Stretch and warp

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Almost all modern DAWs contain some pitchshifting and audio warping capabilities. Generally, these are designed to be as natural as possible – users can adjust the pitch or timing of an audio file without it sounding unnatural. If pushed to extreme, though, these tools can sound downright odd, and great for ‘wrong’-sounding effects. Audio editors, like Ableton Live’s Clips, offer multiple algorithm types; changing these can have a major impact on the qualities of the sound. Editors that allow for manipulation of formants are great for oddball effects. Extreme stretching tools like ‘Paulstretch’ – now found in free editor Audacity – are great for turning simple sounds into soundscapes.