Search the Community

Today, we’ll look at a bundle from Native Instruments, Brainworx, and iZotope that you can grab for only $49 for a limited time. Like the Softube Essentials Collection that we covered a couple days ago, the Native Instruments x Plugin Boutique Digital-Analogue Bundle can also be found on Plugin Boutique. It contains 5 products: Massive and [...] View post: Get this 5-plugin bundle from Native Instruments, Brainworx, and iZotope for $49! View the full article

Softube Essentials Collection is a bundle that includes five high-quality plugins: Tape, Model 84 Polyphonic Synthesizer, British Class A, FET Compressor MK II, and last but not least, Wasted Space. And for a limited time, you can get this $691 bundle for only $89 and save 87% on Plugin Boutique. Let’s check out the plugins [...] View post: Get 5 Softube plugins for $89 on Plugin Boutique for a limited time! View the full article

Upon opening Wavea’s Flite plugin in your DAW, you will lay eyes on a pink and purple amorphous arm, the backdrop to Flite’s beautiful and minimalist plugin design. But is there more here than eye candy? The answer comes quickly; beneath the slick exterior, Flite is a powerful hybrid multi-sampler and synth with a lot to give... The post “At $99, this endearing plugin could easily become a firm favourite”: Wavea Flite review appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Universal Audio’s plugins are renowned for their stunningly accurate emulations of classic analogue gear, delivering that rich, warm sound producers and engineers have cherished for decades. And more often than not, these plugins come with premium price tags – but not this time. As part of Plugin Boutique’s 13th anniversary celebration sale, you can grab a selection of UAD bundles at jaw-droppingly low prices, with discounts of up to 96%... The post Enjoy up to 96% off Universal Audio UAD plugin bundles in Plugin Boutique’s 13th anniversary sale appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

