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Velvet Machine, is there anything to beat it at what it does?

Hi all,

I have had Velvet Machine since its release, and love it, and I've been trialling the plugin version on my Mac, and love it. Before I spring the cash to buy the plugin version, I want to check, is there anything around today, that trumps Velvet Machine at what it does?

I'm mostly using it to create smooth and blurred ambiences and textures.

I have to ask, as you may remember, I was off the forum, and not making music, for over 10 months, due to cancer and complications from treatment. I'm still discovering some of the wonderful apps that I missed during that time.

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Comments

  • Not sure what you mean by “beat it”, as there are quite a few tools that can do something similar, but not quite in the same way. I would suggest the various Eventide Apps, as they can certainly create somewhat similar effects.

    One of my favorites is Black Hole, but it’s probably personal preference in the end.

    Sorry to hear about your health issues, but so glad to see you back and checking into the apps that you might not have caught up with yet.

  • @michael_m said:
    Not sure what you mean by “beat it”, as there are quite a few tools that can do something similar, but not quite in the same way. I would suggest the various Eventide Apps, as they can certainly create somewhat similar effects.

    One of my favorites is Black Hole, but it’s probably personal preference in the end.

    Sorry to hear about your health issues, but so glad to see you back and checking into the apps that you might not have caught up with yet.

    I guess I mean is there anything that would surpass its capabilities or control.

    I have BlackHole, but use it in league with Velvet Machine, rather than as an alternative. I love the level of control in Velvet Machine.

    As for my health, yes, maybe another year before I'm fully back to health, but life is moving on, and the cancer is gone, at least for now, and that's good enough for me. I'm so happy to be in a position to be diving back into my music again, and for all that I learn from the community here on this forum!

  • I also have a lot of love for Velvet Machine and have never found anything that I'd say beats it at what it does. I tend to user BlackHole also when I want massive reverb, but Velvet Machine creates some pretty unique sounds beyond just a verb.

  • @andowrites said:
    I have BlackHole, but use it in league with Velvet Machine, rather than as an alternative.

    I have done that too - definitely a good combination!

  • @michael_m said:

    @andowrites said:
    I have BlackHole, but use it in league with Velvet Machine, rather than as an alternative.

    I have done that too - definitely a good combination!

    A very sweet combo indeed.

  • @FastGhost said:
    I also have a lot of love for Velvet Machine and have never found anything that I'd say beats it at what it does. I tend to user BlackHole also when I want massive reverb, but Velvet Machine creates some pretty unique sounds beyond just a verb.

    It's looking like we're all in agreement here. Yes, I use it way beyond as a reverb, but rather, as a creative tool for sound design. It's a lovely app and plugin. I'm glad that it hasn't been surpassed to be honest. It's so well designed, under the hood and above, there's nothing I can criticise it for.

  • I too love it for sound design, I did nearly persuade the dev to incorporate a grid to make creating synced stuff easier, but it was probably a very low priority for him…

  • Magic Blur belongs to the same family, I think, but is different enough.

  • @ALB said:
    Magic Blur belongs to the same family, I think, but is different enough.

    That's what I was wondering, thank you. In what ways might it be different?

  • @andowrites said:

    @ALB said:
    Magic Blur belongs to the same family, I think, but is different enough.

    That's what I was wondering, thank you. In what ways might it be different?

    I’m the same way as all gs dsp apps - that you can select the exact frequencies you want to blur, set and animate them with the incredible inbuilt modulation. The envelopes in Velvet Machine are related to volume.

    Details about magic blur are here:

    https://gs-dsp.com/products/magicblur/

  • You can demo it on desktop btw Andō

  • Check out the new @BramBos app that he created with Heinbach called Fluss. It adds shimmer to the blur.

  • @McD said:
    Check out the new @BramBos app that he created with Heinbach called Fluss. It adds shimmer to the blur.

    Ah yes, I have Fluss on my iPad and phone, and long for it to be made available as a desktop plugin. But I'm not hopeful of that.

  • I have found nothing on the desktop that matches its simplicity. The desktop version was available for $16 on discount for BF according to my notes, so you might wait for a sale.

  • @kidslow said:
    I have found nothing on the desktop that matches its simplicity. The desktop version was available for $16 on discount for BF according to my notes, so you might wait for a sale.

    Me neither. It's elegant in its simplicity, yet nothing is compromised. I need to be working with it now (the project is part work, part personal), and I feel Velvet Machine is a bargain at $29, especially when compared to the Magic apps and plugins.

  • @Gavinski said:
    You can demo it on desktop btw Andō

    @Gavinski said:

    @andowrites said:

    @ALB said:
    Magic Blur belongs to the same family, I think, but is different enough.

    That's what I was wondering, thank you. In what ways might it be different?

    I’m the same way as all gs dsp apps - that you can select the exact frequencies you want to blur, set and animate them with the incredible inbuilt modulation. The envelopes in Velvet Machine are related to volume.

