LOCKJAW — Free Autotune-Style Hard-Tune Plugin (VST3, Windows)
LOCKJAW is a free autotune-style pitch correction plugin for Windows 10/11 (64-bit), delivered as a VST3 and a standalone app. Pick a KEY and SCALE, set RETUNE to zero for the full hard-tune robot or ease it up for natural glides between notes. The formant-preserving engine means no chipmunk effect at any setting, and the pitch lane shows your raw voice next to the locked note. It is part of BSMT.DSP, the free suite by Dr.dawgOG from Anand, Gujarat.
What LOCKJAW does
Pitch correction snaps a sung or rapped note to the nearest note in a chosen scale. Set the retune speed to zero and it snaps instantly, which is the hard-tune sound that has run through rap and R&B since the T-Pain era; slow it down and the correction becomes invisible, only nudging notes that drift. LOCKJAW does exactly this with two decisions: KEY and SCALE tell it which notes are legal, RETUNE tells it how fast to lock.
The part that separates a usable free autotune plugin from a toy is formant handling. Shifting pitch without preserving formants changes the apparent size of the throat, which is the chipmunk problem. LOCKJAW's engine keeps formants where they were, so a hard-tuned melody still sounds like the same person. The pitch lane draws the raw voice in rust and the corrected note in blood, so you can see how far each note traveled and whether the scale is right.
Hard-tune for rap hooks, melodic verses and ad-libs
For the modern melodic rap sound, set the song's key, choose the scale (minor for most trap, major or pentatonic when the beat calls for it) and pull RETUNE to zero. Double the hook with XEROX and the tuned stack thickens into the polished sound heard on records. For verses, raise RETUNE to a medium setting so the rapper's natural inflection survives and only the sustained notes get pulled in.
If the melody wanders off key, check the pitch lane first: notes landing on the wrong line usually mean the scale is wrong, not the singer. LOCKJAW works inside FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase and Bitwig on Windows, and the standalone app lets you practice with a microphone outside a project.
How to use LOCKJAW
- Insert LOCKJAW first on the vocal chain, before compression and effects, so it sees a clean pitch.
- Set KEY and SCALE to match the beat. If you do not know the key, try the minor scale of the 808's root note.
- Pull RETUNE to zero for full hard-tune, or raise it until the effect disappears and only stray notes get corrected.
- Watch the pitch lane: rust is the raw voice, blood is the locked note. If notes jump to the wrong line, change the scale.
LOCKJAW features
- KEY and SCALE selection for scale-locked pitch correction
- RETUNE from zero (instant hard-tune robot) to slow, natural glide
- Formant-preserving engine, so no chipmunk at any setting
- Pitch lane display: raw voice in rust, locked note in blood
- Built for rap hooks, melodic verses and ad-libs
- VST3 and standalone for Windows 10/11 64-bit, free with no signup
LOCKJAW vs the alternatives
How LOCKJAW compares with the free and paid hard-tune vocal effect plugins producers usually shortlist. The row for LOCKJAW is highlighted.
| Plugin | Price | Windows formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOCKJAW (BSMT.DSP) | Free, no signup | VST3, standalone | Key and scale lock, zero-retune hard-tune, formant preservation, pitch lane display |
| Auburn Sounds Graillon (free edition) | Free | VST2, VST3, AAX | Good free pitch correction with extra modules locked behind the paid edition |
| MeldaProduction MAutoPitch | Free (MFreeFXBundle) | VST2, VST3, AAX | Capable free auto-pitch inside a large bundle |
| GVST GSnap | Free | VST2 only | Long-running classic, but VST2 only and dated |
| Antares Auto-Tune Pro | Paid (subscription or perpetual) | VST3, AAX | The paid anchor and the origin of the sound |
Pricing as published by each vendor in August 2026. Formats listed for Windows only.
LOCKJAW specs
| Plugin | LOCKJAW (hard-tune vocal effect) |
| Category | VOCALS |
| Price | Free. No account, no email, no trial, no watermark. |
| Formats | VST3 (64-bit) and a standalone app |
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11, 64-bit. macOS build in progress (the download button switches when it ships). |
| Works in | FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and any other VST3 host on Windows |
| Installer | One BSMT.DSP installer for all 27 plugins; tick the ones you want. It detects and updates older versions in place. |
| Version | Shown on the download button, fetched live from the releases repository. |
| Developer | Dr.dawgOG (BSMT.DSP), Anand, Gujarat, India |
| Support the project | buymeacoffee.com/dawgog (optional) |
LOCKJAW FAQ
Is there a free autotune plugin for FL Studio?
Yes. LOCKJAW is a free VST3 pitch correction plugin that loads in FL Studio on Windows, with key and scale selection and a retune speed that goes all the way to the hard-tune robot sound. No account or email is required to download it.
How do I get the T-Pain or hard-tune effect?
Set LOCKJAW's KEY and SCALE to the song, then pull RETUNE to zero so every note snaps instantly. Add XEROX for doubles and a little BASEMENT reverb and you have the classic tuned-hook sound.
Why does my voice sound like a chipmunk in other pitch plugins?
Because they shift the formants along with the pitch, which changes the apparent size of your throat. LOCKJAW preserves formants while correcting pitch, so the voice stays the same person at any setting.
Is LOCKJAW really free?
Completely free. No trial, no watermark, no account. It comes in the BSMT.DSP installer from GitHub Releases, where you can install just LOCKJAW or the whole suite.
Does LOCKJAW work in Ableton Live, Reaper and Studio One?
Yes. It is a 64-bit VST3 for Windows 10/11, so it works in Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and FL Studio. A standalone app is included for practicing with a mic outside the DAW.
Install, SmartScreen and Mac questions are answered on the BSMT.DSP suite FAQ.
More from BSMT.DSP
See all 27 free BSMT.DSP plugins, the guide to mixing rap vocals with free plugins, and the list of free alternatives to paid vocal plugins. Need the vocal mixed by the person who built these? Mixing and mastering is open.