Autor: Producer Gang

More Processing, Less Voice? “If you have to fix it with ten plugins… the problem may be earlier in the chain.” You add EQ. Then compression. Then reverb. Then more EQ. And somehow… The vocal gets smaller. Thinner. Farther away. What happened? Thin vocals often come from over-processing, not under-processing.   Quick Summary 👉 Vocals sound thin when too much EQ, over-compression, or excessive effects remove body and push the vocal back in the mix. The solution is better source tone, gentler compression, subtractive EQ, and more restraint with effects. Magic EQ Guide   Before plugins… Start here. A…

Developer Tuğrul Akyüz has released TugPhonon, a free vintage rotating tape-delay plugin. We’ve covered a few very interesting delay plugins recently, including Timerift Audio’s Oh My Grain and TiagoLr’s Sirial. When plugins like those two come up, I often refer to them as something a little bit different, and that’s true. This time, we might have something very different: a delay plugin based on a weird and wonderful tape device from 1951. TugPhonon is a free rotating tape delay plugin based on the Phonogène by Jacques Poullin and Pierre Schaeffer. Jacques Poullin and Pierre Schaeffer developed the Phonogène for the…

Arponaut is a free pattern-based arpeggiator for macOS and Windows from Groove Music Industries. The plugin is available in VST3 format for macOS and Windows. Arponaut takes the typical piano-roll workflow found in a common DAW and provides a quick, easy way to generate simple or complex arpeggiated patterns. The thing that makes Arponaut more interesting is that you can also create and edit chord sequences directly inside the plugin. The interface offers three views: Pattern, Chord, and Pattern+Chord. In the Pattern view, you can draw and edit your arpeggio. The typical piano-roll workflow I mentioned lets you quickly edit…

DAWJunkie, the developer behind Padness 2 Jr, LeadOff Jr, and various other quirky but awesome freebies, is back with another freebie – the DT-600 Mini. DT-600 Mini is based on the 1980s Casio MT-600 keyboard. The Casiotone MT-600 is one of those keyboards many musicians had as a kid, without realizing the sounds are actually pretty cool. Well, pretty cool in a so-bad-it ’s-good way if you’re a fan of retro lo-fi sounds. As a result, Casio’s MT-600 is a must-have flea market or car boot sale purchase because it’s a cheap way to bring authentic 1980s pop music and…

Start Small or Go All-In? “The beginner collects tools. The professional chooses them.” If you’re getting into music production, you’ll quickly run into this question: Which version of Ableton Live should I get? Ableton Live Intro Ableton Live Standard Ableton Live Suite They all run the same DAW. But they don’t give you the same tools.   Quick Summary 👉 Ableton Live Intro is great for beginners, Standard expands your production capabilities, and Suite includes the full set of instruments, effects, and sounds. If Ableton fits your workflow, Suite is usually worth it long-term. Pro Tools Intro vs Artist…

fedDSP has released fedZEP, a new guitar amp plugin built around two original amp designs, three preamp pedals, a dual-cab section, and a full FX rack. fedDSP is a small team from Sheffield, UK, led by producer and engineer Federico Telesca. Over the past few weeks, we’ve covered their first three plugin releases: the MORSO vintage distortion, the SNAPPER OTA-style compressor, and the ELEGANTE Tube Screamer-style overdrive. fedZEP brings all three pedals together inside a single amp plugin, alongside two new amp models and a collection of original effects, cabs, and utilities. Rather than modeling a specific vintage amp, the…

Filament is a new MIDI orchestration plugin from Forma Labs Audio, and it’s currently in the free public beta stage. If you sign up to be one of the beta testers, you’ll get to play a part in shaping the final product, and you’ll receive the full v1.0 release at launch. There are limited beta-tester spots, so I advise anyone interested to apply quickly, as the plugin will launch at a retail price of £149. Filament is available in AU and VST3 formats for macOS (13 or later) and Windows (11 or later). The idea of MIDI orchestration isn’t new,…

Intermod is a new audio plugin from Phantom Sounds, the developer behind Orbit (spatial reverb) and 56K (digital decay). We covered Orbit earlier this year, and if you missed it the first time around, it’s worth checking out. Intermod offers something a little different; it’s a self-intermodulation effect that multiplies the strongest components in your signal against each other. In doing so, it creates phantom frequencies derived from the original audio. Because these phantom frequencies are derived from the original audio, each input produces a unique character profile. Intermod offers four source modes: Radio, Tape, Wire, and Digital. You then…

The Studio Standard, Simplified “The right tool doesn’t just help you start. It helps you grow.” If you walk into a professional recording studio, there’s a high chance you’ll see: For decades, Pro Tools has been the industry standard for: That’s why many producers learn it — even if it’s their second DAW. The good news? You can now start for free.   Quick Summary 👉 Pro Tools Intro is a free, beginner-friendly version with track limits and fewer features. Pro Tools Artist is a paid version with more tracks, instruments, and mixing power — ideal as you grow. Should…

Universal Audio has launched UAD Explore FREE, a bundle of eight UAD plugins and the LUNA DAW available at no cost and with no UA hardware required. If you’ve been following UA’s promotional giveaways in our news section over the past few years, most of these plugins will look familiar. The 1176 was free for Valentine’s Day, the 610 was given away at NAMM, Pure Plate and Showtime ’64 have both had their turn. What’s different now is that they’re all in one package and permanently free. It’s the same software, but without a limited time window and no scrambling…