3 smart creative tools

INTELLIGENT PLUGINS THAT LIVE UP TO THEIR NAME… Audiomodern Playbeat 3

With Playbeat, Audiomodern apply an algorithmdriven approach to drum sequencing. On the surface, the plugin functions like a lot of other software drum machines. Users can import samples and sequence them across an eight-track step sequencer. There are parameters for varying pitch, level, flams, pan position, etc. Where Playbeat is unique, however, is in its algorithms that can be used to randomise or remix a pattern based on current groove. This is where the ‘intelligent’ element of design lies – rather than simply randomise hits and parameters, it makes creative decisions inspired by the existing pattern.

Algonaut Audio Atlas 2

Atlas uses AI to take the pain out of wading through your unwieldy drum sample library. It works by analysing your sample folders and creating an elegant ‘map’ – coloured nodes that create clusters of samples grouped by sound-type and tone. Even if you import a disorganised bundle of one-shots, melodic sounds and loops, Atlas will filter the non-percussive sounds to leave neatlyorganised ‘maps’ of beat hits. This functionality is paired with a slick, pad-focused drum machine and step sequencer. There’s a good level of onboard sample editing too, and those smart features make it easy to swap sounds on-the-fly.

Baby Audio TAIP

TAIP is an interesting marriage between modern tech and vintage effects. The concept itself is nothing new – a tape emulation that aims to impart the desirable inconsistencies of analogue tape machines. However, the approach taken is a little different. According to Baby Audio, rather than use straight DSP, TAIP makes use of AI/neural networks to “accurately decipher the sonic qualities that make a tape machine sound and behave in the way it does”. This is done by feeding an algorithm with examples of dry and tape-processed audio in order for it to learn the precise differences between the ‘analogue’ and ‘digital’ versions of the audio.