The Ultimate Guide to Using Autotune in Audacity (2026)

Hey there! If you‘ve ever wanted to give your vocals that slick, modern sound heard in many of today‘s hit songs, you‘ll definitely want to learn how to use autotune. Luckily, with the free Audacity audio editor and the right plugin, it‘s easier than you might think to get professional-sounding pitch correction at home.

In this in-depth guide, I‘ll explain exactly what autotune is, show you step-by-step how to install and use a top free autotune plugin in Audacity, share some pro tips and tricks I‘ve learned, and much more. By the time you‘re done reading, you‘ll be ready to start cranking out radio-ready vocals from your bedroom studio. Let‘s dive in!

What is Autotune?

First off, let‘s clarify what autotune actually is and what it does. In a nutshell, autotune is an audio processor that analyzes the pitch of incoming vocals and automatically corrects them to the nearest note in a given musical scale. This pitch correction happens in real-time, "snapping" the off-key vocal to the correct note seamlessly.

The original Auto-Tune plugin was invented by Antares Audio Technologies in 1997 and quickly took the music world by storm in the early 2000s. When used subtly, it can clean up minor pitch imperfections and add polish to a vocal take. But when the retune speed is cranked up, it creates that trademark robotic T-Pain/Cher "Believe" effect.

While Antares still makes the official Auto-Tune software, there are now many similar autotune plugins on the market at various price points. Some DAWs like Logic Pro even have the feature built in. However, Audacity is a bit unique…

Can You Autotune in Audacity?

Unfortunately, Audacity does not come with any pitch correction tools included. The open source audio editor relies on third party plugins for more advanced functionality.

But don‘t worry! There are some great free autotune VST plugins that work perfectly in Audacity. You simply need to install them first. I‘ll show you how, step-by-step.

My favorite free autotune plugin for Audacity is Graillon 2 by Auburn Sounds. It‘s lightweight, easy to use, and delivers great results. The developer also offers an affordable paid version if you want even more control.

Here‘s how to get Graillon 2 up and running in Audacity:

Step 1: Download the Graillon 2 Plugin

First, head over to the Auburn Sounds website and grab the free version of Graillon 2:

https://www.auburnsounds.com/products/Graillon.html

Click the "Download Free" button and save the .zip file to your computer.

Step 2: Install the Plugin

Next, extract the contents of the .zip file you downloaded. Open the folder and run the installation file.

Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Make sure "VST3" is selected (this is the plugin format Audacity uses). You can leave the other boxes unchecked.

By default, the plugin will be installed to your system‘s VST3 folder. On Windows, this is usually:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\

Step 3: Copy the Plugin to the Audacity Plugins Folder

Now, open a File Explorer window and navigate to your VST3 folder from the previous step. Find the file named:

Auburn Sounds – Graillon2_x64.vst3

Select this file and copy it (right-click > Copy or Ctrl+C).

Next, locate the Plugins folder in your Audacity installation directory. If you installed Audacity to the default location, the path will be:

C:\Program Files\Audacity\Plug-Ins\

Now, paste the .vst3 file you copied into the Audacity Plug-Ins folder.

Step 4: Enable the Plugin in Audacity

Open Audacity and go to the Effects menu. If you see Graillon 2 listed there, you‘re good to go! If not, click "Add / Remove Plug-ins" to open the Plugin Manager.

Scroll down until you find Graillon 2 in the list. Select it and click the "Enable" button, then press "OK" to close the Plugin Manager.

You should now see Graillon 2 in the Effects menu. You‘ve successfully installed the plugin and you‘re ready to start autotuning!

How to Use Graillon 2 to Autotune Vocals in Audacity

To demonstrate, I‘ll be autotuning a vocal clip recorded into Audacity. But you can use the same steps to autotune an imported audio file too.

Step 1: Select Your Vocal Track

In Audacity, click on the track containing the vocals you want to autotune. If your project has multiple tracks, make sure you‘ve got the right one selected.

Step 2: Open Graillon 2

With your vocal track selected, go to the Effects menu and choose Graillon 2. The plugin window will appear.

Step 3: Adjust the Key and Scale

The most important settings are near the bottom of the Graillon 2 window. This is where you‘ll tell the plugin what key and scale your song is in so it snaps the vocals to the right notes.

