23DSP has introduced 23ArpDelay, a new multi-tap pitch delay plugin that shifts each repeat according to a musical scale. Instead of repeating the input at its original pitch, every tap can be pitched to a chosen scale. The plugin is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux as a VST3, AU, and LV2 instrument.

Scale-Based Pitch Shifting

Unlike conventional delays, 23ArpDelay stores tap pitches as intervals from the incoming audio, not from a fixed root note. This means you can play in any key, and the pattern will transpose accordingly without reconfiguring the plugin. The pattern builder lets you set all taps at once using four simple controls: Shape, Scale, Motion, and Spacing. You can choose from contours like Rising Steps, Valley, Arch, or Scatter, and quantize to major, minor, pentatonic, blues, whole tone, or chromatic scales. Motion options include Up, Down, Up-Down, Random, Converge, and more. Spacing ranges from scale degrees to octaves.

Up to 16 Taps with Individual Control

Each of the 16 taps has its own level, interval in semitones, stereo position, filter type, cutoff, resonance, and delay time. You can sync taps to tempo or set free milliseconds. The plugin also offers mute and reverse per tap. A graph displays the resulting pattern, and you can drag any tap to quantize it to the current scale. Pitch shifting uses a per-tap, per-channel phase vocoder, with output level independent of the shift amount. Delay compensation ensures that pitched and unpitched taps align perfectly.

Formant and Feedback Features

For vocal or harmonic material, a Formant mode preserves the spectral envelope. The feedback path includes soft clipping, and you can choose linear, exponential, or logarithmic decay shapes. Stereo placement options include Center, Alternating, Wide, or per-tap settings. MIDI input sets the reference note, and MIDI output can pass the arpeggio to another instrument. The plugin ships with 24 factory presets in five categories, plus user presets, import/export, undo/redo, and a light or dark interface.

Features

• Up to 16 taps with independent pitch, level, pan, filter, timing, mute, and reverse
• Pattern builder with Shape, Scale, Motion, Spacing, and editable tap graph
• Scale quantisation relative to incoming audio, across 11 scales and modes
• Per-tap, per-channel phase vocoder pitch shifting with level independence and delay compensation
• Formant preservation mode
• Tempo-synced subdivisions or free delay times per tap
• Feedback with linear, exponential, or logarithmic decay shapes
• Stereo placement as Center, Alternating, Wide, or per-tap
• MIDI input and output
• 24 factory presets, user presets, import/export, undo/redo

Price
EUR 15.00 (incl. VAT)

23ArpDelay is currently at version 0.9.0-rc5, a release candidate. It runs on Windows 10 and later (VST3), macOS 11 and later (VST3, AU, universal, signed and notarized), and Linux (VST3, LV2). The license covers three machines and requires periodic online checks. No AAX version is mentioned, so Pro Tools users may need to wait or use a wrapper.

More info: 23DSP | 23ArpDelay