Recording Razor vocoder in Cubase

For those having problems this works quite well. I just bought Razor and installed it in Reaktor Player. Note in Cubase 5 Essentials each track can be routed different ways in the left side inspector column next to the out arrow symbol. First record the vocal melody as a keyboard instrument track using any sound. Then on an audio track record a vocal that follows that keyboard melody. Use EQ and any other desired FX on that audio track. Now create a Cubase group channel under project /add track which usually pops up last on the track list. Using the inspector convert the instrument track to midi and route it to the group channel. Then also route the vocal track to that group channel. In the group channel bring up Reaktor 5 as an insert effect. Make sure Razor is loaded in Reaktor and click on a vocoder snapshot. Play the Cubase song (ie vocals and backing) file while trying different vocoder snapshots. Experiment with the interaction of Cubase audio FX and Razor snapshots.

Therefore you need 3 tracks to record a 'razorfied' vocal; a rerouted midi track, a rerouted audio track and a group channel with Reaktor inserted.

 

Hey man. i am keen to try this and have my vocal and and keyboard track ready. my problem is converting them to midi. can you explain?

 

On further experimentation I find you can harmonise with your own vocals as well as repeat phrases delayed by say two beats. On a keyboard I enter the vocal melody as midi track quantised to an eighth note with velocity around 50-70. It should look clean on the notation page but all on one stave. Create a group channel that has stereo out and assign that midi track to it. Copy the sections you want of the vocal take to a new audio track. Assign that to the same group channel. On the group channel insert Reaktor as an insert effect. From the dropdown menu choose a Razor vocoder preset preferably a clear sound like Culsify or Syncoder. On the same group channel you might want EQ or reverb but for compression I'd make the midi input track fairly tight instead.

To get harmony when you sing for example C on the audio vocal (maybe with Steinberg pitch correct) on the midi input track you might have the chord C-E-G. If set up correctly it will sound like female backup singers or droids depending on the Razor preset. Setting up repeated phrases can wait til another day.

To sum up; make a clean one line midi track that mirrors the song melody, create a group channel, copy the song audio to a new audio track, assign output of both the midi track and the copied audio to the group channel, insert Razor vocoder as a send on the group channel then tweak.

 

Hi again, that doesn't work. I will explain what I am doing. Simple audio track, simple keyboard track using halisonic, then I created a group track, sent both the vocal and keyboard track to that group channel. Nothing seems to happen. I get no sound at all

 

Razor vocoder in Cubase

The melody guide track you send to the group channel (along with the vocal) must be a MIDI track not an instrument track. It doesn't need any sound. In my current version of Cubase (Artist 6) the midi track symbol at the edge has horizontal bars not vertical like an instrument track. Remember to insert Reaktor as an insert effect on the group channel.

I hope you can get it to work as the effect is quite good with perfectly clear pronunciation on some Razor vocoder presets.

 

ok i have them as two audio inputs, do i convert them to midi(which i dont know how to do) or do i record them as midi? i tried recording in midi, and although i could have my akia mpk25 as an input i can not insert or load a VST instrument any where... do you know what i am doing wrong from this discription ?

 

Razor vocoder in Cubase

There may be audio-to-midi plugins but I think you should be able play the vocal melody on the keyboard as a single line, maybe with the occasional chord in the same vocal range. Maybe get something from the Beatles songbook for practice. Quantise and adjust note velocities so it sounds tidy as an instrument track. Create a new midi track from the project menu, then drag a copy of the instrument track to that empty midi track using click-alt. Mute the instrument track although some wah-wah or formant kinds of sounds may add a good effect at low levels.

Assign both the midi track and the vocal audio (or an audio copy of it) to a group channel then insert Reaktor as an effect on that channel. From the Reaktor library select Razor then vocoder with some presets sounding cleaner than others. When you get it working it's worth the trouble.

 

Hi again max, so after doing this as you discribed, when i got to drag a copy of the instrument track. i did that and muted it, with out any effects. however when i tried to send this track to the group channel, i found that there is no send area at all..I have done a video on you tube to be more specific about what the proplem is here and waiting for it to up load to you tube as soon as it does i will post it here and give you alooksee

 

Sorry if I said 'send' you have put Reaktor as an insert on the group channel. If you get the midi and audio inputs nicely balanced you might not need any other effects on the group channel.

When this is sorted out I could email you an mp3 of a song using Razor vocoder as a backup singer.

 

Has this issue been solved for Riff Raff?

 

It worked for me! Thank you.

 

Hi gam, no it never worked, I tried and re tried, I ended up getting over if and not bothering with razor, I don't have any trouble with any other VST, not sure why I can't get this to work, but like I said I am over it,me create with my guitar and voice, and if anyone asks I will certainly tell them how good razor isn't. Waste of money lol thanks for your time though man I am sure u got better things to do then listen to my rant