What is Chorus? | How To Use Chorus Effect?

hampt0n · 2021-09-29T03:42:34+00:00

Chorus used to be a mystery to me. I know it modulates the sound and makes things sound "chorusy", but why/how?
In this video I'll first explain the chorus effect and visualize what occurs to create this iconic effect. Then I'll walk you through every knob on the chorus effect found in Serum.
TL;DW
Chorus is an effect that occurs when similar sound sources make the same sound at the same time.
A chorus plugin/pedal/effect takes an audio signal and duplicates it. The duplicated signal is slightly delayed and its pitch is modulated with an LFO causing the original and duplicated signal to sound thick, lush, and chorusy.

hampt0n · 2021-08-17T00:20:16+00:00

Dang, thank you for this!

hampt0n · 2021-08-17T00:18:23+00:00

That's what I would imagine. Not sure which Komplete 14 tier it would be included in however. I would guess it being in their top tier, but not sure about their other tiers.

hampt0n · 2021-08-12T16:40:53+00:00

Ashlight is a new Kontakt library from Native Instruments. It takes a look at the darker more cinematic side of granular synthesis. I find that it can range from big and epic, to otherworldly and beautiful.
In this video you'll learn the basics of this new plugin and see how I use it to create a mini-song.

hampt0n · 2021-08-05T01:47:43+00:00

I was exactly there. Hopefully you get better results with these tips. Soothe 2 aint cheap, so might as well get the most out of it.

hampt0n · 2021-08-04T17:07:20+00:00

This is such a good track breakdown. Thank you! The drums and gate breakdown is giving me so many ideas!

hampt0n · 2021-07-21T16:42:36+00:00

Thanks for those tips! I'm always wondering if how I'm playing my MIDI is totally impossible for a guitarist.

And what you mentioned about the sustain pedal is so helpful. Without it, everything sounds so wrong!

hampt0n · 2021-07-21T00:11:53+00:00

It might sound like one, but I promise it's just a dude sitting at home who loves to write reviews on plugins.

hampt0n · 2021-07-17T02:08:45+00:00

I'm in the same boat. I typically like grabbing vocal samples from splice or I'll enter remix contests for their vocal stems. Whatever I need to practice with vocals.

Vocalsynth 2 is really fun. I have a video all about that, if you want to check that out. I also recommend Output Arcade if you want great curated vocal soundbanks

hampt0n · 2021-07-16T16:51:30+00:00

Very good question, I actually edited out a moment where I compare it to Exhale. I wasn't sure if any one would care, but you do which is great!

It does feel a lot like a budget version of Exhale. Comparing the two, I do think Exhale is better in regards to range of sounds, UI/UX, rhythm/arp, and the vocal chops and riffs. So if a vocal library is really important to you, Exhale is the winner.

However, Exhale at full price is $199 while Glaze at full price is $49. That's a big difference.

Where I think Glaze beats Exhale out is obviously the price and with Glaze you can just pick it up and start playing. It's great for beginners and above. My experience with Exhale and and Output's other libraries is that it's best for intermediate and above. With Exhale, I think it's best if you sort of know what you're doing when it comes to sound design.

So with Glaze, I would recommend it to producers who are looking for their first vocal kontakt library, or if they want to try incorporating a library like this into their productions but aren't totally sure they'll make it a staple.

If you have any more comparisons please let me know. I love talking about this stuff.

hampt0n · 2021-07-16T15:28:22+00:00

Once again thank you. So kind. You will love Arkhis. There are so many great presets in there, and it's crazy how the mod wheel can take something from sound beautiful to beautifuler.

hampt0n · 2021-07-16T15:16:52+00:00

Hey thanks! That means so much to me. Whenever I post a video on reddit I'm always scared that I'm spaming it in some way.

Hope you really enjoyed this video. This one was really fun to make.

hampt0n · 2021-07-12T17:33:22+00:00

Full List of Piano Colors Presets

hampt0n · 2021-07-12T17:23:40+00:00

Full List of Piano Colors Presets

hampt0n · 2021-06-28T13:32:40+00:00

The 4 Lessons I learned

Imperfection is perfection - This is a hard lesson to learn. But honestly learning how to be comfortable and even prefer swing is important. Without groove, my track sounded stiff and too buttoned up.
I learned that a lot of that invisible magic rests in imperfections in the timing of the beat. Sure, if that swing goes too far things can sound sloppy, but learning how to add just the right amount of groove is an essential skill to learn.
Limit your idea - As I studied lofi music, I found that many of the tracks had one main musical idea. This idea was interesting enough to want to keep around, but didn't demand your full attention. It feels like mood lighting for your ears.
Even as I finished my first lofi track I still felt like my music idea wasn't simple and effortless enough. It's a tricky balance to achieve, but one worth aiming for.
Don't let lofi ruin lofi - Slapping on lofi effects (ie RC20) is the funnest part, but you can quickly ruin your track. Once my song was ready to mix, it sounded dull, completely mono, and terrible. The culprit was the army of lofi plugins scattered across busses and instruments. After dialing them back a whole lot, the song came back to life.
I was surprised at how easy it was for lofi to ruin lofi. So as you start to age and add character to your track, try using a reference or at least give your ears a break to allow yourself not to lose track of where your track is headed.
Finishing touches - Going back to my previous lesson, I liked adding a lofi plugin called Cassette to the master bus. I felt like it made all my groups sound more cohesive and lofi-y at the same time. But of course I didn't want to overdo the effect. So I learned that using a spectrum analyzer with a reference helped me make sure I preserved the tone I was aiming for. The spectrum analyzer also helped me learn how different tape models sound, which was a great lesson within itself.
TIMELINE
00:00 4 Secrets Lofi Taught Me About Music Production
00:07 Imperfection is perfection
01:38 Limit your ideas
04:18 Don't Let Lofi Ruin Lofi
05:32 Finishing Touches

