New mixing plugins, effects and VST instruments out this week
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!
Best new virtual instruments, effects and mixing plugins
(Last update: 8 November 2024)
SSL Compressor
As part of the V1.8 update to its 360 Link platform, SSL has released the new Bus Compressor plugin. For the unfamiliar, SSL 360 is an ecosystem of software and hardware that offers hands-on control of your DAW and plugins through seamless integration with the UF8, UF1, and UC1 control surfaces.
With the Bus Compressor plugin, users can map and control third-party plugins directly from the relevant section of the UC1, with gain reduction metering from compatible plugins assigned to the hardware display. Factory maps are included for popular bus compressors from the likes of Slate Digital, Brainworx, Waves, and Universal Audio.
Find out more about the SSL 360 platform and download the update free of charge.
Native Instruments Claire
NI’s line of meticulously sampled virtual instruments has received a new addition in the form of Claire — a 10-foot Italian concert grand piano renowned for its bright, resonant highs and powerful, textured bass. Adding to its versatility, Claire is equipped with a rare fourth pedal that provides an extra dimension of expressive control.
Recorded with both close and room microphones, Claire ranges from intimate to grandiose, which makes it perfect for everything from delicate pop ballads to sweeping cinematic scores. On top, the Particles engine dynamically adds subtle harmonic and rhythmic layers to each note, giving every performance a sense of movement and depth. As with other NI virtual instruments, Claire is fully integrated with Kontrol S-Series keyboards so it’s easy to pick up and play.
Claire is available from Native Instruments for £129.
Mixland 3348 TAPE
Mixland’s new 3348 TAPE plugin is a characterful colourbox based on the original Sony PCM 3348, a digital tape machine used on countless hits throughout the decades.
As with most tape emulations, the idea here is to add harmonic distortion to your signal for a warmer, more pleasing mix. To achieve this, 3348 TAPE models seven different AD/DA converters — each with their own unique identities — capable of subtle sonic enhancement or aggressive clipping effects. The sound can then be shaped further with custom filter curves, frequency controls, and a sweepable ‘emphasis’ parameter.
3348 TAPE is available from Mixland for intro pricing of $37 (full price $49), and there’s a seven-day free trial as well.
SRM Sounds Dark Mode
Our second piano of the week, Dark Mode, provides a tonal contrast to NI’s new Claire instrument, capturing the essence of Max Richter’s intimate piano sounds. Created by SRM Sounds — led by Will Evans, former Spitfire Audio CEO — Dark Mode is perfect when you need an instrument that doesn’t draw attention to itself.
Make no mistake, this ability to sit in the background doesn’t mean Dark Mode lacks character — far from it. Based on recordings of Richter’s own Steinway Concert Grand, each sample is full of warmth and has been processed with a curated chain of EQs and filters. The result? An expressive, delicate piano that’s ideal for ambient, cinematic, and modern classical music.
Dark Mode is available from SRM Sounds for free.
Rhodes Anthology
A virtual celebration of the legendary Rhodes sound, the new Anthology plugin is the latest in the manufacturer’s series of official software recreations. On the bill this time are four historic Rhodes models, each known for its distinct tone.
The MK1 Stage 73 is a 1970s favourite, used by artists like Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, while the earlier Sparkletop 73 from 1965 delivers glimmering, bell-like tones thanks to its felt hammers. And from 1984, we’re treated to the now-rare MKV 73 that was revered as a high point in Rhodes design. Fast-forwarding a couple of decades, the MK7 73 from 2010 is the final instrument within Anthology.
Alongside these four iconic instruments, the plugin incorporates authentic effects like preamps, EQ, and chorus, along with a Timbre Shift function for real-time tonal adjustments.
Anthology is available from Rhodes Music for introductory pricing of £95 (full price £139).
Last week’s best new plugins
Wave Alchemy Tapewave
The world of tape plugins is — excuse the pun — a little saturated at this point, but Wave Alchemy takes a different approach with their latest addition, Tapewave. Rather than recreating the high-fidelity studio machines from the likes of Ampex and Studer, this cassette emulation caters to lo-fi lovers.
Featuring six unique tape styles, this effect will impart plenty of character to your recordings. Pick between clean and punchy tones to crusty, worn-out textures, and then dial in some wow and flutter for an even more vintage vibe. There’s even a compressor based on the Shure Level-Loc, and a ‘Drift’ knob if you’re looking for unstable sounds with a life of their own.
