The Best Pitch-Shifting Plugins for Immersive Audio

We examine four multichannel pitch-shifting plugins built for Dolby Atmos, surround sound, and immersive audio production.

Over the past few years, immersive audio has grown in both popularity and accessibility. According to a 2024 research study, “83% of respondents who are aware of the technology said that they have already listened to content in spatial audio”.

Thanks to the increasing availability of consumer-level immersive audio products, and the introduction of spatial audio to streaming services, many audio professionals are eager to upskill themselves and futureproof their careers.

As demand for immersive audio-compatible tools continues to increase, so does their availability. Many leading DAWs and plugin developers now boast native multichannel support, or are releasing immersive audio-capable versions of their most popular products.

Despite being a processor-intensive audio effect, there are some pitch-shifting plugins on the market which are multichannel-capable. If you’re a music producer or audio engineer working with immersive audio, read on to learn more about the current offering of multichannel pitch-shifting plugins.

What Constitutes an Immersive Audio-Compatible Pitch Shifting Plugin?

We’ve previously explored 10 of the Best Pitch-Shifting Plugins for Vocals, but what makes a pitch-shifting plugin capable of handling immersive audio? Generally speaking, a true immersive audio system requires at least eight audio channels.

With that in mind, we’ll only be looking at pitch-shifting plugins that can handle eight or more channels. We’re also limiting our findings to real-time pitch-shifting plugins.

The Best Multichannel Pitch-Shifting Plugins for Immersive Audio

Let's explore four of the best pitch-shifting plugins for immersive audio, surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixing.

zplane ELASTIQUE PITCH

First up is our own pitch-shifting plugin, ELASTIQUE PITCH. While version two has always supported up to eight audio channels, the most recent update, version 2.5, doubles the multichannel count to 16. This opens up a wealth of new immersive audio compatibility for configurations such as 7.1.2, 7.1.4, 9.1.4 and 9.2.4.

On top of expanded multichannel functionality, you also get the latest version of our ultra-transparent ELASTIQUE algorithm. This algorithm is widely praised as being one of the most transparent available today, and is capable of applying polyphonic pitch-shifting to a range of audio sources.

How to Use ELASTIQUE PITCH in Your Multichannel Configuration

Assuming you're already working in a DAW that supports immersive audio, the exact process for setting up ELASTIQUE PITCH for immersive audio will vary depending on which DAW you're using, as well as you're specific multichannel configuration. Once you've set up your multichannel routing according to your requirements, simply add ELASTIQUE PITCH as an insert, and it will automatically handle up to 16 channels.

Check out Michael G Wagner's video below, in which he demonstrates how easy it is to set up ELASTIQUE PITCH in an ambisonics project, and to hear how it performs.

From individual vocal channels to instrument buses and even entire mixes, ELASTIQUE PITCH promises ultra-transparent and phase-coherent pitch processing across all audio sources. Head to the ELASTIQUE PITCH product page to check out its full feature list and download the free demo.

zynaptiq PITCHSHIFT PRO

Next up is another plugin that works as well in traditional mono or stereo setups as it does in multichannel configurations. We’ve actually covered zynaptiq’s PITCHSHIFT and PITCHSHIFT PRO plugins in a previous article, but as the basic version of PITCHSHIFT only works in mono or stereo, we’ll just be looking at the PRO version today.

Like ELASTIQUE PITCH, PITCHSHIFT PRO offers up to 16 channels of pitch shifting, making it a practical and flexible option for those working with immersive audio. In addition to the expanded multichannel support, the PRO version of the plugin packs a few further features.

It ships with a choice of six processing algorithms, plus additional modes for some of those algorithms. This gives you plenty of flexibility to find a sound that works for your material.

Eventide MicroPitch Immersive

Renowned for their legendary time-based hardware effects such as the H3000 and H910 Harmonizer, Eventide’s products have been a staple of professional music studios for decades. Despite being one of the audio industry’s most established brands, they’ve managed to maintain their reputation as one of the most innovative manufacturers operating today.

This is in part thanks to their suite of audio software tools, some of which have been adapted for the needs of today’s users, with multichannel-capable Immersive versions. One of these tools is their MicroPitch plugin, a dual-voice pitch shifter with an in-built delay.

With up to 16 channels of multichannel support, MicroPitch Immersive has been completely redesigned for immersive, Dolby Atmos, and surround workflows. Users can apply pitch-shifting within a 3D space, and use the built-in EQ and surround mixer for total control over their audio.

Waves Soundshifter with Immersive Wrapper

This last immersive pitch-shifting option features a slight workaround, but may be suitable for some users. Waves has a huge catalogue of audio plugins, and we’ve covered their vocal pitch-shifting plugin, Vocal Bender, in a previous article. But that’s not their only pitch-shifting plugin.

Soundshifter is a pitch-shifting and time-stretching plugin, designed to be used on a range of audio sources and not just vocals. Neither Soundshifter or Vocal Bender supports immersive audio natively, which is where the workaround comes in. Waves Immersive Wrapper is a plugin host that allows mono or stereo plugins to be run in multichannel audio configurations. Check out Michael G Wagner’s review of the plugin below.

By opening plugins in a multi-mono configuration, every instance of a plugin can be controlled individually, or according to its channel type within an immersive audio configuration. This expands the functionality of plugins that don’t support multichannel mixing as standard, but as to be expected when loading several instances of a plugin, can consume a significant amount of processing power.

Which Multichannel Pitch-Shifting Plugin is Right for You?

The right tool for you will depend on your specific multichannel setup and potential use cases, but hopefully, this article has helped to you to understand the different options when it comes to pitch-shifting plugins for immersive audio.