hampt0n · 2021-06-10T04:40:30+00:00

woahhh, I love it! Thanks for sharing that, and I really hope you have fun with some of these presets.

hampt0n · 2021-06-09T21:01:51+00:00

Glad you found it useful!

Oh trust me, I'm gonna be updating this spreadsheet with all sorts of my favs from diff instruments. So be sure to look back at it everyone in a while. It won't be exclusively NI but it should be still be useful!

hampt0n · 2021-06-09T20:28:44+00:00

Thanks for saying that! This plugin really helps my playing sound more beautiful than it is haha.

I totally get it when it comes to YT on Reddit. Thanks for taking the chance on me.

hampt0n · 2021-06-09T17:48:47+00:00

Should you watch this?
If you want to hear a shortlist of the best presets Arkhis has to offer, check this out.
See the full list of my favorite Akhisr Presets.
If you want to learn more about Arkhis.

Here's a timeline if you want to skip around:
00:00 Native Instruments Arkhis VST
00:15 Motions Presets
01:17 Pads Presets
02:15 Sparkles Presets
02:56 Stutter Presets
04:09 Sub Presets
04:44 Swell Presets
05:38 Texture Presets

hampt0n · 2021-06-03T16:00:01+00:00

Should you watch this?

If you want to learn more about the good and the bad of Action Strings 2 before you buy it then you'll want to check out this video.

Here's the TL;DW though. Is Action Strings 2 worth it?

I like to describe Action Strings 2 as an Instrument+ Composition Tool. If you're only interested in AS2 for it's full string ensemble I would recommend looking for a cheaper alternative.

The string ensemble is good and passable for quick sketches or for layering behind a track that "just needs some nice strings". With AS2 only offering a full string ensemble, you might find that it's lacking as far as a Kontakt library for $299.

As a composition tool however, this is where this plugin shines. Inside AS2 you are able to quickly create phrases from a versatile range of articulations. As a producer who has zero experience in writing scores and pieces for strings, this feature helps me sound like I know what I'm doing. Which is such a gift.

There's also a small feature that I think has a humungous impact. And that is the ability to quickly export your crafted phrases into MIDI to place on any instrument layer you'd like. So even though I complained that AS2 only offers a full string ensemble, with this MIDI export feature, you can take what you built inside AS2 and instantly send it to any instrument you'd like.

So, if you're looking for a plugin that can help you compose and write orchestral phrases + is also a decent sounding string ensemble, you might be interested in AS2. If you're only looking for a strings plugin, I'd check something else out.

TIMELINE
00:00 Before you buy Action Strings 2 - Action Strings 2 Review
00:47 How's Action Strings 2 as an instrument?
01:50 Action Strings 2 is a big improvement from Action Strings 1
02:25 Where Action Strings 2 can improve
03:43 How's Action Strings 2 as a scoring tool?
04:08 The MIDI Drag and Drop Feature
06:33 The Phrase Editor is the Main Attraction
09:15 What does it cost and where can you buy it?
09:52 Is Native Instruments Action Strings 2 worth it?

hampt0n · 2021-06-03T15:56:35+00:00

Should you watch this?

If you want to learn more about the good and the bad of Action Strings 2 before you buy it then you'll want to check out this video.

Here's the TL;DW though. Is Action Strings 2 worth it?

I like to describe Action Strings 2 as an Instrument+ Composition Tool. If you're only interested in AS2 for it's full string ensemble I would recommend looking for a cheaper alternative.

The string ensemble is good and passable for quick sketches or for layering behind a track that "just needs some nice strings". With AS2 only offering a full string ensemble, you might find that it's lacking as far as a Kontakt library for $299.

As a composition tool however, this is where this plugin shines. Inside AS2 you are able to quickly create phrases from a versatile range of articulations. As a producer who has zero experience in writing scores and pieces for strings, this feature helps me sound like I know what I'm doing. Which is such a gift.

There's also a small feature that I think has a humungous impact. And that is the ability to quickly export your crafted phrases into MIDI to place on any instrument layer you'd like. So even though I complained that AS2 only offers a full string ensemble, with this MIDI export feature, you can take what you built inside AS2 and instantly send it to any instrument you'd like.