It’s only in alpha but U-he Zebra 3 is already shaping up to be an oceans-deep sound design playground with vector synthesis and other new modules. U-he is one of my favorite software developers. The company’s instruments like Diva, Repro and Hive 2 are all fantastic. U-he originally made its name with Zebra (almost two decades ago now!) and is currently in development on Zebra 3, which it’s showing at NAMM. Although only in alpha stage, it already looks to be an incredible instrument, what founder Urs Heckman calls a “sound design shop” in the Sonicstate video (below)... The post U-he Zebra 3: “Like Photoshop for Synthesis” appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Overview Write your next House track within 22 minutes, no music theory required. HouseEngine turns your chord progressions into expressive piano rhythms, deep basslines, catchy melodies, and sparkling arpeggios. Feed HouseEngine with your chords and the plug-in generates authentic and professional MIDI patterns for you. No fiddling around with mismatching MIDI packs anymore. All output will be in tune with your original chords! Fast results, easy to use Have you ever struggled with writer's block when you wrote your next House track? Did the basslines feel weak? Were the keys "somewhat OK" , and the melodies only so-so? You can leave all this behind. HouseEngine is a plug-in (VST, AU) that generates new catchy melodies, funky basslines, and memorable hooks from your MIDI chord progressions automatically. The concept is simple: Load HouseEngine on a track of your DAW. Open the plug-in and import your MIDI chord progression. Or let HouseEngine generate a chord progression for you. You can see a big list of presets now. Select a preset, then press play in your DAW for a preview. Do you like a preset? Drag and drop the MIDI field to your DAW. The plug-in will copy the MIDI data to your DAW then. Dedicated to House producers of all skill levels Whether you're a beginner just starting out or an experienced pro, HouseEngine is for you. With built-in music theory, you'll be making great music in no time, even if you don't have a lot of experience. Using HouseEngine is like having a co-producer at your side that helps you create professional, genre-specific music faster than ever. And for pros, HouseEngine can help you explore new styles and get inspiration, as well as make standard tasks like creating basslines and stabs faster and easier. Plus, you can try out multiple ideas quickly. This will reduce friction and improve your music production process. As a pro user, you will also love the built-in mass exporter. Re-use the created content on many different devices and build your own library. Fast workflow. Easy MIDI export HouseEngine is designed to give you instant results within seconds. You can use preset categories and tags to find the right presets quickly. The interface makes it easy to export the generated melodies. Simply click on the MIDI field behind a HouseEngine preset and drag it to a track of your DAW. The Engine will export the generated melodies as standard MIDI files, compatible with any DAW. You can then work on the notes however you like. Use all the tools of your DAW to craft something completely unique - or simply leave the notes as they are. The Pro version also includes a built-in mass-exporter. When you click on the "Export" button, you can write hundreds and hundreds of generated phrases directly to a folder on your computer. The perfect way to build your own collection of ready-to-use MIDI files. Finish your songs and get them out there With all the inspiration at your fingertips, it's easy to quickly create a new song. Use the free time to tweak your sound design and finish your songs. Out of the hundreds of presets, you will always find a melody that sticks out and makes your song shine. Promised. And when you play your album to your friends, they won't be able to tell which tunes are from your "co-producer" and which are from you. Bring your songs up to label quality in no time. Five specialized tools in one HouseEngine consists of several different tools, combined in one interface. Each of them utilizes specific, genre-optimized algorithms: 1. Chord Progression Generators HouseEngine contains various chord progression generators to get you started even quicker. Choose one of the optimized generator algorithms and the Engine will calculate a new chord progression for you. Create dozens of progressions within seconds and keep working with what you like. 2. Bassline Creator Generate fitting basslines to get your track grooving. Different styles are available to match the feeling of your track perfectly. From juicy and funky to pulsating and energetic. With and without melodies. 3. Arpeggiator Arpeggios are an all-time favorite in many House sub-genres. Whether you create Progressive House or anything else, these presets will drive your track forward. 4. Keys Engine Funky stabs and delicious piano phrases are important for many House tracks. Whether you use them as your main instrument or to add some background rhythm. Take a look at the "keys" section to find different playing styles. 5. Melody Module HouseEngine supports a variety of different melody concepts. Choose from staccato and polyphonic melodies, or experiment with layered rhythms and legato strings. Both melodies with short notes and long notes are available. + Bonus features Several other preset categories are available to enhance your tracks. Add stabs, plucks, and strings to your compositions. All these features will save you a lot of time and get you out of writer's block. Whether you are an experienced musician or don't know anything about music theory. Suitable for all House styles HouseEngine comes with a big list of presets for all sub genres. The influences reach from classics like Frankie Knuckles, Larry Heard, and Stardust to the modern sounds of top labels like Defected, Toolroom, or Spinnin' Deep. The content includes evergreen elements like funky piano sections and time-tested basslines as well as generatively modified phrases and melodies that top producers would use. Works hand in hand with other Engines The genre tools HouseEngine, ChilloutEngine, and TranceEngine are separate and independent plug-ins. All Engines support different genres. And they contain distinct presets and chord progression generators. But they also work hand in hand if needed. All Engines share a similar workflow and interface. This makes it easy to use them side by side. You can copy a chord progression in the chords page of one product and then import it from the starting page of the second one. The Engines also share a "Recent chord progressions" list. This way you can spice up your song with influences from different genres. Buy once, use it forever. On all your devices When you purchase HouseEngine, you will receive your personal serial. You can use this serial on any of your own computers, even on multiple devices at the same time. No online activation needed. Just download the demo and enter your serial. All future updates are free forever, there are no recurring fees. Buy now and use HouseEngine for years to come. All rights belong to you + unique melodies Of course, you can use all generated phrases and melodies in your own productions. Whether you do a commercial release, write songs together with friends, or produce a track for another person: As long as you use the generated MIDIs as part of a musical composition, everything is fine. If you want to distribute the generated files as an own bundle (e.g. if you want to create a commercial or free MIDI pack), you will need to buy a HouseEngine Pro license. The Pro version also contains a MIDI mass-exporter that will make it easy for you to create hundreds of files within seconds. Are you worried that your songs and melodies will sound the same as someone else's? You don't have to! You can read more about this here. Homepage https://feelyoursound.com/houseengine/ Introduction & Walkthrough

