlled by the audio engineer or even by the vocalist themselves by means of a controller such as a foot pedal.
Auto tune microphones don't exist for two reasons. Firstly, the amount of processing power needed within the unit itself would drastically increase the size of the device. Secondly, pitch correction is best done in a studio environment, where recorded vocals can be subtly rectified by an experienced audio engineer. Pitch correcting vocals in real-time is not ideal.
Conclusion
I hope you've found this article on the best free auto-tune plugins useful. If you're after more free resources, then check out some of the posts below:
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Have a great day!