Free Fridays — Freeware Plugin Picks! Mastering EQ, Virtual Amp, “Pedals”, More

Audio and music lovers of all kinds, gather around for the fifth installment of Free Fridays! This week’s edition brings us a digital recorder and sonic enhancers to get our tracks Crunck in the club. Get you some!

J1000 VST Plugin – “ALPHA” Parametric Mastering EQ

Today’s first freeware plugin is a mastering EQ that offers a variety of options to ensure your mix sounds the best it can through the use of Mid/Side processing. As J1000 puts it:

“ALPHA is parametric equalizer made for advanced mastering tasks. It is concieved to be the only EQ you’ll need to achieve the desired spectral balance. Since mid/side channel processing is the best way to handle the most of contemporary music, the whole concept is based around it. It doesn’t skew stereo symmetry and often you’ll be able to tweak vocals, kickdrum, snare or bass (mid channel) and to create more spacial stereo image by boosting desirable frequencies on side channel. Also, it offers spectrum shifting with three predefined filters for bass, midrange and treble.”

 

Igor Nembrini – Crunck Free Virtual Guitar Amp

Next on the list is a Windows only VST plugin. Crunck is a virtual guitar amp that has similar controls you would find on any other type of amp and the fact that it is based off of a JCM 800 amp makes it worth a try. Windows users get all the good stuff! According to Igor:

“Crunck is a virtual guitar amplifier, is inspired of my Marshall JCM800 mod  2210.

This software is freely available.

For the moment is available only for Windows VST format.

- GAIN – Determines the amount of gain applied by the Pre Amp.

- BASS, MID, TREBLE – Tone Stack controls.

- PRESENCE – Small amount of boost at frequencies above the treble control.

- VOLUME – Output level.

• Multi-stage distortion
• Two stages of output EQ tone stack
• 8 x oversampling
• Should run in most 32-bit DAW hosts as well (support for v2.4 VSTs required)”

 

ToneBytes – “Pedals” Effects Plugin

The company that brought us the Turnado effects plugin now supplies our gear lust with an emulation of guitar fx foot pedals for free as celebration of their two year anniversary. Users can create a combination of effects for instrument and vocals alike. Pedals is available for Windows and Windows only. ToneBytes sez:

“Pedals — is a VST effect plug-in for Windows, designed for processing electric guitar and bass. It is also possible to process other audio sources for a variety of artistic techniques.

For more convenience, Pedals’ GUI simulates real devices for sound processing: guitar pedals, amplifiers, speakers, etc. There are a total of 19 models of pedals, 2 amps, 7 speakers models and 3 rack units. These devices are not a copy of the real-life models, each with their own sound, but their working principles are identical.”

 

Tek’it Audio – RECsoprano Plugin Instrument

Remember back in grade school when you first tested your skills as a musician on a ‘recorder’? Well now you can relive your glory days with a virtual version of it from Tek’it Audio

RECsoprano is a free soprano recorder plugin instrument, adding envelope control, a selection of tunning, polyphonic voices and a polyphonic portamento to recorder samples from Mihai Sorohan.

• Samples played and recorded by Mihai Sorohan
• Recorded at 32 bit, 44.1KHz samplerate
• Realtime fingerings visualisation
• 3 tunning: Modern, Renaissance and Baroque
• Polyphonic portamento
• Monophonic and 8 voices polyphonic mode
• Full MIDI automation support
• Easy MIDI learn on all parameters
• Preset manager, rename, copy, save, load…
• Undo your changes to initial preset value
• One click preset randomize

Analoginthebox Releases W735 EQ Plugin

German software developer Analoginthebox.com announced that is has released the W735 EQ VST plugin.

For those looking to bolster their mixing/mastering toolkit with a distinctive new EQ emulation of a classic piece of gear, the W735 may prove to be an exciting find. It is currently Windows only, available for 39.99 € (special introductory price of 34.99€, or about $47 USD).

Analoginthebox describes this intriguing new EQ/filter plugin this way:

“The W735EQ is based on the very rare and hard to find W735/1 equalizer which was designed and manufactured by the RFZ – Rundfunkzentrum Berlin / Deutsche Post. It’s design was also used in the EB800 as a Mono-Module.

Only a few of them ever were built and survived the post Berlin-wall-time. We’re happy to own two of these rare and special equalizer, and that we have ported them for you as a plug-in.

