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Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

Apr 02, 2020

Belgian electronic artist Penelope Antena gave Waves OVox a spin, composing an original piece of music using her voice and the plugin, and displaying her unique harmonic touch. Check it out!

By Neal Gustafson

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

Waves’ OVox Vocal ReSynthesis is a next-generation voice-controlled synthesizer and vocal effects processor. You can use OVox as a plugin or standalone app (with or without a DAW) to create rich vocoder, talkbox, harmonizer, pitch/tune, vocal arpeggiation effects and beyond, with superior sound quality and instant results.

OVox places an unprecedented menu of vocal synthesis and vocal morphing options in your hands—from classic Daft Punk-style vocoding to futuristic vocal effects that defy categories. It delivers ultra-high-resolution sound quality thanks to Waves’ Organic ReSynthesis® (ORS) technology, which takes your vocal signal and breaks it down to its core “DNA” elements—amplitude, pitch, and formant. It then re-synthesizes these elements to create a new pristine processed signal, without any of the artifacts that sometimes plague vocal synth-type instruments.

To truly demonstrate this powerful and unique musical assistant, we reached out to contemporary Belgian electronic artist Penelope Antena. Daughter of the French electro-samba pop pioneer Isabella Antena, Penelope has crafted her own world of harmonic vocal stylings, colors and textures throughout her catalog of work.

For this feature, Penelope composed an original piece of music using OVox exclusively to achieve these stunning polyphonic vocal textures and dramatic sonic layers. Below, she walks us through her process of making the original song, "Moses Grew On Me.”

“I really love this new plugin from Waves, and after installing OVox I was immediately inspired to write something with it.”

“First, I started by creating an instrument track and opening OVox as a plugin instrument. Then, I copy/pasted the MIDI events from the lead piano onto it and side-chained OVox to my lead vocal track.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“In OVox, I selected the “California” preset to start from, and I chose MIDI as a note source and Track as a Voice source. Using OVOX 1 only, I tailored the formant filter and the harmonics knob to where I felt it matched my lead vocal and sat on the whole mix perfectly.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“Then, I manually automated the arpeggiator to get it to play at different rates and create movement throughout the track. I kept the effects chain as is—aside from the delay—and just EQ’d it a little bit, using the built-in EQ.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“For the synth part (1:00), I applied the same method—creating an instrument track copying the lead piano’s MIDI events and side-chaining to my lead vocals.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“This time, I pushed the Synth knob all the way up and turned the OVox knob all the way down.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“Automating both the arpeggiator and the tone knob to create depth and an exciting build-up, I employed the same chain of effects for coherence.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“For the choir-like effect (2:13), I used OVox as an effect plugin on my vocal track, using the California preset again, but selecting Voice as Note Source and selecting Note Mapper.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“I mixed the dry vocals, the Synth and the OVox knobs to get this weird and almost robotic choir, stacking it on to three different tracks of harmonized vocals.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

“Adding more reverb and chorus really gives it space and multiplicity.”

Composing a Song with Waves OVox: Penelope Antena

The human voice is a unique and original instrument—the richest in expression and the fullest in color. Use OVox to create rich vocoder, talkbox, harmonizer, pitch/tune, vocal arpeggiation effects and beyond, with superior sound quality and instant results. OVox turns your vocal—any vocal—into an even more limitless musical palette. With OVox, the ultimate instrument is you.

Want more on OVox? Learn how to use OVox to produce a funky track and get free presets.

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