Many of us have begun using Synth-V Vocal Synthesizer in productions. I outlined below my workflow for anyone using Synth-V. I hope you find this helpful. NOTE: This is not the only way to use Synth-V but its the way I found to be most effective.
1 - Most of my songs begin on my old nylon guitar or piano, just kicking around chords, or a title theme. 2 - I then use BIAB to flesh out the style, arrangement, and create backing tracks. 3 - I export the BIAB backing with minimal instruments (usually just Bass, Keys, Rhythm Guitar, Drums) flat, center as a WAV files. 4 - I import that WAV file into Synth-V Studio Pro 5 - I play midi notes for the melody in Synth-V Studio Pro ... I select a vocalist ... and then type in the lyrics. 6 - ** NOTE: I usually use different vocal tracks for the VERSES and the CHORUS and MIDDLE 8 ... I found this to work best so you can give each part its own parameters. Verses might be soft and airy, Chorus might be Powerful and Strong. 7 - ** NOTE: The reason I dont use Synth-V as a DAW plug-in is because of redraw speeds. As a stand alone app redraw is very fast. 8 - This is most important: I see if the Vocalist works in the KEY for this song. Some vocalists work best in certain Keys, or Range. Some get "squeaky" in their higher register in certain keys. Especially if you have wide interval jumps. So finding the BEST KEY for the vocalist is essential. 9 - I change keys in BIAB and re-export WAV files until I find the KEY most comfortable for the vocalist in SynthV 10 - I transpose the midi notes in SYNTHV to match the new keys. 11 - I then finish inputting the lyrics, and fine tune the parameters and word timing to get a human feel, and best performance from the vocalists ... this takes time, be well worth the effort. 12 - I create a new vocalist track and copy the lyrics, then create harmonies, and other fine tuning until I am happy with the results. 13 - I export the vocal tracks as a wav (24bit) flat, centered, mono ================================= 14 - I open my DAW (I use Cubase or Reason) and import the BIAB tracks, and vocalist tracks. 15 - I mix, add effects, eq, etc and if needed I play additional instruments either live, or from BIAB or live or midi. 16 - THE SONG IS BORN
I know this sounds like a lot of work, and it is ... however, I found this method speeds up production, and creates good records.
Let me know if you do anything different, or have any questions.
I do almost exactly the same as you with just a couple of exceptions.
I've been using Groups to keep identical sections together (for example a chorus). Then, when I make a change in any member of that group, it's updated throughout all instances of the group. Groups also allow me to change tone and most other performance characteristics, too, and they are isolated to that group. I must say, though, I like you idea of having individual sections in their own Synth V file.
Like you, I much prefer using the stand-alone version of Synth V for working with. Once I get the vocals sounding as good as possible in the stand-alone version, I then open the file as a VST plugin so that I can make minor changes on the run.
Lastly, I use volume envelopes in my DAW to shape the Synth V vocals so that they reflect how I would sing the vocal line. This is important because prepositions and conjunctions are usually significantly quieter than verbs and nouns, and Synth V doesn't always get the volume relationship between syllables as accurate as it should be. These are tips that I picked up from Pat Pattison when I studied prosody with him, and matching syllabic strength with appropriate locations within the bar.
The attached image shows how I've volume-shaped the phrase "A friendly shimmering sun" for Natalie in Reaper. This is from the song "Every Single Day" (the link is below).
1. I put together backing tracks in BiaB, 2. Export a single track to SynthV 3. Develop the melody and lyrics in SynthV 4. Export the vocals to my DAW 5. Export the BiaB tracks to my DAW
SynthV doesn't always play nice with DAWs, and I can export the vocal and aspiration tracks as separate tracks.
Once the vocals are done, I'll generally keep SynthV running when I'm working the DAW. That way, if I want to make a quick change to the vocal, I don't have to wait for the entire vocal to regenerate. I just Alt+Tab over to SynthV, make the changes, export, and Alt+Tab back to the DAW. The DAW sees the vocal track is modified, and automatically loads the new files.
