New Waves Plug-ins Announced At NAMM 2014
At NAMM this winter, Waves have announced two new plug-ins.
The Waves Abbey Road Reed ADT
This is a plug-in deigned to emulate Abbey Road Studios’ process of Artificial Double Tracking - a signature effect created at the studio in the 1960s for The Beatles. Over the years, many have tried to replicate the effect, but only with some success. This is largely because a definitive description of the exact process used at Abbey Road has, until now, been a closely guarded secret. Waves have developed this plug-in in association with Abbey Road.
Abbey Road engineer Ken Townsend created the original Artificial Double Tracking (ADT) by connecting the primary tape machine to a second, speed-controlled machine, two versions of the same signal could be played back simultaneously. And by gently varying the speed of the second machine, the replayed signal could be moved around just enough to make it sound like a separate take. The introduction of ADT was a milestone in the history of sound recording, and the technique was used heavily on many recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios.
Reel ADT with its modeled tape sound and emulation of wow and flutter, this plug-in can enhance any track with the impression of two separate takes, giving you the closest possible results to real double tracking. All the character, depth and panoramic sound of this inimitable classic effect can now be created digitally, simply and for real. Mirek Stiles, Head of Audio Products, Abbey Road Studios told us…
From my time as an assistant engineer, I remember the setting-up of ADT as being a lengthy process, but totally worth it. Not only hearing, but also controlling ADT for the first time was amazing. Using the remote vari-speed on the tape machine, it was possible to add lush movements, stereo width and dramatic depth to almost any track. For the first time ever, Waves has captured not only the true sound of ADT, but also the feel of this classic effect.
MetaFilter lets users individually modulate the filter cutoff, resonance and delay time using three separate modulators – 16-step sequencer, LFO and Envelope follower – to achieve effects such as filter sweeping, tremolo, auto-wah, rhythmic gating, ducking and hypnotic modulating delays with saturation buildups.
Whether it’s used for creating rhythmic loops and tracks from sound bites, adding a subtle effect to a guitar part, or simply mangling a vocal track just for the fun of it, MetaFilter make it an interesting tool to investigate for creating and producing innovative, eccentric and cutting-edge music, in the studio and on stage. Waves told us,
Designed around a modulatable multimode filter using Waves’ proprietary Virtual Voltage technology, Waves MetaFilter has everything users need in a sound-shaping filter plugin. The versatile MetaFilter creative effects unit provides all the warmth, depth and fatness of classic analog filters, with the modern control and endless flexibility that uniquely characterize Waves tools.