ShapeStage User Manual

ShapeStage is a morphing stereo and texture effect for iPhone, iPad and Mac, as a standalone app and as an AUv3 plugin. It makes a sound wide and alive. You set 7 stereo modules in 4 stages, then you morph and modulate between the stages.

1. Overview
2. Core Concept
3. Interface Overview
4. Primary Workflow
5. Stage Page
6. Modules
7. Modulation
8. Presets
9. Signal Chain
10. MIDI
11. AUv3 Plugin
12. Standalone App
13. Settings
14. Tips and Starting Points
15. Troubleshooting
16. Links

1. Overview

7 true-stereo modules in a fixed order: Shape, Wobble, Ensemble, Diffuse, Grains, Echo and Image.
4 stages (A, B, C, D). Each stage keeps its own values of the 7 module faders.
Morph moves the sound through the stages, from A to D.
Modulation: 3 LFOs, 2 envelope generators (EG) and an envelope follower (EF). A mod matrix of 16 connections connects them to the morph, to the modules, to the module settings and to the modulators.
Vectorscope: it shows the stereo image, the correlation and the L, R, Mid and Side levels of the output. Mono Check lets you hear the output in mono.
Presets: 22 factory presets, and your own presets in iCloud.
AUv3: every fader and setting is an automatable parameter. The plugin has a sidechain (key) input for the envelope follower, and MIDI input for the envelopes.

2. Core Concept

Modules

The input goes through the 7 modules in this order:

Shape → Wobble → Ensemble → Diffuse → Grains → Echo → Image → Dry/Wet → Gain

Every module works in stereo: a stereo input stays stereo, and a mono input is copied to both channels, so you can make a mono source wide.

A module at its neutral value does nothing: the sound goes through it unchanged. Shape is neutral at 0 ("Open"), Image at 100 %, and all other modules at 0 %. The Init preset has all modules neutral.

Stages and morph

A stage is one set of the 7 fader values. There are 4 stages: A, B, C and D. The Morph control plays them:

Morph	Plays
0	Stage A
1/3	Stage B
2/3	Stage C
1	Stage D

Between two positions, the fader values blend from one stage to the next. The module settings (for example Echo Time or Grains Pitch) are the same in all stages: only the 7 faders change with the morph.

So one move of Morph, or one LFO on Morph, can take a sound from dry and narrow to wide and textured.

3. Interface Overview

The mode bar is at the side of the screen. From top to bottom:

Button	Opens
Stage	The vectorscope, the stage buttons, the morph and the 7 module faders
Modules	The settings of each module
Mod	The LFOs, the envelope generators, the envelope follower, Gain and Dry/Wet
Matrix	The mod connections
Presets (folder)	The preset browser
Settings (gear)	The settings screen

4. Primary Workflow

Play a sound into ShapeStage (a synth in your host, or the microphone or audio interface in the standalone app).
On the Stage page, select stage A and leave it dry, or set a small amount of a module.
Select stage D and push the faders of the modules that you want: for example Diffuse and Image for width, Grains and Echo for texture.
Move Morph from A to D and listen to the change.
On the Matrix page, add a connection: LFO 1 → Morph. Now the sound moves by itself. Set the speed with LFO 1 Rate on the Mod page.
Look at the vectorscope and press Mono Check to make sure that the sound is good in mono.
Save the sound as a user preset.

5. Stage Page

Module faders

The 7 faders set the modules of the selected stage. Each fader shows its value:

Fader	Range	Neutral
Shape	LP 100 % … Open … HP 100 %	Open (centre)
Wobble	0 … 100 %	0 %
Ensemble	0 … 100 %	0 %
Diffuse	0 … 100 %	0 %
Grains	0 … 100 %	0 %
Echo	0 … 100 %	0 %
Image	0 … 200 %	100 % (centre)

Shape and Image have a centre detent, so you can easily find the neutral position.

Hold the name of a fader to open the settings of its module on the Modules page.

Stage buttons and morph

Tap A, B, C or D to select a stage. The faders then show and edit that stage, and Morph moves to it.
Drag the Morph crossfader to move between the stages. A marker shows the live morph position when the morph is modulated.
When the morph is between two stages, or a connection modulates it, the faders show the morphed values that you hear.
Modulated faders show the modulation as a marker.

