ONE-SHOTS
Jul 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander
TRILLIUM LANE LABS TL|EVERYPHASE
ANALOG PHASER FOR DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS
Phase-shifting technology sure has come a long way. The basic two- and four-stage analog designs that offered those trippy Hendrix and Zeppelin guitar and drum washes have matured considerably, thanks in part to companies like Trillium Lane Labs. With TL|EveryPhase, the timeless sound of classic analog-phaser gear has been bulked out to provide as many as 18 supersaturated stages. Modulation can be controlled by LFO or by the built-in envelope detector, which is assignable to the current track or to a sidechain input. The LFO can be freely set to bpms or synched to the current tempo of the Pro Tools session. A variety of LFO triggers (including Beat Clock and envelope detector) are also provided to ensure that a phase effect can be made to consistently match the timing of any audio signal. Manual triggering mode even lets you drop effects on the fly or spot-edit them in with Pro Tools automation.
At its gentlest, TL|EveryPhase was much like a fine latte: rich, creamy and smooth and goes well with just about anything. When taunted, it ripped new life into boring beats and chopped up vocals with some pretty extreme filtered feedback and tremolo. Synching heavy doses of resonance to a rhythmic sidechain made for especially exciting transitions and builds of otherwise mundane trance pads. iLok-protected, TL|EveryPhase installs in mono, stereo, mono to stereo and 5.1 (surround available on HD Accel hardware only) and boasts 120 presets in eight categories. Chances are, you'll find yourself overusing this straightforward and tweak-addictive plug — or, maybe, it's just a phase you're going through.
Product Summary
TRILLIUM LANE LABS
TL|EVERYPHASE > $249
At a glance: Classic analog phaser plug-in with a max 18 stages. Includes both RTAS and TDM plug-ins.
Contact: e-mail info@tllabs.com; Web www.tllabs.com
SUGAR BYTES ARTILLERY
KEYBOARD-CONTROLLED EFFECTS PLUG-IN
Berlin-based newcomer Sugar Bytes claims that its new VST, DXi and Audio Units plug-in, Artillery, is “the first FX keyboard in the world.” FX keyboard? In an unconventional match-up, Artillery is a keyboard-controlled multi-effects processor that allows you to trigger and extensively modulate effects parameters across a keyboard, essentially “playing.” There are 11 effects categories to choose from — including Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Phaser, Filter and Flanger — as well as a few specialized ones like Loop; Amp; FFT (Fast Fourier Transforms); Destruction; and Micro Sampler, a real gem that granulizes incoming audio or AIFF/WAV samples from disk and mutates into a monophonic synth using the recorded material as a waveform.
After assigning effects to different key zones, you dial in the emphasis that each zone will have on its effect's parameters, allowing you to do such things as “play” filter openings or change directions of individual sample segments on the fly. In a peculiar twist, orders must be placed c.o.d. from the company Website. Think of it this way: You'll have plenty of time to work on your sonic-ammunition stockpile before the artillery rolls up.
Product Summary
SUGAR BYTES
ARTILLERY > $199
At a glance: VST, DXi, Audio Units plug-in. Allows users play effects on a keyboard.
Contact: e-mail info@sugar-bytes.de; Web www.sugar-bytes.de
ZERO-G AMBIENT TEXTURES
REASON REFILL
Veteran sound designer Jonathan Heslop has crafted an absolutely gorgeous-sounding masterpiece in this massive collection of ethereal orbs, pads, drones, leads, pulsating sweeps and other evocative textures and special effects. Residing on a single CD are 300 Subtractor, 201 Malström, 259 NN-19 and 240 NN-XT patches that successfully bridge silver-screen aesthetics with electronica sensibilities. Heslop has drawn from the Alesis QS, the Waldorf Micro Q and Microwave XT, the Novation Supernova II ProX and the Technics WSA1 synthesizers for truly stunning multisample material. Sounds — which are loosely categorized as ambient, strings, vox, harsh, gated and SFX — strike a comfortable balance between being showy and remaining musical. The samples tend to possess a more shimmery and cyclical quality overall, leaning heavily toward PPG-style breathy, glassy and wispy bandpassed sounds. The synth patches pleased my harder side — a case in point is an edgy Subtractor bank full of nasty, fun industrial goodness that will make your neighbors run for earplugs. Although Heslop's programming is nearly faultless throughout, it's a shame that more attention wasn't put into modulation of the multisamples (especially within NN-XT) or keyboard control of the Subtractor and Malström patches. Regardless, with source material this good, it's kind of exciting to finish the job for him, tailoring the sounds to suit your needs.
Product Summary
ZERO-G (DIST. BY EAST WEST/SOUNDS ONLINE)
AMBIENT TEXTURES > $79.95
At a glance: Massive collection of evocative synth and sample textures for Reason.
Contact: tel. (800) 833-8339; e-mail info@soundsonline.com; Web www.soundsonline.com
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