Discord User’s Guide Audio Damage, Inc. Release 3.
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Introduction Thank you for purchasing Discord3, the newest version of Audio Damage's best-selling Discord series of pitchshifting based effect plug-ins. A pair of three-algorithm pitch shifting blocks combine with a warm, "vintage" style true stereo tempo-synced delay to give you a multi-effect with an extremely broad palette of unique and usable special effects.
System Requirements To use Discord, you'll need a Steinberg VST-compatible host application which conforms to the VST 2.0 specifications, and a computer capable of running it. For the Audio Unit version of Tattoo, you’ll need an application capable of hosting Audio Unit plug-ins, and an Apple computer with an Intel CPU capable of running it. We support the use of Discord under Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7; and Apple OS X version 10.5 or newer.
Discord is a true stereo processor. If used in a stereo context (for example, as an insert on a stereo channel in your DAW’s mixer), the left and right channels are processed independently with no summing. If you use the plug-in in a mono context, the incoming signal is routed to both the left and right processors and their outputs are added together. There are independent right and left controls for almost all of the parameters.
1. Pitch Shift Controls The mode control at the top left of Discord’s window chooses one of three modes of operation for Discord’s pitch shifters. These modes are: P1, Vintage: this mode is a careful reproduction of hardware pitch shifters from yesteryear. P1 is also the pitch shifting algorithm used in previous versions of Discord. P2, Clean: this mode is similar to P1 but usually produces a cleaner shifted sound than P1, particularly at smaller shifting intervals.
The SHIFT LEFT and SHIFT RIGHT controls change the amount that the pitch of the incoming signal is raised or lowered. The value in the display indicates the amount of pitch shift, expressed in cents or hundredths of a semitone. A positive shift amount increases (or sharpens) the pitch of the signal, while a negative amount decreases (or flattens) it. For example, a shift value of +1200 raises the signal’s pitch by one octave, and a value of -700 lowers it a fifth. The SHIFT controls have a range of ±3600.
values are denoted with a “T” after the beat fraction, and dotted values are denoted with a period. For example, “1/8 .” indicates a delay time with a dotted eighth note feel. Discord will track tempo changes, saving you from having to adjust its delay time by hand when you change the tempo of your song. Short delay times can enhance a chorusing or doubling effect created with small amounts of pitch shifting.
moves the frequencies in the same direction. As you pull the white dot downwards, the filters move together and allow only a narrow band of frequencies to pass through. You can then move the dot left and right to hear that band move up and down in frequency.
randomly determined shapes. The WAVESHAPE slider changes the basic waveform in different ways, depending on which waveform is chosen with the WAVEFORM buttons. If the sawtooth wave is selected, and the WAVESHAPE slider is set to the middle of its range, the output of the LFO rises and falls evenly between its lowest and highest values, creating a symmetric triangular wave. If you move the WAVESHAPE slider to the left from its center, the LFO output rises more quickly and falls more slowly.
Above each LFO are two sliders which control how much the LFOs influence the delays and filters. The TIME MOD slider causes the LFO to vary the delay time. Moving the slider to the left causes the LFO to decrease the delay time, moving it to the right causes it to increase the delay time. The FILTER MOD slider causes the LFO to vary the frequencies of the filters, as if you were dragging the filter control circle back and forth.
Each pitch control also has an associated slider for the LFO which controls how much the LFO changes the amount of pitch shifting. Moving the slider to the left causes the LFO to lower the pitch-shifting interval while moving the slider to the right causes the LFO to raise the pitch-shifting interval. 5. Master Sliders The INPUT slider controls the loudness of the signal entering Discord. Usually you’ll leave this slider at its default setting of unity gain (0dB).
interval. Pressing a note on your MIDI controller and/or manipulating the pitch bend wheel will set the pitch shifting effect accordingly, enabling you to play the pitch shifter as if it were an instrument. Middle C (MIDI note 60) sets the pitch shifter at zero, or no shifting. The range is three octaves below middle C to three octaves above middle C. The left and right pitch shifters are set to the same interval.
To remove a MIDI controller assignment from a control, SHIFT and CTRL keys, (SHIFT and CMD keys on a Mac) click on the control once so that the white box appears, then click again on the same control. Discord’s MIDI controller assignments apply to all presets and instances of Discord, in all host applications that you use. The MIDI assignments are stored in a special file on your hard drive. The contents of this file are read when Discord is loaded by your host.