The W735EQ VST Plug-In is a toneshaping tool with an analog look and feel – and sound. Users are describing it as very smooth with very musical sounding boosts! It is very rare and unique, also because it’s not another emulation of a big-brand-equalizer!”

Sessions at On Air Mastering: Mala Strana, Guitars, Drum the Jaguar

It’s been a busy season of sessions at Greenpoint’s On Air Mastering. Electro, Bolivian folk, salsa and straight-up rock have all been through OAM founder Julian Silva’s stylish suite.  To wit:

– Electro experimentalists Mala Strana

– Bolivian folk artist Agua Clara

– Billy Carrión, salsa hero

– The latest EP from Brooklyn duo Guitars

– BKLYN rocker Hollis Brown

– Drum The Jaguar was at OAM.

– Optimism abounds for The Skeptics new album, Prosthetic Heart.

– Queer cabaret outfit Twilight Of the Idle

– Songwriter de Brooklyn Sabrina Ellie

– Shoegazer Anna Morsett‘s Hinges

– And Columbian outfit Amós y los Santos

Treat yourself to a look/listen at Amós y los Santos:

Sonic Studio Releases soundBlade 2.0 Digital Mastering Suite

Straight out of Marin County, CA, ultra-fidelity digital audio systems provider Sonic Studio has released soundBlade 2.0 in place of its predecessor, PreMaster CD. The new mastering suite comes in three separate versions with different features and price points. Each are capable of Red Book and Scarlet Book premastering.

The three versions are available now for Mac or PC for the following introductory prices: soundBlade LE for $329 ($395 MSRP) – upgrade from PreMaster CD for $149. soundBlade SE for $$795 ($895 MSRP) – upgrade from PreMaster CD for $549. soundBlade HD for $1695 ($1995 MSRP) – upgrade from soundBlade 1.x for $495.

For more info, take a look at some info direct from Sonic Studio on soundBlade 2.0:

“Sonic Studio :: soundBlade 2.0 Released !!

Bring studio-quality sound to your final masters. Experience a level of detail and spaciousness from instruments and vocals that will blow you away!

soundBlade opens AIFF, WAV, BWF and SD2 stereo files as well as compressed formats like Apple Lossles and FLAC. It edits, sequences and provides essential PQ support, AU and VST plugins, and much much more.

Press Release

With soundBlade LE, which replaces the PreMaster CD product, users can edit, sequence, and specify important meta-data for use in replication and distribution. With the ability to import uncompressed and compressed audio formats from a variety of sources soundBlade LE provides important tools for Mastering. With advanced gain processing, the acclaimed Sonic EQ, multiple dither algorithms, and sample rate conversion included users are assured of the absolute best sound possible.

soundBlade SE brings additional features including 2/4 Tracks, recording, AU / VST plugin support and much more. This new product provides the complete tools required to record, edit and master your work.

soundBlade HD is the complete toolset with an extraordinary complement of tools for the best sounding workstation available today. With 8/16 Tracks of editing, 8 Track Recording, Sonic EQ, QuickTime, advanced SRC and more.

All products come complete with the ability to create, edit, open, and repurpose DDP File Sets. In addition the ability to make references copies using the “Make Secure Player” feature allows secure delivery, playback, and CD burning for your clients to approve their masters.”

Flux Releases Elixir True Peak Multichannel Limiter Plugin

French software developer Flux:: sound and picture development has announced the availability of the Elixir true peak multichannel limiter plugin.

According to Flux:
“Elixir is a novel kind of program limiter carefully designed to accomplish a truly pure natural sounding result without changing the nature of the audio material and its timbre, presenting none, or effectively reduced, conventional limiting ‘pumping’ effects even during heavy processing.

ITU-R.BS 1770 and EBU R128 Compliant

Intended to fulfil the requirements of the broadcast, post-production and mastering industry, Elixir provides real True Peak output level in accordance with the ITU-R.BS 1770 and EBU R128 norms, and for surround sound/multichannel operation Elixir provides up to eight channels of simultaneous processing.”

Parameter Morphing Slider with Automation

Flux’s handy Morphing Slider — a very handy control we’ve experienced on other Flux plugins — provides morphing between the parameter settings of slot A/B allowing for creative and useful real-time tweaking, is included in Elixir. Enabling the Automation control button exposes the Morphing Slider to the host automation.

