Frequency Shifter User Guide

A comprehensive reference for all parameters, modes, and creative techniques.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Main Controls
• Scale Quantization
• Quality & Processing
• Drift Modulation
• Stochastic Modes
• Spectral Mask
• Spectral Delay
• Preset Ideas & Recipes

Overview

The Frequency Shifter is a spectral processing plugin that moves all frequencies in your audio by a fixed Hz amount. Unlike pitch shifting (which preserves harmonic ratios), frequency shifting creates inharmonic, often metallic textures.

Signal Flow:

Input → STFT → Freq Shift → Quantize → Mask → Delay → ISTFT → Output

Main Controls

Shift (Hz)

Range: -20,000 Hz to +20,000 Hz Default: 0 Hz

The main frequency shift amount. This shifts ALL frequencies by the same Hz value.

Tip: The knob uses a logarithmic scale for precise control near zero.

Dry/Wet

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 100%

Blends between the original (dry) and processed (wet) signal.

• 0%: Original audio only
• 50%: Equal blend (creates phasing effects)
• 100%: Fully processed

Spectrum Toggle

Click to show/hide the real-time frequency spectrum analyzer. Displays the output frequencies with auto-scaling.

Scale Quantization

Quantization snaps shifted frequencies to musical scale degrees, making the output more tonal.

Quantize Strength

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 0%

Root Note

Options: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B Default: C

Sets the tonal center. All scale degrees are calculated relative to this note.

Scale Type

22 scales available:

Quality & Processing

Phase Vocoder

Toggle: On/Off Default: On

When enabled, uses phase vocoder processing for higher quality output with better phase coherence. Reduces artifacts at the cost of slightly more CPU.

• On: Recommended for most uses, cleaner sound
• Off: Raw frequency shifting, more artifacts but unique character

Quality Mode

Options: Low Latency, Balanced, Quality Default: Quality

Controls FFT size and overlap, affecting latency and sound quality.

Drift Modulation

Adds organic movement to the quantization, making it less static and robotic.

Drift Amount

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 0%

How much the frequencies deviate from their quantized targets.

• 0%: No drift, static quantization
• 10-30%: Subtle vibrato-like movement
• 50-100%: Wild, unpredictable pitch wandering

Drift Rate

Range: 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz Default: 1 Hz

Speed of the drift modulation.

• 0.1-0.5 Hz: Slow, evolving movement
• 1-2 Hz: Natural vibrato speed
• 5-10 Hz: Fast wobble, tremolo-like

Drift Mode

Options: LFO, Perlin, Stochastic Default: LFO

Stochastic Modes

When Drift Mode is set to Stochastic, these additional controls become active.

Stochastic Type

Options: Poisson, Random Walk, Jump Diffusion

Poisson

Random events occur at a rate determined by density. Creates sporadic, unpredictable jumps.

• Good for: Glitchy textures, random pitch events

Random Walk

Each value is based on the previous, creating wandering motion that accumulates over time.

• Good for: Gradually evolving, drifting textures

Jump Diffusion

Combines smooth diffusion with occasional sudden jumps. The most complex and unpredictable.

• Good for: Hybrid textures, controlled chaos

Stochastic Density

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 50%

Controls how frequently random events occur.

• Low (0-30%): Sparse, occasional events
• Medium (30-70%): Moderate activity
• High (70-100%): Dense, frequent events

Stochastic Smoothness

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 50%

Controls interpolation between random values.

• Low (0-30%): Abrupt, stepped changes
• Medium (30-70%): Moderate smoothing
• High (70-100%): Very smooth, filtered randomness

Spectral Mask

Selectively applies the frequency shift effect to only certain frequency ranges. Toggle Mask to enable.

Mask Mode

Options: Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass

Low Frequency

Range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz Default: 200 Hz

The lower boundary of the mask. Frequencies below this are:

• Band Pass: Unaffected (dry)
• High Pass: Unaffected (dry)
• Low Pass: Processed (wet)

High Frequency

Range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz Default: 5,000 Hz

The upper boundary of the mask. Frequencies above this are:

• Band Pass: Unaffected (dry)
• High Pass: Processed (wet)
• Low Pass: Unaffected (dry)

Transition (Trans)

Range: 0.1 to 4.0 octaves Default: 1.0 octave

Width of the smooth crossfade between affected and unaffected regions. Uses Hermite smoothstep for artifact-free transitions.

• 0.1-0.5 oct: Sharp transition, more obvious splits
• 1-2 oct: Natural, gradual blend
• 3-4 oct: Very smooth, subtle masking

Spectral Delay

A frequency-dependent delay that processes each FFT bin separately. Toggle Delay to enable.

Time

Range: 10 ms to 2,000 ms Default: 200 ms

Base delay time. This is the delay applied at the center frequency. Uses logarithmic scaling.

Slope

Range: -100% to +100% Default: 0%

How delay time varies across the frequency spectrum.

