At AES, New York, BIAS (Berkley Integrated Audio Software) today debuted PitchCraft EZ — a powerful alternative to the popular pitch correction and special effects tool popularized by many of today's leading musical artists. As a plug-in for popular audio host applications on Mac and Windows computing platforms, PitchCraft EZ is both easy to use and highly effective. At a price point well below competing solutions, BIAS says that PitchCraft EZ "delivers impressive results easily — without compromising sonic quality".
"The popularity of automatic vocal tuning and processing software these days is undeniable", said Jason E. Davies, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BIAS. "Whether utilized in songs by leading music artists — or in various popular videos circulating the internet — pitch processing has evolved considerably from it's original 'behind-the-scenes' application to compensate for an out of tune vocalist. By maximizing the correction values, or conforming spoken words to musical scales, the technology is often employed specifically for the special effect by which some artists are now defined. PitchCraft EZ employs state-of-the-art algorithms in an easy user interface to deliver this very effect at a breakthrough price."
"Super-natural" sonic quality with ease
BIAS first developed advanced pitch correction and modification technologies for its Master Perfection Suite — a plug-in suite that includes PitchCraft (also available in the company's flagship Peak Pro XT audio editing, processing, mastering, and delivery software application exclusive for Mac). Using essential algorithms from PitchCraft, PitchCraft EZ offers many core features while focusing on ease of use and quick, pro-quality results. The pitch, transposition, and formant preservation DSP algorithms employed ensure natural sounding pitch correction and transposition, while offering additional options not found in other low priced solutions.
Attractive and accessible user interface
True to it's name, PitchCraft EZ minimizes the learning curve typically associated with advanced solutions at higher price points. Rather than dominating the user interface with analysis graphs and a plethora of parameters, PitchCraft EZ maximizes accessibility with a greatly streamlined "sports car red" interface. That said, BIAS chose carefully to include important features normally reserved for solutions priced several times higher. In addition to pitch correction and scale conformation, PitchCraft EZ offers a variety of scale types with customization (via mouse or MIDI keyboard input), as well as independent formant and transposition control (offering control over the "cavity size" as well as pitch shifting intervals). The addition of independent transposition and formant control offers the ability to create both natural and "super-natural" effects such as "gender-changing" (transforming a male voice to female or vice versa) as well as "aging" (transforming an adult voice to a child or vice versa), and "resizing" (making a smaller person's voice sound bigger or vice versa).
Applications beyond music
While many will acquire PitchCraft EZ for musical applications, the additional transposition and formant controls can be easily employed by sound designers for creating "alien" sounding voices, "chipmunks", and other more bizarre sounding special effects. Video and film makers can also employ PitchCraft EZ to help disguise a subject's voice in cases where anonymity is preferred.
Major Plug-in Host Compatibility
PitchCraft EZ is an audio plug-in designed for every major plug-in host for Mac OS X and Windows - VST, AU and RTAS.
Pricing & Availability
PitchCraft EZ is scheduled for release in Q4 2009 and BIAS is now accepting pre-orders through the worldwide network of authorized BIAS resellers and distributors as well as directly from BIAS at an introductory suggested retail price of $99 (contact an authorized BIAS reseller to obtain actual sale price).
The standard edition of PitchCraft is currently available for $149 and is also included with the Master Perfection Suite ($599).
