The TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play is the ideal solution for optimally enhancing vocals in any style. The range of onboard effects includes chorus, delay, and reverb in addition to a compressor and de-esser, and the VoiceLive Play can also be used to record individual passages and play them as loops. Vocals can be harmonised and double-tracked as well, so users have an extensive range of tools handy to enable them to find the right vocal sound for any genre. The HIT feature allows effects to be applied only during specific sections of the performance, while the "Hard Tune" function delivers optimum pitch correction effects as popularised by artists like T-Pain and Cher. Last but not least, the VoiceLive Play's onboard compressor and equaliser provide a range of automatic settings to ensure a properly balanced sound.
The central element of the TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play's user interface is the LCD screen, which displays the effects that are currently selected. Located directly beneath this is the rotary encoder with which the user can scroll through the presets, while the arrow buttons located on either side allow style and genre selection. A whole range of other settings can be made using the backlit, soft-texture buttons: "Genre" allows the user to select presets by category, and the current selection can be bookmarked using the "Favorite" button and quickly recalled later on. The effects processor's configuration menu - which includes microphone type selection - is accessed via the "Setup" button, while the "RoomSense" function uses the integrated microphones to determine the key of the song being played based on audio information from instruments in the vicinity and adjust the harmonies accordingly. When practising, the user can also connect a pair of headphones in addition to their microphone and thus add some ambient sound to their headphone mix.
The TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play is aimed at vocalists who are looking to enhance their performances through the use of effects. The processor's intuitive controls and ease of use make it a particularly good choice for beginners, who instantly have access to more than a hundred effects presets. As mentioned above, the "HIT" function lets the user activate the effects when they are needed in order to emphasise specific sections of the song. The VoiceLive Play is also eminently suited to use in the rehearsal room, particularly thanks to the "Practice" function, which allows the user to connect an external signal source to the AUX input and sing along to their favourite songs. When the VoicePlay Live is combined with a TC-Helicon MC-75 or Sennheiser e835 FX microphone, a desired effect parameter can also be selected via the "Mic Control" function and controlled using the corresponding button on the mic itself.
TC-Helicon was founded in 2000 as a subsidiary of TC Electronic in cooperation with IVL Technologies Ltd. and has since specialised in voice recording technology. TC-Helicon focuses primarily on portable audio interfaces. The product range also includes various signal processors designed for the voice, in the form of effect pedals or compact devices with microphone stand mounts. Since 2015, TC Helicon has belonged to Music Tribe, the holding company of Behringer, which has brought brands such as Midas and Klark Teknik under one roof.
The "Tone Style" menu (accessed via "Setup") allows the user to select from numerous different presets, which range from subtle adjustments in the bass, mid, and treble frequencies via the internal equaliser and slight compression in the signal dynamics with mild gate settings through to some very dramatic-sounding effects and also include automatic pitch correction. Another useful feature when practising is the "Vocal Cancel" function, which removes the vocal track from the song being played back, while the "Practice" function displays useful information such as how accurately the user is hitting the correct note (as a percentage). Selecting "Average" in turn displays the average degree of deviation from the target note and "Problem Notes" indicates which notes are most frequently missed. All of these functions together make the TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play an extremely helpful tool for vocalists to hone their skills.