Plug-ins

As the name suggests, FXpansion's utility allows VST effects and Instruments to be used in Pro Tools, but how well does it really work?

In the second part of our coverage of Korg's new collection of software instruments, we turn our attention to the virtual MS20, and the MS20-shaped hardware controller. Just how well do these renditions compare to the original?

Now that Korg's Legacy Collection is properly complete, we follow up last month's preview with the first instalment of our three-part in-depth review. This month, we focus on the Korg Wavestation plug-in...

We test and report on another crop of highly insertable software Plug-ins: PSP Master Q • TLL Everyphase • Fabfilter Fabfilter One • Cranesong Phoenix • Audiorealism BassLine • Sonic Charge µTonic.

Gmedia continue their quest to render the best of the world's keyboards in software form. But will it give OSCar fans a case of the grouches?

Brief appraisals of another selection of software Plug-ins from Disco DSP, Cutter Music, Kjaerhus Audio and PSP.

This Voice Modeler plug-in is designed to change the character of a recorded vocal, adding breathiness, chest resonance and 'growl', and allowing you to modify inflection and vibrato.

The biggest music technology manufacturer in the world has stuck to hardware — until now. Do Yamaha's first plug-in processors have what it takes to compete with the big names in Mac and Windows software?

I've recently started using the Antares Auto-Tune plug-in (version 3), and I need help! Even when using the plug-in's Automatic mode, I can't get a good sound out of it — the corrected voice sounds 'warbly' and fake. Can you offer any advice?

Sound Toys claim that their new plug-in captures the sound of an analogue filter in digital form. We put it to the test...

We check out two more useful plug-ins, one for Powercore and one for PC VST/Direct X.

There's already a decent range of products providing digital emulations of vintage guitar amps, but iZotope's Direct X plug-in goes a lot further, offering no fewer than seven processing modules, and is intended to model every kind of distortion you'll ever need.

Novation's V-Station plug-in provided a software version of their hardware K-Station — now there's a software version of their mid-'90s hardware monophonic analogue bass synths, the BassStation and BassStation Rack...

Convolving reverbs are coming down in price as more manufacturers make their own. We check out Emagic's new plug-in, which is one of the more affordable ones around, but still allows you to create your own reverbs from favourite spaces.

Another crop of stimulating and essential plug-ins to whet your appetite...

Filters are at the heart of many of the weirder sequencer plug-ins, so here we check out what each one has to offer, and how you can obtain weird and wonderful sounds for your mixes.

TC's plug-in powerhouse is now available as an external Firewire-connected rack unit.

Just as Access's hardware Virus synth was followed by the snazzy Virus Indigo, so the TDM plug-in version for Pro Tools has benefited from an upgrade to Indigo status, making it more infectious than ever...

This Adobe Premiere plug-in has now been ported to two different real-time plug-in formats: VST (for Mac OS 9, OS X and Windows) and Apple's new Audio Unit standard (for OS X).

Although delay can be one of the most simple studio effects, software delay plug-ins often provide a bewildering array of options. So we take a look at what all the sliders and switches do, and provide advice on how best to use them.

Formats: Creamware SFP