PSP Audioware: PSP Wobbler Modulation Plug-In

For decades, I've wondered how the effect on the female backing vocals of Pink Floyd's "Time" from The Dark Side of the Moon was created. I hear a Leslie speaker vibrato or Doppler effect, but it's more focused and clearer in the high frequencies than that kind of re-amping ever gets. It seems to pulse and release with the music in a way that a rotating speaker cannot quite match. This effect is not only a phaser, as there's also something subtly pitchy going on. It turns out the device that created this effect was called the Frequency Translator, and the only one that ever existed had been developed by Keith Adkins at EMI Studios (later Abbey Road), based on radio technology (and all-pass filters, if my understanding is correct). Keith was able to come up with a device that did something a little different from the other audio processors available at the time because any sort of "phaser" was done simply with sweeping EQ/polarity reversal while chorusing, flanging, echo, and ADT (automatic double tracking) all used tape for a delayed signal.

The original Frequency Translator died an ignominious death in an EMI cupboard long ago. Apparently, maintaining and calibrating a tube-powered device of this design was a chore, and Keith's job soon moved him elsewhere. However, Alan Parsons [Tape Op #42, #164], the engineer who had used the original Translator on several sessions (um, such as The Dark Side of the Moon!), got in touch with the wonderful boffins at PSP Audioware and together (as The Alan Parsons Plug-in Project, it appears) they created a plug-in that achieves similar audio warping and more. PSP says, it "uses frequency shifting to create non-harmonic phase differences that form a unique 'wobble' with elements of phasing, flanging, and even a rotating speaker feel."

Alan Parsons, with input from engineer Noah Bruskin [Tape Op #164], sought to create a new tool that took some of the ideas from the Frequency Translator while adding some extra touches, which we should be thankful for since the original had only a power switch and a tuning knob! PSP Wobbler's main controls are Drive, Age, Rate, Feedback, Wobble, and Output. Below these virtual knobs are secondary controls, including Aging, Drift, Glide, Phase, Spread, tempo Sync, plus Lo and Hi Range EQ filters. I'd advise enabling the GUI’s tool tips feature to understand what all the controls do. Rate and Feedback are the important ones, controlling the speed of the effect and then blending the output back into itself. Note that the Wobble knob is actually a wet/dry blend control.

The PSP Wobbler effect is definitely unique. Not just a phaser, not really a flanger, and not quite a Leslie, it does its own thing, with a light frequency shift of ±25 Hz. It can be used overtly to wobble the hell out of a sound or subtly by just adding a bit of movement to a static synth pad or backing vocals. The Spread knob makes the Rate expand and move around in stereo, which I'm definitely a fan of. I feel as if I frequently stack about four plug-ins to achieve what PSP Wobbler can easily do on its own. The plug-in, like most these days, can be automated, and this is something I want to point out. Similar to Alan's example in "Time" – where the slow and fast Rate changes based on the part being sung – I would highly recommend adding Rate automation to PSP Wobbler tracks to achieve these dynamic shifts. To help make this work best, Noah requested the Glide speed control, which is brilliant as it allows for gradual Leslie speaker-type ramp-ups and slow-downs when the Rate is changed instead of immediately jumping to a new speed (but that too can be cool). The Rate speed can also Sync to a session's BPM and also lock to Note divisions – handy for sure.

By pushing Drive and Age – set to Full (not just Wet) so these effects change the dry signal as well – PSP Wobbler added some saturation and fidelity reduction, and I got some special crunchy, phasing drums. Perfect for the psychedelic, dreamy song I was mixing. The sweeping wash on the ride cymbal on a bridge was the coolest thing I've heard a plug-in pull off in a while, and I may be using PSP Wobbler for this exact effect.

PSP Audioware has been coming up with several super useful and unique plug-ins lately; I guess that’s what they've always done, though! PSP Wobbler is right up there in my toolkit and will see a lot of use in my upcoming mixes. Hats off to PSP and Alan for putting this amazing plug-in together for us.