Shadow Trace is a real-time audio slicer and pattern manipulator for sound designers, musicians, and experimental producers.

Slice & Dice

Load any audio file or record directly from your microphone. Shadow Trace automatically divides your sound into steps, giving you complete control over each slice.

Powerful Modes

• Stutter — Create rhythmic repetitions with pitch and time variations
• Reverse — Flip slices backward for tape-style effects
• Scatter — Randomize slice order for unpredictable textures
• Drift — Gradual pitch and time shifts across the pattern
• Degrade — Add lo-fi grit with bit crushing and sample rate reduction

Hands-On Control

Each slice has independent pitch, time stretch, granular density, and degradation controls. Click any step to edit its parameters in real-time.

Randomize & Explore

Generate new patterns instantly with gentle, chaotic, or state-only randomization. Save your discoveries as recipes to recall later.

Export Your Creations

Render your manipulated audio to a new file, ready for your DAW or sampler.

Perfect for:

• Glitch and experimental music production
• Sound design and foley manipulation
• Creating unique drum breaks and textures
• Live performance and improvisation

Requires macOS 13.0 or later.