When I'm in the DAW, I'll open up BiaB when I want to generate additional backing tracks, and export them into my DAW. But the load times are generally small, and I only need BiaB when I'm exploring additional or alternate instruments.
Breaking it down like this also it keeps me focused on one task at a time with the best tool for the task:
1. BiaB for backing tracks; 2. SynthV for developing vocalsl 3. DAW for mixing and arranging
So is it possible to record midi straight in to SV and use any sort of punch feature? I can record but I didn't see or find the punch function to fix the bigger mistakes....
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Not a user of this tech … but curious. Wouldn’t an fx like Waves Vocal Rider eliminate or reduce the amount of manual volume lane shaping? I use the Bass Rider on every production and the Vocal Rider on occasion. They are cheap, easy to use and effective.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
Not a user of this tech … but curious. Wouldn’t an fx like Waves Vocal Rider eliminate or reduce the amount of manual volume lane shaping?
Yeah, but Noel is going for the opposite effect. Instead of going for a uniform volume, he's bringing up the volume on verbs and nouns, and down on prepositions and conjunctions.
He could do this within SynthV as well. I just assume it's easier (and less CPU intensive) to ride the faders in his DAW.
Not a user of this tech … but curious. Wouldn’t an fx like Waves Vocal Rider eliminate or reduce the amount of manual volume lane shaping?
Yeah, but Noel is going for the opposite effect. Instead of going for a uniform volume, he's bringing up the volume on verbs and nouns, and down on prepositions and conjunctions.
He could do this within SynthV as well. I just assume it's easier (and less CPU intensive) to ride the faders in his DAW.
I've found that once I started really listening hard to English, things like connecting words (prepositions, conjunctions) and most pronouns are softer than the words that contain the meaning or the additional information about meaning (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). This turns out to be useful information when aiming to increase the realism of the vocaloids.
Pat Pattison first drew my attention to the relative intensities of syllabic stresses because they are very important for aligning syllabic flow with the rhythmical flow of a melody. He covers this in his books if anyone wishes to know more about it.
Also, I think it pays to know about the two broad categories of spoken language. These are (1) Stress-timed and (2) Syllable-timed.
In stress-timed languages, the syllabic flow varies between long and short syllables due to the stressed and un-stressed syllables. In syllable-timed languages, the syllabic flow is pretty much constant and all syllables are held for similar lengths of time.
From an English perspective, what this means when working vocaloids is that the stressed syllables are most often better placed on longer notes than unstressed syllables. This information helps with getting the correct timing for the flow of language when it comes to working with vocaloids. Lastly, stressed syllables always work better when placed on a rhythmically stronger beat whereas unstressed syallables work best on the weak beats.
Stressed syllables are also usually slightly higher in pitch than the neighbouring unstressed syllables and this information is often useful when it comes to shaping a melody. It's not a requirement for melodies, though, that the stressed syllables need to be on melodically higher pitched notes.
To hear the difference between stress-timing and syllable-timing, the below two videos are the same song in English and Spanish. The Spanish clip also has conversational language at the start and it's easy to hear the flow of syllable-timing as the Spanish is spoken.
Unbreak My Heart (English)
Unbreak My Heart (Spanish, some conversational Spanish at the start)
Not a user of this tech … but curious. Wouldn’t an fx like Waves Vocal Rider eliminate or reduce the amount of manual volume lane shaping?
, but Noel is going for the opposite effect. Instead of going for a uniform volume, he's bringing up the volume on verbs and nouns, and down on prepositions and conjunctions.
He could do this within SynthV as well. I just assume it's easier (and less CPU intensive) to ride the faders in his DAW.
Thanks for the clarification. While now understanding what the objective is I will mention that the vocal rider is not to create a uniform volume but rather to increase gain on lower parts and/or decrease louder parts - but to levels you control. And it uses no compression. I only use it when I notice that any part of the vocal is a bit lost in the mix. OK there’s my Waves promo 😀 but I do understand the difference now in what y’all are doing.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
I've been learning to use Synthesizer V, and really like its flexibility. I prefer to use it as a DAW plugin (in Studio One) because I can put effects (reverb, compression, EQ, etc) on the voice as I'm writing and programming, which sounds better, and in the DAW plugin you can assign different voices to separate channels for balance, mixing and effects individually for each voice, which is great for harmony vocals or choir.
