Happy's Best New Plugins

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Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a curious novice, the world of plugins can seem overwhelming at first. But fear not, dear music nerd, because our list of the top plugins will have you covered for all your sonic needs.

Plugins are the secret weapons of music production, giving even novice producers the power to create sounds that would make Mozart himself green with envy. From virtual instruments to dynamic processors, the world of plugins is a never-ending rabbit hole of sonic possibilities.

With the best plugins you don’t need a state-of-the-art studio to achieve a professional sound. So whether you’re a bedroom producer or a seasoned veteran, these top-tier plugins will elevate your productions to the next level and beyond.

Cableguys: FilterShaper XL

Remember your good old fashioned analog filters on your favourite synthesisers. It’s finally time to throw em out! Ok no, maybe don’t do that, they’re pretty freaking cool, and they have some awesome synths attached to them.

But maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself reaching for something new, that sounds pretty damn cool and will get the job done in no time at all.

The Cableguys FilterShaper XL is the big brother of the Filtershaper Core Module included in their ShaperBox 3 Bundle.

This time we’re presented with dual filters that can be used in a variety of different configurations, paired with a really powerful and creative modulation framework to get your tracks to writhe, pulse, scream or anything in between.

Cableguys Filter Plugin

CABLEGUYS

FILTERSHAPER XL

Acustica Audio: Mystic

Built on using their cutting edge Hyper 3 technology, Acustica are coming in hot with ‘Mystic’ and all tube channel strip that will add a whole lot of analog colour and presence to your tracks.

Packed with a preamp section, a baxandall style eq section and a compressor section, Mystic will bring a whole lot of life and vintage vibes to your individual tracks, busses and masters.

Acustica All-Tube Channel Strip

ACUSTICA AUDIO

MYSTIC

Baby Audio: Transit

They’re back with another game changer plugin, this time to get those pesky transitions to hit hard. ‘Transit’ is a transition designer which has been built from the ground up in collaboration with producer and YouTube sensation ‘Andrew Huang’.

Map multiple parameters of different effects modules to one big mix knob to save you time otherwise spent messing around with a million different automation lanes and make your chorus slap with minimal fuss and maximum fun.

Baby Audio Transition Designer

BABY AUDIO

TRANSIT

Wavesfactory: Equalizer

There’s a new equalizer in town, it’s intelligent and automatic and does all the heavy lifting for you: Wavesfactory’s Equalizer.

It works by dividing the incoming signal into 32 frequency bands. For each band, it calculates the gain and then determines a target volume. Once it’s done its maths, Equalizer independently adjusts — either boosting or cutting — the gain for each band to achieve the desired target volume.

Equalizer, effectively makes all frequencies have the same volume, and to top it off it’s not a CPU hog!

wavesfactory equalizer

WAVESFACTORY

EQUALIZER

Tegeler: Raummaschine

What’s a hardware company doing in this list? Tegeler — known for their stunning hardware both in sound and vision — has just dropped the Raummaschine: a tube analog reverb unit painstakingly recreated as a plugin.

The Raummaschine is a software version of their Raumzeitmaschine otherworldly reverb hardware unit. It makes fascinating and floating resonances using different algorithms to create more interesting spaces and effects all while having this strange yet wonderful magic eye type design in the middle of it.

The GUI is stunning, you’ve got all the standard controls like pre delay, mix, density and decay, and it’s compatible with all major DAWs as well as being available in AU, AAX, VST, VST3.

Raummaschine

TEGELER

RAUMMASCHINE

Baby Audio: BA-1

Baby Audio are responsible for some of the best creative soundsculpting/manipulating/mutilating tools of the last 5 years, and have come forth with their first soft-synth offering; the BA-1. The BA-1 is a faithfully expanded reproduction of the 1982 Yamaha CS01, the legendary, (originally) cheap monosynth that somehow captured the sound of a decade, with heavy users like Depeche Mode, the Dust Brothers, Radiohead, and practically the entire digi-dancehall scene.

The CS01 may have looked like a toy but it brought forth the sounds of a bubbling, growling 80s beast that appropriately ended up all over the Stranger Things soundtrack. Baby Audio have authentically imprisoned this FM synthesis monster in software form, levelled up it’s XP, and massively evolved its original application with a second analog-styled oscillator, polyphony, an era appropriate FX section, plus the ability the circuit bend this creature into lo-fi synth texture valhalla.

Baby audio The BA-1

BABY AUDIO

BA-1

Eventide Audio: SplitEQ

Winner of the NAMM TEC Awards category of Signal Processing Software (Dynamics / EQ / Utilities) SplitEQ is one new release you should get. We live in a fast paced, home studio, capture-the-moment recording world. SplitEQ will support you in these moments of grief when you open the recordings you’ve done and found issues that didn’t present themselves in the heat of the moment.

Unlike other EQs, SplitEQ intelligently splits audio into two sections — Transient (noise, pops, mic plosives, vocal sibilance, attacks) and Tonal (sustained notes, harmonics, tone, ambiance). Farewell to losing low end warmth while removing plosives!

As well as this, Eventide Audio has some brilliant bundles that include this corrective and creative tool.

EVENTIDE AUDIO

SPLITEQ

Spitfire Audio: Spitfire Audio Abbey Road Orchestra: Low Percussion

Spitfire Audio’s Abbey Road Orchestra: Low Percussion is a sampling library that offers impressive and deep percussion sounds for your music. It includes bone-shaking Taiko and massive Ō-daiko drums, as well as an extensive selection of other percussion instruments.

