Spectrumworx, Crusher-X, Reaktor, Zebrify and a few others usually get me what I want pretty fast. I have been thinking about picking up Artificial Audio Obelisk and Quartz as well because they work so nicely as Bus effects. One thing i've been finding is that spectral effects work very very nicely after multi-band distortion effects.
So what are yours?
What are your current favourite sound design plugins?
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- KVRAF
- 2925 posts since 29 May, 2009 from New Zealand
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- KVRAF
- 1782 posts since 4 Sep, 2011 from England
Soundtoys + Valhalla DSP
In Dec all Soundtoys plugs get put into a rack so it's like one big plugin if you want it that way.
In Dec all Soundtoys plugs get put into a rack so it's like one big plugin if you want it that way.
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- KVRAF
- 6113 posts since 7 Jan, 2005 from Corporate States of America
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
Well I was thinking more along the lines of Ambient production, but really it's whatever tool you find usefulGeorgeZ wrote:What kind of sound design are we talking? I trend to have different faves depending on if it's for music or cinematic / ambient / atmospheric stuff.
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- KVRAF
- 3959 posts since 10 Sep, 2010 from A shit hole (Ireland).
Hmm...There's a few I use.
Pad shop pro - Can give you some really odd sounds.
I'm using Ircam Lab's TS - for pitch shifting, although it's outside of the host.
Eventide's - Black hole for long eerie drones and weird reverb effects.
Valhalla ubermod - great for lots of stuff.
Izotope Iris - Is just bizarre, but lots of fun.
Pad shop pro - Can give you some really odd sounds.
I'm using Ircam Lab's TS - for pitch shifting, although it's outside of the host.
Eventide's - Black hole for long eerie drones and weird reverb effects.
Valhalla ubermod - great for lots of stuff.
Izotope Iris - Is just bizarre, but lots of fun.
I will take the Lord's name in vain, whenever I want. Hail Satan! And his little goblins too. 
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
Robmobius wrote:Hmm...There's a few I use.
Pad shop pro - Can give you some really odd sounds.
I'm using Ircam Lab's TS - for pitch shifting, although it's outside of the host.
Eventide's - Black hole for long eerie drones and weird reverb effects.
Valhalla ubermod - great for lots of stuff.
Izotope Iris - Is just bizarre, but lots of fun.
I occasionally listen to the demos of Padshop Pro and it definitely sounds like they have implemented a very smooth granular synthesis engine in it.
Do you need a dongle to run Padshop Pro and Retrologue? Or is it the software e-licencer thing?
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- KVRist
- 287 posts since 7 Oct, 2005 from San Francisco
I'm using Reaktor, Soundhack, smartelectronix, Salty Grain, Altiverb, Speakerphone, Spectrumworx, MMultibandGranular, Michael Norris Spectral, Madrona Labs Kaivo, Pianoteq 5, Soundtoys.
VORT3X, How do you find CrusherX? I'm considering buying the mac version, but it's very expensive with VAT.
Was using Eventide Blackhole as well, but my demo ran out so need to get that, and I'm considering getting GRM Tools, but that is a serious investment (do they ever have sales?) :/
VORT3X, How do you find CrusherX? I'm considering buying the mac version, but it's very expensive with VAT.
Was using Eventide Blackhole as well, but my demo ran out so need to get that, and I'm considering getting GRM Tools, but that is a serious investment (do they ever have sales?) :/
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
asksol wrote:I'm using Reaktor, Soundhack, smartelectronix, Salty Grain, Altiverb, Speakerphone, Spectrumworx, MMultibandGranular, Michael Norris Spectral, Madrona Labs Kaivo, Pianoteq 5, Soundtoys.
VORT3X, How do you find CrusherX? I'm considering buying the mac version, but it's very expensive with VAT.
Was using Eventide Blackhole as well, but my demo ran out so need to get that, and I'm considering getting GRM Tools, but that is a serious investment (do they ever have sales?) :/
To buy a licence you go here.
http://www.accsone.com/content/blogcate ... g,english/
I was lucky because I found a older version in the market place and I jumped on it. I have version 3 which i run with 32lives and it works fine.
It is pretty pricey but it's worth it if you like granular synthesis. I don't think there is a granular processor on the market quite like Crusher-X so it's worth picking up.
I want to eventually buy the upgrade to version 5 but it will cost me about $100.
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- KVRAF
- 3959 posts since 10 Sep, 2010 from A shit hole (Ireland).
