The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins 2023 | Waves, Eventide, Melda…

In this post, you will discover the top 7 harmonizer plugins and their features in detail as well as one freebie!

In music, the combination of multiple notes playing simultaneously is called harmony. The simplest example of harmony is a chord, where you have the root note being accompanied by other notes on a given scale to make it more exciting.

 That is: you have one voice, which is the root, and you add more voices to it, which are the other notes. Note that ‘voices’ in harmonizer language aren’t meaning ACTUAL voices or vocals. Even though harmonizers are mainly used in vocals, they can be used with other audio signals, as you’ll see later on in this article.

How Does a Harmonizer Work?

Harmonizer will give you a method of audio input that can be real-time or processed. As you get your audio signal going through the Harmonizer, you’ll be given a set of parameters that allow you to create harmony. The engine will duplicate your signal, and you’ll change that signal’s pitch. 

Depending on the chosen Harmonizer, you’ll be able to multiply that signal a lot of times, creating a big choral sound. A few harmonizers allow you to input chords via MIDI, much like a vocoder would work.

That way, you wouldn’t be locked into the Harmonizer’s parameters and would be able to change chords live, either with a midi keyboard controller or with your DAW’s piano roll. But for now, let’s take a look at it.

The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins

1. Waves Harmony

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
The best vocal harmonies can be naturally created inside this awesome plugin.

Waves is well-known for producing high-quality plugins and audio software, which come in a variety of versions and choices to suit a wide range of applications. However, any plugin that may improve the sound aspects or make the workflow easier is appreciated, and Waves Harmony is just like that. This useful voice harmony generator has a simple and beautiful UI with clear controls that are entertaining to experiment with in the recording studio or on stage.

Key Features:

• • Eight voices
    Vocal Harmony is an excellent engine with eight separate voices, allowing for everything from a basic doubled-melody to a complicated and rich vocal arrangement for all these eight voices. This is critical and works flawlessly, with a true sound character like what actual vocalists would deliver.
  • Pitch correction
    As predicted, this plugin makes pitch adjustments quickly and simply. You may freely change and vary the pitch of every note, either by accident or by personal desire, with relative indicators on the screen. Feel free to correct any lines or simply repair one erroneous note as quickly as possible.
  • Harmony Generator
    The powerful engine hidden within Vocal Harmony is ideal not just for duplicating a vocal but also for sparking your creativity. The harmony generator may create immediate ideas based on current musical scales, giving your phrases and musical ideas even more authenticity.
  • Formant shift
    This type of vocal plugin typically includes a “formant” preset, which allows you to mimic the actions a human lip makes when talking or singing. Of course, there are other factors to consider when giving a genuine aural experience, but being able to modify how a singer’s lips react to a given phrase adds realism to this replication.
  • Built-in effects
    Although you can always add post-effects to anything you make, having the most significant aspects related to vocal harmony provided in this package is really useful. A separate “Delay” fader controls the effect’s feedback, while an extra “Filter” fader allows you to easily sweep over the frequencies in your music.
  • MIDI controlled
    One of the finest features of virtual instruments or effects such as Vocal Harmony is the ability to connect a MIDI device and play whatever you want. This plugin has complete MIDI compatibility from Waves, which may be quite handy for getting your vocals done correctly with the help of a keyboard, for example.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.15.7, 11.6.5, and 12.4 (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It runs in VST, VST3, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

Vocal correction software is difficult to use. It’s difficult to create a decent algorithm that sounds nice to the ears, but Waves has achieved it with Vocal Harmony. This fantastic plugin has a wonderful UI design that makes pitch correction and other modifications as simple as possible, with obvious buttons that change your results with the slightest touch.

Unfortunately, due to the high-processing nature of the effect, Vocal Harmony can have a substantial impact on CPU utilization, even when it works flawlessly.

Related Reading:

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2. Eventide H949 Harmonizer

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Eventide Harmonizer puts its drum loop features to the test, showing off how effectively the delay mode and two separate algorithms work with drums.

The brilliance, vibrancy, and attitude of the original hardware are perfectly captured in this detailed replica of one of the earliest effects processors developed by Eventide in the late 1970s. It has a broad three-octave range and the ability to reverse effects, micro pitch and random detuning, delay-only flanging, and several intriguing and unusual effects.

The initial piece of circuitry had two outputs. A delay-only output passed a delayed but otherwise unaffected signal while the main output carried the impacted signal. Along with a mix button and a few stereo connection options for the dual version of the harmonizer, they are replicated in the plugin.

