dBdone has released Pentimento, a free (paid upgrade available) texture layering plugin for macOS and Windows, developed in collaboration with music producer and YouTuber Taetro.
Pentimento is designed to layer textures and sound effects on top of existing audio using envelope-triggered dynamics instead of MIDI input.
So, instead of sequencing notes or programming patterns, you let the plugin react directly to the amplitude and frequency content of the audio you feed into it. Transients, sustained notes, and quieter passages all shape how the layered sound behaves in real time.
You can insert Pentimento on any track in your DAW, including individual instruments, buses, or even the master channel. Once loaded, you select a texture sound, and Pentimento follows the dynamics of the incoming signal.
Basically, the sound used as the trigger defines how the noise will be shaped. Short, punchy hits create brief texture bursts, while sustained material keeps the overlay lingering and evolving.
With some manual adjustment (I used a few pads and drum loops while testing), you can get a tightly integrated noise layer that moves with your music rather than just sitting on top.
The free version has a limited texture selection and mainly focuses on showcasing this workflow. It includes access to all three sound categories created by Taetro (Places, Textures, and Noise), but with a limited selection of sounds from each pack.
In total, you get nine textures to work with, which is enough to explore how the envelope-following system responds across different sources. It’s not ideal, but these free textures are still fun to use and can definitely add a nice vibe to your projects.
Most importantly, though, the free version doesn’t limit the core controls. You get full access to the envelope section with attack, hold, decay, and release parameters, allowing you to fine-tune how quickly textures fade in and out.
There are also high-pass and low-pass filters to help carve space in the mix, plus two macro-style effects sections called Movement FX and Shaper FX. These add motion, stereo width, distortion, or bit-crushing to the overlay sound without affecting the original audio.
All of this makes the free version actually usable in projects rather than just a demo. You can apply noise layers to drums, add movement to synths, or introduce organic textures to melodic parts.
The paid version unlocks the full library of 50 sounds across the three TAETRO packs and lets you import unlimited custom samples. It also introduces tools for building, organizing, and sharing custom sound packs with the wider Pentimento community.
Pentimento is available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows, and you can download the free version directly from the developer’s website.
Download: Pentimento
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Last Updated on January 24, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
