Density

Name: Density
Price: 119 USD
Author: Sound Particles

by Sound Particles · Multi-FX · Granular harmonizer

Not rated yet

Density is a granular harmonizer from Sound Particles that turns one audio track into an ensemble of voices with movement, pitch and timing differences.

Voices can be spread in stereo or in immersive formats up to Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics, for $119.

Best for: Vocals, Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: granular, vocals, thick, wide, synths, sound design, choir, bass, cinematic, creative, enhancement, mixing, randomize, reverse, pads.

What it does

Density uses granular processing to turn one source into an ensemble. It "creates an ensemble of voices from a single source", adding layers with their own pitch, timing and movement, and it can spread them across a stereo or immersive field.

Three modes: Basic picks a small or large ensemble, with an optional bass octave layer and a detune amount; Detune sets voice count and detune degree on the XY pad; Multipitch builds up to 8 harmony sets, each with its own gain, voice number and pitch interval.
Grain controls: Detune, Voice Speed, Grain Size, Grain Type (forward or reverse), Dynamic Range and Position Divergence shape how the generated voices behave.
Voices: up to 100 generated voices, according to Sound On Sound.
Layering: separate, automatable levels for the input and the generated voices, with mute and solo.
Movement and Top View: grains can rotate clockwise, counter-clockwise or randomly, and a circular top view shows where the layers sit.
XY pad: change two parameters at once with the mouse.
Randomization: generate random settings to explore new sounds.

Version 1.1.6 has outputs in stereo, 5.1, 7.1, Ambisonics, binaural and Dolby Atmos. Sound On Sound mentions a 30-day free trial.

Source: Sound Particles product page

When to use it

Density is best when you want one part to sound like many players or singers, and to place that ensemble around a surround or Atmos field. Compared with Output Portal or Sugar Bytes Graindad, it is less about glitchy granular rhythms and more about believable doubling and thickening. Its Multipitch mode makes harmonies, but unlike a dedicated harmonizer it has no scale awareness, formant correction or MIDI pitch control. For plain stereo widening of a vocal, a doubler is quicker and lighter.

Best for: turning a single vocal, string line or synth into an ensemble or choir, thick pads, and spatial textures.
Genres: ambient and cinematic music, electronic, and sound design for picture.
Look elsewhere if: you want scale-correct harmonies (a dedicated harmonizer) or rhythmic granular effects (Output Portal, Graindad).
Tip: pull the input level to zero and use rotating grain movement to get a convincing rotary-speaker effect (Tape Op).

What producers say

Reviewers rate it highly for ensemble and thickening work; the main gaps are in harmony features.

Sound On Sound (John Walden, 2022) found the voice generation high quality and said results "can be truly impressive" for choirs and textures, but missed formant correction, scale-aware harmonies and MIDI pitch targeting.
Tape Op (Kevin Friedrichsen) praised its "believable voices from a single input" on vocals, strings and synths, and its glitch-free bypass.
Criticisms: Tape Op wanted scale quantization in the pitch mode and more grain panning options than clockwise, counter-clockwise and random.

Where to buy

Best Service: $119
Sound Particles: $119 (Price as listed on KVR Audio; soundparticles.com could not be read.)
Plugin Boutique: $119
PluginFox: $119
AudioDeluxe: $119

Tutorials and reviews

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