sympathizer - introduction

The Soundbytes Sympathizer is a new and versatile audio effect. It is based on a tunable comb filter bank and extends the concept to further explore this very specific and rewarding domain of sound creation.

The Sympathizers sonic scope spans from the subtle rendition of a sympathetic string cluster to the pelicular soundshapes of sparkling overtone cascades and textures. The Sympathizer is a perfect tool for creating tuned reverbs or drone pad sounds that can hardly be achieved through any other means.

Audio Demos

Features

  • twenty eight freely tunable string resonators are grouped into four comb filter banks.
  • string material, string decay, stereo width, output volume and panorama settings can be adjusted separately for each bank.
  • faders can be grouped to quickly change settings globally or ganged in reverse to make adjustments to a single bank while still preserving the overall balance of the preset.
  • resonator pitch can be set as midi note number, as note name or as frequency.
  • pitch changes can be applied to a single resonator, to selected banks or globally to allow for quick and convinient retuning of the effect.
  • use continous midi controlers on the damper to create swells and fades by dynamically readjusting the string decay or simulate pedal action by switching between two defined damper states.
  • use Midi controlers on the output volume to rhythmically gate the drone pad sound.

Usage

  • the Sympathizer can be used to add an additional layer of realism to a sampler based string instrument performance of instruments like harp, zither or dulcimer.
  • use midi control on the damper to simulate the damper pedal action on the string reverberation.
  • using the Sympathizer as a reverb effect gives you full control over the spectral and harmonic content of the reverb tail.
  • use special tunings of the string cluster to achieve novel effects like a flanging or phasing reverb.
  • use the advanced routing abilities of the plugin to create stunning soundscapes or to shape the envelope of the Sympathizer reverb tail. Create an initially rising reverb or completely suppress the attack phase to separate the reverb tail from delicate input signals like vocals and solo voices.
  • use the Sympathizer in combination with your favourite synthesizers as a unique drone or pad generator.