Auto-Tune is the more widely used and recognized pitch correction software because of its ease of use. True to its name, Auto-Tune will correct the pitch of off-key musical performances automatically provided the erroneous notes are not too different from what they should be. Melodyne generally requires that the audio recording be played through Melodyne Bridge, a plug-in application; Melodyne saves the recording in a new file format. Despite this workaround, Melodyne can be used for more than pitch correction, as the main application includes capabilities for completely changing the melodic phrasing and pitch in ways that Auto-Tune cannot.
Both Auto-Tune and Melodyne have a graphic mode for post-production that enables the artist to manually shift the pitch curve to improve the quality of the recording. In Auto-Tune, the artist must produce the original pitch curve before edits can be made to the sound recording; this is not the case in Melodyne, which has received positive reviews on its graphic user interface. The interface has been described as more intuitive than that of Auto-Tune, but Auto-Tune does provide more space to display the pitch correction window.
For producers and artists who want to correct pitch in the quickest way possible, Auto-Tune is recommended for its auto mode, which allows the user to speedily edit incorrect notes with minimal setup and technical knowledge. Melodyne has been described as an audio processing tool with creative as well as corrective capability. While more time-consuming, Melodyne allows the user to execute more difficult and intricate music production edits for a wide variation of end results.
Both Auto-Tune and Melodyne are professional software products, and both software suites produce excellent sound quality. Auto-Tune has various features that target specific aspects of a vocalist's recording, allowing the user to vary the amount of vibrato used with the "Natural Vibrato" control or increase the recording's fidelity to the original vocalist with the "Humanize" option. While these features may not be included with the same transparency and ease-of-use in Melodyne, it is also capable of producing a smooth and natural-sounding recording with corrected pitch and phrasing.