How to Use Autotune in Logic Pro: Built-In Pitch Correction

You can tune vocals in Logic Pro on Mac with the included Pitch Correction plugin. You do not need to buy Antares Auto-Tune for this workflow. Logic Pro itself is paid software; this guide uses its built-in effect, not a separate free plugin download.

Start with the setup below. If Pitch Correction is already loaded but seems to do nothing, go straight to the Pitch Correction troubleshooting checks.

Is there autotune in Logic Pro?

"Auto-Tune" is the brand name of a plugin made by Antares. Logic Pro does not include that exact plugin, but it does include Pitch Correction, a stock plugin that automatically pulls your vocal to the nearest note in a chosen key. For most rap and melodic vocals, that is exactly what people mean when they say "autotune". Logic also has Flex Pitch for editing individual notes by hand. If you already own Antares Auto-Tune, you can load it in Logic as an Audio Unit plugin instead.

Step by step: setting up Pitch Correction

1. Start with a clean recording

Tuning works best on a single, clean vocal line. Record in a quiet space, avoid clipping and pick your strongest take. Pitch correction can fix small tuning issues, but it cannot fix a noisy recording or a weak performance.

2. Add Pitch Correction to your vocal

Select the vocal track, open an empty Audio FX slot on the channel strip and choose Pitch > Pitch Correction. Put it at the top of your vocal chain, before EQ and compression, so it works on the clean signal. Want to know what comes after it? Read our guide to the right Logic Pro vocal chain order.

3. Set the key of your beat

This is the most important step. Set the Root note and Scale to match your instrumental. If the key is wrong, Logic pulls your voice toward notes that clash with the beat, and it will sound off no matter what else you do. Check the beat title or ask the producer for the key. If you need a starting estimate, drop the instrumental into the free BPM and key finder. Check its suggested key by ear with your vocal and the beat before choosing the scale. A detector can be wrong, especially when the instrumental has little tonal material.

Depending on your Logic version, these menus may be called Root Note and Scale/Chord. Newer versions also have Neural Pitch Detection and Tolerance. Apple's current control reference explains the labels.

4. Choose your sound with the Response control

Response controls how fast your voice is pulled to the correct note.

• Fast response: notes snap instantly. This creates the obvious, robotic autotune sound you hear in a lot of modern rap and melodic trap.
• Slower response: keeps more of your natural slides and vibrato, so the tuning is less noticeable.

There is no single correct value. It depends on your voice, how well you sang the take and the style of the song. Adjust it while the beat is playing.

5. Compare and fine-tune

Switch the plugin on and off at the same volume and listen to the whole hook or verse, not just one word. Check that notes do not jump in strange places and that the vocal still feels like your performance. For specific notes that sound wrong, use Flex Pitch to fix them by hand.

Common autotune mistakes in Logic Pro

• Wrong key. A wrong scale can pull notes away from the intended melody.
• Tuning after reverb or delay. Pitch correction should come first in the chain.
• Expecting it to fix everything. Autotune helps a decent take, it cannot replace one.
• Recording without hearing the effect. If you want to perform with the autotune sound, monitor it while you record. Logic's Low Latency Mode can reduce plugin delay, but may also bypass effects and sends. Read why the vocal can sound different while recording before judging the preset.

Autotune is only part of the sound

The autotune sound you hear on records is not just pitch correction. It is combined with EQ, compression, de-essing, saturation, reverb and delay that all work together. Setting all of that up yourself takes time.

A vocal preset gives you a prepared starting point for the mix. Check its product details to see which effects and software it requires. Do not assume every preset includes pitch correction or an Antares license. You still choose the key for your song and adjust the mix to your recording. Read more about whether vocal presets include autotune.

Type presets are inspired by the vocal style of an artist. They are not official presets and the artists are not involved.

Technical reference: Apple Logic Pro User Guide: Pitch Correction.

Keep reading

• Vocal route finder: choose a preset or troubleshoot your setup
• Logic Pro vocal chain: the right plugin order for rap vocals
• How to mix rap vocals in Logic Pro
• Logic Pro vocal preset not loading? 7 things to check