Multi-effect processors have been on the market for quite some time now. We were first introduced to hardware units which offered classic effects like delay, reverb, compressor, phaser, and flanger. Those multi-effect processors were in most cases built as guitar pedals. However, in recent times, we witnessed the emergence of advanced effects which can alter the sound in both mild and drastic ways. So check out a multi-effect processor in software form that caught our attention!
Looperator by Sugar Bytes
The Looperator basically chops up your original sound and turns it into something completely different. In the process, you can use the classic effects like Filter or Reverb, but also a trippy Loop effect. With just a click, Looperator makes sounds that sound like you were working on them for hours.
Powerful presets
Looperator unites two concepts: a loop slicer and an effects sequencer. You can rearrange the material with the slicer and place effects with surgical precision. Right from the start, you need to check out a tool that is easy to handle and produces excellent results. The preset tool easily creates rolls, loops, and stutter edits, that can be quite hard to create in a DAW. The best part is that you only need a couple of mouse clicks. And when the inspiration leaves the room, the smart random algorithms with detailed programming options will generate ready to use amazing sequences.
Endless possibilities
Each effect holds its individual parameters (5 settings), each of which can be controlled by one of 20 selectable and adjustable envelope shapes, a simple automation-ready parameter dial, an envelope follower, or a randomizer. In most cases, you wouldn’t need to go any further than the ready-made steps. However, when you do, the four user-defined steps per track will give you full and precise control of vital effect parameters on a per-step basis. When it comes to animating lively sequences on a detailed level, the possibilities are literally endless.
The interface
In the upper part of the interface, there is a preset navigator, beat signature switcher, controls for loop forward/backward and a useful randomize button. Below that is the main section containing steps with the ability to add a different effect to every step by simply clicking on it. There are six horizontal lines: Slice, Loop, Env, Filter, Fx1, and Fx2. Every step can be altered in any line, and different effects can be chosen. Here’s how some of the menus look like:
For every line, you will notice a small icon representing a wheel. By clicking on this line, another sub-menu opens which allows more fine tweaking of the selected effect for each step. For example, here is how one of them looks like:
There is, of course, a handy mix slider for every line, a randomize button for every line. Additionally, at the bottom of the interface, there is a global Dry/Wet mix.
In my opinion, this is one of the most complex and powerful sounding multi-effect processors, so I encourage you to try it for yourself.
Here are a couple of sound examples which I made using the Looperator in SoundBridge. Firstly, we will hear how the guitar riff and drum loop sounds unprocessed and then processed with the Looperator.
Sound examples
~Drum loop- unprocessed
~Drum loop – processed with Looperator
~Guitar riff – unprocessed
~Guitar riff – processed with Looperator
Feel free to download the project here.
