Dirty Tricks by Amazing Noises

Dirty Tricks is a destructive playground for sound designers who refuse to play it safe. This MaxforLive bundle delivers 12 purpose-built audio effect devices that distort, modulate, decimate, degrade, and—when you push them—completely destroy your signal. Created by Maurizio Giri, co-author of the Max Bible, these aren’t your typical studio polish tools. They’re weapons for sonic mayhem.

From surgical frequency manipulation to total signal annihilation, each device in the suite offers a unique path to sonic transformation. Whether you’re adding subtle character or designing sounds from another dimension, Dirty Tricks gives you over 200 presets and virtually limitless parameter combinations to explore.

The Arsenal: 12 Devices of Sonic Destruction

Brickwall – Extreme frequency isolation with up to 192 dB per octave slope. This band-pass/band-reject filter is brutally selective, carving out or isolating frequency bands with surgical precision. Perfect for creating telephone effects, AM radio sounds, or removing specific frequency ranges entirely.

Growler – Real-time pitch shifter with feedback, transient detection, and envelope following. Create monster voices, robotic textures, and pitch-warped chaos. The feedback parameter sends the shifted signal back for further transposition, creating cascading pitch effects that spiral into beautiful chaos. Transient detection lets you preserve or suppress attack characteristics.

Interruptor – Creates rhythmic interruptions in your audio stream with statistical sample-and-hold capabilities. Set interruption frequency and ratio, choose between unique, independent, or alternating stereo modes, and optionally replace silence with white or pink noise. The randomization and sample-hold parameters can completely destroy coherent audio into stuttering, glitchy textures.

Klamper – Advanced signal clamping with six transformation modes: Klamp (hard clipping), Fold (wave folding), Wrap (signal wrapping), Annihil (signal annihilation), Sine (oscillation replacement), and Square (square wave replacement). Includes spectral balance control for processing above or below a split frequency, plus normalization for consistent output levels.

Mod – Universal parameter modulator that can control any parameter of any device, plugin, or track in Ableton Live. Features an LFO with seven waveform types plus a 16-step sequencer with multiple playback directions. Use it to create evolving filter sweeps, rhythmic parameter changes, or chaotic randomization of any controllable element in your session.

Ovrdrv – Dual-mode distortion ranging from subtle warmth to total obliteration. Choose between Distort (warmer saturation) or Skream (heavier destruction) modes. Operates independently on frequencies above (Excitation) or below (Saturation) a split frequency, allowing you to add grit to highs while keeping lows clean, or vice versa.

Philtre – Two-configuration state variable filter. Dub mode provides dual low-pass/high-pass filtering with overlap control that can morph into band-pass characteristics. Morph mode offers continuous morphing between low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass with variable slope from 12 to 24 dB. Built-in envelope follower modulates cutoff frequency for dynamic, responsive filtering.

Reduktor – Sample rate and bit depth reduction with dual-band operation. Includes pre- and post-filtering to manage aliasing and foldover. The jitter parameter adds instability to the sample rate reduction for unpredictable, evolving lo-fi textures. Apply decimation to specific frequency ranges for hybrid clean/destroyed sounds.

Ringer – Dual-band ring modulator with distortion and delay. Set modulation frequency in MIDI note values, adjust waveform saturation, and use feedback delay for cascading modulation effects. Process high and low frequencies independently for complex inharmonic textures that maintain some tonal character while adding metallic shimmer.

Shifter – Dual-band frequency shifter with feedback delay and stereo flip capability. Unlike pitch shifting, frequency shifting moves all frequencies by a fixed Hz amount, creating inharmonic, bell-like textures. Independent control for upper and lower frequency bands allows for sophisticated spectral manipulation. Stereo flip applies opposite shifts to left and right channels for wide, disorienting effects.

Swarmer – Superchorus effect using a chain of modulated delay lines. Creates everything from subtle thickening to massive, swirling textures. The feedback tank with high-pass/low-pass filtering allows for controlled resonance and self-oscillation. Activity and depth parameters control modulation speed and intensity for anything from gentle doubling to complete signal dissolution.

Vkdr – Classic vocoder effect with flexible filter bank configuration. Choose between Ratio mode (filters spaced in semitones) or Harm mode (filters in harmonic series). Use pulse generator, random noise, white noise, or pink noise as the carrier signal, controlled via 2D X/Y slider. Transient detection preserves or suppresses attacks, while envelope following modulates pulse frequency for dynamic vocoding.

Key Features

• 12 MaxforLive Audio Effects: Complete toolkit for creative destruction and sound design
• 200+ Presets: Individual device presets plus ready-to-use audio racks
• Dual-Band Processing: Many devices offer independent control above/below split frequency
• Extreme Filtering: Brickwall filter with up to 192 dB/octave slope
• Advanced Modulation: Envelope followers, LFOs, and step sequencer for parameter control
• Stereo Processing Options: Independent, unique, and alternating stereo modes
• Real-Time Performance: Low-latency processing suitable for live use
• Visual Feedback: Spectrum displays and waveform visualizations on applicable devices
• Flexible Routing: Dry/wet controls on all devices for parallel processing
• Universal Compatibility: Works with any Ableton Live project using MaxforLive

Creative Applications

Dirty Tricks excels in sound design scenarios where conventional processing falls short. Use Growler and Klamper in series to create alien vocal transformations. Run drums through Interruptor and Reduktor for glitchy, degraded breaks. Apply Ringer and Shifter to synth pads for inharmonic, evolving textures that defy conventional tuning.

The dual-band capabilities across multiple devices enable sophisticated spectral processing. Keep low frequencies intact while destroying highs with Ovrdrv, or maintain vocal intelligibility while vocoding only the upper harmonics with Vkdr. Use Mod to automate parameters across multiple Dirty Tricks devices simultaneously for complex, evolving destruction chains.

For experimental and noise artists, these devices become instruments in their own right. Feedback loops between devices create self-generating textures. Extreme settings yield completely synthetic timbres unrelated to the input signal. The randomization and probability features in devices like Interruptor ensure that no two passes sound identical.

Ideal For

• Sound Designers: Creating unique textures for film, game audio, and media production
• Electronic Music Producers: Adding character, grit, and movement to tracks
• Experimental Musicians: Exploring the boundaries of signal processing
• IDM and Glitch Artists: Crafting stuttering, degraded, and chaotic rhythmic elements
• Techno and Industrial Producers: Heavy distortion and modulation for aggressive sounds
• Remix Artists: Transforming familiar material into something completely new
• Live Performers: Real-time effects that respond dynamically to input

What’s Included

• 12 MaxforLive audio effect devices
• 200+ individual device presets
• Audio rack presets combining multiple devices
• Comprehensive reference manual (PDF)
• Visual spectrum and waveform displays
• Full Ableton Live integration

Requirements

• Ableton Live 10+ or Live 11/12
• MaxforLive (Essential)
• Mac or Windows operating system

Explore More Amazing Noises Products

Pulsor Suite | Granular Lab | Bandswitch | View All Amazing Noises Products