##UPDATED## 25 Free Mastering and Mixing VST plug-ins

Hey guys - quick update...

I came across this site just the other day - although I haven't had a proper play with them yet, first impressions are excellent.

I'll add the 'mastering' specidfic tools to this thread should they prove to be as good as they appear!

Here you go: MELDA PRODUCTION FREE VST FX

nice plug SteveStrummerUK!

i tried the EQ & also the wave shaper,wich i find really a nice adding filter,to my list!

(for the wave shaper,you can use the control-key to draw the shape,really cool!
& also we can right-click over the graph,to reset the shape graph! )

thanks for the head-up & the link!


cheer
martin

The TesslaSE plug by Bootsy that is posted about on the first page is about to get an update called Tessla PRO. Since all Bootsys earlier effects are just awesome I'm really looking forward to it, more info to come later in april so check out his website at wordpress:

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/


----------------------------------------------------


Also... While I'm in this thread I can reccomend this one called CLAS from refined audiometrics:



It's sort of an enhancer/exciter and is really cool in small amounts. All you need to do to get it is to e-mail them and ask. Their mail is at the bottom of the page that also contains some nice info (their whole website is actually really interesting). They also have a plug called HDPHX that's really useful for those sessions when you really want to mix a little but have to use headphones (or if you use headphones because you got quality headphones but crappy speakers/monitors...

Website:
http://refinedaudiometrics.com/products-clas.shtml

Bump

Bump

Steve and Legion,

Much appreciated! You guys have done a superb job compiling those great freebies! Excellent :)

I use some of those for tracking/monitoring (particularly the Kjaerhus Classic Series) then at mixdown I'll add on the heavy duty stuff like Ozone4 and T-Racks3, whatever is required.

At page one of this thread we had Bootsy's Tessla, now Tessla PRO is released and still free! Anybody who likes a great saturation plugin will most likely love this.

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/

That looks pretty neat buddy - I'm off for a play with that and I'll edit it into the main article asap.

---

While I'm hear, I'd strongly advise anyone trying out the excellent free stuff at AcmeBarGig - so far Ken has five VST's for download with the prospect of new ones to be added at regular intervals.

So far, he has these, all downloadable from the link above:

* D.I.G. - Dual Integrated Gain guitar amp
* B.I.G. - Bass Integrated Gain amp
* Reshift Pickup Replacer - this is just amazing!
* Aftershock Digital Delay - this allows 3 separate delays to be set for left, centre and right

The latest is the clean amp sim Tribe IR Amp VST - download from HERE

Thanks Steve for adding us here..
Ken
AcmeBarGig

To everyone else, thanks for checking out our plugs...

Bump .....

Nice job guys, thanks!

ORIGINAL: SteveStrummerUK

While I'm hear, I'd strongly advise anyone trying out the excellent free stuff at AcmeBarGig - so far Ken has five VST's for download with the prospect of new ones to be added at regular intervals.

So far, he has these, all downloadable from the link above:

* D.I.G. - Dual Integrated Gain guitar amp
* B.I.G. - Bass Integrated Gain amp
* Reshift Pickup Replacer - this is just amazing!
* Aftershock Digital Delay - this allows 3 separate delays to be set for left, centre and right

The latest is the clean amp sim Tribe IR Amp VST - download from HERE

Haha I see you got there before me Steve but I've been banging on about these just recently.

I'm using Tribe, Redshift and Aftershock quite a bit already and they are really cute on vintage keys, EP's, Clavs and Organs and stuff as well as for guitars.

My biggest goto freebie though has to be Camel Crusher, not sure if it's featured on this thread already, but for tube style colouration and for a 1001 phattening jobs this one is a must have for me. It's been used somewhere in every project on at least one of my Aux busses for the last 6 months or so.

http://www.camelaudio.com/camelcrusher.php

Just keeping it on the first page

@Alex - thanks buddy


@JB - yeah I've had the CamelCrusher for a while mate; I stopped using it because it didn't seem to work too well with my PSP Vinatge Warmer - might be worth another look though

So you're the guy, eh?

Just tried the Tesla Pro - very nice.

Just a small bump

I do like Tesla Pro. It's well coded, graphically perfect, and can work well anywhere.

