Metamorph Best Practices

Before You Start

Recording Quality Matters

Starting with quality source material will help Metamorph provide the best quality transformations:

• Record in a treated space with minimal background noise and reflections
• Use a quality microphone appropriate for vocals
• Maintain consistent mic technique throughout your performance
• Set proper gain levels to avoid clipping (aim for peaks around -6dB to -12dB)
• Record dry vocals without reverb, delay, or heavy compression

Prepare Your Audio

If your vocal track has gaps of silence between phrases, consolidate them into one continuous region before recording into Metamorph:

• Logic Pro & GarageBand: Select your clips, then choose Edit > Join (Command-J)
• Pro Tools: Uncheck "Dynamic Plugin Processing" in Setup > Playback Engine to keep Metamorph active throughout the entire track

Getting the Most Realistic Transformations

Match Vocal Range

Select a vocal model with a similar range to your source audio for the most natural results:

• Soprano to Soprano - High female voices work best with soprano models
• Alto/Tenor to Tenor - Mid-range voices match well with tenor models
• Baritone to Baritone - Lower male voices pair well with baritone models

Match Gender for Realism

Matching the gender of your source audio to the vocal model produces the most realistic transformations. Female-to-female and male-to-male conversions preserve the most authentic vocal qualities.

Use Clean, Isolated Audio

Metamorph works best with well-isolated monophonic (single voice) vocal recordings, such as clean lead vocals, backing vocals, and solo vocal performances with minimal processing effects. Polyphonic audio (multiple voices or harmony), heavily processed vocals with excessive reverb or effects, or vocals with loud background music or noise may lead to artifacts in the transformed audio. 

Workflow Best Practices

Processing Order

For optimal results, apply light de-essing and noise removal to your audio before transforming audio with Metamorph. Compression, EQ, reverb, delay, and other creative effects can then be applied to the newly transformed audio. 

Workflow

Using Metamorph is a quick and easy 3-step process. First, load Metamorph onto the vocal track that you want to transform, then follow the steps below:

1. Record
   1. Click the Record button to arm Metamorph for recording, then begin audio playback from your DAW. Metamorph will record audio for as long as audio playback occurs, and a waveform of the audio will be created in real time.
   2. Note: If your vocal track has large gaps of silence between clips, consolidate them into one contiguous region before recording into Metamorph.
      1. Logic Pro & GarageBand: Select your clips, then choose Edit > Join (Command-J)
      2. Pro Tools: Uncheck "Dynamic Plugin Processing" in Setup > Playback Engine to keep Metamorph active throughout the entire track.
2. Transform
   When you’re finished recording, open the Vocal Model Browser to select a vocal model. Read through the characteristics of each model, or listen to a preview to help you decide which will best suit the vision for your vocal transformation. After selecting a model, click the Transform button to begin the audio transformation process.
3. Playback
   Once the transformation is complete, restart playback in your DAW to hear the new audio. If you’d like to try a different vocal model, select it from the Vocal Model Browser, then click the Transform button again to reprocess the audio. Or, to start fresh with a new audio clip, click the Reset button.

Troubleshooting

If transformations sound unnatural:

• Try a different voice model with characteristics closer to your source audio
• Ensure your source recording is clean and well-isolated
• Adjust the Mix control to blend more of your original voice
• Check that you've selected the appropriate vocal range (soprano/tenor/baritone)

If you hear artifacts or distortion:

• Reduce input levels if your source audio is clipping
• Remove heavy processing (reverb, compression) from the source before transformation
• Ensure you're working with monophonic audio (single voice only)

If vocals lack presence in your mix:

• Remember to add EQ, compression, and effects after Metamorph
• Try boosting presence frequencies (3-5kHz) to add clarity
• Use parallel compression to add punch without over-processing

While good source material and proper technique give you the foundation, Metamorph's real power comes from creative experimentation. Don't be afraid to break the "rules" and discover new sonic possibilities!

For more information, visit the Metamorph Help Page or consult the full User Guide.