Photo: Bao Ngo
Blur the Line Between Organic and Electronic
Cassie Wieland, the creative force behind Vines, has created five spellbinding artist presets for the H90’s Harmonizer’s new VocalShiftMIDI algorithm. Known for her “sweetly shimmering” approach to ambient and experimental pop, Vines brings her signature blend of intimacy and atmosphere to the H90, offering tools that capture the haunting, handcrafted vibe she’s known for.
Featured extensively on her newly released debut LP, I’ll be here, these programs demonstrate how the right effects can become the foundation of an artist’s entire creative process.
Vines Vox serves as the perfect introduction to Cassie’s approach to vocal harmony. This preset delivers lush, pitch-shifted MIDI harmonies that feel both electronic and deeply human. The EQ Compressor algorithm gives you all the control you need to easily dial in your preferred tone.
Angel Gate combines VocalShiftMIDI with the TremoloVerb algorithm for rich pulses that thrum with life. The tremolo rate is cleverly mapped to the HotKnob, allowing for real-time modulation during live performances. Be warned: adjusting the vocal textures from the pedal as you sing can be addicting. “It’s going in everything now,” says Vines of the effect.
Pollia creates ethereal soundscapes, blending VocalShiftMIDI and Shimmer for lush reverb. This preset creates the kind of celestial vocal stacks that made Vines’ TikTok covers a hit, transforming solo performances into choir-like compositions that feel both massive and intimate.
Clinton Lake taps into an unsettling bit of Vines’ personal lore for inspiration (see full interview), venturing into grittier territory with distorted tape harmonies via the Sticky Tape algorithm. If you ever wanted your voice to sound like saturated TV static, look no further. Like an uncanny, faded sense of nostalgia, this preset is perfect for creating denser atmospheres.
Biblically Accurate defies boundaries, combining VocalShiftMIDI and Wormhole for deeply modulated reverb. The name hints at its enigmatic nature, creating vocal textures with long, gliding tails that feel beautiful and yet unsettling. Perfect for otherworldly explorations.
Strike the perfect balance between lead and choir with Unison Mix to easily blend between your solo voice and the four harmony voices. Need a hand? Activate Hold and the H90 will indefinitely sustain whatever notes you’re playing on the keyboard. Press Freeze and you can literally play your voice like a synthesizer, performing vocal textures live in real-time.
The built-in gate keeps everything tight with adjustable Threshold, Attack, and Release. Dial in the onboard Vibrato to add natural movement, add Delay for space, or use the Formant control to shift your harmonies from human to otherworldly. You can even set up pitch bend ranges and use velocity control to make your harmonies respond dynamically to how hard you play the keys. It’s like having a full choir that responds to your every musical whim.
From Breadcrumbs to Breakthrough
The process of creating these presets wasn’t just about making experimental sounds. Vines worked carefully to ensure they don’t sound robotic and preserve the human quality that makes her music so emotionally resonant. “I wanted to get a variety of sounds that still live in the same world,” she explains. Think of these tools as a sonic palette with a variety of colors, yet a cohesive sense of tone.
Effects as Foundation
For Vines, sound design isn’t an afterthought. It’s often where her writing process begins. “I don’t really see effects as ‘the sauce…’ I see them as the meat and potatoes,” she explains. Her setup has grown to a sophisticated pedalboard powered by dual-H90s, demonstrating that these powerful multi-effects units are more than just guitar pedals. “When I came to this new setup with the H90, there were so many things that sounded better that I wasn’t even thinking to look for.”
The Tools Behind the Magic
These five presets capture the essence of what makes Vines’ approach to vocal processing so compelling. Now artists can directly access the tools she uses to create her signature vocal textures. Whether you’re creating experimental soundscapes or writing infectious pop anthems, these presets offer a gateway into a world cloaked in mystery, where organic and electronic elements exist in perfect balance.
