The Moodal plugin by Tritik is the only spectral resonator plugin you’ll ever need. It’s quick, easy to use, and delivers great sound. All that combined with a reasonable price makes it a go-to plugin for sound designers. Here’s our review:
Overview
What exactly is a spectral resonator? Well, there is an easy explanation and a complicated one. For once, you can think of a very distinct filter that only lets certain frequencies through. These frequencies have to match the spectral data of your input signal in a certain harmonic way which you determine. This doesn’t sound very intuitive and there’s a lot more to it, but it’s essentially the main part of the effect. This emulates certain objects or resonators, which deal with the input signal differently. I will explain more when I go into detail about Moodal’s features.
The interface of Tritik Moodal can be divided into three different parts. On the top, you’ll find the main resonator controls. Here you can set the harmonic properties of your audio. In the middle, there is a reverb and a filter, which can be used to further modify the character of the sound. At last, on the bottom, you can set the gains for different harmonics as well as the overall dry/wet and width parameters.
The Resonator
The resonator controls on the top part of the UI determine the harmonic content of your signal. You can set the number of resonators - meaning the resonant frequencies in your output signal - from a value of 10 to 1000. They are arranged somewhat randomly on the frequency spectrum and are nicely visualized in the little graphic on the left. Instead of arranging them randomly, you can set a base frequency. The resonant engine will then generate harmonies according to the base frequency and the sound has a much more musical feel to it. You can even further modify it by introducing inharmonicities and add relaxation to make the sound more dissonant and natural. You can also modify the density of harmonics in the different frequencies by dragging the curve displayed in the window or even remove frequency ranges entirely to generate comb-filter type sounds.
Decay Times
A further sense of space can be added to your source by making adjustments to the second part of the plugin. It contains a reverb-type effect that adjusts the decay of the resonant frequencies (which is basically also what a reverb would do in this context - so I’ll call it a reverb from now on). This helps for simulations of real-world objects - like snares or glass bottles. You can apply an actual filter, which acts on top of your distinct frequency spectrum that you set in the top part. You can even adjust the decay independently for different frequencies. The graphical interface on the left helps with the visualization of these characteristics.
Gain Controls
After the frequency and effects section, you can deal with your levels. This means that you can adjust the output gain of the different resonant frequencies. Again, this is achieved independently from the two filters prior. Since you are essentially adjusting the level of different frequency bands, this corresponds to a third filter/EQ-type adjustment. This gives you an immense set of variables to work with. By controlling and adjusting parameters of different frequency bands, you can emulate a wide range of real-world environments or resonant bodies.
Also in the bottom part of the UI, you’ll find basic controls for your audio signal: Dry/Wet controls and width. A quick but powerful way to apply your effect decently to the mix.
Summary and Pricing
Tritik Moodal is a small but powerful tool for quick and easy sound design. Resonant simulator plugins are on the rise, since experimental approaches to music are becoming popular again. In this case, Moodal offers a powerful set of tools which are easy to learn.
It is reasonably priced, especially for producers on a budget. You can get the full version for just $69 and you can download a free trial version prior to buying. I can really recommend the VST to anyone seeking a powerful sound design tool.
Get your copy of Moodal via tritik.com
