Things - Motor — Free Download

Core Concept

Things Motor is an audio effect plugin that combines two signals via side-chaining. It is inspired by the Crystal Palace, a historic BBC Radiophonic Workshop device that used a rotating capacitor to switch between up to sixteen audio channels. This plugin distills that concept to two inputs, making it practical across modern setups.

The sidechain input lets you feed any external audio as the second signal. The plugin then alternates or blends between the two sources based on an internal LFO. This creates effects ranging from gentle morphing between sounds to rhythmic chopping, affecting both volume and spatial position.

Key Capabilities

Switching is controlled by a multi-wave LFO with shapes including sine, triangle, ramp up/down, square, exponential variants, and sample-and-hold. Unlike the original’s fixed waveform, this variable shape allows for smooth crossfades or aggressive cuts. The LFO also features start/stop control with adjustable speed, letting you trigger the effect manually or let it run freely.

Beyond the chopper, the plugin adds a vibrato and a panner, both synced to the same LFO. This ties pitch and stereo movement to the amplitude modulation, creating a cohesive rotary-style effect. The result can be subtle, like adding life to a static pad, or extreme, with fast modulation producing ring-modulation-like artifacts.

Workflow and Use

In practice, you route two audio tracks into the plugin, with one as the main input and the other via sidechain. For a classic tremolo, use a single input and set the LFO to a simple wave. For morphing, feed a second sound and adjust the LFO shape to control how smoothly it transitions between them.

For rhythmic cutting, use square or sample-and-hold waves at moderate speeds. For more experimental textures, push the LFO to audio rates, which produces metallic, ring-mod-like tones. The vibrato and panner can be engaged independently, letting you add pitch or stereo motion without the chopping if desired.

Practical Applications

Things Motor suits sound designers and electronic musicians looking to add movement to static sounds. It works well on synth pads, drones, or field recordings, where the sidechain can bring in a rhythmic element from a drum loop or another texture. The variable LFO shapes give you precise control over whether the effect feels organic or mechanical.

It also serves as a creative tool for mixing, allowing you to interweave two elements in a track, like a bass and a kick, so they alternate rather than clash. The analog-style shaping adds warmth, and the resizable window improves usability. For fans of Hainbach’s experimental approach, it offers a practical way to explore vintage techniques.

Key features

• Signal chopper with tremolo, vibrato, and panner
• Multi-wave LFO with sine, triangle, ramp, square, exponential, and sample-and-hold shapes
• LFO start/stop with speed control
• Sidechain input for combining two audio signals
• Resizable window
• Analog-style sound shaping

Best for

Sound designers and electronic musicians seeking a versatile rotary effect for morphing, chopping, and adding movement to synths, pads, or drums. It excels at creative sidechain applications and experimental textures, from subtle vibrato to aggressive ring-mod-like modulation, without requiring complex routing.