KVR Audio

JeffSanders · Post by **JeffSanders** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:15 pm

Is there anything out there (or a nice combination of things) that effectively does what Waves Doubler does? Sort of an Eventide emulation to thicken a vocal?

I usually just physically double my vocals...but Doubler seems like you can coax some cool, trippy things from it...or does it just plain blow?

If I didn't want PACE, I'd just buy Musician's Bundle 2...but my Synchrosoft dongle is enough donglage for my pc.

Jason Brian Merrill · Post by **Jason Brian Merrill** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:29 pm

beej · Post by **beej** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:40 pm

Doubler is nice, but it's not really doing anything special. It can create up to 4 extra voices, with pitch, level and pan offsets for each. It has an lfo to randomise the pitch, and the doubler generated voices can be EQ'd with a basic EQ.

So, in order to recreate it, send your signal to a couple of busses, use a plugin to shift the left voice down a few cents, the right voice up a few cents, delay and EQ to taste if you want, and you'll get much the same result - although with a little more hassle.

Juanjo · Post by **Juanjo** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:49 pm

CloneEnsemble might be what you are looking for, and then some:

http://www.cloneensemble.com/

I'm actually considering it myself, it surely sounds great and can do, to paraphrase, "cool trippy things" to vocals

Westex · Post by **Westex** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:02 pm

beej wrote:Doubler is nice, but it's not really doing anything special. It can create up to 4 extra voices, with pitch, level and pan offsets for each. It has an lfo to randomise the pitch, and the doubler generated voices can be EQ'd with a basic EQ.

So, in order to recreate it, send your signal to a couple of busses, use a plugin to shift the left voice down a few cents, the right voice up a few cents, delay and EQ to taste if you want, and you'll get much the same result - although with a little more hassle.

That's what I was going to suggest. To start, simply download a pitch shifter like Madshifta and any digital delay (with fine adjustment of the delay time).

http://bram.smartelectronix.com/plugins.php?id=2

Now, set up two mono sends (or group tracks in Cubase), pan them hard left & right and insert your pitch shifter, delay and (maybe) an EQ. Set your left & right pitch shift / delay amounts and EQ to taste.

Now, if you want to apply the "harmonizer" to a track, send an equal amount of your signal to each of the left and right busses.Voila!

BTW, if you want a simpler solution, try Audio Damage's Discord 2. It's good and only $39...

dhise · Post by **dhise** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:03 pm

JeffSanders wrote:Is there anything out there (or a nice combination of things) that effectively does what Waves Doubler does? Sort of an Eventide emulation to thicken a vocal?

I usually just physically double my vocals...but Doubler seems like you can coax some cool, trippy things from it...or does it just plain blow?

If I didn't want PACE, I'd just buy Musician's Bundle 2...but my Synchrosoft dongle is enough donglage for my pc.

You know, I've yet to hear a plug in do this better than my old Eventide 3000d/se. Someday we'll have some really top notch pitch shifting with some nice modulation ITB.....

peace,
Doug

http://www.myspace.com/hisesoundlabs

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:16 pm

I think the Waves Doubler is pretty wicked, the best option to the Eventide. I think it's funny that you said "it's doing nothing special" when you look at how much you have to do to almost match what it does! I do you think you can get pretty good results manually, but I haven't come across anything with such a good sound and solid stereo imaging.

What's "DuoX"? Is that the plugin that MidiWorks never put out?

beej · Post by **beej** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:23 pm

I simply mean, that what Doubler does can be recreated in other ways, albeit not as quickly. It's "simply" pitch shifting, delay and EQ really - so I stand by the statement it's not doing anything "special" as such...

I do like Doubler a lot though, it's great for really subtley enhancing things, or more obvious stereo widening and chorus effects on things like acoustic guitars.

justjazz · Post by **justjazz** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:32 pm

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:49 pm

Well, if it sounds good, then you're not missing out. Where Doubler excels is in the amount of control of the signal; you can EQ the doubles so your "base" frequencies don't get all phased out, modulate the pitch, seperate controls on everything. Very sweet.

But I also think mda stereo deserves a mention; an excellent and simple doubler, holds up perfectly in mono too.

If I get some time today I'm going to take the challenge and find an alternative. I'm trying to ween off Waves myself, and this is one of its last strongholds.

JeffSanders · Post by **JeffSanders** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:01 pm

Please do, bduffy - and let us know your findings!

Thanks for your feedback, everyone...keep it coming.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:03 pm

So what's the current list of candidates?

DuoX (mystery)
mda stereo
MadShifta (method)
Discord 2?

Juanjo · Post by **Juanjo** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:23 pm

bduffy, sorry to repeat myself but CloneEnsemble would certainly be a candidate

Maybe Choir Boy from elevayta too.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:28 pm

Juanjo wrote:bduffy, sorry to repeat myself but CloneEnsemble would certainly be a candidate Maybe Choir Boy from elevayta too.

Yes that's right. Sorry if I missed that. I'm downloading a bunch of stuff now...

JeffSanders · Post by **JeffSanders** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:51 pm

Doubler is not to produce lame, fake harmonies, right? Just to detune a few cents for a subliminal doubling/thickening?

Waves Doubler - alternatives??