Frequency Shifting

[Freezz]

I've seen a tutorial on the internet where a guy puts a frequency shifter on his master to make it sound nice & phat... Any of you guys have experience with the frequency shifter?

 

[lostnthesound]

Hmmm...not exactly sure what a frequency shifter is to be honest. Are you sure it wasn't a frequency/harmonic exciter? If you could post a link to the vid, that would be a huge help.

Cheers.

 

[Sulihin]

Uhbik-S is a Frequency Shifter, but I haven't a clue how to use it...

 

[sam the dnb man]

I'm pretty sure its not a frequency shifter.
Its like a form of ring modulation.
If it is I dunno why you would put it on a Master channel strip

 

[BetaFlex]

There are only two software frequency shifter plugs that I can find. Things I read said it can amplify things but mangles the audio among loads of other very unwated effects on a master bus. I think your thinking of a Harmonic Exciter. Could be wrong apparently they are making a comeback.

 

[Freezz]

i'll try and look for the youtube video again, but it was ableton's built-in frequency shifter that he put on his master!

 

[sam the dnb man]

i'll try and look for the youtube video again, but it was ableton's built-in frequency shifter that he put on his master!

Seriously mate, I wouldn't rely on a tutorial. I'm not sure what the ableton shifter is like but I don't think i'd ever put a modulation effect on a master channel.
Anyone can make a tutorial. Not all tutorials are right.

Try and work on the mix first if you can't get it loud without adding dynamics processors to the master. A lot of the time its simple things that create peaks like hi hats when they have a kick underneath. If I can't get them to play simultaneously without creating a peak I'll either EQ them so that they fit together or apply dynamics processing to the bus they are send to. If this isn't practical I'll create a small fade on the hi hat which usually does the trick and allows me to have a louder drum mix.

 

[Freezz]

What a coincidence i just had that problem with a hihat and a kick! thanks for the tip

 

[Dugg Funnie]

Try and work on the mix first if you can't get it loud without adding dynamics processors to the master. A lot of the time its simple things that create peaks like hi hats when they have a kick underneath. If I can't get them to play simultaneously without creating a peak I'll either EQ them so that they fit together or apply dynamics processing to the bus they are send to. If this isn't practical I'll create a small fade on the hi hat which usually does the trick and allows me to have a louder drum mix.

Another alternative would be putting an all-pass filter on the drum bus. Or, do it the hard way and zoom in on your hats/cymbals/high-end and move things just very slightly out of phase, would accomplish a very similar effect to an all-pass filter.

 

[Sulihin]

I'm pretty sure its not a frequency shifter.
Its like a form of ring modulation.
If it is I dunno why you would put it on a Master channel strip

From the Uhbik-S docs:

The origins of the Frequency Shifter go back to the early days of radio technology. Frequency shifting is related to ring modulation (RM): two signals are multiplied together, resulting in two so-called sidebands. One of these is the sum of all frequencies in both signals, the other is the difference. Unlike RM, frequency shifters output a single sideband, shifted down or up by a constant value. That’s why frequency shifters are sometimes called “Single Sideband Filters”.

So they at least think it's a Frequency Shifter?

Frequency shifters are not only only suitable for special effects (e.g. horror-movie voices). Used in moderation, frequency shifting is similar to chorus or phasing, but without needing an LFO. While the pleasant beating of mildly detuned oscillators can become irritatingly fast when you play further up the keyboard, frequency shifting keeps this movement constant. Uhbik-S can synchronize beating to the song tempo.

Being similar to chorus/phaser would probably lend to using to make something sound phat I guess? I still don't get using a phaser to do this so beats me!

 

[sam the dnb man]

Frequency shifting and ring modulation can be used to add a metallic overtone to a sound. Similar effects can be achieved with FM as well

 

[sam the dnb man]

What a coincidence i just had that problem with a hihat and a kick! thanks for the tip

Its cool. bro. Go forth and multiply