AutoTonic

AutoTonic is a VST/AU plugin that transposes MIDI notes in real time. The software applies microtonal scales and non-standard temperaments to incoming musical material. Its bank contains over twenty-four thousand scales. The tool functions as an effects processor in a MIDI signal chain.

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• Real-time transposition. AutoTonic processes the MIDI data stream with no perceptible latency. The analysis of the incoming note and its conversion to the output note according to the selected scale happens instantaneously. This feature enables its use in live performances and improvisation sessions where delay is unacceptable.
• Extensive scale library. The program integrates a collection of 24,576 scales. The database includes traditional Western scales, Greek modes, scales from non-Western musical traditions, and experimental microtonal sets. Each scale is precisely defined in cents.
• Scale modulation via MIDI controllers. Transposition parameters can be controlled via Control Change (CC) messages from an external MIDI controller. Specific mapping allows changing the root scale, mode, or scale bank in real-time using connected knobs, sliders, or pedals.
• Support for custom temperaments. In addition to predefined scales, there is a function to create and load custom temperaments. Users can define non-standard divisions of the octave and save these sets in proprietary format files for later loading and modification.
• Input quantization to scale. All incoming MIDI note data is automatically adjusted to the nearest pitch within the active scale. This process corrects notes that are out of scale, aligning the performance with the defined harmonic structure, without the need for subsequent manual correction.
• Visual keyboard mapping interface. The main window displays a graphical representation of an input and an output MIDI keyboard. Keys are colored to indicate their function in the current mapping, providing a clear visual reference of the transformation being applied.
• Presets organized by categories. Scales and configurations are grouped into thematic banks such as "Just Intonation", "World", "Electronic", or "Historical". This organization system facilitates navigation and quick location of a specific sound or musical character.
• MIDI bypass mode. A bypass switch deactivates the plugin's processing while keeping the MIDI connection active. This function is necessary to compare the processed sound with the original without needing to remove the plugin from the effects chain in the DAW host.
• Retransmission of Channel Aftertouch and Pitch Bend messages. The software preserves and retransmits the expression data from the original MIDI controller. Aftertouch (pressure) and Pitch Bend messages pass through the transposer unaltered, maintaining the expressiveness of the performance.
• Octave transposition setting. A dedicated parameter allows transposing the entire output in whole octave increments. This function combines with scale transposition, allowing wide register shifts while maintaining the intervallic relationship of the selected scale.
• Automatic scale root detection. An algorithm analyzes the incoming MIDI material to suggest an appropriate tonic or scale root. This suggestion is based on the statistical distribution of the notes played, although the final decision to accept rests with the user.
• Support for multiple instances in a project. The plugin engine allows inserting several independent instances on different tracks of a DAW project. Each instance can operate with a different scale and configuration, allowing complex harmonizations and layered processing.

AutoTonic was created by independent software developer Tim Churches. Initial development of the program began in 2015. The first stable public version was released in 2016. The program's codebase is written in the C++ programming language, utilizing the JUCE framework to ensure cross-platform compatibility and efficient real-time audio performance. The choice of C++ and JUCE provides the low latency and stability necessary for processing MIDI streams in professional music production environments.

Alternatives to AutoTonic:

Renoise

Renoise is a modern digital audio workstation that utilizes the tracker sequencing paradigm.

Price: $88   Size: 117 MB   Version: 3.5.4   OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS