Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We love Ableton – but their Audio-to-MIDI is a very different product to Dubler Studio Kit.

Firstly, and most importantly, Ableton audio-to-MIDI isn’t live. You have to record the audio and then post process it. With Dubler you control all samples, synths and effects in real-time.

Then there are the actual capabilities. Ableton Audio-to-MIDI pitch recognition actually works pretty well. They also take velocity information. But, that’s where the similarities end.

With Dubler Studio Kit you can control all sorts of effects and controls using all the qualities of your voice. Pitch bend, envelope following and multidimensional CC value control. So with Ableton if you go “la la hmmm dee da da” You’d get exactly the same output as if you went “la la la la la la”. But with Dubler Studio Kit, the way you make the sound can control the qualities of the synth, selection of the synth and effects applied to the synth. Making it a far more expressive tool.

Then there is the sample triggering and selection. If you select “drums” as the output for Ableton Audio to MIDI it will attempt to break up the input into drum rack triggers, but it only does it in a basic way. It’s also limited to hihat, kick and snare. With Dubler you can accurately trigger up to 8 different samples. Our software learns your voice so it will always trigger the right sample  instead of just guessing based on frequency.

Final thing, with Ableton audio to MIDI you have to choose— drums or melody. With Dubler Studio Kit, you can do both at the same time.

Dubler Studio Kit comes as the two-part combination of [Dubler USB microphone] + [Dubler software].

If you’ve already got a decent microphone you may be wondering - why the microphone, can’t I just buy the software?
Sadly not, but there are several, very legitimate, reasons why!

The main one is to do with having a known audio input. To perform the kind of high-tech audio recognition that powers Dubler we need to fine tune the software to the specific audio input. 
Getting these levels perfect is what allows us to successfully analyse pitch and timbral information, and to understand the difference between intentional input sounds and background noise. It is also essential to allow velocity sensitivity and to accurately follow volume envelope.

Used alone we don't claim the Dubler mic is an especially unique or magical device. However, when used in combination with the Dubler software it allows unique and magical things to happen.

There are also some other added benefits to the microphone. Including: low latency operation, an on-board audio interface with plug and play usability, and a mic capsule with built-in handling noise reduction.

However, we aren't in the business of trying to tie people in with locking hardware. So the mic won’t technically be required to make the software operate, and you can experiment with using other audio inputs, but in reality, the only way to ensure the true Dubler experience is to use the Dubler software with the Dubler microphone.

Pitch to MIDI is one element of what Dubler Studio Kit can do, but that’s far from everything! Dubler will live track pitch, velocity, envelope and pitch bend. Dubler is not just about the note that you sing, but the quality of the input sound.

So, for example, you can trigger samples by beatboxing or clapping. You can also control effects and filters by changing your voice – e.g. “hmmm” vs “laaaa” vs “oohhhh”. This allows you to do things like apply a wah-wah effect using the voice or control all the parameters of a synth vocally.

Yes, it would definitely be possible to do something interesting! We’re focused on the voice, as it’s our natural tool for audio expression, but actually, there is scope to experiment with all sorts of audio inputs— including other instruments, or clicking, clapping or stamping your feet!

In the past, we’ve played around with an acoustic guitar and tried things like using palm muting to control effects on the DAW.

Dubler Studio Kit is a tool for creative expression, and its possibilities are limitless.

For more information on latency, please see our help pages: Latency

We have frequent cycles of latency reduction— and it changes depending on your personal set-up.

Audio latency refers to a short period of delay (usually measured in milliseconds) between when an audio signal enters and when it emerges from a system. With the Dubler Studio Kit, this will be the time between you making a note with your voice, and when you hear the sound come from your system.

Dubler Studio Kits latency is well below the audible range, and we’ve yet to hear any complaints of it being noticeable in anyone’s workflow when Dubler Studio Kit is set-up correctly. That includes testing with a wide range of professional musicians.

Please note, that while it’s possible to reduce latency, it’s impossible to eliminate it entirely. Because: science.

You can download the Dubler software on as many computers as you like! When you register your Dubler Studio Kit you'll create a username and password and you can use this to login when using Dubler on a new computer. Please note that only one instance of Dubler can be running at a time.

If you are ordering to the United Kingdom your purchase will be sent via Royal Mail using their tracked 48-hour courier service. The dispatch date is typically same day or next working day.

For orders placed outside of the U.K. we ship by international courier. Delivery times vary depending on geography. Typically, deliveries to Europe take 5-7 days and 7-10 days to the U.S.