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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
There are lots of elaborate samplers on the market, with Native Instruments’ Kontakt in particular providing a powerful platform for third‑party libraries in addition to the extensive NI portfolio of sounds. Kontakt has much to commend it, like its support for custom user interfaces, and it has some very capable onboard effects too, but it can sometimes seem like overkill for what you are actually trying to do.
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
We explore some creative delay treatments using only Logic’s bundled plug‑ins. When looking for effects that are a bit outside the mainstream, it is tempting to search out third‑party plug‑ins. While many of those produce excellent results, with a little creative thought it is possible to conjure up some inspiring and unusual effects using just Logic’s own plug‑ins. This month I’m going to take a look at delay effects.
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
With its many‑band approach, Punch is smarter than your average transient shaper. Transient shapers allow you to add impact to the attack of a drum or plucked instrument — or, when necessary, to tame transients to make them sound less aggressive. Unlike compressors, they’re not level‑dependent, so a well‑designed one works consistently across a wide range of input levels. Sometimes, though, the results can still sound heavy‑handed, and this is where Zynaptiq’s Punch comes in.
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
Ever wished you could process each of your six strings differently? With the SubSix, you can...
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
Overloud’s amp emulation has been treated to new features and a facelift. Some modelled amp plug‑ins can sound lacking in low‑end punch, but to me Overloud’s models come over sounding like a real amp miked in a real studio, and I’ve always held their TH‑U amp and effects modelling packages to be up there with the best. The company employ some interesting technologies, the most intriguing of which is their Fluid IR approach to amp and cab modelling.
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
Yet another delay plug‑in — just what the world needs, right? While you’d be forgiven for thinking that, a few minutes’ experimentation with Analog Drift might well change your mind, and that’s something you can do using the 14‑day free trial. Supporting AU, VST3 and AAX platforms and macOS or Windows hosts, Analog Drift is designed with a clear layout and a very manageable number of controls.
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4 weeks ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
Offering modulation options that are rather different from the norm, and available in all the common macOS/Windows plug‑in formats, Minimal Audio’s Wave Shifter employs frequency shifting, ring modulation and amp modulation. The last of those is described as being similar to ring modulation but also including the original source audio frequencies. These allow treating the input signal in both musical and inharmonic ways.
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1 month ago | 
soundonsound.com | Kontakt Instrument |Paul White
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 StarsBack in 2020, Dave Stewart reviewed the original Poiesis Cello for Kontakt, from Sonora Cinematic, and he had a lot of very good things to say about it. Rather than straightforward cello notes, the library comprises atmospheric articulations performed by principal cellist Alan Black, so although the note might not change throughout the duration of a sample, the playing technique is often varied to give the samples an evolving, cinematic quality.
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1 month ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
Ted Fletcher breathes new life into this venerable old name. Ted Fletcher has been involved in a number of audio companies over the years. He designed the original Alice consoles, for example, and was behind both the original JoeMeek and TFPro brands, whose gear earned plaudits. Today, Ted’s again designing for Alice, who recently acquired the PYE brand name, and he was invited to design and build a high‑end stereo compressor that would be worthy of the old name.
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1 month ago | 
soundonsound.com | Paul White
EasyVerb 2 has a very different look from PSPaudioware’s original EasyVerb, along with an enhanced feature set. It supports AU, VST, VST3 and AAX formats on macOS and Windows, and uses iLok protection (hardware iLok or machine‑based). Once you have a PSP account set up, you can also avail yourself of the free PSP Chamber plug‑in, which has a red rather than blue GUI — this runs only the chamber algorithm, but is otherwise identical to EasyVerb 2.