What sets it apart is the attention to detail given by Spitfire Audio in capturing every inch of Abbey Road studio, and with multiple microphone options, you can mix and match to create the perfect sonic landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a novice, this plugin will undoubtedly level up your sound game.

SPITFIRE AUDIO

ABBEY ROAD ORCHESTRA

UnitedPlugins : FireMaximizer

UnitedPlugins’ FireMaximizer is a powerful loudness maximizer that promises to revolutionize music production. With an XY pad and a powerful drive control, it can make your music cut through the mix with ease. It offers four types of blendable limiting, including Clip, Saturate, Limit, and Multiband limiting, that help you squeeze the maximum level out of your instruments or entire mix while preserving its detail and depth.

Whether you’re a novice or a professional, the FireMaximizer’s innovative features will help your tracks stand out in any setting. If you’re looking for a tool to give your music an edge and make it shine brighter, the FireMaximizer is the plugin for you.

UNITEDPLUGINS

FIRE MAXIMISER

Arturia: Minifreak

Arturia’s MiniFreak V is an exceptional emulation of the coveted MiniFreak hybrid polysynth hardware. Boasting 250 patches, this synth offers an intricate tapestry of analog filters and digital voices that come together seamlessly, resulting in a varied modulation that will blow your mind.

Customizing the MiniFreak V is a breeze as it can be mapped to any controller. If you’re lucky enough to own the hardware MiniFreak, you’ll benefit from perfectly mirrored controls. From big hoover polysynths to deep basses, to leads and pads, the MiniFreak V is a limitless synth. Designed with the help of legendary designer Alex Hartman, check out our exclusive interview with him to gain insights into this amazing synth.

ARTURIA

MINIFREAK

Polyverse Music – Supermodal

Polyverse Music has done it again with their latest plugin, Supermodal. If you’re in the know, you’ll already be familiar with their widely loved plugin, Wider. But Supermodal takes things to the next level. This powerhouse of a modal filter offers a wild and warped world of sound sculpting and filtering. And the best part? You can trigger its features via MIDI, making it an even more versatile tool for your creative arsenal. Say goodbye to creative blocks and hello to a new level of sonic exploration with Supermodal.

POLYVERSE MUSIC

SUPERMODAL

Softube Icons – Compressor Collection

Softube has done it again with their latest offering, the Icons: The Compressor Collection. This bundle packs in not one, not two, but three of the most sought-after compressors in the game, all with their own unique characteristics. The FET Compressor Mk II, OPTO Compressor, and VCA Compressor have all been meticulously modeled with no detail spared.

Softube’s commitment to capturing the essence of these legendary originals is unparalleled. And not only do they sound incredible, but the modern features and sleek design make them a joy to use. We can’t get enough of these compressors, and we’re pretty sure you won’t be able to either.

SOFTUBE ICONS

COMPRESSION COLLECTION

FabFilter – Twin 3

Step right up, creative types, because FabFilter’s Twin 3 Software Synthesizer is here to take the technicality out of your synth game. Featuring four old-school oscillators that ooze vintage charm, this soft synth is a creative playground with intuitive drag-and-drop modulation, stunning filters that have earned their stripes, and a diverse suite of FX to play with.

With four vintage-sounding oscillators, award-winning filters that sound great, drag-and-drop modulation, and a suite of FX with loads of variation. It’s an absolute beast of a synth that’s incredibly easy to bend to your will.

FABFILTER

TWIN 3

Antares – Auto tune Vocal Compressor

Antares Tech, the reigning champion of vocal plugins, has unveiled an AI/machine learning compressor that aims to perfect your vocal recordings. Known for their popular Auto-Tune plugin, Antares has now released a new plugin that offers a starting point for your vocal processing.

With the ability to select the Input Type, Compression mode, and desired Style, the plugin takes the reins and assists with the heavy lifting. What’s more impressive is the plugin’s Auto-Tune Pitch Filter function, which intelligently tracks and follows the fundamental pitch of your vocals for even more seamless processing.

ANTARES

AUTO TUNE COMPRESSOR

Rhodes – V8 and V8 Pro Plugins

The Rhodes V8 and Rhodes V8 Pro are the new official Rhodes music plugins that are set to make a big impact in the music industry. These plugins are the rebirth of the legendary Rhodes keyboard that has been an icon for decades.

Designed by Axel Hartmann, the Rhodes MK8 features his latest innovations, making it a truly unique instrument. With the brand’s stamp of approval, using the Rhodes V8 plugin is an exciting experience. Its sound quality is exceptional – we tested it against a real Rhodes in the studio, and the results were remarkable. The Rhodes V8 is in a league of its own in the plugin world.

RHODES

V8 AND V8 PRO PLUGINS

Sinevibes – Vague

Step right up, and witness the mind-bending madness of Sinevibes Vague, a plugin that defies categorization and takes your sound on a cosmic joyride. This binaural time diffuser is unlike anything else in the production and mixing realm, featuring a multifaceted stereo universe of strange phasing, granular chirps, chorusing, and creative delays.

As your audio signal journeys through Vague’s virtual space, it navigates 16 all-pass comb filter stages with gradually increasing delay times, resulting in a beautifully blurred and smeared sound that transports your sonic creations to a new dimension. Embrace the weirdness and explore the endless possibilities of Vague.

SINEVIBES

VAGUE