This is part 8 of a multi-part tutorial on setting up vocoder plugins in Cubase. See part 1 if you missed the introduction.
The
Waves plugin called
Morphoder is a flexible vocoder that offers many programming options, and similar to Image-Line Vocodex, it can be configured a number of ways when running inside Cubase. The screenshots below use the Vocoder Tutorial Projects that you can download at the
Ultimate Outsider Downloads page.
USING MORPHODER'S INTERNAL CARRIER
In this configuration we'll use Morphoder's built-in synthesizer as the carrier. This means we need an audio track or group channel to serve as the modulator (voice), and a MIDI track to play the carrier signal on the plugin's synth. The
Vocoder Internal Carrier demo project in the tutorial projects download is already set up for this.
- In the Vocoder Internal Carrier demo project (or your own Cubase project), add Morphoder as an insert on the audio track or group channel you wish to use as your modulator. (If you are using a group channel in a Cubase project of your own, make sure that your modulator source's output is not routed to Cubase's "Stereo Out," because if it is, then you will always hear the raw modulator audio mixed in with Morphoder's outputs.)
I chose the "Morphoder Stereo" flavor of the plugin:
- Inside Morphoder, load the Major Tom preset.
- Note: By default, Morphoder doesn't respond to MIDI messages, and its carrier is in Sustain mode, meaning any MIDI notes sent to it are "held down" permanently. This enables Morphoder to make monotone robot-type voices, but we want to be able to control the MIDI pitches. To do that we need to enable MIDI mode and disable Sustain mode.
- On your MIDI track's inspector, route the track's MIDI output to your Morphoder instance, as shown here:
- Begin playback on a section of your project that loops your modulator and carrier tracks. You should now hear a vocoded harmony line. This plugin gives you visual feedback to indicate levels and incoming MIDI. If you don't hear anything, make sure you've got a known-good preset selected (like Major Tom), and check your audio and MIDI routing.
If you followed along using the tutorial project, the result should sound like this:
USING AN EXTERNAL CARRIER: DUAL MONO METHOD
In this configuration, we'll pass mono audio signals for both modulator and carrier on a single stereo group channel. The
Vocoder External Carrier demo project includes an audio clip to use for the carrier, but the carrier could be a VST instrument as well if you have programmed MIDI that matches your audio material.
- In the Vocoder External Carrier demo project (or your own Cubase
project), select Project > Add Track > Group Channel and create a Stereo group named Morphoder.
- Add Morphoder as an insert on the newly-created group channel. I use the Stereo version.
- Select the Major Tom preset in Morphoder.
- In Morphoder, set Modulator to Left and Carrier to Right.
- Pan your Modulator Audio channel all the way to the left and route the track's audio output to the Morphoder group.
- If you're using an audio track or group channel as your carrier signal, select that track in Cubase. In the Carrier track's inspector, pan it all the way to the right and route its output to the Morphoder group.
Otherwise, if you are using a VST plugin as your carrier, open the MixConsole, and on the channel strip where your plugin resides, pan the track to the left and change the output routing to the Morphoder group channel.
- Some of the Morphoder presets can be pretty loud. Dial back the volume of your Morphoder group track to at least -6db before continuing.
- Begin playback on a section of your project that loops your modulator and carrier tracks. If you hear distortion, you might have to check the levels of your group channel, the modulator, or the carrier.
If you don't hear anything, make sure the Stereo interlacing preset is selected and check the routing on your mod and carrier sources.
If you followed along using the tutorial project, the result should sound like this:
USING AN EXTERNAL CARRIER: STEREO SIDECHAIN METHOD
In this configuration, we'll pass stereo audio signals for both modulator and carrier, potentially delivering a wider sound than the dual mono method described above. The
Vocoder External Carrier demo project includes an audio clip to use for the carrier, but the carrier could be a VST instrument as well if you have programmed MIDI that matches your audio material.
- Insert Morphoder Stereo as an audio effect on your Modulator Audio track. Important: This method requires the VST 3 version of Morphoder. If Waves is properly installed, you should only see the VST 3 version in your plugin selector (it has a "III" icon in the plugin list).
- Select the Major Tom preset in Morphoder.
- Toggle on the Activate Side-Chain button so that it lights up in orange, and then make sure that Modulator is set to Left+Right, and Carrier is set to SideChain.
- If you're using an audio track or group channel as your carrier signal, select that track in Cubase. In the Carrier track's inspector, route its output to the Side-chain input of your Modulator Audio track.
Otherwise, if you are using a VST plugin as your carrier, open the Cubase MixConsole, and on the channel strip where your plugin resides, change the output routing to the Carrier In bus of the Morphoder group channel.
- Begin playback on a section of your project that loops your modulator and carrier tracks. If you hear distortion, you might have to check the levels of your group channel, the modulator, or the carrier.
If you don't hear anything, make sure the Sidechain carrier preset is selected and check the routing on your mod and carrier sources.
If you followed along using the tutorial project, the result should sound like this:
Conclusion
If you were successful in following the above use cases, you should now be able to jump in and explore Morphoder's various features.
Well, this is the last post in the vocoder tutorial series.
Part one has an index of all other vocoders covered in case you missed anything. Enjoy!