Key Features:

• Interface
  In terms of user interface norms, there was no prototype to utilize because this is one of the first devices of its sort. To understand how things are set up, a quick perusal of the handbook is required. For the high and low EQ frequencies, as well as the Main Output and Delay Only Output, distinct feedback levels are provided. There are separate radio buttons for setting the delay time values for the signal to the main output and the delay-only output. The user pushes them in various arrangements to provide adjustable delay times.
• Select Knob
  The main algorithms are selected using the Function Select button. A row of pitch-based operations and a row of delay-based functions are alternated using a radio button. Each mode has a distinct personality of its own. Normal and extended ranges, as well as micro pitch alterations with either positive or negative values, are all considered pitch changes. There are three types of delay options: normal, random (excellent for a double-tracked effect), and flanging, produced by frequency cancellations when a signal with a variable delay is applied to another constant signal and vice versa.
• Micro Pitch
  Engineers may use this plugin’s specific MicroPitch mode to make tiny pitch adjustments for realistic dual-track replication. A fourth number and pitch resolution were added to the display, making it suitable as an instrument and a precise tool for tuning and tempo management.
• Usability
  Perfect harmonies, unique musical intervals, or bizarre effects can all be created. To make lush voices that bind your mix together, fatten up the snares, detune the synthesizers, space out the guitars, and fatten up the synths. Make your guitar solos more interesting by using delayed reversals, transforming a single vocal into a chorus of backing vocalists, or sending synthesizers into dub-halls that have been broken down into a different aural realm.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

When it comes to genuine vintage twin tracking effects, this plugin is difficult to top. The controls offered are special; they differ from those seen in other contemporary plugins. This has advantages and disadvantages. On the bright side, it challenges you to select delay and pitch-shifting parameters outside your typical current perspective. The signal flow and the interactions between the many phases are quite innovative, adaptable, and dynamic.

The drawback is that to comprehend and utilize the plugin potential, it’s you’ll need to put in some effort and spend some time with it unless you’re an old-timer familiar with the original hardware. Naturally, there is a sizable library of presets to assist clear the path.

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3. W. A. Production TriVox NEW*

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

W. A. Production’s TriVox is a revolutionary audio effect plugin designed to enhance your sound by creating lush harmonies that captivate listeners.

It offers complete control over harmonic blending, allowing you to precisely tune three harmony voices anywhere from -12 semitones to +12 semitones.  In addition, you can also harmonize within your choice of 20 different scales or explore endless harmonies in chromatic mode.

Key Features:

• Tonal adjustments
  The Super Unison function, accompanied by Detune and Spread adjustments, allows you to create expansive stereo soundscapes and thick and huge harmonies. Using the Character slider, you can also shape your harmonies by switching between synthetic and organic voices.
• Precise controls
  You can achieve a flawless harmony blend with precision using dry, wet, and output gain controls, all while preserving your original mix’s integrity. You can also elevate your creative process with practical features, including copy, paste, undo, redo options, and a global limiter for precise output control.
• Detailed Harmonies Editing
  TriVox boasts three distinct harmony voices, each offering independent level and pitch controls. This gives you full autonomy over harmonious blending, allowing you to fine-tune your harmonies to perfection. The plugin also features Dry and Wet knobs, allowing seamless mixing between your original audio and the harmonies created.

Compatibility:

TriVox is available as a VST, AU, and AAX plugin, making it compatible with a wide range of digital audio workstations (DAWs).

Summary:

Overall, TriVox is a great harmony plugin. Its Detune and Spread knobs provide you with the tools to expand your audio into wide stereo soundscapes, enhancing your sonic landscape. The Super Unison knob adds more power to your harmonies, while the Set Scale function lets you choose between Synthetic and Organic modes to match your artistic vision.

4. Eventide Octavox

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

A robust harmonizing plugin with numerous practical functions is one of Eventide’s most recent products, another creative offering from this forward-thinking business.

The Octavox plugin by Eventide is a water delay-style effect with pitch-shifting capabilities built into every tap. In addition to enabling some intriguing compositional effects, the combination also makes it enjoyable to play with several bizarre events. 

Modern pitch processors appear to take this for granted, but if one knows how far to push the results to stay realistic, they should be OK. The Octavox is subject to the same law. A cleaner and more realistic outcome will always be obtained using appropriate judgment when deciding how far to bend the sound.

