We explore a range of creative effects plugins that can transform the most basic sounds into swirling textured soundscapes in a matter of seconds.
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Every popular effects plugin has its specialties and sweet spots that become essential points of inspiration in your sound creation workflow. This could be your favorite chorus plugin that widens and animates your synths, or your go-to rhythmic delay for giving groove-based elements in your mix a little more momentum.
However, there are always times when your preferred effects choices either aren’t creating the particular vibe you’re going for, or you want additional freedom to explore and make mistakes for unexpected results. This is where creative effects plugins come in, with a unique combination of intuitive workflows and a well-curated selection of different sound processors.
Creative Effects Plugins: CableGuys ShaperBox 3
No matter how you make your music, or which style you’re into, there is always a demand for creating hooks from simple melodic parts or making static rhythm patterns a little more exciting. This is the very reason why ShaperBox has endeared itself to so many producers, with its innate ability to create something from nothing with relative ease.
Of course, this doesn’t mean it does all the work for you, but it does provide access to a great deal of variety. ShaperBox uses a flexible modular workflow made up of individual multiband processing modules called Shapers. Within each Shaper, there is a deep level of customization, with the power to manually draw LFO and envelope shapes and choose from a range of algorithms.
There are nine different types of Shapers in ShaperBox, allowing you to manipulate amplitude, timing, distortion, filtering, noise, phase/flange, bit reduction, and stereo movement and widening. Naturally, the best way to dive in is to explore the presets, which are excellent, but the fun truly starts once you’ve identified certain Shaper combinations that truly resonate with your sound.
Creative Effects Plugins: Devious Machines Infiltrator 2
Innovative British developer Devious Machines was founded in 2017 by Jim Credland and Dom Smart, each with extensive experience in audio and tech. With Infiltrator 2, you get an extremely powerful multi-effects platform capable of complex sound design and rhythmic modulation, ideal for almost any kind of music production application.
Infiltrator gives you access to a diverse range of 54 different modules, which you can use flexibly across the 10 available effect slots, and the sequencer allows you to activate different slots on different beats of the bar for rhythmically oriented processing. The range of effects includes 15 filter types, 12 distortion models, and 14 FFT effects.
In addition, there are time and pitch manipulation tools and synthesis effects, as well as spatial effects, a vocoder, and a master section with drive and multiband compression. For an effects processor this vast, it only makes sense that there is an extensive preset library. So you get over 1,500 presets in various categories, and a randomize function.
Creative Effects Plugins: Soundtoys Effect Rack
Effect Rack is a powerful multi-effect plugin that lets you build chains from 14 effects from the renowned Soundtoys lineup. This includes EchoBoy, Crystalizer, PrimalTap, Decapitator, Radiator, Devil-Loc Deluxe, FilterFreak, PhaseMistress, Tremolator, PanMan, Microshift, and Sie-Q. What’s more, you can upgrade your rack with paid add-ons such as the SuperPlate and SpaceBlender reverbs.
When you’re trying to create and expand sounds with effects rather than just correct pitch and timing mistakes, the Effect Rack workflow really makes sense. The impressive preset library is categorized for different applications, and the unique Recycle Knob lets you build an evolving feedback loop by sending the output signal back through the effects chain.
Even if you have the entire Soundtoys bundle, the Effects Rack is still very much relevant, as you can have an elaborate chain of effects modules within a single plugin instance. Of course, owning the rack doesn’t mean you can use the plugins individually in your DAW, but the Soundtoys loyalty discount system makes it more worthwhile with each license you add.
Creative Effects Plugins: Sugar Bytes Effectrix 2
If you’re making any kind of beat-oriented or electronic music, Effectrix 2 is a great tool for enhancing the different sections of your songs while staying locked in with the core groove of the track. Effectrix works as a 32-step pattern sequencer for its 14 different effects processors, with per-step modulation and pattern memory.
This allows you to create up to 12 patterns per preset, and then trigger the patterns via MIDI or DAW automation across the array of effects. The range includes looping, time stretching, bitcrusher, filter, phaser, delay, reverb, granular, and vinyl scratch effects. Within the step sequencer, you can adjust pattern swing, step lengths, and clock speeds.
Another exciting feature allows you to reorder the effects chain by dragging and dropping, which is great for adding variation. Overall, Effectrix is a flexible tool that can be applied to any element in the mix, like vocals, for example, where you can create rhythmic fragments during a drop and build repetition to anticipate the climax.
Creative Effects Plugins: Kilohearts Multipass
With Kilohearts Multipass, you can split the effected signal into five separate frequency bands, each with its own individual effects chain and modulation settings. This gives you a precise degree of control, especially when you are processing channel groups such as drums, synths, vocals, or even your main mix bus during a drop.
To make the signal flow concept of Multipass even more interesting, there are pre- and post-effects slots that allow you to create processing chains that work before and after the band splitting. This gives you an extra degree of control and a level of assurance because no matter the mayhem you unleash, you can always glue the sound back together in the end.
Kilohearts is an expandable platform that includes 30 different effects by default, such as mixing tools, tonal shaping modules, modulation and time-based effects, distortion, pitch shifting, and sequencing. You can then add to this at a later stage with a range of premium add-on effects that can take your sound in a new direction.
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