Wordbuilder Tips for East West Backup Singers and Hollywood Choirs

In this video, I show you tips to improve phrases and words in Wordbuilder for East West Backup Singers and Hollywood Choirs. This is a followup video to my previous one • Wordbuilder Tutorial i... . Download the EW Libraries here: bit.ly/ewsoundsonline and get the Wordbuilder reference guide here: bit.ly/WORDBUILDER.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
0:54 - Finding Wordbuilder
2:08 - Reference Guide
2:25 - Editing Words
4:33 - Recommendations
5:17 - Backup Singers
6:47 - Stock Phrases
7:14 - Saving Phrases
9:30 - Endcreen

[@AnOpera4u]

Thank you for this informative video! I highly recommend the written description on how to use Votox.

[@euansmithmusic]

Hi Anders, I’m glad it was useful. I’m hoping to kickstart another series on these libraries soon. 😁

[@atomman40]

Love the plugin but your the only beginner to advance video tutorial for this product i found that explains it in layman's terms

[@euansmithmusic]

Yes, there aren’t many tutorials and I know my last video generated many questions. Good luck with tweaking the choir vocal sounds.

[@fadermaster5221]

Thank you for sharing that reference document!

[@euansmithmusic]

No probs. I hope it’s Useful. Did you see the recent Wordbuilder tutorial? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rafbk2OHet6ooLM

[@fadermaster5221]

@@euansmithmusic just now! Thanks again Euan.

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for watching 😁 Happy scoring!

[@briankurns1047]

4:16 This information is what I have been wanting for a long time. THANKS! I'm anxious to the use Melda MMorph to further twerk the results.....

[@euansmithmusic]

Good luck with this. Let me know how it goes.

[@henrygreenwood2113]

Thanks so much for this 🙌🙌

[@euansmithmusic]

You’re most welcome. Thanks for stopping to watch the video. Plenty more videos like this on the way 😁🎶

[@OrKestrAlan]

Excellent tutorial, thanks

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for watching 😃

[@dougboblas]

Great work, Euan. Many thanks for your informative video. Can you tell me how I go about linking these sung sounds with the syllables of the lyrics in my score in Sibelius.

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks dougboblas for your comment. You can link the Play engine in Sibelius. Open up a new SATB Score in Sibelius and assign the Play engine in Sibelius's "PLAY" tab. You'll have to do this for each track.Then there are a few steps to complete that would take me too long to type here. Would you like a tutorial video on this next Sunday? If you do, then please subscribe (and tap the bell) so that you net notified when it goes live.

[@atomman40]

Great, tutorial

[@euansmithmusic]

Thankyou. I hope you watched it all and downloaded the reference guide? Thanks for your support too. 😁🎶

[@MatthewKaiserMusic]

Great tutorial, thanks! Is there a way to change pitch without triggering the start of the next word? aka tied notes? I'm using a single word, "wave/wEiv/wiEv" and I want to change pitch without triggering the word wave again. Like moving from C3 to D3. Thanks.

[@euansmithmusic]

I have never managed this with the way the patches are designed, but I suppose if exported to audio, you could play with portamento. I’ve never tried it though. There is another way to get melisma though, so you may find this video I did of use: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKXLeWZ4aNV0hK8

[@robertsirico3670]

I subbed because your video is awesome. Can I write an opera style aria say, for a soprano who sings a melisma w a syllable over several changing notes? Or a Motet? Example “a-mor-e”. I have not found video explaining that. Seems most choirs are singing homophonically rather than polyphonically. Please explain

[@euansmithmusic]

HI Robert. Thanks very much. Yes you can score a melisma (but only for WB Multi patches and not solo voices). Add in additional letters of the phrase you want and to stop it from sounding "choppy" just select the performance parameter to "slurred legato". Then record and enjoy the smooth vocal effects. Would you like me to record a video toturial showing exactly how this is done?

[@euansmithmusic]

You might want to checkout this short video on Melisma in Wordbuilder that’ll be right up your street. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKXLeWZ4aNV0hK8

[@al_wombat]

Great! Thanks! What languages apart from Scottish are supported?

[@euansmithmusic]

You’ll be pleased to hear that English, Spanish, German, Italian and Latin as well as Phonetics are all supported. Of course, you’ll have watched the video to know this surely? Thanks for dropping by. 😁🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for watching. If you’re stuck, EW have a guide here: media.soundsonline.com/docs/EW-WordBuilder-Quick-Guide.pdf. GET FREE MERCH by joining my clan: bit.ly/ESMPATREON. You can catch the Wordbuilder overview video that I recorded 6 months before this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnqQqpt6iZZ4Z5Y. SUBSCRIBE NOW for more videos: bit.ly/ESMSUBSCRIBE see you in the next one!

