Glitching Techniques

[Grime Syndicate]

After poking around the site some, I've seen threads dealing with glitch VSTi. People have recommended things like dblue / illformed Glitch, SugarBytes' effectrix, and IL Gross Beat. I've got these and they're all great. I use Ableton Live 8.1.1 by the way. I also heard something about LiveCut in a glitch thread on an obscure forum. I'm having trouble making any sound come through LiveCut at all though. Any assistance with that would be very much appreciated. I have a great interest in glitching my tracks out much more than I have been able to. I've only had some minor / mixed results. The other thing I noticed in the Glitch threads I've read is that people talk about these glitch vst's "coloring" the track. They apparently have a distinctive sound which is a dead ringer. This is not nearly as big a concern to me, as its only other producers that'd know what a particular vst sounds like. What was interesting about their preference of avoiding these vst's, though, is that they claim manual glitching is the key. I have no idea how one would manually glitch a sound. I'm guessing it would have something to do with gating, among other things. But, what would one use to accomplish this? And how would one go about it? Oh, and last, I am having trouble routing things properly for the "Robotronic" vocoder. I've tried looking at the manual. No love. Again, this is in Ableton. Assistance with any and preferably all of these issues would be VERY VERY much appreciated. What are everyone's favorite Glitch VST's? Their favorite manual glitch methods and how to accomplish? How to make "Robotronic" work and any other ninja tactics that bear mentioning. Thanks people.

[meer]

Do something to make it sound bad, and then do that a whole bunch. You might be overthinking it, just do a bunch of retarded stuff.

Bounce, rinse, jog, floss, whatever...

[Grime Syndicate]

While I thank you Meer, I was sort of hoping for some more hands on suggestions. I also don't know what bounce, jog, rinse, or floss mean. So, unfortunately, I'm not really getting anything from your post. Looking for techniques, not generalities.

[Echoi]

Do something to make it sound bad, and then do that a whole bunch. You might be overthinking it, just do a bunch of retarded stuff.

Bounce, rinse, jog, floss, whatever...

Yea, the 'whatever' technique has continued to do wonders for me ever since i first tried it

[Recessive Trait]

glitch vsts only "colour the sound" if you let them, kind of like using presets with synths. sparing, tasteful use is the name of the game. i haven't tried everything you named, but have heard good things about livecut. myself, i use dblue because (a) it's free and (b) has 9 different effects which can all be manipulated and used either in sequence or overlapped (with multiple instances). bit of a cpu hog, but easy to use. it'll take you a while for your "glitches" to stop sounding generic (much like wobbles) but it will come.

[Phigure]

isn't it obvious?



literally just do what it is

if you want the retriggerish glitch
then make it retrigger a bunch in a short amount of time

if you want a stretch glitch
stretch it

and so on...

derp.

[naroja]

I've never liked dbglue Glitch, or any of the other Glitch VST's out there, they seem too plastic to me, and will definitely end up coloring your sound / make wonderland into a nightmare. (not in the good kind of way)

Ableton is Great for glitching sounds IMO.... You just have to get in the habit of cutting up your samples, stretching them out, reversing them, and mixing them together in the layout of the track. There's a lot of playing involved when doing this. I like to usually use "Warp" and change the timing of the clip, make it half time or double time. Definitely play around with the settings with the transients, flux and delay inside the sample properties. Another little trick I like to do sometimes is create a beat or interesting group of sounds, with a lot of nice layering, then take that few bar sample, right click > Slice to New MIDI Track, and it will create a nice sampler with the chopped up bits of your sounds. Now you can start setting the Loop time in that, get some really nice glitchy effects.

Also - Try out Grain Deley, try out the Beat Repeater. Those are good built-in glitch tools.

Hope this Helps!

- Naroja

[naroja]

Actually found an old track of mine I started (mainly just a Glitch Example at this point)

This was created all with Ableton's BeatRepeater

Soundcloud


And this next one was done with a mix of different techniques in Ableton. The drums I chopped & skrewed using Ableton's built in Warp'ing features, and used that technique I talked about with the audio to midi chopping. Also used a little bit of the Glitch VST to reverse & delay some parts.

This track is also in need of some Mastering badly.... I'll get to it one day hah....
Soundcloud

[Grime Syndicate]

@Echoi: Ha! Right?

@Recessive Trait: Thanks for the tip, just keep it progressing. Noted. My wobbles have come a long way, I'm sure glitches will too with time.

@Phigure: You took the opportunity to attempt to make me look stupid while not really answering any of my questions. Awesome, we should see about hanging out sometime. Seem like a really cool dude. (insert copious amounts of sarcasm here.) I know how to work Glitch, Effectrix, IL Gross Beat just fine. And my mixed results are probably more a lack of imagination / time invested. However, the focus of my questioning was on manual techniques, people's favorite glitch vsti (which i'm taking from your post, you enjoy illformed.) and specific programs (LiveCut and Robotronic) So, now that you've made us all believe you have the largest brain and dick in the room, can I get some serious, thoughtful replies?

[samurai]

automate all the parameters on your synth/sampler and then draw in crazy/random values in your sequencer. there you go instance glitchy goodness/shit.

[Grime Syndicate]

@Naroja: My Man! (or woman?) I'm stoked to get back home and try these techniques and hear your tracks. No audio at work. The advice sounds like gold though. Thank you.

[Phigure]

@Echoi: Ha! Right?

@Recessive Trait: Thanks for the tip, just keep it progressing. Noted. My wobbles have come a long way, I'm sure glitches will too with time.