I don't find it any slower in the DAW to the standalone, but I think this might be because it is well integrated with Studio One (used in their official demos.) When it adds ARA integration (announced to be coming soon) the DAW plugin will make the workflow even better.
The only thing I dislike about a lot of Synthesizer V tracks is when people quantize the vocal too perfect (which no real singer can, or would, do) and there are not enough slides, scoops and melisma (which every singer does accord to the style.) Fortunately, Synthesizer V can easily do this if you take the time.
I just bought Hayden, and his voice is quite useful for styles that don't suit Kevin or Asterian.
Well - Hayden and you - creator ThomasS are perfect ! Don Henley's voice sounds in my ears (the first time I heard this beautiful song was performed by Linda Ronstadt, where they performed with it Don Henley and Glenn Frey - the authors of the song ). I would be interested in how Desperádo created in Synthesizer V would sound in her performance (performed by Linda Ronstadt) and who to choose for the AI vocals. I would probably use Solaria, which I have, and also because I'm not very good with Mai yet. But I wouldn't dare to sing Linda Ronstadt in public, I'm not that good with the Synthesizer. Therefore, with the Synthesizer, I only make my work publicly at an amateur level, and so another handicap of mine arises, that I cannot imagine well enough how my song would be sung by a really good singer. This actually gives me an advantage over the listener, who has no comparison and will accept my imperfect form of processing, not only in imperfect Czech (my friends who speak Czech scold me for this), but my work with the Synthesizer can be improved by hypothetically be improved by someone more experienced and patient in working with Synthesizer V. Which is to say, it could be any of you... However, I enjoy my work in my advancing age... Sorry for the English translated by Google from Czech language.
Last edited by Gause Zdenek; 10/28/2303:11 PM.
BIAB 2025,RB 2025,PTA 2024,Windows 11,Studio One PRO 5.5.2,Melodyne Studio 5.4.2.006,Sibelius 8.4.1,Acoustica 7.4.14,Notion 6,Progression 3,Harmony Assistant 9.9.5c,RX9,Ripx DeepAudio 7.5.1,Kontakt 7.10.7,DeCoda 1.3.2,Synthesizer V Studio Pro 1.12.2
Hayden is a real pleasure to program. His flat smooth tone and only slight vibrato makes him suitable for 50's jazz, kind of like Chet Baker. Here he is on an old standard:
For people who don't read music and don't know how to notate their vocal line, this might help.
SYNTHESIZER V uses a single-note MIDI melody to generate vocals. Anyone who has a recorded vocal (no backing) can use either BIAB or REALBAND to obtain a MIDI interpretation of that vocal. This could then be used in Synth V. I dare say that it won't be perfect but it will certainly give you a good head start that can be tweaked to get the vocal line that you want.
In BIAB it's called "Audio Transcribe" and it's found under "Audio" on the main men. It's also possible to use the "Transcribe" option found in Audio Edit in the "Edit" menu.
In REALBAND, it is done using "Generate | Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony" then selecting "Transcribe Audio to MIDI".
I have tried creating MIDI from a monophonic WAV in both Realband and BIAB and it worked fine.
I prefer to use it as a DAW plugin (in Studio One) because I can put effects (reverb, compression, EQ, etc) on the voice as I'm writing and programming, which sounds better, and in the DAW plugin you can assign different voices to separate channels for balance, mixing and effects individually for each voice, which is great for harmony vocals or choir.
Same here, but I think you need a halfway decent computer to have a fast workflow.
Originally Posted by ThomasS
I just bought Hayden, and his voice is quite useful for styles that don't suit Kevin or Asterian.
1) Start Realband and click on the Tracks View. It's on the top row of icons and to the right of 'Copy' and 'Cut'.
2) Open a MGU file that contains MIDI melody on the Melody track.
3) RB will automatically generate the backing tracks. It's a little slower than BIAB because the tracks are generated fully before playback begins.
