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Chapter 5:
Creative Applications for the ATR-1a
The ATR-1a works on vocals so well you may think that’s all it can do.
Actually, lots of instruments can use it to great advantage. Fretless bass,
electric violin, trombone, even the theremin, all feature continuous pitch
potential, unconstrained by frets or keys. Here are some other ideas for
using your ATR-1a:
• Produce instant double tracking in one take! Record with two mics,
sending only one signal through the ATR-1a. If you’re going for a tight
double track, set the SPEED rather fast (page one in the PROGRAM
menu) and DETUNE the ATR-1a slightly (page six in the SYSTEM menu).
Increase both of these parameters to broaden the doubled effect. You
can also use some VIBRATO (page three in the PROGRAM menu) to
make a more dynamic effect (small depth and rate values are best, with
medium delay). Of course, you can also decide to record a single virgin
track, and bounce that to another, processing through the ATR-1a. This
way you can dial in the effect while auditioning the mix.
• Recording with two mics (as above) while improvising can also produce
heterophonic effects (the effect of two players and instruments playing
the ‘same’ melody, which actually varies with some different pitch
material). The more constrained your scale is in the ATR-1a, the more
variation there will be between the two performances.
• To set up a drone or ambient aura behind a melodic performance, try
sending some of the signal to the ATR-1a with an extremely constrained
scale (for example, in the key of C: C, F, G, A#) and then on to a lush,
long reverb. The effect produced will be a steady backdrop of chanting
tones behind the main melodic material.
• Don’t be afraid to use just as little of the ATR-1a as you need. It’s quite
possible that a performer has really quite good intonation, but fails
consistently on one or two notes. In this case, use the ATR-1a’s indi-
vidual BYPASS function (page two, bottom line in the PROGRAM mode)
to bypass all the notes except the one(s) which need the retuning. This
way, the ATR-1a is working in a completely transparent mode, and only
when needed.