This week’s free plugin is Memory from Cymatics. An interesting modulation effect which, if used with care can introduce a pleasing instability to sounds.
What Is Memory?
Memory is a modulation plugin which combines randomised chorus and vibrato to add movement and richness to otherwise static sounds. If used in too heavy handed a way it creates distractingly unstable, out of tune results. Heavy randomised vibrato is after all the same a out of tune! However with low (<10%) depth settings it creates results which can add a pleasing movement to sounds which otherwise lack movement. I found it very useful on a synth string line which, with sympathetic depth settings and the low pass filter, took on more of a mellotron flavour. And top marks to Cymatics for making the added analogue noise control default to zero!
Cymatics describe Memory as a modelled BBD delay modulated by a carefully tuned pseudo-random source, mimicking the sound of analog tape wow and flutter.
The Depth parameter controls the strength of the random modulation acting on the pitch of the signal.
The Rate controls the distance between the random pitch fluctuations in time.
The adjustable Noise parameter injects the desired amount of analog noise into the signal.
The Filter knob controls the influence of incoming audio on the cutoff frequency of an envelope-following low-pass filter.
How Do I Get Memory?
Click the button above to go the the Cymatics website and provide a name and email address to download the installers.
Memory is available for windows and macOS as a VST, AU and AAX plugin, Apple Silicon compatible
Julian Rodgers is Editor of Production Expert. He has a background in live sound and has been a Pro Tools user since 2001. He lives by the sea in West Cornwall where he plays piano, bass and guitar equally badly and is an avid collector of microphones and opinions about all things audio.