Overview TranceEngine turns your chord progressions into uplifting melodies, driving arpeggios, deep basslines, and memorable hooks. Feed TranceEngine with your chords and the plug-in generates authentic and professional MIDI patterns for you. No fiddling around with mismatching MIDI packs anymore. All output will be in tune with your original chords! Let the Engine generate over 500+ optimized phrases for you Have you ever struggled with writer's block when you wrote a Trance track? Or did you spend hours testing different bassline rhythms to support your main melody? You can leave all this behind. TranceEngine is a plug-in (VST, AU) that generates new driving arpeggios, pulsating basslines, and memorable hooks from your MIDI chord progressions automatically. The concept is simple: Load TranceEngine on a track of your DAW. Open the plug-in and import your MIDI chord progression. Or let TranceEngine generate a chord progression for you. You can see a big list of presets now. Select a preset, then press play in your DAW for a preview. Do you like a preset? Drag and drop the MIDI field to your DAW. The plug-in will copy the MIDI data to your DAW then. Dedicated to Trance producers of all skill levels Whether you're a beginner just starting out or an experienced pro, TranceEngine has you covered. With built-in music theory, you'll be making great music in no time, even if you don't have a lot of experience. Using TranceEngine is like having a co-producer at your side that helps you create professional, genre-specific music faster than ever. And for pros, TranceEngine can help you explore new styles and get inspiration, as well as make standard tasks like creating basslines and arpeggios faster and easier. Plus, you can try out multiple ideas quickly. This will reduce friction and improve your music production process. As a pro user, you will also love the built-in mass exporter. Re-use the created content on many different devices and build your own library. Fast workflow. Easy MIDI export TranceEngine is designed to give you instant results within seconds. You can use preset categories and tags to find the right presets quickly. The interface makes it easy to export the generated melodies. Simply click on the MIDI field behind a TranceEngine preset and drag it to a track of your DAW. The Engine will export the generated melodies as standard MIDI files, compatible with any DAW. You can then work on the notes however you like. Use all the tools of your DAW to craft something completely unique - or simply leave the notes as they are. The Pro version also includes a built-in mass-exporter. When you click on the "Export" button, you can write hundreds and hundreds of generated phrases directly to a folder on your computer. The perfect way to build your own collection of ready-to-use MIDI files. Finish your songs and get them out there With all the inspiration at your fingertips, it's easy to come up with a new song in minutes. Use the free time to build that fantastic drop, tweak your sound design, and finish your songs. Out of the hundreds of presets, you will always find a melody that sticks out and makes your song shine. Promised. And when you play your album to your friends, they won't be able to tell which tunes are from your "co-producer" and which are from you. Bring your songs up to label quality in no time. Five specialized tools in one TranceEngine consists of several different tools, combined in one interface. Each of them utilizes specific, genre-optimized algorithms: 1. Chord Progression Generators TranceEngine contains several different chord progression generators to get you started even quicker. Choose one of the optimized generator algorithms and the Engine will calculate a new chord progression for you. Create dozens of progressions within seconds and keep working with what you like. 2. Bassline Engine Each song starts with a bassline that drives you forward. TranceEngine contains all the classics like rolling basslines, gallops, offline basses, and Psytrance patterns. But it also contains a big library of mid bass phrases that you can use to enhance your sub bass rhythm. 3. Arpeggiator Trance is THE genre of arpeggios. Find dozens and dozens of professionally created arpeggio patterns. They will turn any chord progression into a sparkling symphony of goodness. 4. Pluck Generators Pluck sounds are a staple in many Trance tracks. You will find generators for rhythmic chord sections as well as generators for melodic breakdowns. 5. Lead Melody Creator The lead melody algorithms are designed to create catchy and unique phrases for your songs. Built-in call and response support, focus notes, and micro phrases make sure that your hooks sound musical and memorable. + Bonus features Several other preset categories are available to enhance your tracks. Add acid lines and piano melodies, ostinati and pad sections to your compositions. All these features will save you a lot of time and get you out of writer's block. Whether you are an experienced musician or don't know anything about music theory. Suitable for all Trance styles TranceEngine comes with a big list of presets for all sub genres: Uplifting Trance, Progressive Trance, Psytrance (Progressive, Full On, Tribal, Forest, Hi-Tech,...), Dream House, Tech Trance, FuturePop - anything is possible. The content includes evergreen elements like rolling basslines and time-tested arpeggios as well as generatively modified phrases and melodies that top producers would use. Works hand in hand with other Engines The genre tools HouseEngine, ChilloutEngine, and TranceEngine are separate and independent plug-ins. All Engines support different genres. And they contain distinct presets and chord progression generators. But they also work hand in hand if needed. All Engines share a similar workflow and interface. This makes it easy to use them side by side. You can copy a chord progression in the chords page of one product and then import it from the starting page of the second one. The Engines also share a "Recent chord progressions" list. This way you can spice up your song with influences from different genres. Buy once, use it forever. On all your devices When you purchase TranceEngine, you will receive your personal serial. You can use this serial on any of your own computers, even on multiple devices at the same time. No online activation needed. Just download the demo and enter your serial. All future updates are free forever, there are no recurring fees. Buy now and use TranceEngine for years to come. All rights belong to you + unique melodies Of course, you can use all generated phrases and melodies in your own productions. Whether you do a commercial release, write songs together with friends, or produce a track for another person: As long as you use the generated MIDIs as part of a musical composition, everything is fine. If you want to distribute the generated files as an own bundle (e.g. if you want to create a commercial or free MIDI pack), you will need to buy a TranceEngine Pro license. The Pro version also contains a MIDI mass-exporter that will make it easy for you to create hundreds of files within seconds. Are you worried that your songs and melodies will sound the same as someone else's? You don't have to! You can read more about this here. Homepage https://feelyoursound.com/tranceengine/ Introduction & Walkthrough