Key Features:

• Pitch Tracking
  Each pitched touch remains static and the same distance from the source song in terms of the interval connection when pitch tracking is deactivated. As a result, using the plugin as a harmonizer on a melodic voice part and setting one tap to a third and one to a fifth won’t function fully since the taps will always be the same distance from the source, allowing for pitched taps to depart from the key.
  When pitch tracking is turned on, the plugin will scan the incoming pitch, determine where it falls within a scale, and then dynamically alter the delay before striking the pitch to preserve the harmonious connection inside that key.
• Randomize Function
  The Randomize option, which modifies the tap delays’ pitch significantly to produce a chorus sound, is another cool feature. This can be helpful for adding variations to taps that are delayed, placing a tap in unison without delay, or even pseudo-dubbing a source like a vocal.
• User Interface
  The Octavox user interface is highly straightforward and easy to use. You may lock your tones to an interval grid in any key of your choosing using the bass and treble lines added to the standard tap delay presentation. You have an almost limitless range of pitches you may utilize since you can also alter the pitch shift on each touch, between intervals, based on cents. Octavox is incredibly simple to set up and takes a few minutes to produce practically any desired effect, although it is certainly advised to explore it for extended lengths of time. Because it is considerably more capable than what the human mind is capable of.
• Usability
  Although you utilize Octavox more conventionally, it can be used to create intricate and bizarre delay effects thanks to its fantastic harmony engine and Pitch Tracking function.
  

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

When you’re searching for a tool to add creativity to your workflow, Octavox is a ton of fun to use. It may be used as a straightforward delay, for intricate rhythmic effects, or as a box for effects that change the pitch. It distinguishes itself from the multitude of multi-voice pitch shifters that only statically modify pitches away from the source thanks to its pitch tracking feature, which enables it to be entirely effective for sustaining dynamically shifting pitch ranges in a song.

As Octavox is capable of far more intricate effects, such as producing arpeggiated delay sequences, this is a very simple illustration of how it might be utilized. I believe it may be used as a quick-fix tool to clean up old materials creatively.

Related Reading:

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5. Kuassa EFEKTOR Harmonitron

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

The Kuassa Efektor Harmonitron is one of the most accurate harmonizing and pitch shifting plugins.

Over the years, many artists have used an effect like this, either applying the pedal to instruments or vocals. The most well-known area of music is metal bands that use this kind of pedal for growls that need a lower-pitched sound.

The Kuassa Efektor Harmonitron has 4 independent pitch shifting engines, which make the plugin give you unparalleled precision and creativity, and sound engineers will be able to bring the final sound of the music to another level.

Key Features:

• Pitch Sliders
  The plugin has 6 sliders, each with a fairly accurate representation and independent functions that you will need. Harmonitron has 4 pitch sliders ranging from -24 to +24, representing +/- 2 octaves. They also hold -/+ 50 cents globally for a detune effect.
• Swell And Low Pass Filter
  In addition to detune, it will also give you a swell representing a slow attack and a global lowpass filter, which means that the level of modification is major and makes the plugin one of the best in its category on the market. Swell has 3 controls, a dry button, and 2 knobs representing sensitivity and attack. The Low Pass Filter also has a dry knob, a Q knob, and a Freq knob. Knob.
• Dry And Level Sliders
  These represent the input as well as the output of the pedal. Using the Dry, you can set the input that the pedal perceives, and the level represents its output; each has up to +6dB, so it is quite powerful.

Compatibility:
Kuassa Efektor Harmonitron is available in VST, AAX, and AU formats (32-bit and 64-bit) for Windows 10,8,7 and macOS 10.12 – 10.15.

Summary:
It’s an easy-to-use pedal that helps you a lot in your creativity, and with it, you’ll discover the guitar in a different way. You have a lot to explore using it because besides allowing you to get the most unusual effects, it gives you a wide range of presets that will save you time, and you will discover new sound ways.

6. Melda MHarmonizerMB (Multiband Harmonizer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

MeldaProduction’s MHarmonizerMB is a multiband harmonizer that brings you six bands of possibility for creating complex harmonies. 

As you open the plugin, you’ll be presented with a basic set of controls and pre-made patches that are the common use of harmonizers, like pitch shifter and octaves. 

First, you set the crossover frequencies and their types for each band. Each crossover has nine types, including Analog, Mid/Side, and Linear-Phase. As you choose a crossover type, you have a set of parameters to shape it the way you want.

You can adjust the slope, level, transients, and other special parameters. The parameters you’ll be able to adjust will depend on the crossover you choose.

After choosing the crossovers, it’s time to go to your band panel. Each band has its own set of parameters to make each unique.

Each has 4 modes and options like strumming, so your vocals can sound like guitars – kind of. Modulators are the natural next step after this.

