backwards audio?
Moderator: James Steele
Forum rules
This forum is for most discussion related to the use and optimization of Digital Performer [MacOS] and plug-ins as well as tips and techniques. It is NOT for troubleshooting technical issues, complaints, feature requests, or "Comparative DAW 101."
This forum is for most discussion related to the use and optimization of Digital Performer [MacOS] and plug-ins as well as tips and techniques. It is NOT for troubleshooting technical issues, complaints, feature requests, or "Comparative DAW 101."
- yofo
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Tennessee
- Contact:
backwards audio?
Is there a way to make a soundbite play backwards?(other than flying the audio to my 2 track and flipping the tape over and flying it back)
Mac OSX 10.6.8 2 x 2.66 GHz dual-core Intel Xeon 8GB 667 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM RME Fireface 800
- Prime Mover
- Posts: 2449
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:19 am
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Re: backwards audio?
Yes. Select the soundbite in the Sequence window. Then select "Audio" > "Plugins" > "Reverse". And it'll come up with a window that should let you audition the soundbite first before processing it. I'm not in front of DP at the moment, so I'm not SURE about the exact name of the menu options, it might even be under the regions menu, I get that mixed up sometimes. But it's one of the ">" dropdowns and it's something like Plugins, or Audio Plugins, or Audio Effects.
— Eric Barker
Eel House
"All's fair in love, war, and the recording studio"
MacPro 1,1 2Ghz 7GB RAM OS 10.6.8 | MacBook Pro 13" i5 1.8Ghz 16GB RAM OS 10.8.2
DP7/8 | Komplete 7 | B4II | Korg Legacy Analog | Waves v9 (various) | Valhalla Room | EWQLSO Gold
MOTU 828mkII | MOTU 8pre | Presonus BlueTube | FMR RNC
Themes: Round is Right and Alloy
Eel House
"All's fair in love, war, and the recording studio"
MacPro 1,1 2Ghz 7GB RAM OS 10.6.8 | MacBook Pro 13" i5 1.8Ghz 16GB RAM OS 10.8.2
DP7/8 | Komplete 7 | B4II | Korg Legacy Analog | Waves v9 (various) | Valhalla Room | EWQLSO Gold
MOTU 828mkII | MOTU 8pre | Presonus BlueTube | FMR RNC
Themes: Round is Right and Alloy
- timriley
- Posts: 578
- Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:44 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
Re: backwards audio?
Stand on your head... 

Mac Pro Quad XEON/2.8Ghz/12GB RAM
Macbook Pro Core Duo/2.16Ghz/2GB RAM
OSX 10.6.8/DP7.22
Macbook Pro Core Duo/2.16Ghz/2GB RAM
OSX 10.6.8/DP7.22
- mhschmieder
- Posts: 11415
- Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Annandale VA
Re: backwards audio?
Yeah, Prime Mover has it right, I believe -- can't check for sure right now though. That's how you do it, whether that's the menu name or not.
Does anyone know how this is done internally? As samples are discrete, is it a simple matter of inverting the sample order for a sound byte, including any tempo markings etc.?
The reason I am wondering, is that I need to use this function on a project soon (a rarity for this sort of thing, but it's for a video voice-over special effect), and I'm wondering if DP's function is sufficient or if there are technical reasons why there might be qualitative differences between different implementations of reverse-audio (I think there are some plug-ins that do this, if one needs to resort to that).
Does anyone know how this is done internally? As samples are discrete, is it a simple matter of inverting the sample order for a sound byte, including any tempo markings etc.?
The reason I am wondering, is that I need to use this function on a project soon (a rarity for this sort of thing, but it's for a video voice-over special effect), and I'm wondering if DP's function is sufficient or if there are technical reasons why there might be qualitative differences between different implementations of reverse-audio (I think there are some plug-ins that do this, if one needs to resort to that).
Mac Studio 2025 14-Core Apple M4 Max (36 GB RAM), OSX 15.4.1, MOTU DP 11.34, SpectraLayers 11
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager
Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johnny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager
Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johnny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
-
- Posts: 2339
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Box, Wiltshire, UK
- Contact:
Re: backwards audio?
Audio>Audio Plugins>MOTU:Reverse
if it says (mono) just ignore it, a stereo soundbite will be reversed
Cheers
Stephen
if it says (mono) just ignore it, a stereo soundbite will be reversed
Cheers
Stephen
Stephen W Tayler: Sound Artist
http://www.chimera-arts.com
http://ostinatomusic.com
http://stephentayler.com
Mac Pro 16Gb RAM, OSX 10.10, DP 8, PT 11, Logic 9.1.8, MOTU Traveler, Ultralite Mk 3 Hybrid, MC MIx, MOTU VIs, Waves, Izotope Everything, Spectrasonics, SoundToys, Slate, Softube, NI , spl Surround Monitor Controller, spl Auditor Headphone amp, Genelec 1031A, 1029 5.1 system, Sontronics Mics, iPad etc..
http://www.chimera-arts.com
http://ostinatomusic.com
http://stephentayler.com
Mac Pro 16Gb RAM, OSX 10.10, DP 8, PT 11, Logic 9.1.8, MOTU Traveler, Ultralite Mk 3 Hybrid, MC MIx, MOTU VIs, Waves, Izotope Everything, Spectrasonics, SoundToys, Slate, Softube, NI , spl Surround Monitor Controller, spl Auditor Headphone amp, Genelec 1031A, 1029 5.1 system, Sontronics Mics, iPad etc..