Scaler is a music theory workstation that helps you find chords and progressions. It can detect the key and scale of your music and suggest chords that match. It can also help you discover the perfect melody with performance expressions. Scaler 3 is a significant upgrade to the popular music theory workstation, Scaler 2. It's designed to be even more powerful and user-friendly for musicians and producers. Here are some key features and improvements: Complete Redesign: Scaler 3 boasts a fresh and intuitive interface, making it easier to navigate and use. Expanded Content: It offers a vast library of new Chord Sets, Harmonic Universes, Motions, and Scales, contributed by top-tier artists and sound designers. Enhanced Categorization: Improved filtering and search functionality allow users to quickly find the sounds and styles they're looking for. New Features: Arrange View: A timeline-based layout helps structure songs with dedicated lanes for chords, melody, bass, and phrases. Deeper Note Editing: Provides more control over harmonic and melodic elements. Standalone App: Scaler 3 can now be used as a standalone application, offering greater flexibility. Essentially, Scaler 3 aims to make music theory more accessible and enjoyable, empowering users to explore new sonic territories and unlock their creative potential. Note: Scaler 3 is scheduled for release in March 2025. If you purchase Scaler 2 now, you'll receive a free upgrade to Scaler 3. Homepage https://scalermusic.com/products/scaler-3/ Teaser Video

We check out some of the best Roland Jupiter-8 plugins and cover some tips on authentically recreating the classic polysynth in the box. If you’re into synthesizers, then undoubtedly you’ll have heard the Roland Jupiter 8. Without a doubt one of the most famous polysynths of all time, the Jupiter-8 was Japan’s answer to the American Sequential Circuits Prophet 5. Released back in 1981, it was Roland’s first-ever high-end analogue synth keyboard. Its architecture and the glistening texture of the sound produced make it an incredibly unique and versatile instrument... The post How To Use Roland Jupiter-8 Plugins in your DAW appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

It’s been a good year for free plugins! From unique effects to creative software synths, there were heaps of great freeware to discover. As the year draws to a close, we check out the best free plugins of 2024! With so many great free plugins, it’s impossible to name all of them. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least ten more freebies that absolutely would’ve deserved a spot on the list of the best free plugins of the year. But I’ve only got so much space to work with here… So please don’t be mad if your favorite free plugin didn’t make the list – you’ll probably find it in our archive of our weekly freeware columns! Here are our picks for the best free plugins of 2024... The post Best Free Plugins of 2024: Freeware Picks of the Year appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Developer Bipolar Audio has just released a new and free 909 drum machine plugin called BP-909. It’s no secret that Roland drum machines are highly sought after and used in many genres by countless producers. A great example is the TR-909, which was the successor to the TR-808, and was the first Roland drum machine [...] View post: BP-909 is a FREE 909 drum machine plugin for Windows View the full article

