Audio Production Features:  

AudioMulch’s wide range of tools, features and sound generating and processing modules that are known as contraptions. The contraptions can be grouped into five categories: Signal Generators, Effects, Filters, and Mixers. There’s an Input/Output section which allows for patching your sound card’s in and out and supports multi-channel devices via its auxiliary ins and outs. The program supports VST audio effects plugins.

Signal generators include a monophonic bassline synth, a simple sine test tone/noise generator, a sample granular synth, and a comprehensive dual-oscillator arpeggiator. There’s also a looping fileplayer for replaying existing audio files and a Loop Player for doing likewise but synchronized to MIDI clock. Also featured is the sliding scale Shepard/Risset tone generator.

AudioMulch’s suite of effects includes a dynamic stereo spatialiser that permits setting the path and trajectory of a moving input signal, a delay line granulator, ring/amplitude modulation and stereo delay options. The program includes reverb, flanger and a harmonic shaper plus the pulsar comb filter. Thereare also a digital grunge inducer, sampling loopers, and waveshaper/distortion features.

AudioMulch offers five filter options including traditional mono and stereo parametric EQ, a resonant comb filter bank which adds resonating chordal drones, the Shepard/Risset filter bank with up to 50 moving band-pass filters, granular filtering and resonant lowpass with pattern triggering.

There is a variety of mono and stereo mixer features with added level and pan controls, gain and inverter controls, and matrix contraptions for dynamically modifying routing between input sources and output destinations with variable fade times with crossfaders to make the whole movement smooth.

Input/ Output:  

AudioMulch supports only the input of linear PCM wave and AIFF files. In order to import other file formats such as compressed files, they must first be converted to a supported format using a sound editor or conversion utility. Sounds coming through your soundcards input can be treated as an existing file or generate audio files from within the program. You can pass the sounds through a user defined network of contraptions before sending them to your soundcards output or exporting them as WAV or AIFF files with a bit depth of up to 24-bit and sample rate of up to 192KHz.

Help/ Support:  

The AudioMulch program includes a detailed and relevant help file. Their developers web site includes FAQs and email contact information.

Performance:  

AudioMulch is a 32-bit Windows application that will run on Windows95/98/ME/2000/XP or Vista. The program is designed to produce and play back sound in real-time. Doing that requires a full-duplex soundcard capable of simultaneous 16-bit 44.1l stereo recording and playback. Any Pentium processor, or AMD equivalent, will work but less that that isn’t adequate. Not surprisingly, the faster the processor and the more memory that’s available, the more can be done with AudioMulch without glitches.

AudioMulch’s distinguishing feature is its ability to carry out traditionally studio audio processing functions in real-time adding the live performance dimension to the product. Though it is certainly Recording Studio Software, it takes a big step toward merging the roles of the studio technician and the performance artist. However, for an updated user interface and improved hardware controller compatibility, top-rated programs like Reason, Ableton Live and Pro Tools LE are better choices.