Glitch Tips
Be prepared to break the rules – a little audio misuse can lead to some interesting results
Sampler tricks
We’ve utilised audio editing and real-time processing techniques in this feature, but practise your sampler-wielding skills, too. By looping a small section of a sample, then automating or modulating the loop’s start and end points, you’ll conceive a myriad of customisable electro-glitches and buzzing timbres. Pitched turntable stops, extreme pitch-shifting and unorthodox rolling effects are also easily achieved via the wealth of features your sampler has to offer. Automate multiple parameters to introduce even more interest.
Get set to record
Ever encountered unexpected audio glitches, digital clipping, plug-in pops/clicks or other malfunctioning errors? If you’re after authentic glitch noises and tones, prepare for these sonic mishaps and be ready to record them through your audio interface (or using real-time recording software) – you never know what could become your next hi-hat or synth tone. You can encourage these glitches through experimental patch-cabling and studio rewiring mishaps – failing cables and broken gear are your friends!
Collate your takes
Most DAWs now offer some kind of ‘comping’ feature, traditionally used to compile the best vocal passages from a multitude of takes. Use this function to collate the results of lengthy glitch-tweaking sessions. If your host doesn’t have dedicated vocal comping tools, simply stack up your glitch renders on separate audio tracks, cut them up, then use the ‘mute’ tool to silence the unwanted segments.
Custom chains
While there are plenty of useful multi-effect plug-ins available, any producer with an internet connection can access the exact same software and presets, meaning the release of an epic new effect plug-in is often succeeded with a wave of homogenous, ‘cookie-cutter’ glitch edits and fills. Go against the grain and instead build up your own custom ‘glitch’ chains of effects – or even entire project templates – primed to propagate dazzling (and bespoke) results. Plus, if your plug-ins allow, hook up multiple parameters to single macro controls and get tweaking.
Data bending
An infinite universe of oddball sounds can be generated by opening media files in the ‘wrong’ software – a process known as data bending. By loading non-audio files into an audio editing program as raw data, the software attempts to interpret the data and creates unpredictable noise bursts, scratches, glitches and weirdness as a by-product. Remember to render your favourite new creations out to your sample folder.
Glitch your ’verbs
Reverb is an effect that responds well to abnormal glitching techniques. When we hear the initial portion of a long reverb signal, our brain naturally expects the tail to decay over a certain period of time. Breaking this expectation – by cutting a reverb tail off to silence – triggers a stark psychoacoustic response for a distinctly unnatural effect. Try combining extended reverb tails with staccato sections for contrast.
Schoolboy error
The complexity of fast glitch effects makes them outlandishly impressive, leading novice producers to stuff their projects with excessive buzzes, rolls, scratches and stutters. Exercise restraint, and save the most complex effects for when your track really needs them, otherwise your flashy hyper-edits will quickly lose their impact. Remember, less is more.