Tapewave is available from Wave Alchemy for a discounted price of £29 (full price £44).
iZotope Neutron 5
Neutron — iZotope’s flagship mixing suite — delivers a streamlined set of tools geared towards producers and engineers seeking pro-level mixes in less time.
The latest update, Neutron 5, introduces three brand-new modules. Clipper provides multiband peak control for dynamic, punchy mixes without sacrificing headroom. Then there’s the Density module, which uses upward compression to add presence and depth, and Phase, a quick fix for troublesome phase issues that can plague your stereo image.
If you’re in a hurry, the improved Mix Assistant can intelligently create a custom signal chain for your audio, while new channel modes including mid/side and transient/sustain let you pick out the details. The interface has also received a significant refresh, delivering a sleeker experience all-round.
Neutron 5 is available from iZotope for intro pricing of £167 until 13 November (full price £239). There are also crossgrade and upgrade versions available.
SSL X-Orcism II: Voices from the Crypt
SSL’s Halloween freebie, X-Orcism II, is a spine-tingling voice changer and sound design tool that promises chills and thrills well beyond October. With its eerie blend of delay, pitch shifting, reverb, and noise generation, X-Orcism II is a versatile tool for anyone looking to create otherworldly textures.
From a practical standpoint, the plugin is highly intuitive, letting users transform audio into a supernatural soundscape using just a few controls. ‘Echoes’ and ‘Crypt Size’ add whispered layers, while the ‘Howl’ noise generator creates evolving rises and falls. Then, dial in expansive, haunting reverb with the ‘Tombverb’ control, and create unsettling pitch shifts with ‘Ghoul’ and ‘Wail’.
Though built for Halloween, X-Orcism II remains useful year-round, offering a unique, experimental approach to vocal and instrumental processing. Try it with a synth for ethereal tones or pair it with guitars for a dystopian vibe straight out of a horror film.
X-Orcism II is available for free from SSL when you provide your email and opt in to marketing content.
Roland Earth Piano
Roland’s new Earth Piano celebrates the company’s celebrated history of piano innovation with a richly detailed software instrument that captures an array of acoustic pianos.
Included are seven piano types, each tailored to different styles. From magnificent grands ideal for jazz or classical pieces, to characteristic uprights, and even felt and toy pianos for cinematic or quirky textures, there’s a sound here for every creative need.
Customisation is a focal point, and users can adjust tuning, stereo width, string resonance, pedal noise, and more. Enable the ‘Venue’ convolution effect and you can place your piano of choice in one of nine real-world spaces, from expansive cathedrals to intimate lounge settings.
Earth Piano is available from Roland for intro pricing of $49 (usual price $249) or as part of a Roland Cloud subscription.
Techivation M-Clarity 2
Need a quick way to eliminate muddiness, boxiness, or harshness from your mixes? Techivation’s adaptive resonance suppressor, M-Clarity, is perfect for the task. With advanced spectral shaping and a new AI-powered Mix Assistant, it dynamically removes unwanted frequencies from audio, resulting in clearer, more balanced sound.
New in the M-Clarity 2 update is adaptive processing, where the plugin continuously analyses your audio to automatically adjust the frequencies it targets. The dynamics processing has been completely rewritten for improved results, while the spectral shaping engine has been refined to deliver even cleaner sound.
M-Clarity 2 is available from Techivation for intro pricing of $45 (full price $129).
Rhodes Chroma by Cherry Audio
Designed by ARP Instruments shortly before the company’s collapse in 1981 — and then launched by CBS under the Rhodes name — the Chroma was one of the most ambitious synths of its time. Touting 16-voice polyphony with after-touch, modulation, and advanced signal routing, no more than an estimated 3,000 were built.
Fortunately for us, Cherry Audio has painstakingly recreated this pioneering instrument in the software realm, letting producers and musicians get their hands on it for a fraction of the price of the original hardware. It’s been available for a few months, but it’s now got the Rhodes stamp of approval and is being re-released.
Part of the Chroma’s beauty is its flexibility. With 16 different signal paths available, you can get started with a straightforward oscillator-filter-amplifier flow or delve into complex configurations with oscillator sync, filter FM, ring mod, and more. Even more impressive is the fact that Rhodes Chroma can import cassette tape data and SysEx backups from the original instrument, revitalising sounds and presets from the past 40 decades.
Rhodes Chroma is available from Cherry Audio for intro pricing of £44 until 8 November (standard pricing £64).
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.
