Favourite audio plugins
When I started making music my DAW of choice was FL Studio. Made most of my tracks from 2008 to 2015 with it and loved every part of the software. Some highlights had to be Slicex, which allowed me to chop loops, or any piece of audio really, and play it using my keyboard. The step sequencer was such a quick way of writing ideas. Even the file browser to the left was very intuitive and quick to use. Gross-beat was a must as well.
In 2015 I found myself in a position where I was only using Windows to use FL Studio. Other interests like design and motion graphics took me to Mac OS. I tried using the two operating systems with Bootcamp, but I missed the quick shortcuts, the trackpad gestures among many other small features that make Mac OS my preferred OS.
Unfortunately, in 2015, there was no native FL Studio version for Mac. So I made the decision to learn another DAW. But, should I learn Ableton? A software available for both Windows and Mac? Maybe, just in case I go back to Windows. Or should I learn Logic Pro? An Apple exclusive software that would lock me to a specific operating system and leave me in the exact same position I was now?
Obviously I decided to go with Logic.
I missed many of the easy to use tools FL Studio, so I ended up finding plugins like Vice, Battery and LFO Tool that emulate equivalent tools on FL Studio: Slicex, Step Sequencer and Grossbeat, respectfully.
Major tip: Wait for Cyber Monday!
Many of these plugins can be bought with huge discounts.
ADT
I use ADT mostly on vocals but anytime I want to widen an instrument I send it to a bus channel with this plugin
ADT is developed by Airwindows and you can download it here.
Price: Free
Alchemy
Originally a VST produced by Camel Audio and available for every DAW, it was bought by Apple and included with Logic from version 10.2 onwards. I use it a lot, mostly as a sampler, not as much as a synth. I love how it’s able to tune any piece of audio you load in to it, no need to manually tune your 808s or sample based synths.
Alchemy is now developed by Apple and available to purchase with Logic Pro here.
Price: Included with Logic Pro X (£199.99)
Battery 4
About with one on sale along side Massive. I was never a fan of Ultrabeat, especially coming from the super easy to use step sequence on FL Studio. If you’re in the same situation I strongly suggest Battery, you’ll still need to write your beats using the midi piano roll on Logic, but hey, there’s a file browser on the left very reminiscent of FL Studio.
Battery 4 is developed by Native Instruments and available to purchase here.
Price: £179
bx_meter
Another on bought during a sale. Very useful plugin when mastering. Gives you the usual Peak and RMS readouts and also mute options for the left or right, middle or sides channels. When mastering I’ll just dock this one to the right and use it as my master guide.
bx_meter is developed by Plugin Alliance and available to purchase here.
Price: $99
Enveloper
When using samples on FL Studio, it was so quick to just cut the decay or attack of a particular sample. Using Logic and Battery the option is there, but sometimes the entire beat just needs a bit more control. In those cases I use envelope, very easy to use and it’s included with Logic.
Enveloper is developed by Apple and available to purchase with Logic Pro here.
Price: Included with Logic Pro X (£199.99)
Kickstart
Using Grossbeat (on FL Studio) you could easily create a side-chain volume gate, with Logic there is a way of doing it with Tremolo and of course you could do actual side-chain compression, but honestly Kickstart is just a quicker and more intuitive way of doing it.
Kickstart is developed by Plugin Alliance in collaboration with Nicky Romero and is available to purchase here.
Price: €10 / $15
Massive
Bought it on sale with Battery 4, Massive is just one of the classics. Used it when I used FL Studio and I’m still using it today, a bit less due to Alchemy being so great.
Massive is developed by Native Instruments and available to purchase here.
Price: £129
Pitch Shifter
Self-explanatory this one really. It’s a plugin that allows you to pitch shift any audio channel on your project. You can also set the mix amount. It’s included with Logic.
Pitch Shifter is developed by Apple and available to purchase with Logic Pro here.
Price: Included with Logic Pro X (£199.99)
Vice
Solid sampler and very similar to Slicex on FL studio. There is a way of achieving a similar result using ESX24 by sampling based on transients with ESX24 but this is way easier to use. Drag and drop audio files, or use the file browser on the left and you’ll be able to sample based on transients, beats or a specified interval you set. Using transients you’re also able to set just how sensitive is the transient detector. Once the sampling is done, you’ll be able to play those samples using your keyboard or by programming them on the piano roll.
Massive is developed by New Sonic Arts and available to purchase here.
Price: €99
Vocal Transformer
Another native Logic plugin, it also has a pitch shifter but I use mostly to change the format on voices.
Vocal Transformer is developed by Apple and available to purchase with Logic Pro here.
Price: Included with Logic Pro X (£199.99)
These are just a small sample of the plugins I use on my productions. There’s still LFO Tool, Luftikus, Kick, Center and many others, but I’ll leave those for a future post.
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