Effects

Every instrument can be fed through an effects chain. Effects are toggled on and off individually from the Effects panel, and they process the instrument's output before it reaches its mixer channel. Most of the character in a finished track comes from here.

Time-based effects

Delay

Repeats the signal after a set time. Short delays thicken a sound; long ones create rhythmic echoes that can carry a whole arrangement.

Ping-pong delay

A delay whose repeats alternate between the left and right speakers, producing a wide, bouncing stereo image.

Modulation effects

Chorus

Layers slightly detuned, delayed copies of the signal to make one instrument sound like several. The standard cure for a thin sound.

Phaser

Sweeps a series of notches through the frequency spectrum, producing the familiar whooshing sweep. Effective on pads and sustained chords.

Tremolo

Modulates volume rhythmically for a pulsing, chopping effect.

Wah-wah

Sweeps a resonant filter to produce a vocal, talking quality.

Distortion and dynamics

Overdrive

Adds harmonic distortion by driving the signal beyond clean. Anything from gentle warmth to full aggression, depending on how hard you push it.

Bitcrusher

Reduces bit depth and sample rate to produce deliberate digital degradation — lo-fi, crunchy and retro.

Compressor

Evens out the difference between loud and quiet parts, making a sound denser and more consistent. Useful for making a part sit reliably in a mix.

Filtering and space

Filter

An additional filter stage in the effects chain, independent of the instrument's own filter.

Moog filter

A filter model with the resonant, characterful behaviour associated with Moog hardware. Especially good on bass.

Panner

Positions the sound in the stereo field.

Using effects well

Effects are stored per instrument as part of the track document, so they save, reload and sync to collaborators along with everything else.