Key Features:

• 6 bands with individual processing;
• Up to 120 voices;
• Band splitting by Frequency (linear-phase or analog with adjustable slope), Level, Panorama, Mid-Side, Transients, Tonal/Noise or Parallel;
• 4 modulators that can work as LFO, ADSR envelope, and others;
• Mono, Stereo, separate L&R, Mid/Side, 8-channel surround, and 64 channels for ambisonics processing.

Compatibility:

MHarmonizerMB supports VST, VST3, AU and AAX on Windows Vista+ (both 32-bit and 64-bit) & macOS 10.9+ (64-bit only). Linux is not directly supported, but it is possible to run the plugins via Wine.

Check Melda’s system requirements before buying the plugin.

Summary:

MeldaProduction is known for its amazing products at a cheap cost (even a lot of free ones) with expensive quality. MHarmonizerMB is a complete package as far as what you can do in terms of harmonizing.

The fact you can modulate almost every parameter inside the plugin, even the crossovers, shows how much you can get with it. 

Related Reading:

Top 12 MeldaProduction Plugins For Music Production 

7. Antares Harmony Engine

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Antares has been in the music business for years and is the creator of the popular Auto-Tune correction tool.

The Harmony Engine is dubbed as a cutting edge amongst other audio tools as it utilizes automatic and physical control settings. However, it is the ease and convenience that stems from creating multiple harmonies with only one vocal file that gives the harmony engine its place on this list as one of the best audio plugins in the market today. 

Plus, it is user-friendly, and irrespective of if you’re a professional vocalist, an amateur, or a newbie, the harmony engine is structurally designed to accommodate everyone. 

Key Features:

• Five functioning channels of the CHOIR vocal multiplier enable an individual to sound like a group of persons.
• Four top-notch, formant-corrected harmony voices with independent vocal character, pan settings, and vibrato. 
• Antares throat modeling innovation enables you to practice their voice in real-time through a physical, technological model with a similar structure of the human vocal area. 
• Multiple control modes ranging from automatic to physical control.
• The freeze function feature

Compatibility:

Harmony engine is available on Windows and is supported on AAX Native (64 bit only) for Windows 10 and Pro Tools 2018.1 version. It’s Also on VST3 (63 bit only) for Windows 10 and a compatible DAW.  It is also available on Mac and is supported on AAX Native (64-bit only), VST3 (64-bit only), and Audio Units (64-bit only)

Summary:

Harmony Engine offers a simple interface for new and informed users coupled with a huge amount of flexibility.

With four distinct harmony voices, multiple flexibility controls, and vocal multipliers, Harmony Engine spared no effort in ensuring its users that it has the best tools to produce any song of their choice. 

Related Reading:

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Best Free Harmonizer Plugin 2023

Aegean Music Pitchproof

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Simple to use but powerful. Its interface is based on guitar pedals, as it simulates pitch-shifting guitar pedals. The main idea of Pitchproof is blending old styles of pitch shifting with modern technology. 

You have two knobs: Blend, which is a dry/wet knob, and Detune, which is exactly what you thought! In the pitch menu, you can select +/- semitones or harmonies, which are “intelligent pitch effects,” according to Aegean. 

A little detail they added to the plugin, and it’s convenient; it’s a tuner! 

Key Features:

• The key menu is also straightforward; you choose the key you’re in, so the effect can play accurate harmonies.
• Simplest interface and controls;
• Smooth detune control;
• Includes a tuner;

Compatibility:

Pitchproof is available for Windows 32 and 64bit as VST and AAX, and Mac as VST, AU, and AAX. The versions are not specified by Aegean Music.

Summary:

Pitchproof is the best option you can get if you want a really simple plugin, at no cost, that’s gonna do the job flawlessly.

All the controls you need are there, ready to use. It may appeal more to guitar players and pedal enthusiasts, but it’s worth trying if you’re not a part of those groups.

Bonus Plugins:

Eventide H910

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

We couldn’t leave the world’s first digital effects processor out of this list, right?

Eventide’s H910 Harmonizer is a legendary piece that recreates the original H910 analog processor in every way possible, even the random glitches the hardware got, they recreated.

Before the ’70s, digital processors weren’t a thing. Studios were filled with analog until 1971, when the DDL (Digital Line Delay) appeared.

Processors from Eventide and Lexicon served as the basis for H910 in its development. Even though it was the first digital processor, only the delay was digital; the rest was analog, which is why it sounded so analog. 

The H910 Harmonizer is straightforward to use. You have your regular Input and Feedback knobs. While the original only had a glide knob and three selectors, the digital version has an envelope, dry/wet output levels, and a hold button, so it gets a little sustain time.