Vectorscope

The vectorscope shows the stereo image of the output:

Goniometer: Mid is vertical and Side is horizontal. A mono sound is a vertical line. A wide sound fills the circle.
Correlation (−1 … +1): +1 is mono. A value near 0 is wide. A value below 0 shows out-of-phase sound, which gets weaker when it is played in mono (the marker becomes red).
L, R, M, S meters: the peak levels of Left, Right, Mid and Side (−60 … 0 dBFS). A peak shows at once and falls back slowly. A meter becomes red near 0 dBFS.

Mono Check

Mono Check plays the output in mono, on both channels. Use it to hear your sound on a mono speaker. It is a listening aid: it is not saved with the preset, and it is off when you open the app or the plugin.

6. Modules

The Modules page shows one panel per module, with its settings. The settings are the same for all 4 stages.

Shape

A stereo filter with drive.

Fader: below the centre, a low-pass filter closes from 20 kHz to 30 Hz. Above the centre, a high-pass filter opens from 10 Hz to 15 kHz. At the centre (Open), the sound is unchanged.
Resonance: the peak at the cutoff.
Drive: an oversampled saturation before the filter. Its level is matched at all input levels: more drive changes the tone, not the level.
Spread: moves the left and right cutoffs apart (up to ±2 octaves), for a stereo filter.
Slope: 12 dB or 24 dB per octave.

Wobble

Tape wow and flutter: a small pitch movement.

Fader: the depth of the movement.
Rate: the speed of the wow, 0.1 to 5 Hz.
Flutter: adds a faster, smaller movement.
Stereo: makes the left and right movements different, for a wider sound. At 0, left and right move the same, so a mono sound stays mono.

Ensemble

A chorus of 2 to 4 voices across the stereo field.

Fader: the first half adds the chorus voices; the second half makes the movement deeper.
Rate: the speed of the movement, 0.05 to 5 Hz.
Voices: 2, 3 or 4.
Spread: how wide the voices are placed.
Tone: the brightness of the voices.

The bass stays in the centre: the voices do not change the low frequencies.

Diffuse

A mono-safe stereo widener. It adds a diffused copy of the sound to the Side signal only, so the mono sum does not change. It makes a mono source wide with no loss in mono.

Fader: the amount.
Size: short and tight to long and soft.
Tone: the brightness of the diffusion.
Low Cut: frequencies below this value stay in the centre (20 Hz to 1 kHz).

Grains

A grain cloud made from the last seconds of the input.

Fader: more grains and more of the cloud in the mix.
Size: the length of each grain, 10 to 500 ms.
Pitch: −24 to +24 semitones.
Detune: a random pitch spread per grain, 0 to 12 semitones.
Reverse: the part of the grains that play backward.
Spray: at 0, each grain keeps the stereo image of the input; at 1, the grains are placed at random across the stereo field.
Reach: how far back in time the grains can start, 0 to 2000 ms.
Hold: keeps the audio in the grain buffer. At 1, the buffer is frozen and the cloud plays the held sound.

Echo

A stereo delay with a ping-pong mode.

Fader: the send to the echo. When you pull the fader down, the echoes that already play ring out.
Time: 1 to 2000 ms, when Sync is off.
Sync and Division: with Sync on, the time follows the tempo, as a note length from 1/16 dotted to 16 bars (normal, dotted and triplet values).
Feedback: how many echoes, up to 95 %.
Tone: darker or brighter echoes.
Low Cut: removes the low frequencies from the echoes (20 Hz to 1 kHz).
Width: 0 keeps left echoes left and right echoes right; 1 is ping-pong.

Image

Stereo width.

Fader: 0 % is mono, 100 % is the input width, 200 % is double width. The mono sum does not change.
Bass Mono: frequencies below this value become mono (off, or up to 400 Hz). Use it to keep the bass centred.
Balance: moves the sound to the left or to the right.

7. Modulation

The Mod page has the modulators, and the Matrix page connects them to targets.