Feedback (FDBK)

Range: 0% to 95% Default: 30%

How much of the delayed signal is fed back into the delay line.

• 0%: Single echo
• 30-50%: Multiple echoes, gradual decay
• 70-95%: Long, resonant tails (watch for buildup!)

Damping (DAMP)

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 30%

High-frequency absorption per delay repeat. Simulates natural acoustic absorption.

• 0%: No damping, bright repeats
• 30-50%: Natural decay, like a room
• 70-100%: Dark, muffled repeats

Mix

Range: 0% to 100% Default: 50%

Amount of delayed signal added to the dry signal. This is ADDITIVE, not a crossfade.

• 0%: No delay audible
• 50%: Moderate delay presence
• 100%: Full delay signal added

Gain

Range: -12 dB to +24 dB Default: 0 dB

Boost or cut the delayed signal level.

• -12 to 0 dB: Subtle delay presence
• +6 to +12 dB: Prominent delay effect
• +12 to +24 dB: Delay dominates (use with low mix)

Preset Ideas & Recipes

Classic Metallic Voice

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +80 Hz | | Quantize | 0% | | Dry/Wet | 100% | | Phase Vocoder | On |

Robot voice, Dalek-style effect.

Harmonic Re-tuning

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +50 to +200 Hz | | Quantize | 100% | | Root | Match your song key | | Scale | Major or Minor | | Dry/Wet | 70-100% |

Force any audio into a specific key.

Subtle Chorus/Detune

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +7 Hz | | Quantize | 0% | | Dry/Wet | 50% |

Creates a natural doubling/chorus effect.

Evolving Pad Texture

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +100 Hz | | Quantize | 60% | | Scale | Lydian or Whole Tone | | Drift Amount | 40% | | Drift Mode | Perlin | | Drift Rate | 0.3 Hz |

Slowly morphing, ethereal texture.

Glitchy Experimental

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +300 Hz | | Quantize | 50% | | Drift Mode | Stochastic | | Stochastic Type | Jump Diffusion | | Density | 70% | | Smoothness | 20% |

Unpredictable, IDM-style pitch glitches.

Bass Enhancement with Mask

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +30 Hz | | Mask | On | | Mode | Low Pass | | High Freq | 300 Hz | | Transition | 1 oct | | Dry/Wet | 100% |

Shift only the sub frequencies, leave mids/highs clean.

Vocal Isolation Effect

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +150 Hz | | Mask | On | | Mode | Band Pass | | Low Freq | 300 Hz | | High Freq | 4000 Hz | | Transition | 0.5 oct |

Shift the vocal range, keep bass and air intact.

Spectral Reverb/Smear

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +20 Hz | | Delay | On | | Time | 400 ms | | Slope | -50% | | Feedback | 60% | | Damping | 50% | | Mix | 70% | | Gain | +6 dB |

Low frequencies ring out longer, natural decay.

Shimmer Effect

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +1200 Hz (one octave-ish) | | Quantize | 100% | | Scale | Major | | Delay | On | | Time | 150 ms | | Feedback | 70% | | Damping | 30% | | Mix | 40% | | Gain | +12 dB |

Octave-up shimmer reverb effect.

Dark Underwater

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | -100 Hz | | Quantize | 30% | | Scale | Phrygian | | Delay | On | | Time | 800 ms | | Slope | +30% | | Damping | 80% | | Mix | 50% |

Submerged, murky texture with high frequencies echoing longer.

Randomized Ambient Drone

| Parameter | Value | |———–|——-| | Shift | +50 Hz | | Quantize | 80% | | Scale | Pentatonic Minor | | Drift Mode | Stochastic | | Type | Random Walk | | Density | 40% | | Smoothness | 90% | | Delay | On | | Time | 1500 ms | | Feedback | 80% | | Mix | 60% |

Ever-evolving generative texture.

Tips & Tricks

1. Start subtle: Small shifts (5-50 Hz) often sound better than extreme values.

2. Use the mask to protect bass frequencies from shifting — keeps the low end solid.

3. Quantize + Drift together creates organic, musical results that don’t sound robotic.

4. Spectral delay slope at -50% to -100% creates natural reverb-like diffusion.

5. For live use, choose Low Latency quality mode to minimize delay.

6. Blend with Dry/Wet at 30-50% for more natural integration.

7. Automate the Shift parameter for sweeping, filter-like effects.

8. Stack multiple instances with different settings for complex layered textures.

Troubleshooting

No sound / silence

• Check Dry/Wet is not at 0%
• Ensure the plugin is not bypassed
• Verify input signal is reaching the plugin

Metallic artifacts

• Enable Phase Vocoder
• Use Quality mode instead of Low Latency
• Reduce the shift amount

Delay not audible

• Increase Delay Gain (+6 to +12 dB)
• Increase Delay Mix (50-100%)
• Ensure Delay toggle is enabled

CPU usage too high

• Use Balanced or Low Latency quality mode
• Disable Spectrum analyzer when not needed

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