REVIEW AUDIOMULCH 4

AudioMulch is modular audio recording studio software that can be used in the studio environment for musical composition and recording but its inspirational foundation is based on the concept of using the computer as an improvisational musical instrument in live performance with instrumental musicians.
At the International Computer Music Conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada, AudioMulch’s developer, Ross Bencina, was introduced to the notion that a computer software’s user interface could be used as a musical instrument. That artistic concept corresponded with the introduction of personal computers that were fast and powerful enough to support musically useful real-time signal processing.

Standout Features

Real-time signal processing techniques
Unlimited combination of signal processing elements (contraptions)
Ability to process and generate sound files in live performance
Support for up to 24 channel s of real time input and output
Support for recording and playback of multiple synchronized files.

AudioMulch has a wide range of tools, features and sound generating and processing modules that are known as contraptions. The contraptions can be grouped into five categories: Signal Generators, Effects, Filters, and Mixers. There’s an Input/Output section which allows for patching your sound card’s in and out and supports multi-channel devices via its auxiliary ins and outs. The program supports VST audio effects plugins.

Signal generators include a monophonic bassline synth, a simple sine test tone/noise generator, a sample granular synth, and a comprehensive dual-oscillator arpeggiator. There’s also a looping fileplayer for replaying existing audio files and a Loop Player for doing likewise but synchronized to MIDI clock. Also featured is the sliding scale Shepard/Risset tone generator.

AudioMulch’s suite of effects includes a dynamic stereo spatialiser that permits setting the path and trajectory of a moving input signal, a delay line granulator, ring/amplitude modulation and stereo delay options. The program includes reverb, flanger and a harmonic shaper plus the pulsar comb filter. Thereare also a digital grunge inducer, sampling loopers, and waveshaper/distortion features.

AudioMulch offers five filter options including traditional mono and stereo parametric EQ, a resonant comb filter bank which adds resonating chordal drones, the Shepard/Risset filter bank with up to 50 moving band-pass filters, granular filtering and resonant lowpass with pattern triggering.

There is a variety of mono and stereo mixer features with added level and pan controls, gain and inverter controls, and matrix contraptions for dynamically modifying routing between input sources and output destinations with variable fade times with crossfaders to make the whole movement smooth.

Specifications:

AudioMulch is an interactive musician’s environment for PC and Mac. It is used for live electronic music performance, composition and sound design.

AudioMulch allows you to make music by patching together a range of sound producing and processing modules. Unlike some patcher-based programming environments, AudioMulch's modules perform high-level musical functions, so you don't have to create things from the ground up using individual oscillators and filters. AudioMulch is designed for live performance and improvisation – you can process live audio sources and control every knob and slider on the user interface using a MIDI controller.