If you know your song‘s key, great! Choose it from the Key dropdown on the right. If you‘re not sure, you can use the virtual keyboard to manually select the notes in your song‘s scale. Graillon 2 will limit the pitch correction to only those notes.

Step 4: Set the Autotune Strength

See those two big knobs at the top labeled Pitch Correction? Turn them both all the way up to apply the maximum amount of autotuning. The Inertia knob controls how quickly the notes will snap into place.

If the pitch correction sounds too intense, you can dial the knobs back a bit for a gentler effect. There are also advanced settings to control the pitch shifting algorithm, but the defaults work well in most cases.

Step 5: Preview and Apply the Effect

Now for the fun part – hearing the results! Click the Preview button in the lower right corner to listen to how your vocals sound with the autotune effect.

If you‘re happy with the sound, click OK to apply the effect to your selected vocal track. Since it‘s a destructive process, I recommend keeping a backup copy of the dry vocals on a separate muted track in case you want to adjust the autotune later.

That‘s it! You can now hear your freshly autotuned vocals in all their robotic glory. Feel free to experiment with the various knobs and settings in Graillon 2 to really dial in your desired sound.

Alternative Autotune VST Plugins for Audacity

While I personally like and recommend Graillon 2, there are some other solid freeware autotune plugins available:

GSnap (GVST) – A popular free autotune effect with a simpler interface than Graillon 2. Many people find it more user-friendly.

MAutoPitch (MeldaProduction) – A free pitch correction plugin that‘s part of the larger MFreeFXBundle. Has a unique "pitch shifting" mode.

KeroVee (g200kg) – A lightweight and easy to use autotune VST plugin. No-frills but gets the job done!

The installation process is similar for all VST3 plugins in Audacity. Remember to copy the .vst3 file to the Audacity Plug-Ins folder and enable it in the Plugin Manager.

Autotune Audacity FAQs

Before we wrap up, let me quickly address some of the most common questions I see about using autotune in Audacity:

Q: Does Audacity have built-in autotune?
A: No, Audacity does not have any native pitch correction tools. You need to install a third party VST plugin like Graillon 2.

Q: Is Graillon 2 really free? What‘s the catch?
A: Yes, Graillon 2 has a 100% free version that is fully functional for autotuning. The developer also offers an affordable paid upgrade with some extra features, but it‘s not necessary.

Q: The autotune effect sounds too robot-like. How can I make it more natural?
A: The key is to find the right balance with the pitch correction strength. Try lowering the big knobs in Graillon 2 to around 50-70% for a more transparent sound that preserves some human imperfections. You can also adjust the Snap Range, Correction Threshold and Smooth parameters.

Q: Can I use other autotune plugins in Audacity besides Graillon 2?
A: Absolutely! Any VST3 autotune plugin should work in Audacity. I mentioned a few other free options in the section above. Just follow the same installation steps.

Start Autotuning Like a Pro in Audacity!

So there you have it – the complete beginner‘s guide to using autotune in Audacity! While it takes a few extra steps compared to DAWs with built-in pitch correction, autotuning vocals in Audacity with a free VST plugin is totally doable.

To quickly recap: Download and install the excellent Graillon 2 plugin (or another VST3 autotune effect), copy it to your Audacity Plug-Ins folder, and enable it under Effects. Dial in your key/scale and preferred amount of pitch correction, preview the results, and enjoy your freshly autotuned vocals.

I hope this in-depth tutorial has demystified the process of autotuning in Audacity and given you the knowledge and tools to start using this powerful effect in your own projects. As with any creative tool, the key is to experiment and practice. Play around with the different plugins and settings to see what works best for your individual sound and style.

Trust me, once you get a taste of how much autotune can elevate your mixes, you‘ll never go back to raw vocals again! So fire up Audacity, download Graillon 2 or another autotune VST, and start cranking out those super-tight pop vocals. With a little experimentation and effort, you‘ll be amazed at the professional polish a little robotic pitch correction can add to your tracks.

I‘d love to hear how autotune works out for you and any other Audacity tips or plugin recommendations you may have. Leave a comment below and let‘s talk music production! Until next time, happy autotuning!