4) Stop the automatic playback once it starts. The Stop button is on the bottom left of the screen with the other transport buttons.
5) Click on the Melody track. Press CTRL+A to select it all.
6) Under the Generate menu at the top of the window, select "Generate MIDI harmony". Select a harmony... I usually use #50 (3 parts... 1 x unison, 1 x above, 1 x below)
7) When the option window appears, select "Put harmonies onto multiple new tracks".
8) To save each of the generated MIDI harmony tracks to a file...
Click on the track.
Press CTRL+A to select the whole track.
Right click on the selected track and right at the bottom of the menu that appears, select "Track" and then "Save track to file".
For the file type, select "MIDI" and give the file a name.
I was sleeping very soundly in the dirt here until I heard the video above and I rolled over. Come on!!
I politely request that someone remove this Moonlight video immediately.
Although I am indeed outraged, I am not wishing the video would had played longer. I am wishing that you would have not introduced this ridiculous pop melody to my masterpiece in the first place.
While I was here, I listened to a few other things.
What the hell have you Anglo Saxons been doing for the past three hundred years?????
Please erase all of this so I can go back to sleep.
Danke.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
I was just looking for this kind of info, Elliott, so thank you for being so complete in your post. To be honest, it sounds like too much time/work for me at this point but at least I know where to go when I have the patience to try it out.
Hi all, new to BIAB. How do I do the opposite? I have vocals in Synth V and want to create an instrumental track with BIAB.
render the synth vocal to audio and then import or drag it into the audio track. Be sure to set the BPM of the vocal into BB first. You only need to set the first beat of the synth vocal properly in the BB ACW (chord wizard) to line it up properly so it syncs with BB. Then you can build the chords easily as the vocal track plays. I've actually used this method a few times when all I had was the vocal to work with.
Another way is to learn the song and create the BB backing tracks, move them all to a DAW and drop the vocal in aligning it to the music. I have used this method as well.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Hi all, new to BIAB. How do I do the opposite? I have vocals in Synth V and want to create an instrumental track with BIAB.
render the synth vocal to audio and then import or drag it into the audio track. Be sure to set the BPM of the vocal into BB first. You only need to set the first beat of the synth vocal properly in the BB ACW (chord wizard) to line it up properly so it syncs with BB. Then you can build the chords easily as the vocal track plays. I've actually used this method a few times when all I had was the vocal to work with.
Another way is to learn the song and create the BB backing tracks, move them all to a DAW and drop the vocal in aligning it to the music. I have used this method as well.
Thanks, I'm actually using it to create a brand new song. How well does BB generate the music to technically match with the lyrics?
Could I just import the midi from Synth V, so BB matches the lyrical melody?
Wow. I had seen this plugin a while back in one of Doctor Mix's videos on YouTube, but forgot about it. just discovered this plugin on this forum when watching B.D. Thomas's incredible Linger video (and am looking forward to listening to other things using it). Pretty neat! I also saw a review of a plugin called emvoice online, but have to say, this seems to sound better, although maybe the emvoice needed some more love. Has anyone else heard about emvoice and how it compares to Synthesizer V?
Hi all, new to BIAB. How do I do the opposite? I have vocals in Synth V and want to create an instrumental track with BIAB.
render the synth vocal to audio and then import or drag it into the audio track. Be sure to set the BPM of the vocal into BB first. You only need to set the first beat of the synth vocal properly in the BB ACW (chord wizard) to line it up properly so it syncs with BB. Then you can build the chords easily as the vocal track plays. I've actually used this method a few times when all I had was the vocal to work with.
Another way is to learn the song and create the BB backing tracks, move them all to a DAW and drop the vocal in aligning it to the music. I have used this method as well.
Thanks, I'm actually using it to create a brand new song. How well does BB generate the music to technically match with the lyrics?
Could I just import the midi from Synth V, so BB matches the lyrical melody?
I haven't imported midi into BB, just audio. But you could try it to see.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I've just discovered the vocaloid Rose for Synth V. There are lost of tips voice manipulating tips to pickup from watching this visual playback. https://synthv.fandom.com/wiki/ROSE
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean