Instead of stacking a short delay, detuner, stereo offset, small room reverb, and filter, TimeGhost integrates all of those into a single controllable ghost-reflection system. Its engine provides:
- Micro-delay (5–80 ms) similar to tape slap or doubling machines
- Modulated drift from classic chorus/tape instability
- Halo diffusion that mimics early reflections and micro-plates
Dynamic feedback shaping inspired by studio analog tricks.
TimeGhost captures these techniques in one tool, turning decades of engineer “secret sauce” into a consistent, controllable device.
MAIN CONTROLS
PRE DELAY: Enables an initial short delay before the main processing path. Useful for separating the dry signal attack from the spatial effect.
ENV FLW: Env Feedback: Dynamic feedback shaping. Adds movement, musicality, dynamic spatial enhancement:
- OFF - Fixed response
- ON (gentle/fast) – Feedback reacts to input envelope.
TIME SHIFT: Primary micro-delay (5–80 ms). Controls the length of the core ghost reflection. Lower values → doubling / thickening. Higher values → slap / short echo.
- ECHO SHADOW (20 - 35 ms)
- PHASE DRIFT (35-50 ms)
- TIME RIFT (50 - 65 ms)
- SPECTRAL HORIZON (65-80 ms)
MOD RATE: Modulation speed applied to TimeShift. Simulates tape flutter, chorus-like drift, or slow movement.
MOD DEPTH: Amount of modulation added. Higher settings increase motion, widening, and instability.
TONE BAND MODE: Single-control spectral shaping of the processed signal:
- HP (High-Pass) → Bright, airy, clean
- LP (Low-Pass) → Warm, analog, muffled
- BP (Band-Pass) → Focused mid energy
Great for making the ghost reflection sit inside a mix correctly.
TONE: Filter (4-8 khz)
HALO CONTROLS
HALO MIX: Blend of the early-reflection diffusion engine. Adds micro-reverb and room-tone without traditional reverb wash.
- HALO: Micro-Reflections. A very small amount of reverb is introduced. For Vocals (subtle polish), Drums (soften), Clean guitars (thicken)
- AURA: Soft Air & Ambience. Reflections feel wider and rounder. For Pads and synths
Ambient guitars, Keys Drum buss (glue).
- TRAIL: Short Tail Emerges. “micro-reverb” audible as a short trailing decay. For Melodic lines, long notes Guitar, Synth Slow vocal, FXs.
- SPECTRA: Bloom & Spread, Internal reverb’s mix, Atmospheric halo. For Ambient, Cinematic, Pads, Drones, Textures, Creative Widening.
HALO MODE: Chooses the diffusion algorithm:
- Perfect – Plate dense, short metallic space
- Stretched - Diffuse Hal, soft, wide, blurred ERs
- Surreal - Space lush reverberation
- Subtle - ER stage (early reflections)
- Pullback - Reverse Backwards-style bloom
WIDTH: Stereo offset time (0–10 ms). This gives the user intuitive milestones without changing how your engine works. Scale labels: Mono (0 ms), Stereo (2 ms), Wide (5 ms), Echo-Wide (9 ms)
GHOST MIX: Effect wet/dry mix. Controls how much processed signal blends with the direct path.
OUTPUT GAIN: Final output level to compensate for perceived loudness changes.
HOW TO USE
1. Start Simple
Begin with TimeShift between 20–40 ms, Tone in BP, Halo Mix around 10–20%, and Width at 3–5 ms. This gives natural spatial depth without hearing a delay.
2. Shape the Space
Want presence? Use HP tone + low Halo Mix.
Want warmth? Use LP tone + higher Halo Mix.
Want focus? Use BP and lower Ghost Mix.
3. Add Movement
Use Mod Rate + Mod Depth to bring life to pads, guitars, and vocals.
Subtle values (0.25–0.5 Hz, 5–15%) work best for realism.
4. Control the Width
Width defines how the effect sits in the mix:
0–2 ms → center, mono-safe
3–6 ms → modern wide presence
7–10 ms → creative chorus-like stereo
5. Adjust Halo for Character
Halo enhances presence without muddying the signal.
Small values (5–15%) are ideal for vocals and leads.
Higher values build atmospheric textures.
TRICKS
1. Vocal Presence Trick
TimeShift: 25–32 ms
Tone: HP
Width: 4–6 ms
Halo Mix: 10–15%
→ Adds clarity, pushes vocals forward without reverb clutter.
2. Guitar Double Trick
TimeShift: 15–20 ms
Mod Depth: 10–20%
Width: 5–9 ms
→ Makes mono guitars feel double-tracked.
3. Synth Glide Atmosphere
TimeShift: 40–60 ms
Halo Mode: Diffuse Hall
Mod Rate: slow (<0.3 Hz)
→ Smooth, floating space without using a reverb.
4. Drum Tight Room
TimeShift: 12–18 ms
Halo Mode: ER Stage
Tone: HP
→ Gives drums dimension without ambience spilling.
5. Stereo Ghosting for FX
Width maxed, Mod Depth 30–40%
→ Special FX movement for electronic or cinematic sound design.
TRY TO USE:
Drum bus: adds stereo ghost punch and ambience
Vocals: spectral width + temporal shimmer
Guitar / synth: short time-warp thickener
Sound design: “shadow copies” and rhythmic doubling
MIDI CC ASSIGNMENTS (CC CONTROL):
CC 12: FX/BYP
CC 13: TIMESHIFT
CC 14: ENV FLW FEEDBACK
CC 15: PRE DELAY
CC 16: FILTER TONE MODE
CC 17: TONE
CC 18: MOD RATE
CC 19: MOD DEPTH
CC 20: HALO
CC 21: HALO MODE
CC 22 WIDTH
CC 23: DRY LEVEL
CC 24: WET LEVEL
CC 25: MIX
CC 26: OUTPUT GAIN