For more information on user interface, workflow, and processing, visit Elixir’s Web page.

Elixir is currently available for an introductory price of $139.00. Visit the Flux Web store to see other bundle price options.

“Sound Thinking” by Joe Lambert: What’s the Right Sample Rate?

In this series, Joe Lambert addresses the FAQs he fields as a mastering engineer.

Q: Joe, how do I know what sample rate I should be working at?

A: Most of us work in the digital world when making music to some degree. Many things play a role in the sound of songs we’re working on, and one of the first things to choose at the beginning of any project is the sample rate: the most common choices available today include (but are not limited to) 44.1kHz, 48K, 88.2kHz and 96kHz.

If you’re working in the audio-for-video/music-for-film realm, 48kHz is the standard, so I think it’s best to work at 48kHz from the beginning to avoid having to do any sample rate conversion later on. Those with  old computers and hard drives, you’ll want to avoid the higher rates of 88.2 and 96 because they will just slow you down — if your computer is capable of handling them at all.

First Things First

Sample rate or sampling frequency is the number of samples per unit of time (usually seconds) taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete signal. What that means is for one second of 44.1kHz audio you get 44,100 individual samples, 48,000 samples per second for 48kHz and so forth.

44.1 was chosen because of a discovery by Harry Nyquist while working for Bell Labs on the concept behind digitizing sound. He found that when trying to have enough information to reconstruct the original waveform, the sampling rate must be at least twice the signal bandwidth. Our hearing range at best is between 20Hz and 20kHz. Therefore, the sampling frequency is chosen a little higher than 20kHz  since the practical filters used to prevent aliasing have a finite slope (i.e. 44.1 is a little more than double 20kHz.)

As digital audio matured, high- resolution audio formats such as DVD-Audio and SACD were introduced in the late 90′s. They provided a variety of higher sampling rates: 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192kHz. At about the same time the iPod was introduced and — as we all know now — while the audio world was trying to get more high-fidelity the consumer was actually more interested in portability, size, and MP3′s. This played a part in why DVD-Audio and SACD never became the industry standards that the industry hoped for.

The Bottom Line

OK, this info so far is pretty easy to find on many different audio websites. So the real conversation for us interested in making music is, “Which one should I use? What sounds best?”

Many search for that “analog sound” and many engineers have their own idea on the “best way” to achieve that while working in the digital world.

In my opinion if you want to get the warm “tape” type sound, the combination of 44.1kHz and 24bit are the closest sound I hear when listening back to mixes I get. One big reason for this is the anti-aliasing filters that are at the input and output of digital signal processing systems.

An anti aliasing filter is a filter added before the sampler and ADC. It attenuates the higher frequencies greater than the Nyquist frequency to prevent the aliasing components from being sampled. We can dive deeper into that in another article.)

If you want to go higher resolution you may want to start with 88.2kHz. This is becoming more and more popular with mix engineers. It sounds wonderful with extended, warm-sounding high end. Also, since we are converting it down to 44.1kHz for most of today’s listening devices the math makes the downsampling easier and doesn’t involve interpolation like 96kHz.

If you find 88.2kHz or 96kHz sounds best to you, will you still think that after it’s been sample rate-converted for CD and other digital release? Good question. I say, use the higher sample rate if you like it best — the end result, when converted properly, will retain the overall sound quality quite well.

Keep Your Commitments

When you have made your choice in sample rate (and bit depth) it’s important to stay there for the life of the project. Sample rate conversion is something to avoid — once you have tracked at a specific sample rate, keep your mixes at the same sample rate.

From there, make sure those mixes are what are used for the mastering session. There is no good reason to work at 44.1 then up-sample rate convert to 88.2 just to deliver for the mastering session — and you definitely do not want to work at 88.2kHz or 96kHz, and then master from a file that was converted to 44.1kHz. Let the mastering engineer do the conversion from the sample rate you produced your project at with a very high quality converter when needed. (Note that if you tracked at 16bit and want to increase your bit rate to 24bit for mixing, this is actually a good idea. It does no harm to the original file, and gives you the extra plugin and mix bus headroom.)

I’ve done many great-sounding records with all of these sample rates. Hopefully these observations, along with your personal prefererences, will help you to achieve the sound you and your clients are looking for.

