Seeking Advice: In Search Of That "Bedspins" Effect

[otalgia-2000]

Hello everyone

Can anybody suggest a process for applying an across-the-board effect to a project that would result in global tempo & pitch fluctuations that rise and fall slightly? Something akin to turning a phonograph record manually (the fingertip-on-the-label trick, let's say).

The aim is to produce that same kind of slightly woozy effect, with a certain degree of random rather than regimented, application.

My first efforts at applying a tempo curve automation to the conductor track gave sudden breakpoint changes rather than the gradual, (yet erratic!) rise-and-fall that I'm after.

It also didn't appear to cause the kind of global pitch to change along with the speed that I'm looking for.

My project is made up largely of MIDI-generated audio, for one thing, so that could well have a bearing. And, as I'm really after an effect that isn't terribly pronounced, I might have failed to observe that pitch was being changed.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks!

o-2k

[mikehalloran]

You are describing wow and flutter, considered a defect with vinyl and audio tape,. There are plug-ins designed to correct it and others designed to introduce it—you want the later, often described as “low-fi”. Google is your friend. I don’t know if any introduce the random element you are looking for but one or two might.

[otalgia-2000]

You are describing wow and flutter, considered a defect with vinyl and audio tape,. There are plug-ins designed to correct it and others designed to introduce it—you want the later, often described as “low-fi”. Google is your friend. I don’t know if any introduce the random element you are looking for but one or two might.

Thank you, Mike!
Yup -- wow & flutter, that's the ticket.

I gather from your advice that there's no programmatic approach within DP itself (such as Conductor Track automation) that will produce what I'm after.

Perhaps I something could be applied to a bounce of the mixed tracks somehow -- I will investigate further.

Greatly appreciated,
o-2k

[mikehalloran]

I don’t know if you can automate the Warp parameter in iZotope’s Vinyl but it now supports NKS and is still free. You can turn the Noise and Scratch controls off.

https://www.izotope.com/en/products/vinyl.html

The release notes do mention that some form of automation was fixed.

https://www.izotope.com/en/products/re ... notes.html

[otalgia-2000]

That's very helpful!
Many thanks.

[otalgia-2000]

I don’t know if you can automate the Warp parameter in iZotope’s Vinyl but it now supports NKS and is still free. You can turn the Noise and Scratch controls off.

The vinyl plugin was a good call. -- perhaps not exactly what I was imagining (but hey, whaddya want for the grand price of "free"!)

The Warp function can indeed be automated by ramps, although in application the effect of the Warp fluctuations sounds a bit more "regular" than what I had in mind.

There's a chance I can get this to work by automating a combination of Warp ramps of differing periods and depths, along with changes in the hard-selcted Speed options (you get 33 / 45 / 78, but no Varispeed or "free spin" option).

In any case it'll be a handy plug-in for me -- I frequently find myself in the Realm Lo-Fi, and this will be a useful item in the tool box generally.

Thank you again!
o-2k

[Killahurts]

Yeah, Vinyl is good, and free. My go-to for what you want to do. I have another that I have used, AudioThings Vinyl strip:

https://www.audiothing.net/effects/vinyl-strip/

It has a few cool features, including a "wow" control.

[otalgia-2000]

Thanks!
If there's one thing any of my projects could use more of, it's "Wow Control!"

o-2k