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Favorite Freeware FX Thread


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I finally got around to exploring W.A. Production's KSHMR Essentials Kick and I must say that I am impressed with what I'm able to do with it. I'm usually not one for all-in-one mix FX at this stage of my development because I'm still learning how to get those sounds via individual plug-ins.

But it's a plain fact, my processing ends up being a pretty standard chain in a standard order, and what these gizmos usually are is someone's taking EQ, compression, maybe a bit of transient shaping and widening, and putting them in one package.

Often, some of the presets sound too "hyped" for my taste, as in, initially wowzers, but revisit the mix in a week and wondering why I thought so much low end on my kick drum (or sparkle on my vocal) was a good idea. However, the good presets can give me a target for my own education: can I get it to sound even more to my liking using individual meat-and-p'taters EQ, compression, transient shaping, delay, and mid-side FX? Once I was able to "beat" the Ozone Elements mastering assistant, it felt like a real achievement!

Anyway, I put KSHMR Essentials Kick directly on an instance of SONIVOX Blue Jay Drums and walked away from it for a week, and just came back and dang that is some slammin' phat body drums. I decided to try my beat scrolling through all the drum kits in Xpand!2, and it really brought them to life (along with a spoonful of Phoenix Reverb).

Just 'cause it says "Kick," don't hesitate to try it on a stereo out drum machine or even a full drum bus.

W.A. has three free plug-ins for the downloading. Last time I tried, downloading one of their free plug-ins also qualified me for their montly freebie, usually a (quite good) sample/template/MIDI loop package, but sometimes one of their quite worthy payware plug-ins.

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I like the idea of Surge, but found it extremely glitchy to use (as in audio glitches) - I think there is/was an issue with the release control not being smooth, as it was at the end of notes that I could hear a "click".  Or maybe the presets were badly programmed.  Either way, it didn't inspire me to keep it installed.

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Might have been that to be honest (it was a while ago), but it bugged me a lot anyway.  I may re-try when 1.8 is out of beta.

UPDATE (January): I can't get it to glitch now, so it may have been an issue with the audio drivers (I was playing using WASAPI at the time, which I find quite unpredictable).  I don't think I'm going to keep it installed though - the UI for the synth at least is just too finickety for me to work with.

Edited by Kevin Perry
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On 11/22/2020 at 7:17 PM, Starship Krupa said:

Regarding the aforementioned Meldaproduction MFreeFX Bundle, if you don't already have an account with them, make one and sign up for their newsletter (you can cancel at any time, bla bla), and you will receive a voucher for 10 Euros store credit. On top of the 50% off, and the 10% for using an existing user's code credit. 10 Euro comes out to $8.42, which further brings the total down to....$15.58.

Update: I set up a new account for a friend and bought this as a gift and my total came to $10.72 with tax.

Apologies for pitching a license in a freeware thread, but I'm bumping this one because they're once again doing the 50% off everything sale.

If you're a new use a referral code (ask someone else who doesn't have the Everything Bundle?),  for the 10% off. They'll get a small vig.

Hot rod your pile of 37 plug-ins and give a little to a manufacturer who was a pioneer of the free loss-leader marketing model years before it became SOP.

Edited by Starship Krupa
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  • 3 weeks later...

  Giving both of these guys a quick bump because I have been referring them to others. The easiest way to find them now is by sorting the Instruments and Effects forum by "most viewed." They are #1 and #2 now, so stickies are not really required to find them anymore. ?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'd also recommend the free version of the kilohearts Toolbox bundle. Before you go telling me that you get nothing on it, I'll remind you that the only restriction not having the modules has is that you can't edit them in Snap Heap and you don't have them as single plugins. All presets work and you can tweak the modules you have and the macro controls set by whoever made the preset. You can also open Snap Heap inside itself for even crazier setups.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 12/15/2020 at 6:01 PM, Starship Krupa said:

Wow, I just download the latest version of Surge Synth.

It now comes with a nifty multieffect that can be used separately from the synth itself:

1550669066_SurgeFX.jpg.04d34bed9f38853137d8f4c86d731441.jpg

I haven't checked out all of the modes, but dang, there are lots of them!

If you're into VCV Rack (the free Eurorack simulator) https://vcvrack.com/, there are 22 Surge FX modules available for VCV.

https://library.vcvrack.com/SurgeRack

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I have been getting inspiration and having lots and lots of fun with Audiomodern Filterstep, to the point where I give an extra recommendation, if you're into EDM or really any other electronic music, go and get this.

It's a step-sequenced filter, a simple yet versatile one with a real slick looking GUI. I mentioned Funimator in my last post, and while this is also a step sequenced filter, the UI and quality of the filters in Filterstep, as well as the versatility and randomization put it way ahead.

The only issue, and a minor one it is, is that it doesn't start working in a given session until you open the GUI. Odd, I may write the developers about it. It's the same in Mixcraft. Once you do that once, it works fine, but just be aware: if you have it on a track and have just reopened the project, you need to pop open the GUI to prime its pump.

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Here's an "inspiration in a can" effect, kinda like the notorious "Drip" is aspiring to be, except this one is free. Many modes, one knob for more or less of the effect. If a sound is not quite "there," you throw this on and see if you can get it there.

It could also be considered equivalent to 25 Waves One Knob FX in one UI. Switch it to whatever effect you want, then turn the knob to alter parameter(s). It's a lot of plug-in for signing up for their newsletter.

ujam Micro Finisher

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Today's batch of freebie FX comes from igorski.nl.

They actually have 4 of them, but the one I like is HomeCorrupter. It has 3 functions in it, each of which has its own adjustable LFO. You can reduce the sample rate, bit depth, and the one I found most appealing, "clock speed," which is a slow down effect. An LFO'd slowdown effect is a nice thing to have. It sounds sikk with Dumpster Fire.

If I ever start reviewing plug-ins on a more formal basis, I think I should put each of them to the "how does it sound with Dumpster Fire?" test. Except that everything sounds pretty awesomely weird with Dumpster Fire. And that's okay.

In the case of Home Corrupter, I put together a sound I called "Dead Souls on a Tilt-A-Whirl" by sticking Cakewalk's own Modfilter first in line, then Dumpster Fire, then HomeCorrupter.

The other 3 are not quite my cup of tea, but if you're into degraded sounds, you might like them. One is a delay with a variety of manglers in the loop, the other is supposed to be a reverb, although I couldn't get it to sound the slightest reverb-y, and the last one is a harsh formant filter.

Edited by Starship Krupa
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  • 2 months later...

Hello, today's lovely freebie is Cymatics Space Lite reverb.

I don't get excited much about reverbs since I got Exponential Phoenix Stereo, but this one includes something that few freeware 'verbs do: a spring algorithm.

Having tried it on some source material, I'll say that it's a nice enough sounding free 'verb, and the spring algo, while not sounding exactly like a spring, will probably be useful for when I want that sound and don't feel like hooking up my old handmade spring reverb box.

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