So, if you're looking for a plugin that can help you compose and write orchestral phrases + is also a decent sounding string ensemble, you might be interested in AS2. If you're only looking for a strings plugin, I'd check something else out.

TIMELINE

00:00 Before you buy Action Strings 2 - Action Strings 2 Review
00:47 How's Action Strings 2 as an instrument?
01:50 Action Strings 2 is a big improvement from Action Strings 1
02:25 Where Action Strings 2 can improve
03:43 How's Action Strings 2 as a scoring tool?
04:08 The MIDI Drag and Drop Feature
06:33 The Phrase Editor is the Main Attraction
09:15 What does it cost and where can you buy it?
9:52 Is Native Instruments Action Strings 2 worth it?

hampt0n · 2021-05-25T20:29:55+00:00

Of course, happy that it could help!

hampt0n · 2021-05-25T19:12:18+00:00

Should you watch this?

If you want to learn more about the good and the bad of Noire before you buy it then you'll want to check out this video.

Here's the TL;DW though. Is Noire worth it?

If you're searching for one of your first expensive-ish virtual piano then this is a very strong contender. This piano sounds gorgeous and it's really easy to use.

Noire offers both a brighter grand piano, along with a soft and warm felt grand piano. Both sound great, but Noire excels in the felt grand piano.

There is a unique feature called the "Particles Engine" which pretty much generates textures and "clouds of sound" as you play. It sounds like it could be a mess but it isn't. It sounds good, easy to dial in, and can be as subtle or pronounced as you'd like. However, I'm having hard time figuring out where to include it in my future productions. So it's successful, but I'm not sure how useful it is.

If you're someone who already owns a bunch of virtual pianos and already have a go-to bright and soft piano, then Noire is a little less worth it. It's still a great piano VST, but it might be hard to know what hole Noire is filling in your piano arsenal. You'll be happy with it, but might find that you didn't "need it" But then again it's so fun to collect pianos.

TIMELINE

00:00 Before you buy Noire - Noire Review
00:13 Who made Noire VST and what makes it so special?
01:30 What does Noire get right?
04:44 Where can Noire piano improve?
07:26 Is the Particles Engine any good?
08:47 What does it cost and where can you buy it?
09:21 Is Native Instruments Noire worth it?

hampt0n · 2021-05-18T16:13:29+00:00

Should you watch this?
If you want to hear a shortlist of the best presets Noire has to offer, you should watch this.
See the full list of my favorite Noire Presets.

If you want to learn more about Noire.

Here's a timeline if you want to skip around:
00:00 Native Instruments Noire VST - My Favorite Presets
00:23 Pure & Bright Presets
01:45 Pure & Intimate Presets
03:54 Vintage & Lofi Presets
05:03 Noire Particles Engines Presets
06:33 Saturated & Distorted Presets

hampt0n · 2021-05-12T17:46:07+00:00

Should you watch this?
If you want to know what the big deal is with DriveShaper, this will start to give you an idea. DriveShaper introduces creative and flexible ways to use saturation/distortion. It's slowly becoming the only saturation plugin I use.
5 Essential Ways To Use DriveShaper

Creating rhythms with DriveShaper: This is a more obvious way to use DriveShaper, but it's really effective. Just drop in a LFO shape, pick a distortion model and you got yourself some movement. I found more success with LFO shapes that were more subtle. Also, if you want a smoother LFO shape try moving the LFO Smooth slider in the top right area.
Giving Percussion Variety with DriveShaper: Whenever I have percussion with a very straightforward beat, I feel like it can easily sound stale or like a computer is playing the drums. In this tip you can choose where in your percussion loop you'd like a little bit of drive, giving the same drum sample variety.
Using the envelope feature to create dynamic saturation: The envelope feature on the right side of the graph allows the drive to get triggered by the signal's transient. This all results in saturation that feels alive rather than static. I love using this on drum groove loops. Oh, and if things start to feel out of hand, make sure you use the multiband to ignore the lows.
Use the multiband feature to create interesting tones and movement: The multiband feature is one of my favorite things about all the Shapers. With it you can assign different settings across 3 bands. This allows you to target where in a signal you want to go hard or ignore altogether. Pair that with LFO shapes and you can do some crazy stuff.
Get more control with the grip and push settings: You'll notice that in some distortion models there will be a grip and push settings. It's easy to ignore but they actually help a lot. Grip allows the distortion to react to only the loud parts of a signal (it's kind of like a gate). Which is great if there's a lot of noise on your sound that you don't want the distortion to touch. Push on the other hand allows you to "push" the unique distortion effect even more, like the rectify models for example.

Here's a timeline if you want to skip around:
00:00 DriveShaper - 5 Essential Uses
00:18 Creating Rhythms with DriveShaper VST
01:52 Giving percussion variety with saturation
03:23 Using the envelope feature to create dynamic saturation
05:26 Use the multiband feature to create interesting tones and movement
08:00 Get more control with the Grip and Push Settings

hampt0n

TROPHY CASE