Joe Lambert is owner and chief engineer of Joe Lambert Mastering (JLM) in Brooklyn, NY. To send Joe a question and visit JLM, go to www.joelambertmastering.com.

Brainworx Introduces VSC-2 Quad Discrete VCA Compressor Plugin

German audio plugin innovators Brainworx has just released its latest product, the VSC-2 Quad Discrete Compressor.

Compatible with RTAS, AS, VST and AU formats, VSC-2 is the first plugin release from the high-end analog boutique Vertigo Sound, and is designed to captures all the nuances of their $6,000 flagship VCA compressor.

List price is $331, although a variety of special offers are available via the Brainworx Website now through November 30.

According to Brainworx, the hardware VSC-2 Quad Discrete Compressor is so named due to the fact that it uses 4 hand-built VCAs using only discrete components, with a design that pays tribute to the best VCA-based compressors of the ’70s and ’80s. Its classic sound is combined with a modern mastering grade signal path, with innovations such as the ratio which increases with level in “Soft” mode.

Its precision makes the VSC-2 suitable for mastering applications and the stereo mix bus. Although the VSC-2 was developed as a Stereo Bus Compressor, each channel provides a complete set of controls which also makes the VSC-2 a dual mono compressor for recording and mix situations.

The VSC-2 plugin offers the same flexibility and precision in the stereo version. To emulate the dual mono approach of the hardware Brainworx has also developed a true mono version of the plugin.

Check out a detailed video right here, and visit the Brainworx Website for a free 14-day demo.

iZotope Now Shipping Ozone 5 and Ozone 5 Advanced

iZotope, Inc., has officially announced the release of Ozone 5 and Ozone 5 Advanced.

First previewed to the public at last month’s AES in NYC, Ozone 5 represents an update to iZotope’s comprehensive software mastering suite.

New features in Ozone 5 include:

•    Pristine Sound and Enhanced DSP – Each module has been updated with refined signal processing algorithms to bring you a new level of mastering quality. The most complete mastering suite available has never sounded better.

•    Optimized Workflow and Updated Interface – iZotope has redesigned Ozone’s user interface to allow for finer control while placing important features right at your fingertips. New users can jump in without a steep learning curve while experienced Ozone fans will feel right at home.

•    Visual Feedback – Every module features updated metering to help guide you to the perfect-sounding master.

Ozone 5 Advanced is a professional mastering suite that expands Ozone’s feature set with individual component plug-ins, extended features, and the brand-new Ozone Meter Bridge.

According to iZotope, each module in Ozone 5 Advanced is equipped with extended features made specifically for mixing and mastering professionals. For added flexibility, Ozone 5 Advanced allows users to apply each of the mastering modules as individual plug-ins.

Combining essential visualization from Ozone’s modules with new metering tools, the all-new Meter Bridge provides a suite of audio analysis tools that helps users to visualize changes made during the mastering process, troubleshoot problematic mixes, and compare reference tracks.

Features of Ozone 5 Advanced:

•    Extended Features – Ozone 5 Advanced provides deeper control within every module in Ozone. Advanced exclusives include a variable-phase EQ, Loudness Maximizer modes with Transient Recovery and Stereo Link controls, mono-compatible stereo synthesis features and much more.

•    Meter Bridge – The powerful Meter Bridge introduces a high resolution real-time 3D spectrogram with unique mix analysis features, BS.1770-2 compatible stereo loudness metering, resizable spectrum analyzer, and a vectorscope with stereo balance and correlation meters.

•    Meter Taps – For mixing and stem mastering, multiple audio streams can be superimposed on a 2D or 3D plot using Ozone 5 Advanced’s Meter Tap plug-ins. Meter Taps enable unprecedented visualization of how a mix’s elements fit together.

•    Component Plug-ins – Use Ozone 5 Advanced’s mastering modules as an integrated mastering system or as individual plug-ins. Move module presets between Ozone 5 Advanced and its components freely.

Both Ozone 5 and Ozone 5 work in Pro Tools 7.4+ (RTAS/AudioSuite), VST, MAS, Audio Unit, and DirectX formats.

With the new releases come a number of pricing and upgrade details. Ozone 5 and Ozone 5 Advanced will be available for MSRP $249 and $999 respectively.

