UB DSP has introduced Vowel Blender, an innovative formant filter plugin designed to offer a more playable and dynamic approach to vowel sound manipulation. Unlike conventional formant filters that rely on static menus, Vowel Blender centers around a unique 2D phonetic pad. This central control allows users to intuitively morph between ten International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) vowels in real time by simply dragging a cursor. Consequently, this design treats vowel selection as a performance element rather than a static parameter adjustment.

The plugin’s approach to vowel modeling is grounded in scientific rigor. Each phoneme utilizes four formants that are meticulously modeled on real speech data, derived from respected phonetics datasets such as Peterson & Barney (1952) and Hillenbrand et al. (1995). Furthermore, seven distinct voice models—comprising three women, three men, and a kids model—enable users to shift the formant set, thereby matching different vocal anatomies. This means a chosen vowel path can sound remarkably different depending on the selected voice model, adding significant versatility to the effect.

Dynamic Vowel Motion and Modulation

A key feature that distinguishes Vowel Blender is its motion recorder. Users can record a gesture directly on the 2D pad and then loop it, perfectly synchronized with their host DAW. This recorder offers flexible playback options, including forward, backward, and ping-pong modes, with synchronization ranging from 1/8 to 8 bars or free in Hertz. Alternatively, for those who prefer not to draw paths manually, there are 13 built-in shapes available. These range from geometric patterns like Triangle and Square to more vocal-oriented paths such as Diphthong and an all-vowels sweep. This functionality allows for everything from subtle vocal drifts to complex, rhythmic talking effects on any audio source, be it a bassline, synth, drum bus, or vocal track.

Moreover, Vowel Blender boasts a remarkably deep modulation engine, surpassing what is typically found in this category. It provides nine diverse source types: LFO, MSEG, step sequencer, audio oscillator, envelope generator, envelope follower, macro, MIDI, and the XY pad itself. These sources are multi-instance and feature drag-to-assign capabilities. Importantly, modulators can even modulate other modulators, facilitating highly intricate and creative signal flows. For instance, a step sequencer could be routed through a macro, then through an LFO, and finally into the X-axis of the pad, enabling complex, evolving textures.

Sound Shaping and Technical Details

The plugin also includes a pre-formant pitch shifter, implemented as a Rust phase vocoder, offering a range of ±12 semitones. This shifter processes the source audio before the formant stage, ensuring that the vowel timbre remains consistent even as the pitch changes. While active, it introduces approximately 12 ms of latency; however, it consumes no CPU when disengaged. Three character knobs further enhance sound shaping: Humanize introduces subtle, slow formant drift, Size scales the perceived vocal tract from child-like to giant, and Alien pushes formants into entirely non-human territories. Additionally, a LOWS crossover allows the low-frequency content to bypass formant processing, which is particularly useful for preserving the fundamental warmth of basses or full loops while still applying talking effects to the midrange.

The underlying filter is a ZDF SVF bandpass cascade operating at 24 dB/oct, featuring gain compensation and a soft clipper. Vowel Blender ships with 38 factory presets organized across six categories, providing a solid starting point for various applications. Overall, UB DSP’s Vowel Blender offers a powerful and expressive tool for sound designers and music producers seeking advanced phonetic manipulation.

Features

• 2D phonetic XY pad with 10 IPA vowels, 4 formants each, morphing in real time.
• 7 voice models built from peer-reviewed phonetics research.
• Motion recorder with tempo-synced loop playback (forward, backward, ping-pong) and 13 built-in shapes.
• Modulation engine with 9 source types, multi-instance routing, and modulator-on-modulator intermodulation.
• Pre-formant pitch shifter (±12 semitones, ~12 ms latency, zero CPU when off).
• Humanize, Size, and Alien character controls, plus a LOWS crossover to preserve the low end.
• Stereo modes: Off, L/R, and M/S with adjustable stereo amount.

Price
Intro: $39.00
Regular: $68.00

More info: UB DSP | Vowel Blender