Waves Doubler manual Introduction and Overview

Chapter 1 – Introduction and Overview

The Waves Doubler is a digital audio effects processor that replicates the incoming audio signal to another 2 or 4 voices. Each voice can be changed in Gain, Pan, Delay and Tune (Pitch). This achieves a wide range of colors of classic sounds that were popularized in the 1980’s by the use of digital hardware units that were designed to create harmonies but were more commonly used for pitch-shifted doubling.

The main effect is “Enriching the sound”. Often it is used to double vocals or guitar tracks. For example, let’s say you have a vocal or instrument track that you want to “open up”. Take voice 1, detune it down four Cents and pan to the right. Take voice 2, detune it up four Cents and pan to the left. Setting the voice’s gain at about –12dB already makes a big difference; bringing it up to – 6dB should make it wide open. Now, changing the delay time of each voice and further offsetting and modulating the detune will further change the color of the sound. Running a track through the Doubler’s presets is a good way to get acquainted with the range of sounds of the Doubler.

The essential difference between the Doubler and other pitch modulation and delay effects is mostly related to the Doubler’s ability to detune while preserving audio duration. In Phasers, Flangers and such, the modulation changes the delay and duration of the processed sound, producing a shifting comb-filtered effect. In the Doubler, the sound is decorrelated by the initial detune and the tuning can be further modulated. The effect resembles that of a doubled take rather than mixed with a modulated version of the source.

The Doubler offers Two-Voice and Four-Voice components in: Mono to Mono

Mono to Stereo Stereo to Stereo

The Doubler controls consist of per-voice control strips, direct signal controls, EQ, and global master controls. The basic Gain, Pan, Delay and Detune can be controlled using the Doubler’s Graphs.

The Doubler can be used on an auxiliary bus to which multiple audio sources can be sent. Using the Doubler as a type of “Wet” sound that excites several tracks in the mix works really well, and is very DSP efficient.

The Doubler works great as an insert and allows you to adjust the direct gain and pan. When inserting on a mono track, the full effect is reached by inserting the Doubler Mono to Stereo plug-in. The mono component can work and “hot-switching” to the mono to stereo will inherit the settings from the mono to mono component.

Read on to get acquainted with the Doubler’s controls and displays.

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