When rambling around the floor of NAMM in 2023, a few standout products and software stole the show, including Dubler 2 by Vochlea. With AI, MPE, and a few other buzzwords in heavy circulation throughout the music production community, many companies seek to leverage these new types of technology to make it easier than ever to create music.
But therein lies the problem…
Because the more of the creative process producers abdicate to software and the more creative heavy lifting that we give up to our software and tools, the less of ourselves we can impart upon the final result, which seems utterly opposed to the self-expressive nature most creatives get into music production for in the first place. But this is what makes Vochlea’s Dubler 2 such a shining star in the production space; it takes the most personal and intrinsic instrument a human has – our voice – and allows us to extrapolate upon those ideas quickly and fluidly.
Sure, that sounds a little mystical, so let’s dive into the nuts and bolts alongside this software’s best and worst features to decide better if it’s right for you and your workflow!
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What Is Vochlea Dubler 2?
Dubler 2, developed by Vochlea, is an innovative MIDI controller that converts the human voice into a MIDI trigger. Users can connect and calibrate their devices with the software adept at pitch and percussive recognition. This technology is especially beneficial for beatboxers, allowing them to transition their skills into a MIDI live performance environment, but it is also versatile enough for more traditional musical backgrounds.
The software excels in real-time pitch correction, offering chromatic and limited pitch range options. It also includes auto key detection and a MIDI chord trigger. Features like ‘IntelliBend’ and ‘TruBend’ permit users to bend between notes with real-time recorded pitch bend. Dubler 2 is compatible with all Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and supports live performances.
Dubler 2 also introduces the capability to map vowel sounds to controller channels, giving users the power to trigger effects, filters, and more with just a change in vowel sound. This tool simplifies the journey from musical ideas to production, making it an asset for novices and experienced musicians.
Now, with some of the broad-stroke descriptions out of the way, let’s dive into what we were most impressed by with this software.
What We Loved Most About Vochlea Dubler 2
It’s Fun To Use
When we first tried out Dubler 2 at NAMM this year, we were blown away by the novelty of the software, and that novelty we loved on the packed and energetic floor of NAMM carried through after hours of use in our studio. Whether you’re humming along leads over the top of a track or beatboxing in a fresh new bongo loop for a deep house track, it’s a fun and exciting way to write music that, at least to us, didn’t feel gimmicky.
While it has a slight learning curve to know how it works and how you need to get it set up, once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s a fun and fluid to start jamming out beats and melodies while using your voice as an input.
It’s A Songwriting Machine
Dubler allows you to check many songwriting steps off simultaneously, the most powerful of which is the chord-suggesting software that recommends chords to play underneath the melodies you are humming. This allows you to crank out different ideas and melodies while also getting the backbone of the chord structure while you’re at it. The chord recommendations almost always need a bit more tweaking after the fact. Still, the fact that it gives you something at all helps give you a jumping-off point, and with a few quick edits, you can turn the basic chord progressions offered into more complex and nuanced harmonies.
There isn’t a better tool on the market for getting a bundle of quick ideas out of your head and into your DAW to select the best ones to move forward with. While some producers might prefer to use other AI-generated chord generators or other automated tools to help write their chords or accomplish a similar end, the fact that you and your voice are the driving force behind the generation helps retain control and authenticity over your music in a world that is moving faster and faster towards AI writing everything.
And that alone can make all the difference.
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It Forces You To Create Different
Many producers get stuck in their ways and workflows, and breaking out of their established creative grooves often requires too heavy redirection. But this is a great little tool for producers constantly looking for new ways to get the job done or to approach the creative act.
This new perspective can often bring surprising results because it forces you to make and approach music completely unconventionally. We cannot highly recommend this software if you are one such producer. We can be a powerful device in your arsenal whether you’re feeling heavily inspired or need something new to spice up how you work in the studio for a while.
It’s A Vocal-Training Tool
Whether it’s helping with your pitch correction or vocal delivery timing, many of the functions offered by Dubler 2 can be excellent for those looking to practice and hone their vocals. The software gives clear and detailed feedback on various parameters vocalists would need to dial in, and this feedback could quickly help shave years off your learning curve.
Sure, this isn’t the shining jewel of the software or the sole reason why it should be purchased, but the fact that it can serve this purpose could be a bright cherry on top of the cake for many of you.
What Could Be Improved
Some Might Think It’s A Gimmick
We mentioned that the unique way that Dubler 2 approaches music creation requires a bit of a learning curve and is relatively uncommon in its own right. For those producers who are comfortable in their established workflow and don’t like to break teh mold, they could see this software as being a bit too gimmicky or as something that, once purchased, will collect dust on their hard drive.
That being said, and from our personal use in the studio, we found it exciting and effective at what it seeks to do. Will it reinvent how you produce music entirely? Likely not. But it’s a fresh take that breaks the mold in ways few software companies can pull off these days.
It’s A Bit Pricey
It seems like the move lately has been to make VSTs and production software cheaper and cheaper in hopes of being more easily accessible to a broader range of producers. And with many producers accustomed to spending $40 or less on average for software, the $219 price tag (at least at the time of writing this article) for just the software and $289 for the Dubler Studio 2 might seem to be a significant financial reach. This is especially true for those unsure if this software will even be for them.
And while there isn’t a free trial of the software, there is a 30-day return window for the studio kit and a 14-day window for the software-only version, so if you do snag the software and decide it’s not for you, you can return it for a full refund.
Final Thoughts
Dubler 2’s ability to seamlessly convert the spontaneity of the human voice into structured MIDI commands paves the way for a more fluid and intuitive songwriting experience. The potential for this tool is vast, not only for the seasoned beatboxer but also for traditional musicians, showcasing its broad applicability across diverse musical genres and styles.
Furthermore, Dubler 2 isn’t merely a production tool; it’s an opportunity to rethink how music is crafted. Centralizing the human voice in the creative process offers a bridge between the abstract realm of musical ideas and the tangible world of production. In an age where the digitization of music is ever-present, Dubler 2 stands as a testament to the value of human input, ensuring that authenticity remains at the forefront of music creation. Vochlea’s innovation invites musicians to revisit the core of music – raw human expression.
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Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