@Phigure: You took the opportunity to attempt to make me look stupid while not really answering any of my questions. Awesome, we should see about hanging out sometime. Seem like a really cool dude. (insert copious amounts of sarcasm here.) I know how to work Glitch, Effectrix, IL Gross Beat just fine. And my mixed results are probably more a lack of imagination / time invested. However, the focus of my questioning was on manual techniques, people's favorite glitch vsti (which i'm taking from your post, you enjoy illformed.) and specific programs (LiveCut and Robotronic) So, now that you've made us all believe you have the largest brain and dick in the room, can I get some serious, thoughtful replies?

wooah why the fuck are you so offended?

I answered your question. You asked how to manually glitch things, I responded.

for example, the retrigger glitch, which is pretty common

just retrigger the fucking sample

for example


common sense really

[setvice]

I think the best way to use any of these 'glitch' plug ins is to assign the controls to a midi controller (if you have one) and write in automation. Once you have done this. bounce it (or freeze) to Audio and chop out the bits that sound shit (there will be lots!) and keep the good bits. Then move/loop chop the good bits some more until you have something interesting/ original.

I like supatrigga!

[Basic A]

First of all, if you are using dBlue and havent delved deeper then banging the randomizer, yes, your going to get a very predicatable, signature dblue sound. But you have to see that it is just a sequencer of some of the varoisu plugins you would use in typical production, wiht the typical variables, ect. it leaves alot of options when you look at it as a means to layer and automate effects rather then jsut a randomize button. stick it to anyone who claims they can spot an effect vs. a hand drawn, thier lieing, because if programmed with a brain, they wont be able to. also, put one or two of them in a sequence, preferably with some intelligne tuse of other effects (consider distortions, multifilters, delays, anything you can automate really. then record it, resample it, and do it again.

the idea behind glitching things yourself would basically be hand drawing automation on sampler pitches to creat your won tape stops and wheel-ish bits. hand programming a multifilter like love or atlantis. hand automating bitcrushers and modulators. hand insert your delays. vibratos on drum busses, go insane, be a madman! look up cheezface and viral lode on myspace and beat your wife! circuit bend something... idk... be all insane and wire shit wrong and twist it up man. be creative. then record it, resample it, and do it again.

listen to this.

http://www.myspace.com/virallode
http://www.myspace.com/cheezfacemusic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ieq8C7lfY

[Grime Syndicate]

@Phigure: I say you answered none of my questions because, you didn't. Using the VSTi Glitch isn't manually glitching anything. That' s using Glitch to do it. I mean manual. You know, like a stick shift vs an automatic. Making glitches without using VSTi. Using the programs I mentioned I know and use to do what they're intended for isn't exactly an epiphany. Sorry to burst your bubble. And sorry if I seem offended. I was. "It's obvious isn't it?" and "derp" weren't exactly the kindest responses. They'd have been understandable had the answer to my question been that obvious. It wasn't.

[Echoi]

@Phigure: I say you answered none of my questions because, you didn't. Using the VSTi Glitch isn't manually glitching anything. That' s using Glitch to do it. I mean manual. You know, like a stick shift vs an automatic. Making glitches without using VSTi. Using the programs I mentioned I know and use to do what they're intended for isn't exactly an epiphany. Sorry to burst your bubble. And sorry if I seem offended. I was. "It's obvious isn't it?" and "derp" weren't exactly the kindest responses. They'd have been understandable had the answer to my question been that obvious. It wasn't.

You really ought to have finished that off with, Derp

[upstateface]

herp

[Grime Syndicate]

@Basic A: Nice! Hadn't really considered resampling and editing again. Great ideas. Thank you.

@Echoi: You've got mad tongue in cheek stylee. Officially a fan.

[Echoi]

Anyway, manual glitch techniques i dont know a massive ammount about, but enough to get me by.

Get the Half life sample pack, its just over a gig i think. Loads of weird sounds, mechanical etc. Choose a few that you like, load into sampler and start drawing some very short notes in.

Get a different FX unit on a few different samples and draw some phase, flange, distortion etc automation in, you'll soon start figuring it out and coming up with ideas

[Phigure]

@Phigure: I say you answered none of my questions because, you didn't. Using the VSTi Glitch isn't manually glitching anything. That' s using Glitch to do it. I mean manual. You know, like a stick shift vs an automatic. Making glitches without using VSTi. Using the programs I mentioned I know and use to do what they're intended for isn't exactly an epiphany. Sorry to burst your bubble. And sorry if I seem offended. I was. "It's obvious isn't it?" and "derp" weren't exactly the kindest responses. They'd have been understandable had the answer to my question been that obvious. It wasn't.

ARE YOU FUCKING RETARDED

LOOK AT THE GODDAMN PICTURE



THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS HOW YOU MANUALLY CREATE A RETRIGGER GLITCH

IM NOT TALKING ABOUT USING A FUCKING VST TO DO IT. IF YOU WANT TO REPLICATE SOME OF THE COMMON GLITCHES, JUST USE SOME COMMON SENSE. IF YOU WANT A RETRIGGER GLITCH, RETRIGGER IT MANUALLY. IF YOU WANT A STRETCH GLITCH, STRETCH OUT THE SAMPLE. COME UP WITH SOME OF YOUR OWN SHIT, PUT FLANGERS, CHORUS, PHASERS ON IT AND AUTOMATE SOME PARAMETERS. RESAMPLE IT AND DO SOME MORE PROCESSING.

CONGRATULATIONS ON NOT UNDERSTANDING ME FOR WHAT, LIKE THE THIRD TIME?