Effects
Ableton Live Beat Repeat
Ableton Live’s built‑in effects suite has grown to include many sonically excellent processors, but my most loved and (over)used device is an oldie: Beat Repeat. This super‑versatile stutter effect grabs, loops and re‑pitches chunks of audio. Used subtly it can take a basic drum loop and introduce fills, interest and variation. Or you can dial it up and trigger it manually for Roland Scatter‑style performance glitches. Simon Sherbourne
Included with Ableton Live.
Cableguys ShaperBox 2
Stuck with a lifeless pad or a boring reverb tail? Shaperbox 2 is the perfect antidote. A marvellous and marvellously easy‑to‑configure LFO and envelope‑modulated range of effects, from filters and drive to panning and time manipulation, each with wet/dry mix controls to achieve the perfect blend. Matt Houghton
€89. Modules also available individually. Prices include VAT.$99. Modules also available individually.
Eventide Instant Phaser Mk 2
Based on the original hardware, designed back when phasing and flanging meant more or less the same thing, Eventide’s Instant Phaser really nails the retro tape phasing/flanging sound of the outboard unit, and even includes controls to age the components. My only niggle is the lack of a Mix control, making it tricky to fade the effect in and out. Paul White
$129.
Eventide Physion
This extremely clever plug‑in can separate the transient attack component of a sound from its sustain and allows the user to apply different effects to each. I use it mainly to create slow‑attack guitar and bass parts: it’s extremely consistent and doesn’t seem to care too much about the incoming signal level, so there are no fiddly thresholds to set. Paul White
$179.
Goodhertz Trem Control
I’ve always loved what tremolo can do to guitars but recently I’ve learned to love it elsewhere in a mix, for the movement and interest it can add. With Trem Control, you can very quickly dial in just the right amount of ‘wobble’. It normally sounds so good that you have to be careful not to overdo it! Like all their plug‑ins, it has a range of extra features that allow you to add a bit of extra ‘vibe’ or go completely crazy if the mood takes you. Neil Rogers
$79.
Klevgrand Spinn
Spinn is based on the concept of a rotating speaker with four rotors rather than two. Each affects a different frequency band and can be set with different speed parameters, as well as its own ramp rate settings. I often use it on a very slow setting in place of chorus: great for adding movement to a pad or guitar part. Paul White
Mac/Windows version $49.99. iOS version $14.99.
Output Portal
If you’re stuck for ear candy, Portal is a veritable sweet shop: granular processing meets delay, reverse FX, pitch shift and rhythmic control, with very comprehensive routing options. It can make simple sounds appear more complex and the effects range from the subtle to the outrageous. Paul White
£134. Discounted to £93 when going to press. Prices include VAT.$104.
Output Movement
One of the first Output plug‑ins I encountered, I use Movement to create rhythmic effects from non‑rhythmic source material or to reshape drum loops. It hosts a number of effect types (including filters, delay, modulation, reverb, compression, EQ and distortion), each of which can be controlled using multi‑waveform LFOs or step sequencers. It’s better at this than anything you’ll find bundled with your DAW. Paul White
£134. Discounted to £93 when going to press. Prices include VAT.$104.
Output Thermal
Thermal does for distortion what Portal does for granular processing, and boasts similar tools for modulation and rhythmic control. There are many applications in mainstream pop and EDM but its gentler side can also work magic on filmic compositions. If creative distortion underpinned by rhythm or movement is your thing, this is one of the best tools out there. Paul White
£134. Discounted to £93 when going to press. Prices include VAT.$104.
Positive Grid Bias FX 2 Elite
Bias Guitar 2 Elite and Bias FX 2 Elite form the heart of my software guitar setup. The latter combines superb sounds, accurate touch response and highly convincing guitar‑matching, with an extensive selection of highly tweakable amps, speakers, mics and effects pedals. There are myriad ToneCloud contributions from the online user community too. So I can create or find acoustic or electric guitar sounds to suit any occasion — I wouldn’t be without it! Bob Thomas
£214. Discounted to £128 when going to press. Prices include VAT.Full price $299. Discounted to $179 when going to press.
Rob Papen XY‑Transfer
XY‑Transfer is a highly tweakable, rather ‘out there’ delay/multi‑effect plug‑in, with synth‑style processing and modulation options. I’ve really not dived into it as deeply as I should but when I’m finding my usual delays uninspiring or I want to add some spice to an effects return, I’ll fire this up, scroll through the excellent presets... and usually find something cool very quickly! Matt Houghton
€49 including VAT.$49.
SoundToys MicroShift
Pitch‑shifting has long been a creative tool in vocal mixing and the Microshift emulates the vibe of classic hardware devices like the Eventide H3000 and the AMX DMX 15‑80S. On the right vocal it can be used to elevate proceedings into a lush ‘studio‑sounding’ production, create a subtle doubling effect or add width to effects returns and synths. Neil Rogers
$129.
Waves Vocal Bender
I only started using Vocal Bender very recently but I really like the way it combines high‑quality pitch and formant control with a really simple interface. It’s a very quick means of creating contemporary vocal effects and, occasionally, it will produce worthwhile results on non‑vocal sources too. Paul White
Full price $199. Discounted to $34.99 when going to press.