Many years ago, my pal – Tape Op contributor and reFuse Software owner Leigh Marble – came out with Lowender, one of the first subharmonic synthesizer plug-ins that worked well and was easy to use. Tchad Blake [Tape Op #16, 133] popularized it, and countless productions benefitted. Lowender is still a useful tool, but with all the advances in processing and plug-in power, what would a new subharmonic generator look like? Baby Audio's Crystalline [#150] is one of my fave newer algorithmic reverb plug-ins, especially on electronic-based mixes, and they have a suite of all sorts of other interesting tools. With their new SubCulture plug-in, they've built a "pitch-tracking bass enhancer" that works via three engines: a Sub Layer that can go two octaves below (or above) the source, a Root Boost tracking EQ, and a tuned filter circuit in Resonance. These engines can be set to different notes, boosting upper harmonics, emphasizing root notes, and adding harmonies at the same time. There's a whole processing section as well – Saturation, Compression, mixing – allowing the user to sculpt the sound more and build presets to taste.
Baby Audio: SubCulture bass enhancer plug-in
REVIEWED BY Larry Crane - editor