BLEASS Slow Machine

Name: BLEASS Slow Machine
Price: 14.9 USD
Author: BLEASS

by BLEASS · Multi-FX · Tape-stop and slowdown effect

Not rated yet

BLEASS Slow Machine adds live and sequenced tape-stop effects and slows beats and melodies down.

It runs as a VST3 or AU plugin on Windows and macOS for $14.99, with a separate iOS version.

Best for: Drums, Bass, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Hip-Hop & Trap, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: samples & loops, bass, creative, rhythmic, AUv3/iOS, drums, enhancement, lo-fi, mixing, percussion, pitch-shifting, randomize, simple, sound design, thick.

What it does

BLEASS Slow Machine is a slowdown and tape-stop effect for beats and melodies. The developer says it "mutates any beat or melody from predictable to innovative", turning leads into deeper basses and thickening percussion. It is split into three sections:

Slow Down: rhythmic pitch-shifting slowdown with loop size, play speed and quantization controls, a filter on the processed band, and crossfades between loops.
Time Stop: a large trigger button for live tape stops, with four modes (Step, Ramp Up & Down, Ramp Down and Ramp Up), a speed control and a Hold function that keeps the effect on until released.
Sequencer: programs speed changes per step, with Length, Resolution and Grid Snap, four curve modes, crossfades between steps and a randomize option.
Presets: a preset manager for storing and recalling setups.

A full demo is available.

Source: BLEASS product page

When to use it

BLEASS Slow Machine is narrower and much cheaper than Effectrix2 and Stutter Edit 2, which include tape stops among many sequenced glitch effects, or Image-Line's Gross Beat, the well-known time and pitch manipulation tool for FL Studio users. It only slows, stops and pitches audio down, but it does so with both a live trigger and a step sequencer. The Slow Down section gives half-speed and lower-pitch variations of a loop, while Time Stop handles one-off transitions. If you want a quick tape stop or a darker, slowed version of a part without learning a large effect, it is an easy pick.

Best for: tape stops, slowdowns, transitions and pitched-down variations of beats and loops.
Genres: hip-hop, trap, electronic and lo-fi.
Look elsewhere if: you want stutters, repeats and many glitch effects in one plugin; Effectrix2 or Stutter Edit 2 cover more.

What producers say

Gearnews found it simple and effective rather than new.

Gearnews (Lyubomir Dobrev, 2021) said it "does what it says on the tin remarkably well", praising the "super neat" interface and the low price.
Criticisms: the same article noted it "doesn't present anything groundbreaking" beyond tape stops and pitch-down slowdowns.

Gearnews article

Where to buy

Best Service: $14.90
BLEASS: $14.99
PluginFox: $14.99
AudioDeluxe: $14.99
Plugin Boutique: $19

Tutorials and reviews

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