Modern production tools can create almost any sound, but sometimes the old ones are the best. Despite being around for centuries, the piano hasn’t lost its power to charm us. Fortunately, harnessing this timeless sound no longer means finding space for an enormous instrument in your home or studio. The best piano plugins offer extraordinarily lifelike pianos in software form, letting you play on legendary concert grands, idiosyncratic uprights, vintage electric keyboards, and virtually any other piano you can imagine. So which piano is right for you? In this article, we’ll run through twelve of the best piano VSTs available from Native Instruments, with audio examples. They cover a broad spectrum, from a 10ft grand to a pop star’s personal keyboard, via innovative hybrid instruments that combine piano sounds with electronic textures. Whether you’re writing a score, producing a pop track, or adding lifelike sound to electronic beats, there’s a piano in here for you... The post 12 of the best piano plugins and VSTs from Native Instruments first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Sonic Academy is giving away the JU-60 chorus plugin for free throughout November in an early Black Friday deal. The JU-60 is a 64-bit-only release for macOS (AU, VST3, AAX) and Windows (VST3, AAX), while the freebie offer expires on December 8, 2024. Sonic Academy’s JU-60 plugin is based on the chorus section of the [...] View post: Sonic Academy JU-60 Chorus Plugin is FREE until December 8 View the full article

Glue compression could be the missing link between how your mixes currently sound and professional results. Applying glue compression to a song produces a tighter, thicker, richer mix – just what every music producer wants. This guide covers what a glue compressor does, when you should use a glue compressor, and how to use a glue compressor. We’ll also cover some popular glue compressor plugins you can demo for free. Follow along by demoing a free MEGA plan trial from Plugin Alliance that gives you access to over 180 professional plugins from 40+ brands... The post What is a glue compressor plugin? How to use it to create a cohesive mix first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Imaginando celebrates its 10th anniversary with an epic 10-day streak of deals on its best-selling plugins. We featured Imaginando quite a few times. The Portugal-based development team has released some of the finest freeware and paid plugins on the market, including the DLYM 2.0 modulation effect and FRMS, one of my favorite granular plugins. If [...] View post: Imaginando Celebrates 10th Anniversary with A Ten-Day Deals Campaign View the full article

Current Hardware Apple Macbook Air (2020) 13.3", M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Space Grey Dell Alienware M17 Laptop KRK Rokit 5 Monitors (White) (awesome) Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 (awesome, although I have previous model) Maschine MK3 (unbelievably awesome) Novation LaunchKey 61 Yamaha Motif ES-8 (best weighted keyboard I've ever had) Current Software Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 14 (unbelievably awesome) Ableton Live 10 Lite / Intro (awesome - will definitely upgrade to either Standard or Suite soon ...) Steinberg Cubase Elements 10 FL Studio 20 (Note: lifetime upgrades for free !) FL Studio Mobile Plugins & VSTs Korg Collection Lennar Digital Sylenth 1 (awesome - all you will ever need, a must for everyone) Serum (awesome - just haven't managed to play much with it yet) Note: Rent to buy option on Splice (I've just paid it off - ALL software companies (not just Music) should be dong this - makes stuff super-affordable !) IK Multimedia Sampletank Sound Libraries Sounds of kshmr volumes 1 & 2 (awesome) Wish List ! Ableton Push (maybe, not really necessary for me as have NI Maschine) LFO Tool (apparently an absolute must, used by all the top producers) Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 Will replace my Motif ES-8 however very reluctant to sell that - might need the space ...) Past Hardware (either sold or given away 😢) Casio MT-820 (first keyboard I had, Christmas present - need to double-check model number) Casio CZ-101 Commodore Amiga (500, 1500 & 2000 + external MIDI interface) Korg ElecTribe ER-1 Edirol SD90 Studio Sound Canvas Yamaha SY85 (wish I hadn't sold it - needed the space) Roland R8 Human Rhythm Composer Links My personal blog: https://jamesm.blog/music-production/my-hardware-software/

