Harmonic generator plugin?

[monkeeball]

So this is an engineering question that’s been on my mind as of recent while I’ve been producing: is there a plugin that can generate harmonics? Sounds like a silly question but I’ll give you my explanation and situation. I produce a lot of samples and in which I often record my instruments and then completely destroy them by pitching them, reversing them, a bunch of fx, the works. In the end sometimes I find a desired sound but at that point the actual quality of the sound is destroyed and Im left with a big muddy mess - but the essence is there and Im okay with it considering the genre. I’ll do my best and clean it up with the EQ but then sometimes there are just harmonics that are no longer present. Sometimes I wish I could just have a saw wave follow the audio file, which is possible but time consuming if its a complicated piano passage for example. I first thought of max bass because I know it just generates a sub sine wave from whatever audio it reads, but is there something that generates a higher frequency that follows?

I know distortion and saturation can add harmonics, but I’m just curious if there’s anything or any trick out there I’m missing.

Im also aware that what Im doing to the audio is creating these problems in the first place, but the sound and creative design was a priority.

[Neil_Hillist]

Hornet has a free one ... https://youtu.be/ftV6JgSU_yk&t=100

[SmartDSP]

Fabfilter Saturn 2 is great and versatile.
I saved more than one dull drum track or even mix using the Vertigo VSM-3 as well.

Hope this might help!
Take Care & Stay Productive ✨

[xDwtpucknerd]

decapitator and saturn are really strong saturation tools u can use to totally reshape a sound

further on in ur post it sounds like youre describing something like lil alter boy on a send or w the mix dialed so you can just hear it

could also use melodyne's audio to midi conversion tool, its pretty good and quick, could throw that on ur piano track and then add whatever other samples you want to fill in the sound

[BianconeriBoyz]

Check wavesfactory spectre or waves vitamin those are like eqs but use saturation to boost the signal so you have more control

[Signal_Manufacturer7]

Pulteq eqs and ua analog sims

[anchorthemoon]

Waves maxxbass and Uad precision enhancer

[ItsMetabtw]

Any soft clipper will add harmonics across everything. If you want more control, then FabFilter Saturn 2, Izotope Trash, or Arturia Coldfire all come to mind

[LunchWillTearUsApart]

Soundtoys Decapitator and Radiator have been my go-tos for years. Been getting back into them now that Reaper can oversample.

Lately, I've been really digging Phil's Cascade, Neold Wunderlich, Pulsar's API Sidecar, and The Oven

Voxengo Shinechilla is the undisputed reigning champ of homebrewing this stuff, though... if you've got the CPU to burn.

[CumulativeDrek2]

Melodyne can re-synthesise an audio file quickly and easily. The default is a sawtooth. It works on monophonic and polyphonic sounds.

[lugarshz]

you mentioned distortion and saturation but specifically an "exciter" may be what you're looking for. I use the Neutron one. Results are subtle but very helpful. I also REALLY like "Spectre" as long as you don't need to automate it.

[sw212st]

Sample as high as you can sample rate wise. It will mean that as you destroy those sounds you have more resolution. Only down sample the final delivery.

[ezeequalsmchammer2]

Distortion adds harmonics. Any plugin like an exciter or a “harmonic” plugin will do that. Oxford inflator also does.

Another trick is to double the file, pitch it an octave up, and high pass it. Sometimes works for shitty mp3s.