"Cableguys discuss their objective of simplifying complex sounds with ShaperBox, offering diverse effects within a single tool"
In an exciting development for music producers, Cableguys has unveiled ShaperBox 3.5, the latest iteration of their suite of rhythmic and mixing tools. This update brings a fresh wave of analogue warmth and introduces several new sonic options, inspired by the FilterShaper XL plugin.
Since its inception, Cableguys has been guided by the principle of making useful things in an easy-to-use way. The company began as a hobby project in 2005, when its founder became intrigued by the concept of drawing oscillator waveforms. This led to the creation of Curve, which was followed by the release of VolumeShaper 1 in 2007, a result of discovering the usefulness of drawing waves for modulation.
ShaperBox 3.5 builds upon the suite's existing modular multi-effects framework, where users can apply effects like volume ducking, filtering, distortion, phasing, reverb, and panning by drawing modulation shapes. The new features, however, enhance the tonal quality with these new analogue-modeled elements.
Key additions include Smooth Clip distortion for smoother, warm saturation, adjustable filter Resonance Distortion inside the filter circuit, allowing for richer harmonic textures, a Hard Distortion option for edgier, more aggressive tones, and filter self-oscillation, which can generate sustained tones and add character to sounds.
These improvements extend the sonic palette and flexibility of ShaperBox, creating vintage analog-style warmth and distortion effects. The update offers users more creative control over the tonal and harmonic character of their modulated effects.
ShaperBox 3.5 also features the powerful and fast LFO drawing system, with lots of presets for common use cases. One of the standout features is ReverbShaper, a rhythmic reverb that re-imagines reverb as a dynamic, creative effect. The Clear Tails mode in ReverbShaper resets the reverb in the pattern programmed or with each note played.
Beyond the updated MIDIShaper, Cableguys is working on improvements for ShaperBox and a much-improved Curve, but these projects are not yet ready for release. The updated MIDIShaper, however, will be a free update for existing owners and will feature a brand-new interface and improved compatibility.
Feedback from professional producers and artists, such as David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, and Darude, is valuable in understanding the needs of music-makers. The team at Cableguys, now six members strong, with three based in Germany for development and three in the UK for marketing and support, continues to strive for innovation and accessibility in their products.
While the preset sharing system in Curve was not widely popular, the synth was appreciated for its sound and direct control of parameters. The company's dedication to user-friendly design is evident in ShaperBox 3.5, which maintains its approachability by avoiding complex modulation routing setups, making it accessible for producers seeking complex, rhythmic, and mixing effects results without a steep learning curve.
[1] Information from Cableguys' official press release.
The Cableguys team, driven by the principle of making practical tools accessible, further introduces technology advancements as they unveil the latest version, ShaperBox 3.5, offering analogue warmth and enhanced sonic options for music producers. This technology update introduces features like Smooth Clip distortion, adjustable filter Resonance Distortion, Hard Distortion, and filter self-oscillation, extending the versatility of ShaperBox and providing users with more creative control over their modulated effects.
