Prismizer

What Is a Prismizer?

Prismizer is an audio effect that is in some sense similar to the vocoder. Like a vocoder, it also combines pitch and frequency characteristics from multiple sources. Similarly, its primary use is the processing of the human voice. On the other hand, it uses various audio codecs, and what distinguishes it from the vocoder is that it uses the mentioned pitch and frequency characteristics to achieve a different choral effect. The name of it combines two words, prism and harmonizer. Its polyharmonic pitch provides saturation akin to the dispersion of light to a prism. The harmony engine plugin by Antares incorporates this effect.

In the Beginning

Antares Harmony Engine plugin appeared on many albums. However, the 'Prismizer,' which references a specific configuration, debuted on the Chance the Rapper mixtape Coloring Book. You can hear it on Frank Ocean's sophomore album, Blonde, the Bon Iver album 22, A Million, and Farewell, Starlite!, the debut album of its inventor, Francis Starlite of Francis and the Lights. Consequently, Chris Messina developed the live instrument version of the Prismizer. For this reason, it is known as "The Messina". The Messina isn't an instrument but a laptop running the "Prismizer" connected to a MIDI controller with some other form of outboard gear.

Evolving Synthesizer Effects

Today, synthesizer effects are ubiquitous in an industry where engineers become essential deputies for forward-thinking musical artists. And they're only getting more and more advanced. In 2017, James Blake used a vocoder throughout The Colour In Anything, and both Frank Ocean and Chance the Rapper used a device called a Prismizer for their projects, which has a similar cloning and disseminating effect; it allowed Ocean to have "two versions" on Blonde literally.

Polyphony Sound without Auto-Tune

Francis Starlite of Francis and the Lights perfected a method of achieving bright polyphonic sounds without using a vocoder or Auto-Tune. It works like light passing through a prism, splitting naturally into a color spectrum. Something similar happens with the vocals — they are not monotonous but scattered and voluminous, giving a choir effect to the sound. Chance the Rapper spoke on Prismizer in an interview with Zane Lowe after its debut on Coloring Book.