LFOs

There are 3 LFOs. Each has:

Rate: 0.01 to 20 Hz.
Phase: the start position of the cycle.
Shape: one control that walks through sine, triangle, saw, square, falling ramp, sample & hold and smooth random. Between two shapes, it blends them.
Sync: with Sync on, the LFO follows the tempo with a note length (Division). In a host that plays, a synced LFO locks to the beat of the host.

Envelope generators

There are 2 envelope generators (EG 1 and EG 2), each with Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release.

Loop on: the envelope repeats by itself (attack, decay, release, then attack again).
Loop off: a MIDI note starts the envelope and the note-off releases it. Set the trigger note of each EG in the settings (default: C3 (60) for EG 1, D3 (62) for EG 2).

Envelope follower

The envelope follower (EF) follows the level of the sound, so the effect reacts to how loud you play.

Attack and Release: how fast it follows a rise and a fall of the level.
Gain: −12 to +24 dB, to make a quiet signal move the targets more.
Key: off, it follows the main input. On, it follows the sidechain (key) input of the plugin. If the host gives no sidechain, it follows the main input.

Global

The Mod page also has Gain (output level, up to +6 dB) and Dry/Wet (the mix of the input and the effect).

Mod matrix

The Matrix page has up to 16 connections. Tap + to add a connection. Each connection has:

Source: LFO 1, LFO 2, LFO 3, EG 1, EG 2 or EF.
Polarity: Uni (+) moves the target up from its value, Uni (−) moves it down, Bi (+/−) moves it up and down, Bi (−/+) moves it down and up.
Target: a module (the morphed fader of the module), a module setting, Morph, Dry/Wet, Gain, or a value of a modulator (for example LFO 1 Rate).
Amount: how much the source moves the target.
On/Off: turns the connection off and keeps it.
Delete: tap the bin, then tap it again to confirm.

The bin in the toolbar removes all connections (tap it two times).

A module target moves the morphed value of that module, so the modulation works in all stages.

8. Presets

Tap the folder button to open the preset browser. It has two tabs:

Factory Presets: the 22 presets of ShapeStage.
User Presets: your presets. Tap + to save the current sound. User presets are saved in iCloud when it is available, and the app and the plugin share them.

A preset sets all module faders and settings, the modulators and the mod matrix. It does not change your MIDI settings.

Factory presets

Preset	Idea
Init	All modules neutral: the clean starting point
Ambient Pad	Diffusion, grains an octave up and long echoes that grow with the morph
Wide Stereo Delay	A wide delay that becomes more diffused from A to D
Harmonic Enhancer	Warm to bright tone with drive
Grain Cloud	A moving grain cloud an octave up
Rhythmic Texture Modulator	Synced LFOs move grains, diffusion and echo feedback
Pitch Shifter Delay	Pitched grains in a delay
Multi-Tap Echo	Synced echoes that become more diffused
Auto-Wah	A resonant low-pass that your playing opens
Multi-Mod Chorus	Ensemble chorus with tape motion
Dynamic Harmonizer Delay	Grains a few semitones up, with echoes that react to the level
Texture Machine	Dense grains, diffusion and short echoes
Rhythmic Filter	A synced filter walk from low-pass to high-pass
Pitching Reverb	Diffusion with grains far down in pitch
Mod Phaser/Flanger	A wide ensemble with tape pitch motion
Spectrum Morpher	Your playing moves the filter from low-pass to high-pass
Widen	Mono-safe width that grows from A to D, bass in mono
Motion	Slow chorus and tape motion that breathe
Texture	A grain cloud over the input
Space	Diffusion and synced echoes, from close to far
Sweep	A resonant filter walk, one bar per sweep
Tape	Wow, flutter, dark drive and a short slapback

The factory presets have the same level as the input (within 1 dB), so you can compare them easily.

9. Signal Chain

Main input (stereo, or mono copied to both channels)
  → Shape → Wobble → Ensemble → Diffuse → Grains → Echo → Image
  → Dry/Wet → Gain → output (stereo)

Sidechain (key) input → envelope follower (when Key is on)
MIDI input → EG 1 and EG 2 trigger notes

The modulators update the morph, the faders and the settings continuously and smoothly, so fast modulation does not click.

10. MIDI

ShapeStage receives MIDI notes to start the envelope generators. It does not send MIDI.

