In this video, Plugin Boutique runs through Plugin Boutique Top 5 Essential Plugins of 2020. Whether they were released in 2020, or just simply plugins that Plugin Boutique have thoroughly enjoyed, take a look at what plugins we had the most fun with.
- Generate (Affiliate Link) by Eventide / Newfangled Audio
- Comeback Kid (Affiliate Link) by Baby Audio
- Stutter Edit 2 (Affiliate Link) by iZotope
- ShimmerVerb (Affiliate Link) by Eventide
- Portal (Affiliate Link) by Output
Generate (Eventide / Newfangled Audio)
Using a selection of five oscillator algorithms and three wavefolder selections, Generate (Affiliate Link) is a synth that sounds unlike any other. If you’re looking for gritty, distorted, filthy analog tones, you come to the right plugin.
Those oscillators give you control over the amount of ‘Chaos’, and let you Animate them into pulsing, throbbing tones. The wavefolder lets you put loads of drive into the sound, and the filter section gives you a West Coast-style Low Pass Gate to dull or brighten the sound.
Generate (Affiliate Link) will set you back €149, and there’s a free version called Pendulate to give you a taste of those nasty, distorted oscillators.
Comeback Kid (Baby Audio)
A delay effect with real flavor, Comeback Kid (Affiliate Link) gives you parameters like delay time and feedback, of course; and also control over tape-style parameters, a sound shaper with filtering and transient shaping, and stereo effects to make your delays wider and more present.
Comeback Kid can do phaser-style delays, lofi-digital delays, spacey, reverbed delays, stereo pitched delays, saturated tape-style delays, mono delays, ducked delays… you get the picture – all sorts of different delays. It’s £40.
Stutter Edit 2 (iZotope)
Developed by iZotope in conjunction with electronic pioneer BT, Stutter Edit 2 (Affiliate Link) is a buffer-based effect that’s ideal for creating repeats, glitches and stutter effects. Plus, with the bountiful selection of extra effects modules such as LoFi, Chorus, Comb, Reverb, Flanger, Delay, Phaser and Filters you get a completely hatstand degree of control over the input signal.
With in-depth control over parameters and detailed drawing of modulation shapes, this one is the be-all and end-all of glitchiness. It’s yours for $220.
ShimmerVerb (Eventide)
Eventide has taken their decades of DSP know-how and turned them into an ethereal effect that will take practically any sound you chuck at it and transform it into a shimmering soundscape of delight. Featuring two tuning controls for creating stunning pitched effects, ShimmerVerb (Affiliate Link) is ideal for adding dramatic, chilled or just plain lush reverbs to your tracks. You can modulate multiple parameters at once with the ribbon control macro, and of course, there’s a freeze button for trapping your audio in perfect, glacial hibernation. Very nice indeed!
Portal (Output)
A granular plugin that breaks your audio down into tiny pieces and reassembles it in exciting new ways, Portal will take you on a psychedelic journey into the unknown. Boating a pretty but simple Main page and an Advanced page with greater control over the effect’s functionality, Portal (Affiliate Link) is amenable to both preset junkies and those with an eye for minuscule details.
As well as the main event pitched granular processing Portal (Affiliate Link) also features two insert effects from a choice of seven, master filters and compressor, and two flexible envelopes for modulating its parameters in countless exciting ways. It’s £134.
