Music producers and sound engineers looking to add dynamic resonances and overtone effects to their productions will be thrilled with AudioThing , an effects plug-in that's modeled after the Eowave Resonator Metallik, which essentially mounts a gong within an amplifier to create resonances and brilliant overtones that will excite your listeners.
Gong Amp uses a mixture of convolution processing, physical modeling, and feedback systems to create an instrument that truly responds like the original and even transcends it in terms of sound design possibilities. Gong Amp is compatible with Mac and Windows and works within most major DAWs that support VST, AU, and AAX formats.
At a Glance
- Gong Amp emulation
- Chains and pillow sets
- Dynamic, pitch, modulation, howl
- Trip modulation
- Resizable window
- Preset system with randomizer
The Métallique Resonator
- In 1932, Maurice Martenot was looking for a way to make his groundbreaking protosynthesizer, Ondes, audible beyond what could be archived with the horns and loudspeakers of the time. He developed a set of Diffuseurs, of which the Métallique was one. Instead of a paper cone or horn, Martenot put a gong behind the amplifier circuitry. This seemingly simple idea resulted in resonances and brilliant overtones that excite audiences to this day.
- Eowave built their fantastic version of Martenot’s invention from 2011 to 2018 on demand in small numbers. Much treasured by collectors, Hainbach got the last one made especially for him from the last parts in the shop at Eowave.
Mixer
You can choose from three recording positions: mono mic, stereo mics, and a unique resonator effect Hainbach designed. Try Mono for a documentary perspective, Stereo for beautiful ribbon mic width, and hear reverb feeding into reverb in Resonator mode. Try upping the input overdrive for added overtones, and use the soft clip for output distortions.
Applications
- Taking a page from the experimental percussionists’ handbook, you can add thick and thin chains to the Gong. The sympathetic rattling creates effects that range from a soft shimmer to clangorous noise.
- The strength of the Métallique, its long ring, is also its weakness when playing fast: everything turns to mush. A pillow was added that dampens the sound and makes Gong Amp arpeggio-approved.
Performance
Adjust the sound of Gong Amp to your playing style. Choose from two different gain settings on the gong with Dynamic. Add modulations for a slightly more psychedelic sound. Modulation adds liveliness as well as subtle stereo width as if the gong was swaying. It runs both pre-Gong and post-Gong, so leave this at low setting for purity, and turn it up to tune in. Turn on howl to hear Gong Amp struggle beautifully when overloaded. Experiment with extreme pitch manipulations for cinematic effects.
Trip Mode
With Trip Mode, you can add automated crossfading between the three signal positions of Mono, Stereo, and Resonate. Use spread to adjust the rhythmic shift. From gentle drifts that last minutes to fast rotary effects, this is a sound designer's dream.