Channel: set the Input Channel (1 to 16) in the settings. ShapeStage uses only notes on this channel.
Trigger notes: a note-on of the EG 1 trigger note starts EG 1; its note-off releases EG 1. EG 2 is the same with its own note. Defaults: C3 (60) and D3 (62).
An EG with Loop on does not use MIDI: it runs by itself.
AUv3: route a MIDI track or a sequencer of your host to ShapeStage. ShapeStage is a music effect, so it gets audio and MIDI.
Standalone app: select the MIDI input ports in the settings. The app also has a virtual MIDI input, "ShapeStage In".

11. AUv3 Plugin

Load ShapeStage as an audio effect in a host that supports AUv3 music effects (for example AUM, Logic Pro, Cubasis, Loopy Pro).
Inputs: a stereo main input and a stereo sidechain (key) input. Some hosts have no sidechain; then the envelope follower uses the main input.
Automation: all module faders of all stages, Morph, the module settings, the modulators, Dry/Wet and Gain are AU parameters. You can automate them and map them to MIDI controllers in your host.
State: the host saves the full sound with the project: all parameters, the mod matrix and the MIDI settings.
Factory presets: the host can select the factory presets by number (Init is 0).
Tempo: synced LFOs and the synced echo follow the tempo of the host. A synced LFO locks to the beat when the host plays.
You can use more than one instance at a time.

12. Standalone App

The standalone app processes the microphone or the input of your audio interface.

Allow the microphone access when iOS asks. Without it, the input is silent.
Use headphones with the built-in microphone, or turn on the input mute on the speaker in the settings, to prevent feedback.
Set the Tempo in the settings for the synced LFOs and the synced echo.

13. Settings

Tap the gear to open the settings.

Setting	What it does
Tempo (standalone)	The tempo for synced LFOs and the synced echo, 20 to 300 BPM
Input mute (standalone)	Mutes the input when the output is the built-in speaker, to prevent feedback
MIDI ports (standalone)	Selects the MIDI inputs
MIDI Input Channel	The channel of the EG trigger notes, 1 to 16
EG 1 / EG 2 Trigger Note	The note that starts each envelope
Knob Control	How you drag the knobs
Support	The tutorial, feedback and other apps

14. Tips and Starting Points

Wide and mono-safe: use Diffuse and Image, and set Image Bass Mono to about 120 Hz. Press Mono Check: the sound stays full.
Keep the correlation above 0. If the correlation goes below 0, lower Image, or lower Grains Spray or Echo Width.
Make a sound travel: keep stage A dry and make stage D wide and textured. Connect LFO 1 to Morph (Uni (+), amount 100 %) with a slow rate.
React to your playing: connect EF to Morph or to Diffuse. Turn up EF Gain for a quiet source.
Freeze a moment: set Grains Hold to 1, or connect an envelope to Grains Hold.
Rhythmic moves: sync an LFO and connect it to Shape for a filter that walks with the beat.
Tape character: a little Wobble with Flutter and some Shape Drive.

15. Troubleshooting

No effect is heard. Check that the faders of the current stage are not neutral and that Dry/Wet is not at 0. The Init preset is neutral on purpose.

No sound in the standalone app. Allow the microphone access in the iOS settings (Privacy & Security → Microphone). Check that the input mute on the speaker is not on while you use the speaker.

The sound gets thin in mono. Press Mono Check. If the correlation is below 0, lower the Image fader, Grains Spray or Echo Width. Diffuse and Image do not change the mono sum.

The envelopes do not start. Check that the MIDI channel of your notes is the Input Channel in the settings, that the note is the trigger note of the EG, and that Loop is off. In a host, route MIDI to ShapeStage.

The envelope follower does not move. Turn up EF Gain. If Key is on, check that your host sends audio to the sidechain input; with no sidechain, the EF follows the main input.

Synced LFOs or echoes have the wrong speed. In the standalone app, set the tempo in the settings. In a host, check the tempo of the host.

ShapeStage does not show in the host. Open the ShapeStage app one time after you install or update it, then scan for plugins in your host. Look for it in the effects (music effects) list.

User presets are missing. Check that iCloud Drive is on for ShapeStage. Presets saved while iCloud was off stay on the device.

16. Links

Shape it, stage it, morph it.