[@abagatelle]

How about recording a short simple piece into your DAW, to show the process from beginning to end. eg The Lords my shepherd I'll not want. Very happy I've found your channel 👍

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for watching. If you subscribe, you’ll be notified when I upload such a tutorial. Maybe I could livestream it. I’m working on a Wordbuilder-related video this week. 😁

[@abagatelle]

@@euansmithmusic Enjoying your tutorials Euan. A question: is it possible to use pre-built phrases from say Backup Singers in Hollywood Choirs or Symphonic Choirs? The votox would be standard in any version of Player wouldn't it, just the actual emitted sounds being different as a function of which choir sample library selected?

[@euansmithmusic]

Totally yes. Just copy and paste. I did try this with some examples. Depending on how modern the library is, the results can vary slightly. e.g. from Symphonic Choirs to Hollywood Choirs, there’s a slight difference.

[@yramhossoo8586]

you need to do a wordbuilder versus vocaloid

[@euansmithmusic]

Yes, I have heard of Vocaloid. It's a technology developed by the Yamaha Corporation and has spawned various virtual pop stars, most notably Hatsune Miku. Both Wordbuilder and Vocaloid are used for creating artificial vocals but are quite different in terms of their features, workflow, and the type of vocals they can produce. Wordbuilder is often associated with EastWest's vocal libraries and is designed to articulate text in a way that mimics human-like singing. Vocaloid, on the other hand, is a software singing synthesizer enabling users to create songs by typing in lyrics and melody. Vocaloid is often used in various music genres and has a substantial following, especially in Japan.

[@bronson1392]

Very useful thanks! I find the stock words that come with the WB uninspiring, intolerable and unusable

[@euansmithmusic]

Agreed. I’ve always tweaked, invented new combinations and more. It helps hugely to build your own creativity into your music. Have fun.

[@bronson1392]

@@euansmithmusic Hi Euan, A question pls, I'm just trying to use this WB again and I have a simple issue (I hope!) So I tried Kyrie = KE R!E e but the third note 'e' is always a low velocity to the rest before it..What I'm i doing wrong? So many times the Velocites seem to be random as I play through the words syllables. I've subbed btw ; )

[@euansmithmusic]

Hi Pinda, thanks for your question. The best way to tweak the ‘e’ to sound like ‘ay’ for example is to drag the sound in the WB editor. Cycle through each sound instance until you find the letter you need, then lengthen the bar. This should help with the sound. Sometimes it’s trial and error. Another method is to change the spelling of the word to change the sound.

[@midicalproductions4722]

Hi, i would like to understand how many words i can tape in a single worldbuilder, i mean for each phrase i need a different patch on play? Is possible to use one patch with more phrases? If so how to manage this? with keyswitches?

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for your comment. You can have several lines typed in one instance of Opus / Play. Just split up each word you’d like to play / repeat etc. checkout this handout for more in-depth detail: media.soundsonline.com/docs/EW-WordBuilder-Quick-Guide.pdf

[@FabioMelis]

thank you for your video! i am trying desperately to get the choir to sing the lyrics "I will carry you in my heart" but it seems impossible to succeed. What can I write in the text editor to do it?

[@euansmithmusic]

Are you looking to have these lyrics split over many notes? Just type in English, but split the words during each key press. If you want a syllable to repeat then type them in more than once. I’d start with the stock phrases and edit them from there. Good luck!

[@FabioMelis]

@@euansmithmusic Yes exactly! I need the vst to scan 8 notes. I - WILL - CA - RRY YOU - IN - MY - HEART. but there is no way to get it to say the word carry. Thanks in advance!

[@euansmithmusic]

@@FabioMelis try “ca ray” or “ca Re”.

[@50hansroz]

does it work in Logic Pro? I can't get the word builder button, although I loaded the right WB Multi

[@euansmithmusic]

Yes absolutely, I use it in Logic Pro. What library are you using and if it’s the Opus Engine, you have to select Performance Tab and Wordbuilder is in there. 😁

[@Superduperond]

How does this plugin handle quick phrases? Feels like it lends itself to sustained notes rather than staccato singing.

[@euansmithmusic]

It handles short syllabic words quite well, but you need to shorten the length of each in the editor below.

[@mrdali67]

Is there any way to get correct pronunciation for nordic languages ? æ and å should be possible, but like everyone knows, all Danes love getting Americans (or English) people to say "Rødgrød med fløde" cause they simply can't figure out how to pronounce "Ø" 😎

[@euansmithmusic]

If you tweak each of the syllables and phonemes individually by altering the length and strength of each letter, you should get a close example. Have you tried with any examples of Nordic languages?

