United Plugins has announced Transmutator, crossfading tool for transitions between tracks, song parts or songs.
This latest release from JMG Sound to pair complex processing techniques balanced with easy-to-use control is the work of company founder Jason Gibbins, creator of the HyperSpace algorithmic plug-in. Transmutator has many potential uses, including transitioning between different sections in tracks (from verse to chorus or build-up to drop, for example), mixing between two songs (such as in a DJ set), or sound design (by fusing and morphing two elements together in various ways) – it is simply a case of inserting the audio effect plug-in in a track, then feeding a second track into its side-chain input.
Integral to Transmutator’s GUI is its ‘mix dial’ that transitions from Input A (track input) to Input B (side-chain input) using any of 16 modes: Filter (applies a high-pass filter to input A and a low-pass filter to Input B); Spectrum (uses spectral processing to separate the tonal and noise elements from the inputs); Morph (uses an advanced spectral algorithm to blend the two inputs); Stereo (splits the inputs into their mid and side components); Pan (splits the inputs into their left and right components); Transients (splits the inputs into their transient and tail components); Dynamics (splits the inputs into their quiet – below the threshold – and loud – above the threshold – components); Follow (measures the amplitude shape of both inputs); Liquid (splits the inputs into 64 spectral bands); Multi (splits the inputs into 6 frequency bands); Diffuse (uses spectral processing to create random variations in each frequency); Wash (uses reverb to make input A seem to get further away as input B gets closer); Blur (uses spectral freezing and blurring); Pitch (uses pitch shifting to slide up or down by two octaves); Shift (uses frequency shifting to slide up or down by 1kHz); and Degrade (uses digital distortion to degrade the audio creatively).
Changing the behaviour of each mode is achieved by switching the Invert parameter on. When enabling Invert in Filter mode, for instance, Input A has a low-pass filter applied and Input B has a high-pass filter applied, which sounds like the transition is moving downwards, otherwise the transition from 0-100% is the frequency of both filters increasing from 20Hz to 20kHz, which sounds like the transition is moving upwards.
Creativity is further encouraged by the Dry/Wet slider, used to blend between a traditional volume crossfader and full-on sonic mangling.
Transmutator uses internal 64-bit processing, and can handle sampling rates of up to 192kHz or higher. The plug-in intelligently handles bypassing to ensure that there are no clicks or harmful noises when automating the parameter.
