VeeWidener: Expand the Horizons of Your Sound
In the world of music production, there is a constant search for new ways to make sound richer, more voluminous, and more captivating. One of the time-tested techniques for achieving this effect is manipulating the stereo field. This is where VeeWidener comes in – a plugin that embodies classic psychoacoustic tricks to create an impressive stereo effect, doubling, and widening mono sources.
Developed by Viper ITB, VeeWidener is based on a technique popular back in the 80s. Its essence lies in creating a sense of space by slightly delaying one of the stereo channels (usually less than 40 ms). With such a small delay, the human brain does not perceive a separate echo, but instead combines the original and delayed signals, creating an effect of volume, presence, or doubling.
Principle of Operation and Scope
VeeWidener masterfully utilizes this principle, offering musicians and sound engineers a flexible tool for working with stereo. Depending on the source type and settings, the plugin can:
- Give a sense of “omnipresence” to instruments with a slow attack (pads, strings).
- Create a “doubling” effect (vocals, guitars), simulating the layering of two tracks.
- “Widen” the stereo field (reverb sends, drums).
- Place the sound in a “3D space” as if it was recorded with two microphones with a certain phase shift.
An important feature of VeeWidener is its integration with the ADC (Automatic Delay Compensation) function in modern DAWs. This ensures correct track synchronization, but there is one nuance: the plugin is not designed to automate parameters in real-time. Changing the delay “on the fly” can lead to unwanted artifacts (crackling). Therefore, VeeWidener is best used as a “set-it-and-forget-it” tool on specific tracks or sends.
Key Control Elements
The plugin’s interface is simple and intuitive, offering four main controls for fine-tuning the effect:
- Left: Controls the delay of the left channel. Great for sources without a clear rhythm (e.g., pads), creating an asynchronous effect.
- Right: Controls the delay of the right channel. The plugin uses ADC to compensate for this delay, making this parameter effective for rhythmic sources (guitars, percussion), simulating a synchronized delay.
- L/R Swap: A switch that allows you to swap the left and right channels. This not only gives interesting variations of the effect but can also be useful if your source has “shifted” to one side and you want to move it to the opposite side.
- Center: This control mixes the original (center, mono) signal into the processed signal. Combining “Center” with the left channel delay (“Left”) can create an effect similar to chorus, while combining it with the right channel delay (“Right”) will help to “immerse” the source in a 3D scene.
It should be remembered that setting the same values for “Left” and “Right” will lead to mutual cancellation of the delay effects. The best way to understand the potential of VeeWidener is to experiment with different combinations of knobs and listen to how the plugin transforms your sound. The variety of results can go far beyond the classic 80s effect.
Safety and Additional Features
As with other plugins from Viper ITB, a safety measure is implemented in VeeWidener: the output level will never exceed -0.1 dBFS. This protects your speakers and hearing from potentially dangerous peaks. Moreover, when feeding an extremely “hot” signal to the input, the plugin can apply hard clipping, which can be used as a creative way to add pleasant distortion to the signal.
VeeWidener is a simple but powerful tool that offers many variations of stereo processing. It is ideal for adding volume, width, and presence to instruments in your mix. Try it in your projects and discover new dimensions of sound!