[@onealforde7624]

In logoc pro x what notes on the keybroad to press

[@euansmithmusic]

Each library has its own range. You first have to type in the words you want. If you’re in Play, then it’s slightly different to the Opus Engine (click PERFORMANCE then Wordbuilder). Once you’ve typed in your phrase then it’ll work. By the way, check you have an eligible sound library like Hollywood Choirs, choose a WB PATCH then play. My video links to a guide in the description that’ll give you all of the steps you need.

[@onealforde7624]

Word builder is not working in play only in opus .. I press the spacebar not work

[@noxalchemist3069]

do you have a wordbuilder cheat sheet with?

[@euansmithmusic]

Hi, I don’t, but you might find this one useful. media.soundsonline.com/docs/EW-WordBuilder-Phonetic-Alphabet-Reference.pdf

[@noxalchemist3069]

@@euansmithmusic thank you for taking the time to reply, I did download it a few day ago already, I see people doing great things but i cant replicate it on my DAW, I use midi script to triger the notes, but dynamics are messed up, then it has unwanted loops, it also doesnt follow the notes, then when I use it as stand alone w my midi controller, it seems that the word builder reacts to the dynamics and makes diferent sounds that what I intended, so I dont get to win either way, its frustrating because despite how much time it put into it it seems a waste, since I dont get anywhere

[@euansmithmusic]

Hi Nokturnal, I can sympathise with your frustrations. It’s a shame they haven’t implemented full on dynamic controls with a MIDI controller, unless I’m doing things wrongly with my NanoKontrol II. Maybe they’ll update the libraries with Opus and it’ll be more intuitive. I’ll keep playing around with it. I have planned a video with copy/paste lyrics, editing them, tweaking for realism. I’ll release this soon then hopefully you might get some ideas from it that may help. I use Spitfire Audio libraries (many are free) and they have dynamics and other controls very finely tuned. Always happy to reply to comments. We’re all trying to figure things out on here, so I’m always glad of the support 😁

[@mrsaxophone4765]

I have a question. I have to use some phrases more than once. It's a total waste of time editing every single note. Is there a way to copy and paste the words with all the editing made on them?

[@euansmithmusic]

Yes, copy and paste the WB text with edits. Create your new melodic line as normal, then paste your text on top of the new melodic line. You can use multiple lines of text in one instance of WB. Good luck!

[@mrsaxophone4765]

@@euansmithmusic well, if i do that, all the edit i did will not be pasted Let's say i made "a new beginning" and edited how it sounds. A for edited and a for not edited a new beginning Then A NEW BEGINNING Copy and paste A NEW BEGINNING a new beginning So whenever i paste, i lose in the pasted tedt what i edited, so if i want for exemple the letter b to be stronger always, i gotta edit it two times. What if that word or syllable is repeated 100 times? I have to edit all 100 times.

[@mrsaxophone4765]

@@euansmithmusic for exemple in Lacrimosa if i want to sing the whole lyrics, i cant write Lacrimosa only once, but twice. I have to write "lu u crE mo su", edit 5 times because i have to adjust all the syllables then copy and paste and re-edit them, for a total of 10 edits when i needed only 5, not counting the rest (qua resurget ex favilla...)

[@euansmithmusic]

I see. Well you can save your edits and reload them. That may help.

[@mrsaxophone4765]

@@euansmithmusic how?

[@jarrodwhitley]

My wordbuilder button is not blue and when I click on it nothing happens. Any idea of what I should do? I've already reinstalled Play 6 and checked for updates but it didn't make a difference.

[@euansmithmusic]

Hi, check that you’ve selected a WB MULTI patch in a valid library (such as Hollywood Choirs) and you’ve got a valid licence. You can check the licence when you install EW INSTALLER and manage your patches there as well. Let me know how you get on.

[@americanskeptic1559]

You're right, their plugin is broken, word builder doesn't work

[@euansmithmusic]

Are you sure? I was using it only 3 days ago and it worked fine for me. What library are you using it with?

[@americanskeptic1559]

@@euansmithmusic ew Hollywood backup singers

[@euansmithmusic]

What issues are you experiencing with WB in the library?

[@WealthyPlaceRecords]

I need help with word builder can you help me?

[@euansmithmusic]

Sure, what specifically is the issue? Have you read the linked guide?

[@gustafknudsen3344]

I can't open the "word builder"? It doesn't light up

[@euansmithmusic]

Are you using a library that supports WB Multi patches? Are you using Play Engine, or Opus? If you watch this video, I’ll go into more depth: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqqQgqR8jtGVabs. Thanks for watching.