NoiseWorks Audio releases GainAimPro, an AI and ARA-powered vocal editing plugin for macOS and Windows. GainAimPro is an all-in-one editing solution for dialogue and vocals. The plugin has five core features, which are: Gain riding Lufs-leveling De-essing Breath detection Smart Gate The features above are nothing new, but NoiseWorks Audio believes this plugin does it [...] View post: NoiseWorks Audio Releases GainAimPro Vocal Editing Plugin (40% OFF) View the full article

Quiet Music has released a new free electric-piano-style virtual instrument called DreamWaves Lite. Over the years, Quiet Music has released several instruments and made free versions of many of them available. This time, it’s no exception, and as you might expect, DreamWaves Lite is a condensed version of their new release, DreamWaves. While offering the [...] View post: Quiet Music Releases FREE Dream Waves Lite Virtual Instrument View the full article

Psycho Circuitry launched the free PCEQ5 five-band analogue-inspired EQ, plus the paid version of the plugin, the PCEQ5+. The PCEQ5 and PCEQ5+ are available for Windows and macOS, with the latter being available at an introductory deal of $8 (down from $49) until May 19, 2024. Mac users will be pleased as Psycho Circuitry has [...] View post: Psycho Circuitry launches new free PCEQ5 five band analog EQ plus paid version View the full article

Soundware has made its Octane rompler plugin available for free for Mac and Windows. Soundware describes Octane as “the pro-grade rompler that changed the game by making professional tools accessible to anyone.” The developer explains that the plugin was designed by producers for producers and is “the top choice for sound creation. With lots of [...] View post: Soundware’s Octane Rompler Plugin Is Now FREE View the full article

Steinberg releases Navia Harp, a FREE HALion instrument by Sonic Atoms. When we think of the harp, it’s probably fair to say that words like beautiful, ethereal, and dreamy come to mind. While the sound of a harp is all those things, it’s also far more versatile than we might initially assume. Combining a classic [...] View post: Steinberg Releases FREE Navia Harp HALion Instrument By Sonic Atoms View the full article

Tourist has commended the “inspiring” presets found on Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere plugin synth, hailing it as a solid “starting point for sounds”. The British producer and Grammy-winning songwriter – real name William Edward Phillips – hailed Omnisphere in the latest episode of My Forever Studio. It’s a podcast on which artists, producers and musicians dream up a fantasy studio setup, picking a limited number of items. In this episode, the award-winning plugin (Version 2.8 was launched in 2021) is named by Tourist as a key starting point when starting a new project. He also emphasises his desire to find instruments that “inspire him”... The post Omnisphere is “one of the most inspiring instruments,” says Tourist appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

New year, new you – so why not bulk out your audio arsenal or totally revamp your sonic catalogue? If you’re on the hunt for some new VST plugins, then you’re in luck. Plugin Boutique’s January sale is offering top-drawer audio plugins at a fraction of the price, with up to 95% off of more scalers, EQs, and harmonisers than you can shake a stick at...The post Plugin Boutique’s January sale sees up to 95% off plugins by Eventide, UJAM and more appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Plugin Boutique has announced the release of a brand new Scaler EQ plugin for PC and Mac. The new product follows on from the award-winning Scaler music theory plugin, and offers “the world’s first in-key EQ.” Scaler EQ enhances only note frequencies in key with your song, and reduces only the frequencies that aren’t. It also uses unique Magic Shelf bands for “punchier low ends and smoother highs.” ... The post Plugin Boutique launches Scaler EQ plugin, which enhances note frequencies in key with your song appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Everybody needs a good free piano VST. Sure, there are a ton of paid options out there. But sometime, free options can be just as good 👀 But each free piano VST, sampled or modeled, has an individual sound. It can take hours to sift through the web for options for the one you want. […] The post Looking for The Best Free Piano VST? Here’s Our Ultimate List 👇 appeared first on EDMProd. View the full article