VST "varispeed" plugin -- Pitch & Speed control ??

[AudioBabble]

Hey all...

This seems like a simple idea, but I just can't seem to find a VST that actually does what I want.

Quite simply, I'm looking for a varispeed control that will alter pitch and speed (tempo) of the audio on the track it's inserted on -- not a momentary "special effect" like the vinyl run-down or tape-stop plugins, but rather continuously controllable so it can be automated -- a read-out of the actual tempo and pitch changes would be an added bonus.

Any suggestions?

[Uncle E]

How about IRCAM Lab TS2?

https://www.jrrshop.com/ircam-lab-ts

[AudioBabble]

How about IRCAM Lab TS2?

https://www.jrrshop.com/ircam-lab-ts

Looks very capable -- thanks, i'll check it out

[CinningBao]

TS2 is top-notch but it is a standalone application, not a plugin.

Interesting problem though. So you just want to insert a plugin on an audio track in your DAW which contains vocals or synths or something, and have arbitrary control over the playback speed of that material at any point in your project? I don't believe a plugin is available which will offer purely this; most folks don't tend to want to place the contents of a project channel into another buffer for manipulation - I think most folks just use the audio modification tools in their DAW. With that in mind, I don't believe any developer has created a plugin like this unfortunately.

Your modified tempo could easily be calculated (within a plugin doing this) but pitch changes will depend on the notes in the audio.

On the other hand, you could probably-relatively-easily create something in Reaktor/Bidule/(the max/msp extension for AbletonLive) to do this.

On the other _other_ hand you could just drop your audio into a sampler and use pitch-bend to change the playback speed.

Remember, with normal audio files, and no clever FFT (of the like you'd find in TS2) processing, playback speed and relative pitch are linked. Play it faster, stuff is higher in pitch and happens faster; play it slower stuff is lower in pitch and stuff happens slower.

Hope you find a solution!

[zerocrossing]

I’m doing this with Bitwig’s built in controls. I’m not aware of a plugin that allows this. Maybe Paulstretch? I’ve not yet tried it.

[Yadrichik_Chaya]

Also wanted this since way back!
That every Audio/MIDI channel would have both, independent BPM and Time Signature, that you could set however you feel like

[AudioBabble]

TS2 is top-notch but it is a standalone application, not a plugin.

Interesting problem though. So you just want to insert a plugin on an audio track in your DAW which contains vocals or synths or something, and have arbitrary control over the playback speed of that material at any point in your project? I don't believe a plugin is available which will offer purely this; most folks don't tend to want to place the contents of a project channel into another buffer for manipulation - I think most folks just use the audio modification tools in their DAW. With that in mind, I don't believe any developer has created a plugin like this unfortunately.

Your modified tempo could easily be calculated (within a plugin doing this) but pitch changes will depend on the notes in the audio.

On the other hand, you could probably-relatively-easily create something in Reaktor/Bidule/(the max/msp extension for AbletonLive) to do this.

On the other _other_ hand you could just drop your audio into a sampler and use pitch-bend to change the playback speed.

Remember, with normal audio files, and no clever FFT (of the like you'd find in TS2) processing, playback speed and relative pitch are linked. Play it faster, stuff is higher in pitch and happens faster; play it slower stuff is lower in pitch and stuff happens slower.

Hope you find a solution!

Great answer -- thanks! Amazingly I never thought of simply using a sampler to do it...

In the end though, I've also just done it with Reaper by automating the playback rate (with pitch correction turned off) and it works and sounds pretty good (good enough as an "effect").

I have two possible applications where I'd want to do this, either to make a speeding up effect that moves from one bpm to another (or slowing down, I suppose)... or to pitch up (or down) from one key to another. The maths for bpm is pretty simple: 120 bpm to 170 bpm would be 120/170 = 1.4166 -- so starting at 1.0 playrate and increasing to 1.4166
Pitch is slightly more complex to get right for semitones.. err I think it would be 1/12, which is 0.0833... so let's see... my increase to 170 bpm would be almost exactly 5 semitones... or for example -- C to F

Now wouldn't it have been great if a VST could have done all that number-crunching for me?!

[Uncle E]

Now wouldn't it have been great if a VST could have done all that number-crunching for me?!

Nah, you've got it handled. AI will make all of us superfluous soon enough, may as well enjoy these small, final moments of sentience.

[muki]

maybe try cableguys timeshaper

https://www.cableguys.com/timeshaper.html

also runs in their shaperbox

[AudioBabble]

I’m doing this with Bitwig’s built in controls. I’m not aware of a plugin that allows this. Maybe Paulstretch? I’ve not yet tried it.

I have Paulstretch... or at least paulxstretch as a vst. It's fantastic for extreme stuff -- especially drone sounds when you slow things down, but not really controllable in terms of bpm or fixed pitch as I was hoping.

[vurt]

Also wanted this since way back!
That every Audio/MIDI channel would have both, independent BPM and Time Signature, that you could set however you feel like

you might want to look at plogue bidule.
modular host, clocks are modules, you can open one for each track.
(can't comment on key sigs as i don't really use them for noise recordings...)

[AudioBabble]

maybe try cableguys timeshaper

https://www.cableguys.com/timeshaper.html

also runs in their shaperbox

timeshaper is definitely capable of doing what I'm asking -- in fact I have shaperbox, but have always used it as more of a tool for doing rhythmical things.
If timeshaper had more accurate scales in the kind of dimensions I'm looking for, it would be "the one"... but I'm looking for the abilty to say: over 8 bars, increase the tempo from 120 to 170 [without preserving pitch]... or: over 8 bars increase the pitch by 5 semitones [without preserving tempo]
... just surprised nobody has though of this for a plugin... I've heard a few examples of it in produced music but presumably everybody's using a variation of the technique I mentioned in an earlier reply: automating playback speed in the DAW.

[AudioBabble]

Also wanted this since way back!
That every Audio/MIDI channel would have both, independent BPM and Time Signature, that you could set however you feel like

you might want to look at plogue bidule.
modular host, clocks are modules, you can open one for each track.
(can't comment on key sigs as i don't really use them for noise recordings...)

Ah yes, I'm aware of it... in fact I think I have a demo somewhere. I recall being rather scared by its apparent complexity! But yes, I imagine it would do the job. Cheers

[Uncle E]

I have Paulstretch... or at least paulxstretch as a vst. It's fantastic for extreme stuff -- especially drone sounds when you slow things down, but not really controllable in terms of bpm or fixed pitch as I was hoping.

RX Variable Pitch and Variable Time will do it. Variable Pitch with Preserve Time left unchecked is probably very close to what you're looking for. Variable Time will have you doing math again, though, as there's no BPM input.

[Yadrichik_Chaya]

Also wanted this since way back!
That every Audio/MIDI channel would have both, independent BPM and Time Signature, that you could set however you feel like

you might want to look at plogue bidule.
modular host, clocks are modules, you can open one for each track.
(can't comment on key sigs as i don't really use them for noise recordings...)

Thank you very much for mentioning this!
I have plenty of Plogue stuff but not Bidule. I only remember a midi guitar manufacturer in Australia recommending Bidule when using their midi guitar to set things up. I will take a closer look now.