    Details about magic blur are here:

    https://gs-dsp.com/products/magicblur/

    Thanks Gav, that sounds like a lot of bang for the buck. Which it needs to be, as I find the prices a little high on the Magic plugins. They'll have to wait for a good sale later in the year I think. I'd be interested in MagicBlur. I've just downloaded the demo version. Meanwhile, I think I'm going to spring for Velvet Machine on desktop to match my iOS app experience.

  • I went for Velvet Machine on my Mac, to match my iOS setup. I'm really happy with my decision. Job done.

    I may also demo MagicBlur, and consider it as an addition at some later date (Black Friday?)

  • Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

  • @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Wonderful, thanks!

  • @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

  • @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    I only have iOS so I can't say. Let me know what you think, maybe I do a separate post so more see it i.e if they good enough.

  • edited March 2023

    @Pxlhg said:

    @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    I only have iOS so I can't say. Let me know what you think, maybe I do a separate post so more see it i.e if they good enough.

    Will do. Thanks again. I'm just trying to work out how to import them into the plugin now.

  • @Pxlhg said:

    @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    I only have iOS so I can't say. Let me know what you think, maybe I do a separate post so more see it i.e if they good enough.

    Imported. I'll explore some of them over the coming week. I'll be offline much of the next couple of days, but I will explore.

    For anyone interested to try your presets, here are details on how to import presets for iOS, MacOS, and Windows below, from the Velvet Machine manual:

    IMPORT/EXPORT (IOS)
    To export a preset, select it in the list (or tap Select and check multiple presets), then tap Export and choose the desired sharing option in the system dialog.

    To import presets, tap Import, select the presets you want to import in the presented system file browser and tap Open.

    IMPORT/EXPORT (MACOS/WINDOWS)
    As the desktop OSes provide free access to the file system, you can import and export presets by copying preset files to and from the designated user preset folders:

    macOS: ~/Music/Phonolyth/Velvet Machine/Presets Windows: Documents\Phonolyth\Velvet Machine\Presets

  • @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:

    @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    I only have iOS so I can't say. Let me know what you think, maybe I do a separate post so more see it i.e if they good enough.

    Imported. I'll explore some of them over the coming week. I'll be offline much of the next couple of days, but I will explore.

    For anyone interested to try your presets, here are details on how to import presets for iOS, MacOS, and Windows below, from the Velvet Machine manual:

    IMPORT/EXPORT (IOS)
    To export a preset, select it in the list (or tap Select and check multiple presets), then tap Export and choose the desired sharing option in the system dialog.

    To import presets, tap Import, select the presets you want to import in the presented system file browser and tap Open.

    IMPORT/EXPORT (MACOS/WINDOWS)
    As the desktop OSes provide free access to the file system, you can import and export presets by copying preset files to and from the designated user preset folders:

    macOS: ~/Music/Phonolyth/Velvet Machine/Presets Windows: Documents\Phonolyth\Velvet Machine\Presets

    Great! :)

  • @Pxlhg said:

    @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:

    @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    I only have iOS so I can't say. Let me know what you think, maybe I do a separate post so more see it i.e if they good enough.

    Imported. I'll explore some of them over the coming week. I'll be offline much of the next couple of days, but I will explore.

    For anyone interested to try your presets, here are details on how to import presets for iOS, MacOS, and Windows below, from the Velvet Machine manual:

    IMPORT/EXPORT (IOS)
    To export a preset, select it in the list (or tap Select and check multiple presets), then tap Export and choose the desired sharing option in the system dialog.

    To import presets, tap Import, select the presets you want to import in the presented system file browser and tap Open.

    IMPORT/EXPORT (MACOS/WINDOWS)
    As the desktop OSes provide free access to the file system, you can import and export presets by copying preset files to and from the designated user preset folders:

    macOS: ~/Music/Phonolyth/Velvet Machine/Presets Windows: Documents\Phonolyth\Velvet Machine\Presets

    Great! :)

    :smile:

  • I arrived at some random preset in Velvet that is the most realistic space I’ve found in a reverb. I know, that’s totally not the intended use of Velvet Machine, but it blew me away how realistic it sounded, just like being in a room.

  • Ab vortex x can get into similar spaces but nothing quite like Velvet Machine really.

  • @tahiche said:
    I arrived at some random preset in Velvet that is the most realistic space I’ve found in a reverb. I know, that’s totally not the intended use of Velvet Machine, but it blew me away how realistic it sounded, just like being in a room.

    Would be interested to hear. Any chance of a screenshot when you get a chance? Thanks

  • @andowrites said:

    @Pxlhg said:
    Here’s a batch of presets for anyone interested. @andowrites

    Are these presets compatible with both desktop and iOS versions of Velvet Machine?

    Should be - I've swapped presets between the 2 versions...

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