How does formant shifting work?

1. What does a formant shifter do?
2. How does formant work?
3. What is formant in pitch shifting?
4. Does formant shifting change key?

What does a formant shifter do?

Formant Shifting

Formants are groups of frequencies typically associated with different vowel sounds. Formant shifting is commonly used to give synths a more human-like quality, but it can also be used to adjust the tone of a note without altering the pitch.

How does formant work?

Formants come from the vocal tract. The air inside the vocal tract vibrates at different pitches depending on its size and shape of opening. We call these pitches formants. You can change the formants in the sound by changing the size and shape of the vocal tract.

What is formant in pitch shifting?

Formants are the harmonic frequencies that occur in the human voice. They define the timbre and alter the perception of how a vocal has been performed (more from the diaphragm than from the throat, for example). Formant shifting does not affect the pitch or timing of a segment.

Does formant shifting change key?

Formant ONLY changes the sound of the voice, so you can have a low or high pitched voice without changing the key. Pitch will change the key or "tonality" of the sound while formant shifting manages to keep the sound in the same key.