Phonolyth - Velvet Machine
Velvet Machine by Phonolyth is a plugin which let you stretch and blur out audio which results in an unique sound.
This resembles something between multitap delay sand continuous reverbs up to 10 seconds.
Velvet Machine also offers a envelope shaper to shape the envelope of the sound however you want.
In this article a review and description how it sound and in the video below we’ll go in deep into the sound with examples and more.
Between Delay Times and Reverb
Basically the reverb is created by using multiple repeats and by dialing up the density you will go from delays into
reverb and anything in between.
The Phonolyth Velvet Machine plugin is not really meant to be used as a normal reverb, although it can do that.
Very simply put within a normal reverb every new reflection or delay is dampened more and the volume decreases over time.
Velvet Machine does not do this and keeps a constant volume and tonality for as long as you have set the time and what you have set in the envelope screen.
This allows for creative effects from multitap delays to ongoing reverbs.
I will call the effect velvet machine does reverb for the most part of the
video for the rest of this article because of convience, although it’s not really a reverb.
From delay to reverb and everything in between
With the time set to around 1.7 seconds, the density from one to 40 ips sound like delays.
From around 40 to 100ips it will sound like a very grainy reverb and around 120 and up it already sounds like a normal reverb.
By increasing the time the delays will become more obvious and you need to increase the density for a more smooth results.
If that is what you’re after. The other way around is also true, shorter times will give a more smooth result with lower densities.
Creating a Gated Reverb
Now the time dial allows to get an effect like the gated reverb really quick and easy.
Since this plugin is syncable to the tempo of the project it’s also really easy to get the correct length of the gated reverb.
It’s also possible to separate the reverb from the direct signal with the predelay.
The low and hicut will allow you to have the reverb sit better in the mix.
The envelope display will let you set the volume of the reverb in any shape you want.
And if you add a tail the reverb will sound like a more regular reverb.
It’s also fun to create other types of effects with the envelope filter, for instance a reverse reverb is created quickly by starting from zero and increasing the volume.
Ambient Machine
The repeating character of this plugin lends itself for ambient type of music,
If you set the time to 10 seconds an play sustained notes dial down the density to a low instance per second or dial it up for more density.
The 10 second timelimit needs to be kept in mind so feed some audio in that time period.
In the video at the start of the article I also go over a full mix with Phonolyth Velvet Machine where i pinpoint a few ways to use th eplugin creatively.
Now it’s a bit tricky to set the envelope to be exact in time , whether in milliseconds or note values.
I would like to see a snap to grid function for that, and also I think this plugin would really benefit form a step like sequencer where you can set the envelope per note value.
And then maybe a glide control to enable smooth transitions as well.
I also would like to see a longer time option, 20 to 30 seconds will really make this an ambient beast.
That said, I had a lot of fun with the plugin, it allows for quick creative effects as you could hear.
Get the plugin here:
