In music production, plugins are software add-ons that expand the capabilities of your DAW; these could be virtual instruments and creative effects, EQ and compressors, or tools that make editing a lot more manageable.
Below is a rolling list of the new plugin releases that catch our eye, so you can keep on top of any software goodies you may have missed that could be essential to your production process. We update this list every week, so be sure to check back regularly for the latest virtual instruments, effects, mixing plugins and more. Happy producing!
Latest virtual instruments, effects and mixing plugins
(Last update: 12 July 2024)
X-Stream by Steinberg
Steinberg’s brand-new X-Stream instrument is now available to users of HALion and the free HALion Sonic player. Described as a monophonic spectral synthesiser, this plugin excels at sound design and composition for ambient music – although it’s certainly not limited to that.
X-Stream runs on a powerful sample playback engine that lets you stretch and speed up source material, applying spectral processing as you go, to create infinitely evolving drones and soundscapes as well as complex rhythmic textures. The best part? It’s available free of charge.
Get X-Stream for free at Steinberg.
OB-1 by GForce
The OB-1 made history in the late 1980s as the first programmable synth, but was somewhat overshadowed by the polyphonic OB-X. However, GForce is looking to give the instrument a new lease of life with its OB-1 plugin developed in collaboration with Oberheim.
Two VCOs with mod, hard sync, and cross mod provide vast waveshaping options, with optional sub and noise oscillators to mix in, followed by an incredibly characterful filter. On top, the OB-1 has been reimagined for modern producers with a polyphonic mode, aftertouch, and a 16-step sequencer to name a few. If you’re looking for that creamy Oberheim sound in a versatile plugin format, the OB-1 from GForce is worth a look.
Buy OB-1 on sale for £49.99 at GForce.
T-De-Esser 2 by Techivation
Techivation has released T-De-Esser 2, a significant update to its original de-essing plugin. The tool lets you control sibilance and harshness in a natural way, offering flexible controls to dial in the perfect amount of processing, intensity, sharpness, and frequency range.
If you’re yet to add a de-esser to your arsenal, this could be the perfect choice – to celebrate the three-year anniversary of its predecessor, Techivation has released T-De-Esser 2 for free.
Get T-De-Esser 2 for free at Techivation.
dxRevive Pro 1.2.0 by Accentize
The new 1.2.0 update to Accentize’s speech restoration plugin, dxRevive Pro, touts three new algorithms for enhancing and refining dialogue. Powered by AI, the tool can masterfully clean up speech recordings by removing noise, suppressing reverb, restoring band-limited audio, and more.
The EQ Restore algorithm is a particularly noteworthy addition, which selectively applies EQ and spectral resynthesis to improve recording quality while preserving its natural ambience.
The 1.2.0 update is available for free to current dxRevive Pro licence holders, but owners of the standard licence can explore upgrade options.
Buy dxRevive Pro 1.2.0 at Accentize.
Auto Shift for Ableton Live 12.1
Ableton’s new Auto Shift effect is available in the Live 12.1 public beta. Users will no longer have to rely on third-party plugins for autotuning effects – the DAW’s new native audio effect provides real-time pitch correction according to preset or user-defined scales.
You can also generate harmonies from monophonic signals using the MIDI sidechain feature, and even add expressive vibrato or modulation through MPE or the built-in LFO. The Auto Shift effect will be available in all versions of Live 12, and is perfect for everything from simple pitch correction to hard autotune to immense choral arrangements.
How to install VST and AU plugins on Windows, Mac and iOS
If your plugin came as a .zip file, and not an installer, you may have to manually install it. Here’s how…
VST3 plugins:
- Unzip the plugin folder
- Copy the .VST file to your default plugin folder (Windows default: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3, Mac default: /Library/Audio/Plugins/VST)
- Start your DAW
- Rescan your plugin directory
AUv3 plugins:
- Download and install plugin from the App Store
- Insert plugin in your DAW
- Select the AUv3 plugin from the Audio Unit Extensions tab
Where to download freeware plugins and VSTs
Our freeware section is an excellent place to start; each month, we also compile round-ups of the best free plugins and samples to download.
The production community is full of passionate developers who’ve given away instruments, effects and other plugins as freeware. Some of our favourites include Valhalla’s Supermassive reverb, Apogee’s Soft Limit and Matt Tytel’s Helm polysynth. Remember, most developers also offer free trials for their plugins.
Are DAW stock plugins good enough?
Most major DAWs these days will come with a more-than-serviceable collection of ‘stock’ plugins for music-making: Logic Pro’s software instrument library is rich and varied; Ableton Live’s synth engines cover additive, subtractive and granular methods, and the Pro Tools suite of mixing plugins is still widely used by pro engineers.
A good producer isn’t their plugin folder, but their ability to make good decisions. Increase your knowledge: instead of buying a synth samples, learn about the fundamentals of synthesis; kick drum sounding too skinny? learn to compress properly.