Re: backwards audio?
This is a cool plug-in from The Sound Guy, SFX Machine Pro, etc.
http://www.sfxmachine.com/backwards_machine/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
http://www.sfxmachine.com/backwards_machine/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
Octo 2.8/10.6.4/DP7.21/PCI Driver 1.5.38352/BLA HD192s/UAD-1e & 5.50 plugs/Waves v7/Current/PSP/Altiverb6.3.5/Breverb1.5.8/Stillwell/Fabfilter/elysia/Brainworx
- Prime Mover
- Posts: 2449
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:19 am
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Re: backwards audio?
Kinda cool, though I don't know how applicable it would be besides just a fun toy. The biggest problem with reverse audio is syncing it up with forward audio and timing the attacks to blend with everything else. I've heard reverse done on a lot of drum tracks (or a few instruments in a drum track) and it can be really neat, but you have to be able to exactly place the attacks to match. And of course, the most common use for reversing audio: reverse reverb effects, and those HAVE to be adjusted by hand, from everything I've seen.mesaken wrote:This is a cool plug-in from The Sound Guy, SFX Machine Pro, etc.
http://www.sfxmachine.com/backwards_machine/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
— Eric Barker
Eel House
"All's fair in love, war, and the recording studio"
MacPro 1,1 2Ghz 7GB RAM OS 10.6.8 | MacBook Pro 13" i5 1.8Ghz 16GB RAM OS 10.8.2
DP7/8 | Komplete 7 | B4II | Korg Legacy Analog | Waves v9 (various) | Valhalla Room | EWQLSO Gold
MOTU 828mkII | MOTU 8pre | Presonus BlueTube | FMR RNC
Themes: Round is Right and Alloy
Eel House
"All's fair in love, war, and the recording studio"
MacPro 1,1 2Ghz 7GB RAM OS 10.6.8 | MacBook Pro 13" i5 1.8Ghz 16GB RAM OS 10.8.2
DP7/8 | Komplete 7 | B4II | Korg Legacy Analog | Waves v9 (various) | Valhalla Room | EWQLSO Gold
MOTU 828mkII | MOTU 8pre | Presonus BlueTube | FMR RNC
Themes: Round is Right and Alloy
- mhschmieder
- Posts: 11415
- Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Annandale VA
Re: backwards audio?
Good point; I hadn't thought of that, as I was thinking in terms of very small audio snippets.
So, certainly for longer snippets, syncing could be tricky. Isn't there a way to line up two waveforms in the waveform editor and use some of the beat detection related tools to do this sort of thing though? Certainly it would be tedious, but it should be possible, no?
So, certainly for longer snippets, syncing could be tricky. Isn't there a way to line up two waveforms in the waveform editor and use some of the beat detection related tools to do this sort of thing though? Certainly it would be tedious, but it should be possible, no?
Mac Studio 2025 14-Core Apple M4 Max (36 GB RAM), OSX 15.4.1, MOTU DP 11.34, SpectraLayers 11
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager
Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johnny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager
Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johnny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
- mikehalloran
- Posts: 16216
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:08 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Sillie Con Valley
Re: backwards audio?
I rarely use backwards audio but use backwards MIDI and inverse notion now and then.
DP 11.34; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sequoia 15.4, USB4 8TB externals, Neumann MT48, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3, Zoom F3 & UAC 232 32bit float recorder & interface; 2012 MBPs (x2) Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 NE Pro, Toast 20 Pro
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sequoia 15.4, USB4 8TB externals, Neumann MT48, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3, Zoom F3 & UAC 232 32bit float recorder & interface; 2012 MBPs (x2) Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 NE Pro, Toast 20 Pro
- monkey man
- Posts: 14081
- Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Re: backwards audio?
What's the deal with the Invert Phase and Reverse plug-ins?
I thought I had it down pat and even posted here somewhere the versions of DP where they were ditched from the MAS plug folder respectively. All well and good... until I looked for the functions out of interest one day. Couldn't find them in the menu mentioned earlier, but I think the phase inversion can be accomplished with the Trim plug. I think. Reverse? Dunno now.
I thought I had it down pat and even posted here somewhere the versions of DP where they were ditched from the MAS plug folder respectively. All well and good... until I looked for the functions out of interest one day. Couldn't find them in the menu mentioned earlier, but I think the phase inversion can be accomplished with the Trim plug. I think. Reverse? Dunno now.
Mac 2012 12C Cheese Grater, OSX 10.13.6
MOTU DP8.07, MachFive 3.2.1, MIDI Express XT, 24I/O
Novation, Yamaha & Roland Synths, Guitar & Bass, Kemper Rack
Pretend I've placed your favourite quote here