Pitch Monster Downloads - Devious Machines
Devious Machines Pitch Monster v1.0.20 Review: A Beast of a Pitch Shifter
Introduction
Pitch shifting is one of the most common and versatile effects in music production. It can be used to create harmonies, melodies, chords, octaves, detuning, transposition, modulation, and more. However, not all pitch shifters are created equal. Some are limited in range, resolution, or polyphony. Some are prone to artifacts, glitches, or latency. Some are hard to control or lack features.
Devious Machines – Pitch Monster v1.0.20 VST, VST3, AAXx86 x64
Download Zip: https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fmiimms.com%2F2ukI9D&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw3kQ2YvXXHKcoR2z8aWxtwW
If you are looking for a pitch shifter that can do it all, you might want to check out Pitch Monster by Devious Machines. Pitch Monster is a plugin that claims to be the ultimate pitch shifter, with a huge 6-octave range, 0.01 semitone resolution, 8-voice polyphony, 64-voice unison, granular, formant, and vocoder engines, realtime MIDI control, programmable chord memory, dual filters, modulation effects, and more.
In this review, I will give you an overview of what Pitch Monster is, why it is important, what are its main features, how to use it, what are its pros and cons, and whether I recommend it or not. I will also answer some frequently asked questions about Pitch Monster at the end of the article.
What is Pitch Monster?
Pitch Monster is a pitch shifter plugin by Devious Machines, a UK-based company that specializes in creating innovative audio effects for music producers. Pitch Monster was released in October 2019 as their third product, after Texture (a granular effect) and Duck (a sidechain effect).
Pitch Monster is designed to be a powerful and flexible pitch shifter that can handle any pitch-related task you throw at it. It can transform a solo vocal into a choir or a robot, turn a mono synth into an orchestra or a monster, create crazy pitch sequences or delays, harmonize any sound with up to eight notes or use as an octaver, apply modulation effects like flanging or chorusing, and more.
Pitch Monster works as a VST 2/3 plugin on Windows 10 or later (32/64-bit) and as an Audio Unit or Pro Tools AAX plugin on Mac OS X 10.11 or later (64-bit). It supports Apple Silicon processors natively. It costs 91.99 (about $110) on the Devious Machines website.
Why is Pitch Monster important?
Pitch Monster is important because it offers a unique combination of features that make it stand out from other pitch shifters on the market. Here are some of the reasons why Pitch Monster is important:
It has a huge pitch shifting range of 6 octaves, which means you can go from sub-bass to ultrasonic frequencies with ease. You can also fine-tune the pitch with 0.01 semitone resolution, which gives you precise control over the pitch and tuning.
It has 8-voice polyphony, which means you can pitch shift up to 8 notes simultaneously. This is great for creating harmonies, chords, or octaves. You can also use the chord memory feature to store and recall up to 16 custom chords with one click or MIDI note.
It has 64-voice unison, which means you can stack up to 64 copies of the same sound and detune them for a thick and lush sound. You can also adjust the spread, pan, and randomization of the unison voices for more variety and movement.
It has granular, formant, and vocoder engines, which means you can choose different ways of processing the sound. The granular engine splits the sound into tiny grains and rearranges them for a glitchy and futuristic sound. The formant engine preserves the vocal characteristics of the sound while changing the pitch for a natural and smooth sound. The vocoder engine modulates the sound with a carrier signal for a robotic and metallic sound.
It has realtime MIDI control, which means you can play Pitch Monster like an instrument using your MIDI keyboard or controller. You can control the pitch, chord memory, shift type, filters, modulation effects, and more with MIDI notes or CC messages.
As you can see, Pitch Monster is important because it offers a lot of possibilities and flexibility for pitch shifting. It can be used for creative or corrective purposes, for subtle or extreme effects, for musical or experimental sounds.
