polarity_music

Frequency Shifter Notes

Added 2024-11-04 15:33:38 +0000 UTC

I want to show you a fun experiment I tried over the weekend. I started with a basic A minor piano loop—just a sample, not note-based, so it has a set harmonic structure. Since it's in A minor, it's easy to play along with, but I wanted to take it in a different direction: more dissonant or "horror" sounding.

To achieve this, I used Bitwig’s frequency shifter. Unlike a pitch shifter, the frequency shifter shifts all frequencies by a fixed amount, making the sound disharmonic by throwing off the harmonic relationships. I started by shifting it down and noticed that it gave a micro-pitch effect, adding an unsettling quality.

One challenge, though, is that a frequency shift changes the scale, making it tricky to stay in key. So, I had the idea to "fake" the frequency shifter using the note grid. By setting up a note grid before the Polymer synth, I could apply a similar frequency shift but with clean, controlled note synthesis rather than a post-processing effect.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I did:

Frequency Shifter for Dissonance: Added Bitwig’s frequency shifter to the A minor piano loop to create a horror-like, disharmonic sound by shifting frequencies evenly, causing tonal "clashing."
Note Grid Technique: Replaced the frequency shifter with a note grid that shifts notes by the same pitch-frequency relationship, creating a cleaner dissonant effect while keeping the flexibility of note-based manipulation.
Micro-Pitch Adjustments: Experimented with shifting frequencies in small increments (like 100 or 30 Hz) to find subtle but unsettling harmonic changes.
Recording and Fine-Tuning: Recorded the output with the note grid for additional pitch bends and tested octave shifts for better control over bass and high tones.

This setup is great for crafting unusual, chromatic, or horror-inspired sounds, especially useful for soundtracks or techno where offbeat scales can add a lot of atmosphere. If you’re interested, I’ve shared the patch in the description so you can try it yourself!

Thanks for watching—let me know if you have questions, and I’ll see you in the next video!

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