Bitcrusher
Category: Shape | Scope: Instrument-level
Reduces sample rate and bit depth for retro, lo-fi sounds. Think old video game consoles and early digital hardware.
Macros
| Macro | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Crush | Knob (0–100 %) | Intensity — controls both sample rate reduction and bit depth simultaneously. 0 % is subtle degradation, 100 % is extreme 8-bit crunch |
| Mix | Slider (0–100 %) | Balance between dry and crushed signal |
Presets
Retro Console, Lo-Fi Radio, Glitch, Telephone.
How the settings work together
Crush reduces both the sample rate and the bit depth at the same time. Low values introduce a subtle graininess — the sound becomes slightly "crunchy" around the edges, like listening through old digital hardware. High values destroy the signal aggressively — you get staircase-shaped waveforms and aliasing artifacts that sound like retro video game audio. The effect is most noticeable on bright, complex sounds (cymbals, pads) and least noticeable on simple, low-frequency sounds (sine bass).
Mix is essential for keeping bitcrushing usable. At 100% mix, heavy crush turns everything into noise. Blending it back to 20–40% lets the original signal carry the melody and pitch while the crushed layer adds texture on top. This is how most lo-fi production uses bitcrushing — as a flavor, not a replacement for the original sound.
When to use it
Great for lo-fi beats, chiptune textures, or adding grit to drums and synths. Use the mix knob to blend it in subtly.