How to use Pitch Monster
Now that you know what Pitch Monster is and why it is important, let me show you how to use it. In this section, I will guide you through the basic steps of using Pitch Monster, such as how to install and activate it, how to access and navigate the interface, how to choose and adjust the shift type, how to control the pitch with MIDI and chord memory, and how to apply filters and modulation effects.
How to install and activate Pitch Monster
The first step of using Pitch Monster is to install and activate it on your computer. Here are the steps:
Go to the Devious Machines website and purchase Pitch Monster. You will receive an email with a download link and a license key.
Download the installer for your operating system (Windows or Mac) from the link in the email.
Run the installer and follow the instructions on the screen. You will be asked to choose the plugin formats (VST 2/3, AU, or AAX) and the installation folder.
Launch your DAW (digital audio workstation) and scan for new plugins. You should see Pitch Monster in your plugin list.
Insert Pitch Monster on an audio track or a bus in your DAW. You will see a pop-up window asking you to enter your license key.
Copy and paste your license key from the email into the pop-up window and click Activate. You will see a confirmation message saying that Pitch Monster is activated.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and activated Pitch Monster on your computer. You are now ready to use it.
How to access and navigate the interface
The next step of using Pitch Monster is to access and navigate its interface. The interface of Pitch Monster is divided into four main sections: Shift Type, Shift Amount, Filters & Modulation Effects, and Settings & Info. Let me explain each section in detail:
The Shift Type section is where you choose the type of pitch shifting engine you want to use: Granular, Formant, or Vocoder. Each engine has its own characteristics and parameters that affect how the sound is processed. You can also choose between Polyphonic or Monophonic modes depending on whether you want to shift multiple notes or one note at a time.
The Shift Amount section is where you adjust the amount of pitch shifting you want to apply: Coarse (in semitones), Fine (in cents), Unison (in voices), Detune (in cents), Spread (in semitones), Pan (in degrees), Random (in percentage), Mix (in percentage), Output (in decibels), Dry/Wet (in percentage), Bypass (on/off), Solo (on/off), Mute (on/off).
The Filters & Modulation Effects section is where you apply filters and modulation effects to the pitch shifted sound: Low Pass Filter (with cutoff frequency and resonance), High Pass Filter (with cutoff frequency and resonance), Flanger (with rate, depth, feedback, and phase), Chorus (with rate, depth, feedback, and phase). You can also adjust the modulation amount and source for each effect.
The Settings & Info section is where you access the settings and information of Pitch Monster: MIDI Learn (to assign MIDI controls to any parameter), Chord Memory (to store and recall up to 16 custom chords), Settings (to adjust the buffer size, oversampling, latency compensation, and other options), Info (to see the version number, license key, and user manual).
The interface of Pitch Monster is simple and intuitive, with clear labels and tooltips for each parameter. You can also resize the interface by dragging the bottom right corner or use the zoom buttons on the top right corner. You can also change the color scheme of the interface by clicking on the Devious Machines logo on the top left corner.
How to choose and adjust the shift type
The first thing you need to do when using Pitch Monster is to choose the type of pitch shifting engine you want to use. There are three options: Granular, Formant, or Vocoder. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on what kind of sound you want to achieve. Here is a brief overview of each option:
Granular: This option uses a granular synthesis technique to split the sound into tiny grains and rearrange them according to the pitch shift amount. This option is good for creating glitchy, futuristic, or chaotic sounds, but it can also introduce artifacts or noise if the pitch shift amount is too high or low.
Formant: This option uses a formant synthesis technique to preserve the vocal characteristics of the sound while changing the pitch. This option is good for creating natural, smooth, or human-like sounds, but it can also sound unnatural or robotic if the pitch shift amount is too high or low.
Vocoder: This option uses a vocoder synthesis technique to modulate the sound with a carrier signal (either internal or external). This option is good for creating robotic, metallic, or musical sounds, but it can also sound muffled or distorted if the carrier signal is not suitable or clear.
To choose the shift type, you need to click on one of the three buttons on the top left corner of the Shift Type section. You will see a green light indicating which option is selected. You can also use your MIDI keyboard or controller to switch between the options by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function.