Current Ozone customers may upgrade for $149 to Ozone 5 or $499 to Ozone 5 Advanced. Ozone 4 customers who purchased after October 1, 2011 will receive a free upgrade to Ozone 5 Standard upon release.

The Music Lab (NJ) Masters for Steve Forbert, Roy Zimmerman, Lillo Thomas

NJ-based mastering facility The Music Lab recently wrapped up several projects.

Chief engineer/founder Dennis Drake reported the mastering of two back-catalog CD releases for singer/songwriter Steve Forbert, completing his third album Little Stevie Orbit and his fourth, self-titled album Steve Forbert.

Also in The Music Lab suite were You’re Getting Sleepy from California political satirist Roy Zimmerman.

A greatest hits package for R & B artist Lillo Thomas was also recently completed.

Founded in 1991 and based in Morganville, NJ, The Music Lab specializes in mastering, restoration, and archiving of music catalogs.

October Plug-in Pick: G-Sonique’s Mid-Side — Stereophonic Harmonic Generator/Vitaliser+

Continuous explorations in mid/side techniques are a GOOD thing for music, mixing and mastering, in our opinion. The latest evidence is the G-Sonique Mid-Side: Stereophonic Harmonic Generator/Vitaliser+from their G-Mix series+), a stereo enhancer and processor VST plugin with brand new technology for vitalizing, coloring, controlling, adjusting and widening stereo material — the side part of a signal — as well as adding 3Dspace, width and depth to the mixes.

This VST/VSTi plugin is Windows only, with a price of 24.90 Euro, and can be purchased direct from the G-Sonique Website.

Here’s what G-Sonique has to say about their most recent release:

“Mid-Side: SHG/V+  is not just a basic stereo widening tool, it is brand new way of controlling and effecting the stereo space of your mixes, adding ambiance, depth and color/higher harmonics to the stereo (side) part of your music.

Mid-Side: SHG/V+  allows you to split/extract sound into Mid and Side parts of the sound and adjust the mono (mid) and stereo (side) parts according to your arbitrary requirements:  equalize stereo (side) parts by two separate modules (freq, q-bandwidth, boost), add higher harmonics/analog color to the equalized stereo (side) signal, delay overall side (stereo) signal by a very few milliseconds to create theatrical atmospheres, ambiance and space or just delay one equalized/colorized/boosted part of signal to create a slight reverb effect.

You can boost or attenuate the mono (mid) part, attenuate or  boost the stereo (side) part by 1 to 3 times more, pass full frequency spectrum signals through a stereo (side) circuit 20hz to 20khz (by the original side signal mix level knob) or just pass through only two filtered frequencies of side harmonic generators, 1 and 2.

Mid-Side: stereophonic harmonic generator/vitalizer+ is recommended to use on individual mixer channels during mixing. Mid-Side: SHG/V+ can be used also on stereo Bus / master channel during Mixing or Mastering using more gentle settings.

Top features:

Mid (mono) level slider for attenuating or boosting the Mid (mono) part of the sound by up to twice the amount.

Side (stereo) level slider for attenuating or boosting the Side (stereo) part of the sound by up to 3 times more.

Side harmonic generator 2. – module that filters a defined frequency range of the side (stereo) signal within a certain bandwidth, by a frequency and bandwidth (Q) knob. Additionally you can generate higher harmonics of this band or add analogue color (by harmonics knob) and boost this frequency band of the side part of the signal.

Side harmonic generator 1. – similar module with an added additional time delay knob, by which you can delay selected and effected frequency bands of the side part of the signal by a few milliseconds (0-350ms) to add more ambiance, space and reverb effects.

Side signal module to set additional parameters of the side (stereo) extracted part of the signal such as :

Original side signal mix level knob to set how much of the full frequency (20hz-20khz) signal of the extracted side (stereo) part of the sound will be mixed with the filtered side signals from the Side harmonic generators 1 and 2.

Side signal total delay knob for very transparent (almost inaudible) signal delay of SIDE (stereo) part of signal towards the MID (mono) part of signal to create a better ambiance, depth and stereoscopic atmosphere of the effected sound/channel.

Bypass for comparing your track with and without the effect

Dry/Wet knob for precise setting how much of effect will be applied

Preset manager with 15 precisely selected example presets for mix and mastering”

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