Guillotine

Name: Guillotine
Author: Witch Pig

by Witch Pig · Multi-FX · Tempo-synced slicer

Not rated yet

Guillotine is a free slicer from Witch Pig that chops audio in sync with the track tempo.

Up to 32 divisions can be modulated, bitcrushed, distorted or silenced.

Best for: Drums, Keys & Synths, Guitars, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Hip-Hop & Trap, Metal.

Keywords: rhythmic, samples & loops, tempo-synced, free, pads, bitcrush, electric guitar, stutter, synths, vocals, creative, downward expansion, drums, mixing, sound design, spacious.

What it does

Guillotine is a free tempo-synced slicer from Witch Pig. It "chops up segments of audio in sync with the BPM of the track", then treats the chosen slices with one of several effects, so a steady loop or pad turns into a rhythmic, stuttering part.

Divisions: up to 32 slices can be cut from one section, all locked to the host tempo.
Rate and depth: the rate and depth of the cuts are set directly, so the chop can run from a light pulse to a hard gate.
Sever FX: the default mode works like a gate and drops the chosen slices to silence.
Relent mode: with Sever FX selected, the top right knob turns the gate into an expander, so slices get quieter instead of silent.
Slice effects: instead of silencing, slices can be modulated, bitcrushed or distorted.
Inflict mode: with the other effects selected, the same top right knob raises the severity of the treatment.

Version 1.1 is free.

Source: Witch Pig product page

When to use it

Guillotine is the pick when you want quick tempo-synced chops and gates at no cost and with almost no setup. Compared with Effectrix2, it has no step sequencer or effect grid, so you can't draw a different effect on each step; it applies one treatment to the slices you set. ShaperBox 3 gives drawn volume, filter and time shapes with far finer control, and Stutter Edit 2 is built for performed stutters and build-ups, which Guillotine does only in a basic way. Against all three it is simpler and narrower, but it covers the common job of rhythmic gating and crushed stutters well, and it costs nothing.

Best for: rhythmic gating, chops, risers and fills on loops, synth pads, guitars and vocals.
Genres: electronic, hip-hop and metal.
Look elsewhere if: you want per-step sequencing of many effects (Effectrix2) or drawn shapes and multiband slicing (ShaperBox 3).
Tip: use Relent mode instead of the full gate when you want the chop to breathe rather than cut to silence.

What producers say

The few write-ups treat it as a fun, no-risk free download for rhythmic effects; there are no user ratings yet.

Bedroom Producers Blog liked it for "interesting risers and fills" in electronic tracks and said you can apply it to almost anything.
Gearnews described it turning guitars, pads and vocals into "pulsating, BPM-synced fragments" with built-in bit crusher and distortion effects.
Pairing: Bedroom Producers Blog suggested it pairs well with Witch Pig's SPX Nevermore flanger.

Where to buy

Witch Pig: Free

Tutorials and reviews

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