Key Features:

• 4 switches allow you to control the pitch in different ways, including the keyboard.
• The keyboard is an HK941 recreation, which was the original keyboard controller for the H910.
• Simple layout and functionality;
• H910 Harmonizer doesn’t need a lot of explanation, but you should take a look at the manual to understand its signal flow and ratio-to-note chart.
• Faithful modeling of 70’s analog masterpiece;
• Loads of presets from big producers and engineers.

Compatibility:

Eventide H910 Harmonizer requires Windows 8+, and it’s available as AAX, VST2, and VST3 in both 32/64 bit. Also, macOS 10.9+ supports it, but only 64bit AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3 versions. 

Summary:

Not much needs to be said about this legend. Simple and powerful, the H910 Harmonizer gives you the analog sound a lot of people know and love. Anyone who’s looking for a warm, nostalgic harmonizer sound should take a look at this one.

Eventide H3000 Factory Ultra-Harmonizer

More Info & Price (Trial Available) 

Being another Eventide legend in this list, the H3000 Factory is the software version of the legendary H3000 Harmonizer. 

Recreating some of the algorithms from the original outboard processor, the H3000 Factory is a modular type effect. 

The front panel, which is always on the top, is faithful modeling of the original device. The iconic calculator-like snapshots section is included and ready to store 16 presets to pull up whenever you need.

Key Features:

• With the 18 effect blocks with a patchable matrix, you can make limitless combinations. You can connect them anywhere with the virtual patch cables and can choose between delay, pitch shift, filter, ADSR, IFO, and many more.
• Over 450 presets, including original presets from the hardware;
• Filters and envelope controls;
• Advanced modular matrix.

Compatibility:

Eventide H3000 Factory it’s available for Windows 8+, and it’s available as AAX, VST2, and VST3 in both 32/64 bit. Also, macOS 10.9+ supports only 64bit AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3 versions.

Summary:

The H3000 Factory is a versatile sound design tool. You have a lot of control over every parameter. You can fine-tune every setting precisely.

The amount of possibilities makes it stand out from the other options. It gives you the reliability of a piece of equipment that is available at almost every major recording studio for almost 30 years.

Eventide Quadravox

More info & Price (Trial Available)

Eventide’s Quadravox is a time-based harmonizer that features four vocals to play with.

Each voice has precise controls to place them in terms of level, pan, pitch, and time. You can lock those to the key using the Key Lock button or leave them free to some unusual combinations. The same applies to the tempo, which can be synced with your DAW, or following your parameters.

What makes Quadravox unique is the Notation Grid, where you activate the voices, they appear as dots on the grid (staff), and you move them where you want to create your harmonies. Note that you don’t need to know how to read music to mess with the grid.

You’re not limited to only using the plugin with vocals, as Quadravox can handle instruments going through it.

You can have guitar, bass, and even your drums can work with it. Any audio input can work with it but don’t forget to change the Instrument settings as you change the input, so you have a better result. 

The plugin comes packed with over 60 presets that can get you going when exploring what it can do but also gives you a good starting point.

Key Features:

• Four diatonic voices with level, pan, pitch-shifting, and delay controls;
• 32 automatable snapshots for quick recall and complex productions;
• Engine based on Eventide’s Orville and Eclipse effect processors;
• Pitch randomization inspired by Eventide H949 Harmonizer‘s Random Pitch algorithm;
• Instruments compatibility;
• Unique, easy to use, Notation Grid;

Compatibility:

Quadravox requires Windows 8+, and it’s available as AAX, VST2, and VST3 in both 32/64 bit. Also, macOS 10.9+ supports but only 64bit AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3 versions. Note that new 32bit macOS installers are no longer being made for this product.

Summary:

Eventide has a name for its quality products, and Quadravox has what you would expect from them. A sleek interface with precise controls makes it easier to navigate and get amazing sounds from it.

The huge amount of presets gets you going if you want a quick sound or want to explore what Quadravox can do before you dive into it.

The effect is easy to learn and quick to use; with a few minutes of tweaking knobs, you’ll be able to understand it and start applying it to your production.

Conclusion 

Harmonizers are fun and can be a really powerful sound design tool. If you want a different effect on your vocals, it will work perfectly, but if you expand its usages to instruments, drums, and even with your soft synths, it might get some unique results.

An H910 will give you a nostalgic sound with an analog rendition, but Pitchproof will be a quick solution to a simple task.

Overall, all of them have the basics nailed down; you only need to look at their unique attributes and choose. And I don’t think you’ll make a bad decision trying some of them!