Trigger creativity. Cableguys ShaperBox!

For all the guys who love Effectrix and Filter Freak, this might be the newest tool in your box!
Plugin factory Cableguys is developing stuff which looks a bit common at the first view, but they are adding their own style to give their products a nice and unique twist. Here’s an overview of ‘ShaperBox’, which combines nearly all of their shaping tools in one plugin!

Overview

First of all: there is no aax version of ShaperBox available! But you can implement it by using Blue Cat’s “Patchwork”.
When opening the plugin, you can choose from five different modules. All of them are controlled via curves or choosing from different presets. This is immense, as you gain the ability to control all modules in perfect sync to any material.

TimeShaper
manipulates time settings to create stutters, reverses, slowdowns and pitch effects.

Filter Shaper
control the filter and time it perfectly.

Volume Shaper
create sidechain pulses, duckings, stutters or use it as a compressor.

PanShaper
automate pan settings. My tip: use the filters to create interesting pannings for certain frequency bands.

WidthShaper
modulate stereo width.

At the first look PanShaper and WidthShaper might not be interesting. But ShaperBox lets you combine all modules to one complex effect. Now imagine to combine TimeShaper, WidthShaper and FilterShaper, PanShaper and VolumeShaper treated as a chain. There are infinite ways to generate incredible effects and all of them can be adapted to your specific needs!

Here’s an example. In this sweeper we want to lead the listeners attention to the sample, so the sample stands out form the rest. We need something like a small breakdown or stutter for the bed, so we choose a combination of modules.
Pan-, Width-, Timing- and FilterShaper works fine right here. Make sure to work in grid mode, using the song’s tempo and set up the appropriate loop length.
In this case duplicating a music track and dropping a ShaperBox on it is a good way to use the plugin.
This technique is also great to create ends.

Try your own stuff or choose from a good amount of presets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIcCX8SEzaM&feature=youtu.be

Another example: in this Rhythmic Branding, Alex used TimeShaper module to create a scratched transition, which is perfectly attached to the previous sample as it is the basis for the scratch.

Verdict

In my eyes ShaperBox is a huge tool for modern formats like Rhythmic, CHR and urban styled formats. Combining the modules can create great and unique effects, but the modules also work on their owns.
I see it as a kind of remixing or modulation tool to add a special and personalized feel to songs, samples, ids or vo.
The possibilities are endless, as the combination of different modules gives you control to build creative effects.

BUT: Cableguys plugins are not available as aax! The only way to use it in Pro Tools is via Blue Cat’s Patchwork, which is a bit annoying at the moment. So please Cableguys: release an aax version!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeXIHvOGIMY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-sBDcivGxU