Sugar Bytes

Sugar Bytes are keeping them coming fast and
furious these days – it seems like the company
trundles out a new plug-in nearly every time we go
to press. With a handful of efects devices and even
a synthesizer or two, theyre nothing if not
thorough. More than that, they have a sense of
adventure, as displayed by the MIDI-savvy Artillery
2 efects keyboard. With Efectrix, they take efects
control to the next logical plateau, in the form of a
cross-platform VST and AU multi-efects plug-in
with a built-in sequencer.
A pile of processing
The idea behind Efectrix seems obvious: pile
processes up 14 high and tie them into a grid-based
pattern sequencer that allows the diferent efects
(see Efect tricks for a rundown) to be activated at
various steps. Efects can be layered and
synchronised to the hosts tempo.
The sequencer itself is pretty simple, and even
familiar. The steps in the grid can be divided into
quarter-notes, quarter-note triplets, eighth-notes,
eighth-note triplets, 16th-notes or 32nd-notes. We
wouldnt mind seeing 16th-note triplets and dotted
igures too. The delay efect is likewise devoid of
dotted igures, though it has a lot more divisions.
Efectrix is, to our way of thinking, best when
used live. Real-time processing with it is a blast. You
can create multiple patterns and assign them to
diferent keys on your MIDI keyboard for interactive
pattern changes. Additionally, playback of the
sequencer can be triggered by a MIDI note-on
message. Oh, and theres a MIDI learn function, too.
Our favourite feature might be the Modulator
Tracks. Each efect gets four of these, and they can
be assigned to parameters speciic to that efect.
Modulation is drawn into the track per step, and a
Smoothing option rounds of any abrupt changes.
You can also avail yourself of the Random button,
which can be clicked to conjure up freeform
patterns in the Modulator Tracks.
Even pedestrian passages can spawn a legion of
interesting new rhythms with very little efort when
Efectrix is applied. If you dont want to put the work
in, you can draw upon the wealth of factory presets.
They run the gamut from single-processor
sweetening to complex, multilayered freak-outs.
Efectrix is an inspiring plug-in, and ideal for
those making glitch, IDM or any form of music with
an experimental edge. Its downright addictive, in
fact – once you ire it up, its hard to wrench yourself
away from it, and when you do, youll probably
come away with a head full of new ideas. The only
thing that might spoil a good time is that the efects
are always processed in series, from top to bottom,
and while a full-on routing matrix is a pretty big ask,
it would be good if there was a way to alter this
routing somehow, if even just to change the order
in which they modules are arranged. cm
Contact [e-mail]
Web sugar-bytes.de
Sugar Bytes
Effectrix €99
You may think youve seen it all before, but this plug-in
multiefects processor ofers something altogether new
System requirements
PC 1GHz, 128MB RAM, Windows XP
Mac 1GHz CPU, 128MB RAM, OS X 10.4
Te s t s y s tem
Mac 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM,
OS X 10.4.11, GarageBand, Cubase 4
Verdict
For Brilliantly executed concept
Good efects, especially when combined
Reasonable price
Modulator Tracks!
Against More note divisions, please…
Fixed routing of efects
Efectrix ofers both inspiration in the
studio, and an intuitive tool for jamming
and live performance. Its simply addictive!
8/10
Alternatively
Novuzeit Sizzle Spine
N/A >> N/A >> $20
Sequenced iltering and distortion
Electronisounds Ubergate
N/A >> N/A >> $30
Multi-efects with pattern-based gate
Taken on their own, Efectrixs efects range
from run-of-the-mill to way out and wild. So
whats in the box? There is, as you might
expect, a reverb, along with delay, chorus and
phaser efects. A multiband ilter is in tow,
accompanied by a tonal delay for pitched
echoes. A trio of excellent looping efects are
included too, among them a superb scratch
looper. Stuttering is supported, and you get a
vinyl simulator as well. Further lo-i treatment
is provided by the bit-crusher. Theres a cool
reverse efect here, too.
Thats a lot of stuf! Each efect sports a
smattering of parameters to play with, along
with a selection of presets. Better still, a
handful of parameters for each process can be
assigned to those nifty Modulator Tracks,
which work much like the controller pane of
your regular sequencer. This kind of power
and lexibility is often accompanied by a hit to
user-friendliness, but not so with Efectrix, as
its a snap to get around.
Effect tricks
ON THE DVD
AUDIO + DEMO
Audio examples and the
demo of Efectrix are in
the relevant folders
Paint em in and stack em up! Efectrix presents an exciting new way to use efects
June 2008 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 105
sugar bytes efectrix / reviews <
CMU126.rev_effectrix 105 15/4/08 18:36:01