Staying with the same iPad esque graphic design, Sinevibes has added another plugin to its range, this time providing multi FX step sequencing at a very affordable price. There’s the usual bitcrush, distortion and modulation effects on offer, but there are other more unique highlights that caught our eyes and ears. The Circuit-Bent Filter, for example, sounds like a howling down-sampler feeding back in itself. FM Oscillator has an envelope depth control for dynamic pitch changes. Noise provides a dynamically controlled white noise effect that also adds stereo width which can fizz-out the edges of any sound; the Sine Oscillator can go from wobbleboard-sounding pitch-modulated madness to super-low, subwoofer-shaking bass lines.
All of the effects can be punched-in on the grid, which runs at various sequencer speeds and pattern durations. Our preferred approach is to first set each effect to its optimum state for the sound source by holding [Cmd] and clicking to sequence all steps for an effect at a time, programming in custom patterns or [Alt]-clicking to randomise the pattern when done. This makes up for Sequential’s lack of presets, but after all, this is more of an experimental tool than one that always yields predictable results.
We fed plenty of drum beats, vocals, synth lines and other miscellaneous material through Sequential and as expected got varied results each time. The effects all have a certain qualityto them so it’s luck of the drawin terms of sequencing in most cases, but for the money, three or four unique ideas to move forward with make it a worthwhile investment.