To adjust the shift type, you need to tweak the parameters that are specific to each option. For Granular, you have Grain Size (the length of each grain in milliseconds) and Grain Overlap (the percentage of overlap between consecutive grains). For Formant, you have Formant Shift (the amount of formant shifting in semitones) and Formant Mix (the balance between formant and pitch shifting). For Vocoder, you have Carrier Source (the source of the carrier signal: Internal, External Left, External Right) and Carrier Level (the level of the carrier signal in decibels).
To tweak these parameters, you need to drag the knobs on the top right corner of the Shift Type section. You will see a numeric value indicating the current setting. You can also use your MIDI keyboard or controller to adjust these parameters by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function.
How to control the pitch with MIDI and chord memory
One of the most powerful features of Pitch Monster is that it allows you to control the pitch with your MIDI keyboard or controller in realtime. This means you can play Pitch Monster like an instrument and create dynamic and expressive pitch shifts that follow your performance. You can also use the chord memory feature to store and recall up to 16 custom chords with one click or MIDI note.
To control the pitch with MIDI, you need to enable the MIDI mode by clicking on the MIDI button on the bottom left corner of the Shift Amount section. You will see a blue light indicating that MIDI mode is on. You will also see a keyboard display on the bottom of the interface showing the notes you are playing.
To play Pitch Monster with MIDI, you need to connect your MIDI keyboard or controller to your computer and select it as the input device in your DAW. You also need to make sure that Pitch Monster is receiving MIDI data from your DAW. You can check this by looking at the MIDI indicator on the top right corner of the interface. It should flash when Pitch Monster receives MIDI data.
When you play Pitch Monster with MIDI, you can control the pitch of the sound by playing different notes on your keyboard or controller. The pitch will follow the note you play, relative to the original pitch of the sound. For example, if the original pitch of the sound is C3, and you play D3 on your keyboard, Pitch Monster will shift the pitch by 2 semitones up. If you play B2 on your keyboard, Pitch Monster will shift the pitch by 1 semitone down.
You can also control other parameters of Pitch Monster with MIDI, such as shift type, filters, modulation effects, and more. You can do this by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function. To use the MIDI Learn function, you need to right-click on any parameter you want to control with MIDI and select MIDI Learn from the menu. Then, you need to play a note or move a knob or slider on your keyboard or controller. You will see a green light indicating that the parameter is assigned to that note or CC message. You can repeat this process for any parameter you want to control with MIDI.
To use the chord memory feature, you need to enable it by clicking on the Chord Memory button on the bottom right corner of the Shift Amount section. You will see a yellow light indicating that chord memory is on. You will also see a chord display on the bottom of the interface showing the chord you are playing.
To store a chord in chord memory, you need to play up to 8 notes simultaneously on your keyboard or controller and click on one of the 16 slots on the chord display. You will see a red light indicating that the chord is stored in that slot. You can repeat this process for up to 16 chords.
To recall a chord from chord memory, you need to click on one of the 16 slots on the chord display or play a note that corresponds to that slot on your keyboard or controller. You will see a green light indicating that the chord is recalled from that slot. Pitch Monster will shift the pitch of the sound according to the notes in that chord.
How to apply filters and modulation effects
The last step of using Pitch Monster is to apply filters and modulation effects to the pitch shifted sound. Filters and modulation effects can enhance or alter the sound by changing its frequency spectrum or adding movement and variation. Pitch Monster has two filters (low pass and high pass) and two modulation effects (flanger and chorus) that you can use.
To apply filters to the pitch shifted sound, you need to adjust the cutoff frequency and resonance knobs for each filter on the top left corner of the Filters & Modulation Effects section. The cutoff frequency determines how much of the high or low frequencies are filtered out, and the resonance determines how much of the frequencies around the cutoff are boosted or attenuated. You can also use your MIDI keyboard or controller to adjust these parameters by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function.
