Multi band BIT Crusher VST

There are thousands of bit-crusher plugins and most of them don't add anything important to the ones shipped with most sequencer applications. This one adds something: multi band support!

Multiband Bitcrusher I is a multiple bitcrush & downsample plug-in. It selects 4 frequency bands from the incoming signal - Low; Middle Low; Middle High; High - and then processes them through the bitcrusher and/or the grinder. Frequency cut-off point for each band is selectable in a variable range depending on the band; unselected frequencies are cut.

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KORG MS-20 VS BLACK AUDIO DESTRUCTOR Samples

"Me next! Me next!!"... this is what the KORG MS-20 seemed to shout after seeing me sampling the JoMoX thorough the Black Audio Destructor! The big old toy is on the list of the borrowed things, so anytime I can get a phone call that will take it away from me. Since I know that I will be committing suicide when this happens, I decided to exploit it a bit more.



So I spent a nice evening filtering the KORG MS-20 thorough the BAD, trying some unusual (actually ranging from weird to completely insane) patches including the outputs of the White and Pink noises.

In this collection of industrial sounds all samples are in MONO but I advise to couple similar sounds together into a STEREO file for some nice spatial effects.


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BLISTER Distortion VST

I stumbled upon this VST plug-in from TLR while doing a techno track a few days ago. Itself it's a nice piece of software but the characteristic that has cached my attention is its SERIABILITY.



Usually distortion plug-ins, after putting two or three of the same in the same track, sound nothing more that a big squared waveform. This plug-in starts to make interesting sounds after three or more instances are loaded in the same track. This is probably because of the oscillator there's inside:

Something important to mention here is the utilization of a Synthedit module called NewWave (by Ralph Gonzalez). Basically it detects an input frequency and then uses that information to spit out a synthy waveform based upon it. This technology works
much better when used along with a very simple input signal.

I arrived at five instances on a single track and actually getting some fun artifacts.

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MP3 encoding artefacts as a creative effect

Lossy encoding creates unwanted and weird effects. The MP3 codec tries to recreate the full frequency spectrum regardless of the encoding frequency, so at very low values it develops weird artifacts that I always found interesting in a creative way.

I've been looking for a VST plugin that encodes and decodes audio in MP3 format but it seems like it doesn't exists. Also normal codecs like LAME or Fraunhofer don't create enough artifacts to satisty my needs except the one that comes with Macromedia/Adobe Flash.



Also older version work as far as they can import WAVS.

Here is how it can be done:
Load up the .WAV into the library and put it into timeline. Edit the properties and start playing a little. Basically very low frequency work well for this. It is possible to load single tracks or entire mixes, but more variegated material will create more fractalization after the encoding.

Export the .SWF and use something to convert it back to .WAV. This appears to work well but there are surely alternatives to test out also on other platforms.

Put the result together with the original track on your preferred audio sequencer and start mixing them. You really don't need to be an EQ wizard to be able to enhance the artifacts frequencies.

This is the .SWF version of my latest song (just as an example). The resulting file is less that 300kb, so it is clear that the codec is "inventing" back most of the audio!

JoMoX percussions through Black Audio Destructor samples

The Black Audio Destructor (BAD!) does exactly what its name suggests: destroys audio! Anything fed is reduced to shreds.

The mode switch selects between Crunch mode, Saturated mode and Tone mode. In every mode the audio is distorted and ground up at a frequency selected by the frequency knob, Selecting Crunch mode with the switch in the upwards position gives a spluttering crunchy distorted sound that can sound like anything from an old fuzz pedal with a nearly dead battery, to a mixing desk with every light running in the red. In Saturated mode with the switch in the central position you get a much more intense effect, where the input signal and the effect signal start to blend into one mighty noise. In this mode you can get brutally saturated and distorted synth like tones running at the frequency of the input signal. The final mode is the Tone mode with the switch in the downward position. In this mode the box starts playing a constant tone at certain settings, with the input signal interacting with the tone in bizarre ways. With an input signal as a sweeping synth waveform we have managed to get pseudo ring modulator tones in this mode.

To test its full potential I needed something with a fierce output, something analog that can withstand this degree of audio degradation. A JoMoX X-Base 09 would be perfect!



So I borrowed the one from my friend Hask and started to experiment with snares, kickdrums and different layerings of them together, to see where how far the boundaries of harshness were.

The result is a unique and huge collection of Industrial hits, suitable for Powernoise, Techno, and maybe some hard EBM.

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My BLACK AUDIO DESTRUCTOR is on its way!

This nice piece of hardware from Circuitsbenders should be at my door in a day or two! I expect to spend all my weekend using it to process harsh percussions out of a JoMoX X-Base09!

Essentially this small black box eats audio alive, then chews it up and spits it out in what can only be described as a deeply offensive manner. Basically its a wrong'un! The box can create a wide range of bitcrushing style, gating, distortion and synthlike frequency effects with an intensity that can be anything from a gentle thin crunch to a terrifying wall of unstoppable noise.

"...a terrifying wall of unstoppable noise." ...YESS!!

Timemachine - Vintage sampler Emulator

I'm not new on using an old sampler as a distortion unit so this plugin got my attention when I discovered it.



The sound obviously is totally different as a real old-school sampler really shakes the speakers but if taken as simple distortion unit it can be useful.

At very high gain values it's quite raw convincing, especially on percussive material.

TimeMachine is a VST plugin that provides accurate reproduction of the characteristic sound of vintage samplers, such as the Commodore 64, or older Akai samplers. The (virtual) sampling rate can be varied, as well as the number of bits used for digital representation. furthermore, aliasing distortion can be generated individually for AD and DA conversion.

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Bassdrum Murda Bit crusher / Distortion VST

This VST plug-in from hardcore producer Bula reaches the boundaries of insanity as it completely disintegrate any signal fed into it! The degree of distortion is something even hilarious to explain and if you don't get enough harshness yet there are two fader to add crackness and noise.



Needless to say that it can be infinitely handy while carving industrial sounds...

Features:
- gain
- distortion
- crackness ( zeros samples under a given threshold value)
- add noise ( adds white-noise)
- low level quantization ( special quantization [for Bassdrums] between 1 Bit and 5 Bits)
- pre-/post Inversion (the old good FastTracker FX!)
- 24 dB LowPass: Cutoff and Resonance
- additional pre-quantisation (between 1 Bit and 7 Bits)

Quote from the author: "Please be careful - this Plug is fucking !Loud!"

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