Among the many new features recently introduced with Pro Tools, one that has gone under the radar is the inclusion of Melodyne Essential with every Pro Tools subscription. Avid includes an activation code in your account to get a free copy of Melodyne Essential. This is the backbone of the new features such as Convert Audio to MIDI.

Melodyne Essential Plugin

When you install Pro Tools 2020.11 one of the hidden surprises you will find is Melodyne Essential automatically installs along with Pro Tools. Melodyne is actually used to empower some of new Audio To MIDI feature of Pro Tools, so it is an essential part of the software. While this is exciting news, you have to go through the authorization process with Melodyne to enable it. Avid includes an authorization code for Melodyne along with your Pro Tools subscription. You have to register your copy of Melodyne with this code. The authorization process can even be done once you are in a session. 

The first step to authorizing Melodyne is going into your Avid.com account to get your authorization code.

Login to your avid.com account and go to "My Products"

If you have not claimed your authorization code you will see an area allowing you to "Claim your free gifts now". Once you click on this it will add the Melodyne Essential section to your production. Click on the product to reveal the authorization code. Keep this code handy as you will need to enter this into your Melodyne account.

Activate Melodyne

Once you activate a Melodyne feature Pro Tools will automatically take you through the authorization process. You can either launch the Melodyne plugin on a track, or you can use the Audio to MIDI feature.

Launch Melodyne Plugin:

Activate Audio to MIDI

In the Track Menu, you will see the option to "Extract MIDI to New Track". You can also activate this feature by right-clicking on an Audio Clip and selecting "Extract MIDI"

Once you activate one of these features Pro Tools will access Melodyne Essential and prompt you to activate the software.

Clicking the "Activate" button will automatically take you to the Celemony website where you will need to enter your authorization code, as well as create an account.

Enter your Authorization Code from your Avid account

Follow the instructions for setting up your account to finalize your authorization of Melodyne.

Once you finish this process you will need to Restart Pro Tools.

Melodyne is a very powerful tool used across the audio industry for Music Production, Post Production, and Sound Design. It has tons of abilities including changing the pitch of audio, detect pitch, create harmony layers, convert audio to midi notes, and much more. Check out this intro video to Melodyne to get a sense of what it can do.

Mihai

Author: Mihai Boloni
Avid Expert Certified Pro Tools Instructor
www.protoolstraining.com

888-277-0457

Mihai BoloniCreative Director & Avid Expert Pro Tools instructor

Mihai has made it his life's work to help others in the audio industry. Mihai gained experience as an audio engineering Full Sail Instructor in early 2000's and joined ProMedia in 2002. Since then, he has become one of Avid's Top Leading and most experienced and in-demand Instructors Worldwide, with clients who come to him form all over the world. Corporate clients include MTV, PBS, NBC, Telemundo, The Voice's Chief Engineer Mike Bernard, Atlanta Public School System, countless professors from leading Universities, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, and the top producers, artists, and engineers in leading studios and record labels. For over 20 years, Mihai has continued to work as an Audio Engineer, Record Producer, Songwriter (ASCAP), Dog Lover, Record Label Owner, and Expert Level AVID Certified Pro Tools Instructor.