Back in 2013, we had a chance to test a handful of Sinevibes plugins (see our Shift, Switch and Sequential review) and found them “super fun sound manipulation tools that get you messing with your music immediately, with zero learning curve”.
The good news is that the Ukrainian company just released a new version of Shift, its animated shifter plugin for Mac.
Shift 2.0 is an Audio Unit plugin that creates animated spectral shifting effects. It is based around a step-sequenced envelope generator that allows to easily construct sophisticated patterns that are sent to control either a frequency shifter or a ring modulator. This finely-tuned setup produces a wide range of interesting effects: from gentle inharmonic detune and chirping, to extreme spectral-thinning and metallic zaps – with intricate pulsations in perfect sync with input audio.
Shift displays a live sound waveform and aligns its sequencer graphics with it – exactly in the same way it’s done by the sound engine, for true “what you see is what you get” operation. Every element in its user interface is color-coded and features subtle animations, bringing unusual ease of use and interactivity. Plus, all this goodness is rendered right on your Mac’s graphics adapter meaning fast response and no extra load on the main processor, regardless of how new or old your system is.
Sound engine
– Sequencer with up to 32 steps, variable duration, division and swing ratio.
– Alias-free frequency shifter and ring modulator effects.
– Envelope matrix offering 10 envelope shapes, adjustable time, curve and lag.
– Eight parameter snapshots in each preset, available for realtime switching and automation.
– Host transport synchronization with support for tempo and time signature changes.
Graphic interface
– Live input audio waveform and fluid sequencer graphics visually matched to it.
– Support for multi-touch gestures and force touch on compatible trackpad devices.
– Fully hardware-accelerated rendering with support for Retina screen resolution.
Compatibility
– Works with any application that supports Audio Unit effect plugins.
– Supports OS X 10.6 or later running on 32 or 64 bit Intel Macs.
Pricing & availability
Shift 2.0 is available now for $29. It can also be had for less than half its price as part of the Dynamic Collection or Complete Collection bundles. Owners of the previous Shift version get the upgrade for free.
Further details and demo version download for Shift 2.0 can be found at the Sinevibes Shift web page.
