FREE (Cheap) Indispensable Plugz

[Zoesch]

There used to be a thread about great inexpensive plug-ins... which was a huge help for a lot of people, let's kick Mk. 2 into gear shall we?

My first picks:

http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/

Crystal is still a free synth that will make your CPU groan but will produce amazing results.

http://www.digitalfishphones.com/

The digital fishphones plugins have served me well, free, great sounding and not too heavy on your CPU

[Brendo]

Could we post which platform etc the plugins are suitable for?

[PSN Big Al]

Glad you decided to revisit this.

ColorTone FREE

TriTone Digital

Works for Mac and PC

RTAS, AU and VST via the Pluggo Runtime wrapper

[seagate]

VintageMeter
Platform:
MacOSX: AU, VST, RTAS
PC: VST DirectX RTAS


Sonalksis FreeG
Platform:
MacOSX: AU (UB), VST, RTAS
PC: VST, RTAS

[eagan]

Crystal and the Digital Fishphones stuff. Yeah.

Both get used daily in my little world.

Moving forward:
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php

(VST)

Useful stuff.


JLE

[Fulcrum]

I'm going to request that the actual computer platforms also be stated. Knowing that something is VST is fine and dandy, but not if it's VST on the PC and all you have is a Mac (and you're not running Parallels or some such).

For example, (and this will work when you're getting a jones to run down the middle section of Come Sail Away):

Crazy Diamonds by Rumpelrausch Taips
Solina/ARP String Ensemble emulator
VST for Windows and OS X
free

[Fulcrum]

You fans of pre-Wavestation vector synthesis might find much to like here-- a bit heavy on the CPU but gets the job done. Only comes weith a very few presets, so get ready to edit....

Augur by Smart Electronix
Prophet 2000 emulator
VST for Windows
free

[Jason Phair]

I use the Digital Fishphones comp a LOT.

I don't remember who makes it, but there's one called "Rubytube"...basically a dirt limiter style thing.

SSL has an emulation of their 2-buss. Not sure if it actually emulates that, but it sure is fun on drums.

[Fulcrum]

Originally Posted by Jason Phair

I don't remember who makes it, but there's one called "Rubytube"...basically a dirt limiter style thing.

I do... Silverspike. Works under both Wintel and OS X.

SSL has an emulation of their 2-buss. Not sure if it actually emulates that, but it sure is fun on drums.

I've found that it operates in principle pretty much the same way that Blockfish does... you really have to use your ears for these; you can't just dial in a threshold of -18dB for example.

Also, while it is a free plug, SSL makes you register at their site so they can spam you before they'll hook you up with the plug. This, too, works both sides of the great computer divide.

[Fulcrum]

This is rapidly becoming my go-to reverb, even above the Lexicon Pantheon. It sits quite nicely in my mixes.

Glaceverb by DaSample
VST for Windows
free

[Fulcrum]

Some people like to see things as well as hear them. I use these two when my eyes need a bit of excitement.

SPAN by Voxengo
spectrum analyzer with metering
VST for Windows

Gonio by UKMusic
goniometer/phase correlation meter
VST for Windows

[Skwaidu]

Originally Posted by Jason Phair

SSL has an emulation of their 2-buss. Not sure if it actually emulates that, but it sure is fun on drums.

Isn't it(the free VST) actually an emulation of their listen mic compressor?

[Pimp-X]

Originally Posted by Skwaidu

Isn't it(the free VST) actually an emulation of their listen mic compressor?

Thats the one.

[malice]

Originally Posted by PSN Big Al

Glad you decided to revisit this.

ColorTone FREE

TriTone Digital

Works for Mac and PC

RTAS, AU and VST via the Pluggo Runtime wrapper

Hey big Al,

I loved that review on your last show :

the plug that makes a choir out of a singing drummer (pun intended) :

http://www.cloneensemble.com/

the clone ensemble : pretty neat plugg

congrats for your show

malice

[nomad]

Originally Posted by Skwaidu

Isn't it(the free VST) actually an emulation of their listen mic compressor?

Uh, yeah. Rather significant difference.

You will suffer greatly for putting that sucker on your mix buss.

Awesome, though, for really extreme shit. Pretty cool on drum room tracks, too. Lops off a ton of low end, though, often too much. I use it mostly just as an effect. A really damn cool effect.



(None of this was really directed at you, Skwai. I know your 'question' was rhetorical and polite. I don't do 'polite'.)

[Zoesch]

DestroyFX Geometer

http://destroyfx.smartelectronix.com/

Windows VST, Mac VST and AU (Non universal sadly)

If you want to destroy audio with style this is THE tool... it can create wonderful digital distortions and stutter-style patterns

Dronebox (GBP 25, not free)

http://www.oli.adbe.org/dronebox.shtml

Windows VST

Six resonant, tuneable filters... it's just amazing

[PSN Big Al]

Originally Posted by malice

the plug that makes a choir out of a singing drummer (pun intended) :

http://www.cloneensemble.com/

the clone ensemble : pretty neat plugg

Thanks Malice!

Hey, when you don't want to drop a load of cash on
something like AVOX for a special effect like this,
it's hard to beat (say it with me) FREEEEEEEEEeeee.

[Charles Dye]

Mike + Al over @ PSN are the experts @ FREEEeee plugz.

I, OTOH, could learn a lot from this thread.

Thanks everyone for posting.


How about Massey Plug-Ins? I haven't seen anybody mention them.

You love their plugz, dontcha Al?

[Skwaidu]

Originally Posted by Charles Dye

How about Massey Plug-Ins? I haven't seen anybody mention them.

You love their plugz, dontcha Al?

Ditto on Massey, was just about to post that...

[Brendo]

Originally Posted by Skwaidu

Ditto on Massey, was just about to post that...

What's the catch with the Massey stuff?