It's an e-licenser thingey.V0RT3X wrote:Robmobius wrote:Hmm...There's a few I use.
Pad shop pro - Can give you some really odd sounds.
I'm using Ircam Lab's TS - for pitch shifting, although it's outside of the host.
Eventide's - Black hole for long eerie drones and weird reverb effects.
Valhalla ubermod - great for lots of stuff.
Izotope Iris - Is just bizarre, but lots of fun.
I occasionally listen to the demos of Padshop Pro and it definitely sounds like they have implemented a very smooth granular synthesis engine in it.
Do you need a dongle to run Padshop Pro and Retrologue? Or is it the software e-licencer thing?
I really like it. It sounds very good overall and is easy too use too. I also like the inbuilt fx and modulation system. Nice distortion options as well.
I don't think has all the features that granite would have, but then again, I prefer Pad Shop Pro's sound and accessibility. I've had a few very happy accidents with it which is always nice.
I will take the Lord's name in vain, whenever I want. Hail Satan! And his little goblins too.
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- KVRian
- 513 posts since 20 Dec, 2008
I find AudioMulch's Metasurface is utterly fantastic for exploring and capturing the sound design possibilities of plugins.
It allows me to take any two presets and explore the minute interpolated territory between them, and it allows me to create and record considered, and highly complex transitions between parameter settings in a tiny fraction of the time it would take me using typical/standard methods for creating/drawing the parameter automation necessary to achieve the same result.
The Metasurface is a brilliant tool/instrument that has opened up a world of sound design possibilities for me.
That said; I often use it with another tool/plugin/host/instrument/thingamajig I find thoroughly inspiring - Plogue's Bidule. The Metasurface and Bidule are an excellent combination as anything I create in Bidule can be easily manipulated using the Metasurface. So any crazy, giant, detailed sequencing arrangement (for example) made in Bidule can be wildly or subtly adjusted using the Metasurface; allowing for a degree/breadth of immediate control that I haven't found any other tool/controller offers me.
So these two tools (AudioMulch's Metasurface and Plogue's Bidule) are a huge part of my sound design activities.
However, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention a number of other highly valuable (to me) plugins that I often use in conjunction with the above mentioned tools. Cableguys' MidiShaper, VolumeShaper, and FilterShaper are almost always involved. Largely because all their envelope points can be controlled (and thusly morphed) by the Metasurface, which can make for some wildly deep and complex modulations. The same can actually also be said for Cableguy's Curve2 synth parameters and envelopes; so it's a fav synth of mine.
It allows me to take any two presets and explore the minute interpolated territory between them, and it allows me to create and record considered, and highly complex transitions between parameter settings in a tiny fraction of the time it would take me using typical/standard methods for creating/drawing the parameter automation necessary to achieve the same result.
The Metasurface is a brilliant tool/instrument that has opened up a world of sound design possibilities for me.
That said; I often use it with another tool/plugin/host/instrument/thingamajig I find thoroughly inspiring - Plogue's Bidule. The Metasurface and Bidule are an excellent combination as anything I create in Bidule can be easily manipulated using the Metasurface. So any crazy, giant, detailed sequencing arrangement (for example) made in Bidule can be wildly or subtly adjusted using the Metasurface; allowing for a degree/breadth of immediate control that I haven't found any other tool/controller offers me.
So these two tools (AudioMulch's Metasurface and Plogue's Bidule) are a huge part of my sound design activities.
However, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention a number of other highly valuable (to me) plugins that I often use in conjunction with the above mentioned tools. Cableguys' MidiShaper, VolumeShaper, and FilterShaper are almost always involved. Largely because all their envelope points can be controlled (and thusly morphed) by the Metasurface, which can make for some wildly deep and complex modulations. The same can actually also be said for Cableguy's Curve2 synth parameters and envelopes; so it's a fav synth of mine.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
I appreciated your explanation, i thought it was a pretty neat workflow.dformd wrote:geez; way to make me look long-winded!pdxindy wrote:Bazille
Zebrify
Ableton Live
I checked out audiomulch, and it definitely looks inspiring to use but I don't know if I would use it. I also forgot to mention that I like Maxforlive!
I probably could easily just use Ableton live, Maxforlive and reaktor for all my needs but its nice to have options.
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- KVRAF
- 3426 posts since 15 Nov, 2006 from Pacific NW
If you are on OSX, you should get the Michael Norris spectral plugins.
http://www.michaelnorris.info/software/ ... c-spectral
http://www.michaelnorris.info/software/ ... c-spectral