[@onealforde7624]

When in logic I type in a word .. in opus press the space bar nothing works

[@euansmithmusic]

Have you checked you have a licence and that the libraries are up to date via the EW Installation Centre? I would get in touch with with EW. Follow the guide in my last reply and you’ll be fine. Usually it’s: 1) Licence 2) Installation location 3) Update. 4) Use if the correct compatible. WB MULTI Patch 5) Compatible MIDI Input device. The word is triggered via midi keyboard for example and not the space bar. Good luck.

[@onealforde7624]

@@euansmithmusic on the midi yes i can hear the notes but not the word i type in wordbuiler

[@GTSongwriter]

I couldn't use this plug-in... It's very resource heavy and requires a more modern computer. My computer at the time was a i7, 32gb ram, m.2 2TB from 2015. The chip was from 2015. It was a $4000 laptop at that time and now sells for $1500. It can't handle that plug-in.

[@euansmithmusic]

How strange. Mine is a 2014 Mac Mini i7 and has 16Gb RAM. The plugin works fine but check you’re using Opus engine and not Play.

[@GTSongwriter]

@@euansmithmusic Maybe next time I might give it another chance. I've already uninstalled the demo. So they'd have to give me another demo trail time again too. Thank you for the info, if I try it again I will look for that.

[@euansmithmusic]

Good luck.

[@campar1043]

i have hollywood backup singers wordbuilder loaded but the wordbuilder button is greyed out?

[@euansmithmusic]

How strange. Do you have the libraries installed to a SSD Drive. Have you got a licence updated through iLok? Have you installed it with EW Installation Centre and is it up-to-date? Just check that you’re also selecting a WB Multi patch as Wordbuilder doesn’t support solo voices. Once you’ve checked all of these, you’ll be good to go. 😁🎶

[@campar1043]

@@euansmithmusic figured it out for some reason word builder wasn’t checked first time around for the product support installation, thanks for the help though

[@euansmithmusic]

No worries. I’m glad you sorted it. Are you state-side? I’m UK Based, so not always able to reply as swiftly to my US Audiences as I’d like. I’ve got more WB videos coming soon. 😁

[@campar1043]

@@euansmithmusic I’m in Canada 🇨🇦

[@euansmithmusic]

Awesome. A country that’s on my list to visit. Welcome here and thanks for your comments.

[@PatAutrey]

The reference file does not work

[@euansmithmusic]

As in, doesn’t load, or you can’t get the results you require? The pinned comment in this thread takes you straight to the PDF.

[@PatAutrey]

@@euansmithmusic The PDF does not open for me for some reason not sure why

[@euansmithmusic]

@PatAutrey how strange. I just tested it and it was fine on both a phone and desktop.

[@rumblebproductions4910]

For some reason mine isn’t reading the words just saying ooooo

[@euansmithmusic]

Have you tried typing words into the Wordbuilder plugin and chosen a WB MULTI patch? This video for Sibelius might help. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZqakKp-hLClgas

[@euansmithmusic]

Have you tried typing words into the Wordbuilder plugin and chosen a WB MULTI patch? This video for Sibelius might help. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZqakKp-hLClgas

[@rumblebproductions4910]

@@euansmithmusic yes I have. It’s just keep singing the ahhhs no words. Thank you for replying.

[@euansmithmusic]

No problem. I’m curious why this is. Sometimes, reinstalling and selecting a different location to save the library might help you. 😁

[@mikaelwetterlundh92]

Same here! It does not play the WB phrase, just ooooo...... Have you solved this?

[@onealforde7624]

Need help this dont work at all

[@euansmithmusic]

Have you tried following this? media.soundsonline.com/docs/EW-WordBuilder-Quick-Guide.pdf

[@onealforde7624]

Wordbuild in play do not show up

[@euansmithmusic]

It sounds like you're experiencing an issue where the Wordbuilder feature isn't appearing in the Play Engine. It's worth noting that the Play Engine has been upgraded to the Opus Engine, so updating your software through the EW Downloader could resolve your problem. Additionally, ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements for the new engine to function correctly. If you're new to this engine, I have a course launching soon that will provide a comprehensive overview of the Opus Engine and how to use its features, including Wordbuilder. Stay tuned for that! Here's how you could guide someone experiencing this issue: Update the Play Engine to the Opus Engine via the EW Downloader. Verify that your computer meets the system requirements for the new Opus Engine. Once you've updated, open the engine and see if Wordbuilder appears as an option. I hope that helps. Stay tuned for the course which should demystify many of the features and functionalities of this powerful engine.

[@petertremblay3725]

I don't get why people would use the world builder to get English or any other language except latin, it's ridiculous and always sound horrible! My user case is for a video game score where i invented word based on ancient Egyptian to make some kind of magic incantations choir that sound ominous.

[@euansmithmusic]

Thanks for your input.