Sugar Bytes - Effectrix 2

Effectrix 2 is Sugar Bytes' multi-effect sequencer, for producers in electronic music, hip hop and live performance who want stutters, tape stops, glitches and filter sweeps placed exactly where they want them in a bar. Rather than automating a chain of plugins, you paint effects onto a 32-step grid and they play in time with your track.

The grid

Each row of the sequencer is an effect and each column a step. Draw a block and that effect kicks in for those steps, with swing and a sequence length you set. Up to 12 complete setups can live in one preset and be switched by MIDI or host automation, so a verse and a drop can each have their own pattern. Version 2 adds dynamic signal routing, so you can change the order the effects run in.

The effects

There are 14 of them: two Loopers, Grain, Ring, Vinyl, Spectrum, Tonalizer, Crush, Filter, Phaser, Modulation (chorus or flanger), Delay, Reverb and Level. The Loopers are the headline. They can swing a loop, set a repeat pattern and ramp the pitch or size of the loop, which covers rolls and drill-style stutters in seconds. Vinyl handles tape starts, stops and scratches, Tonalizer adds notes and chords to a signal, and Level works as a trance gate.

Modulation and randomising

Every effect parameter can take a different value on each step, driven by a From/To ramp, a step sequencer, an envelope follower, LFOs or the Steptrain, which is great for stutters on the volume parameter. Randomise works on the whole pattern, one track or the effect settings, at three intensity levels from subtle to mayhem.

The sound

Effectrix 2 turns a static loop into something that moves and sounds edited by hand, and does it far faster than chopping audio in a DAW. It's a creative mangler rather than a mixing tool, and the grid takes a little practice before you stop reaching for presets. If you'd rather perform effects with knobs than draw them, Turnado is the hands-on alternative, and Looperator adds a slicer to the same idea.

Features

• 32-step effect sequencer with swing and dynamic length
• 14 effects including two Loopers, Grain, Vinyl, Spectrum and Tonalizer
• Up to 12 complete setups per preset, switchable by MIDI
• Flexible modulation per step
• Dynamic signal flow
• Intelligent randomise at three intensity levels
• Individual dry/wet per effect and global mix
• Over 300 presets

System requirements

• Version: 2.0.4
• Mac: macOS 10.13 or later. AU, VST2, VST3, AAX and Standalone (64-bit). Native on Apple Silicon
• Windows: Windows 7 or later. VST2, VST3, AAX and Standalone (64-bit)

SOUND7 is an authorised Sugar Bytes reseller. Digital delivery: licence activation code sent by email.

Demo