Lines
Experimental Multieffect and Feedback Synthesizer
Complex Effects Processor and Feedback Synthesizer
Lines is an effect plugin that crosses borders: it can be used as a creative mangler of all kinds of signals, ranging from lo-fi telephone sounds, lush phasing, warm distortions, crushing feedback, ring modulation, and unique frequency shifting. But even without any input, it can be an experimental synthesizer based on feedback, allowing for a wide range of inspiring rhythms, pulses, and organic soundscapes. If you combine input and internal engines an unheard spectrum of sounds appears.
Lines is the sixth plugin made with Hainbach, composer and YouTuber known for his test equipment explorations.
Lines is available for MAC, PC, and LINUX (VST, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP, 64-bit only), and also as AUv3 and Standalone on the App Store.
Axel Line Simulator
Lines has a rare real-life inspiration, the Axel Line Simulator, made in the 1970s in Jamaica, New York by long gone Axel Electronics.
Despite its golden disco look, the Axel was never intended as a piece of music equipment. It was used to simulate signal loss over telephone and data lines. It mimics the „worst case“ for message transmission, using a plethora of unique analog effects: jitter, noise, intermittent pulses, frequency shift, distortion, bandpass filters for various bandwidths and even playable buttons for phase, amplitude and dropouts. This combination made Hainbach’s spider sense tingle, as he came upon it on an auction site. Assuming it would be a great lo-fi tool, he had it restored. And yes, it makes a fantastic telephone voice, but the true surprise lies elsewhere.
Feedback Patching
By routing the unit’s output back into itself a world of liquid rhythms, throbbing basses, and tropical birds appears. It becomes a playable instrument without any input, inviting playful exploration. If you add a piano, drums or a voice to your acid parrot sub bass rhythm, they fold together in unpredictable and beautiful ways. Thanks to the built in limiter, it never sounds harsh or unpleasant, which is a constant risk with feedback patching.
The Plugin
We took great care to simulate the feedback and signal path down to the component level. Everything is engineered to be as close to the original as possible. Once we got the sound right, we extended the ranges and possibilities: more range on the frequency shift, fine-tunable filters, an additional filter in the feedback path, a flexible pulse sequencer, as well as all the sync and modulation possibilities you are used to from our plugins. Let the presets show you the possibilities, but the real joy of Lines lies in exploration.
Hainbach
Based out of Berlin, Germany, electro-acoustic composer and “that guy with the sweaters” Hainbach creates experimental music that is both visceral and whimsical. Using esoteric synthesizers, test equipment and magnetic tape he creates one hell of a trip in his improvised live sets. He shares techniques on experimental music on his YouTube channel, which has attracted a regular audience of over 100000 subscribers. His music has been released on Seil Records, Opal Tapes, SA Recordings and misc.works.
Lines Demo
Try Lines for free with some limitations: silence for 3 seconds every 45 seconds, saving disabled.
If you like it, you can purchase a license and then authorize the demo version.
macOS
Requires macOS 10.13 or higher
AU, VST2, VST3, AAX, CLAP (64bit only)
Windows
Requires Windows 7 or higher
VST2, VST3, AAX, CLAP (64bit only)
Linux
Requires Ubuntu 20.04 or newer
VST2, VST3, CLAP (64bit only)
Specifications
- Frequency Shifter
- Phase Jitter
- 2nd and 3rd Non-Linear Distortion
- Line Selector (Band Pass filters)
- Pulse Sequencer
- Feedback
- Noise with Envelope
- Trip Modulation
- Oversampling
- Resizable Window
- Preset system with randomizer
System Requirements
Windows 7 – 11
2GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM
VST2, VST3, AAX, CLAP (64-bit)
macOS 10.13 – macOS 14
2GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM
VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP (64-bit)
Universal 2 Binary
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
2GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM
VST2, VST3, CLAP (64-bit)
Copy Protection
To activate your plugin you can choose between Online and Offline authorization.
Create an account, log in through the plugin to activate, or download your license file for offline activation.
Activation
1 license up to 3 computers
No iLok
We don’t like dongles
No Internet
No connection required to activate
Changelog
2024/10/24: v1.1
- Added: Oversampling
- Added: Graphics Controls (Brightness and Contrast)
- Added: macOS 14 Sonoma support
- Improved: Pulse Sequencer host sync
- Improved: Preset browsing avoids loud clicks
- Fixed: Crash with samplerate lower than 44.1kHz
- Fixed: Random crash in VCV Host
2023/10/12: v1.0
- Release!