To apply modulation effects to the pitch shifted sound, you need to adjust the rate, depth, feedback, and phase knobs for each effect on the top right corner of the Filters & Modulation Effects section. The rate determines how fast the effect modulates the sound, the depth determines how much the effect modulates the sound, the feedback determines how much of the effect signal is fed back into itself, and the phase determines the phase difference between the left and right channels of the effect. You can also use your MIDI keyboard or controller to adjust these parameters by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function.
You can also adjust the modulation amount and source for each effect on the bottom of the Filters & Modulation Effects section. The modulation amount determines how much of the effect is applied to the sound, and the modulation source determines what controls the modulation amount: LFO (low frequency oscillator), Envelope (the amplitude envelope of the sound), or MIDI (the velocity or CC message from your keyboard or controller). You can also use your MIDI keyboard or controller to adjust these parameters by assigning them to MIDI notes or CC messages using the MIDI Learn function.
Pros and cons of Pitch Monster
Now that you know how to use Pitch Monster, let me tell you what are its pros and cons. As with any plugin, Pitch Monster has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on what you are looking for and what you expect from it. Here are some of the pros and cons of Pitch Monster:
Pros
Extreme pitch shifting range and resolution: Pitch Monster can shift the pitch of any sound by up to 6 octaves up or down, with 0.01 semitone resolution. This means you can create sounds that are beyond human hearing range, or fine-tune the pitch and tuning of any sound with precision.
Polyphonic, unison, and granular modes: Pitch Monster can shift up to 8 notes at once, creating harmonies, chords, or octaves. It can also stack up to 64 copies of the same sound, creating a thick and lush sound. It can also split the sound into tiny grains and rearrange them, creating a glitchy and futuristic sound.
Realtime MIDI control and chord memory: Pitch Monster can be played like an instrument using your MIDI keyboard or controller, creating dynamic and expressive pitch shifts that follow your performance. It can also store and recall up to 16 custom chords with one click or MIDI note, creating complex and musical pitch shifts.
Low-latency and CPU-friendly: Pitch Monster has a low-latency mode that reduces the delay between the input and output signals, making it suitable for live performance or recording. It also has a low CPU usage that does not affect your system performance, making it suitable for multiple instances or large projects.
Cons
No undo/redo function: Pitch Monster does not have an undo/redo function that allows you to revert or repeat your actions. This means you have to be careful with your settings and changes, as you cannot go back to a previous state.
No presets or randomizer: Pitch Monster does not have any presets or randomizer that allow you to quickly load or generate different settings. This means you have to create your own settings from scratch or manually tweak them until you find what you like.
No built-in reverb or delay effects: Pitch Monster does not have any built-in reverb or delay effects that add space or depth to the pitch shifted sound. This means you have to use external plugins or send effects if you want to add reverb or delay to your sound.
Conclusion
Pitch Monster is a pitch shifter plugin by Devious Machines that offers a unique combination of features that make it stand out from other pitch shifters on the market. It has a huge pitch shifting range and resolution, polyphonic, unison, and granular modes, realtime MIDI control and chord memory, low-latency and CPU-friendly performance, and more.
Pitch Monster is easy to use and intuitive, with a simple and resizable interface that shows all the parameters and options clearly. It also supports Apple Silicon processors natively and works as a VST 2/3 plugin on Windows 10 or later (32/64-bit) and as an Audio Unit or Pro Tools AAX plugin on Mac OS X 10.11 or later (64-bit). Pitch Monster is not perfect, however. It has some drawbacks, such as no undo/redo function, no presets or randomizer, and no built-in reverb or delay effects. These are not deal-breakers, but they could be improved in future updates or versions.
Overall, Pitch Monster is a beast of a pitch shifter that can do it all. It is a powerful and flexible plugin that can handle any pitch-related task you throw at it. It is a creative and fun plugin that can transform any sound into something new and exciting. It is a must-have plugin for any music producer who wants to explore the possibilities of pitch shifting.
I hope you enjoyed this review of Pitch Monster by Devious Machines. If you are intere