But I'm not really fully understanding what I'm going with it. It's very subtle, so not just for the reasons of helping alex bump this but can someone explain the controls to me and what each is doing.

eg.
Drive:
turning Right - increases distortion replicating passing through a tube for an overdrive versus a slashed speaker cone distortion.
turning Left - decreases it

etc etc

Hi there Storm

There's a PDF manual bundled in the zipped download for the Tessla Pro - I always extract these zip files to a new folder to keep all this stuff together!

Anyway, here's what it says in the manual about the controls:

BASS – increase or decrease the bass response
DRIVE – alters the gain amount of the signal into the processor
BOOST – adds further 12dB gain
TRANSIENTS – turning clockwise lets transients pass through
POWER – plug-in on/off
OUT – output level


Hope that helps

Steve

'Stupid' Bump

It does help a bit. And I'll learn to read one day! lol :)

been beta testing Record, so haven't played with Boost but I liked what I used of it so far.

I like TeslaPro a lot. I consider it a must have.

Found some very interesting plugs at http://www.vacuumsound.de/plugins.html

One of them is an artificial double tracking plug based on the Beatles technique from Abbey Road wich I think can come in very handy. Also they have a plate reverb and phono eq.

Storm:
Yeah Tessla Pro is great, I just have to play around with it a little more to feel confident enough to use it in one of my final mixes. How's Record, do the SSL mixer live up to the expectations?

Stevestrummer mentioned the free MeldaProduction plugs above. I had previously downloaded them but have not had the chance to try them.

But then I was on their site looking at the latest updates. I noticed that they described that it's free for personal use, and not for commercial use. But then it said that if you purchase the license for commercial use, the plugs will no longer invoke your browser occasionally to show their website. YUUUUUUK!!!!

So I deleted the plugs. But I'm wondering, has anybody ever used the Melda plugs and suddenly have their browser pop up while working on a Sonar project?

So, they are thinking that people have their DAW connected to the internet? Just like that NI service centre... I hate it.

Things that go "bump" in the night.

Things dat go 'bump' again.

Also if you haven't check out http://www.vacuumsound.de/plugins.html , some really cool plugs that seem to work well amongst them a good ADT (automatic double tracker) that supposedly has a Lenon/Beatles style vibe to it.

I may have missed it, but I did not see Sir1 in there - convolution reverb (also available as part of the Sonar LE plugin download package on the site here.

http://www.knufinke.de/sir/sir1.html

Bump for the newcomers at the forum.
'
Also, Bootsy has a new tape compressor/saturator (wouldn't say emulator as it doesn't wow and flutter or hysteria) up at the KVR 09-competition. Sounds great to me.

 
ANTRESS have just updated their VST suite to version 4.60; there's also a neat looking new compressor - The Fire Chainer
 

 
 
 
Get the complete suite in one download from HERE
 
 

Thanks for bringin them up Strummy, I actually downloaded those and played with them a little a few weeks ago. I gotta say that the sound is MUCH improved over his previous versions and I'm actually looking forward to see the suite develop (even if I pretty much have what I need for mixing). I AB:ed the 670 and EQP-1 clones with the ones in T-Racks. The sound, I gotta admit was noct incredily close, but the sound was really cool and the 670 (pictured above) actually had a little of the same feel to it but a little more agressive (I actually ended up using it instead of the IK one on a drum loop but would never do that in premastering or when after that vintage magic).

Legion


Bump for the newcomers at the forum.
'
Also, Bootsy has a new tape compressor/saturator (wouldn't say emulator as it doesn't wow and flutter or hysteria) up at the KVR 09-competition. Sounds great to me.

On the Bootsy front.

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/

The tape sim you mention has had an update, also the DensitymkII Bus compressor is awesome on a drum bus, very responsive and tweakable, it too has just recently had an update.

 
By way of a bump - thanks for the info Jon

http://dynamicrange.de/

Junski

 
Bump

Thanks so much, Legion and Strummer, for giving us this.  I'll certainly study this awhile and shop till I drop.

 

Bootsy at varietyofsound has just updated his amazing tape saturation/comp plugin Ferric to 1.5. The servers are so strained right now from all download that they are shut at the moment though... Can't wait to try it out.

Thanks Legion, here's a mini review on that and it is a lot easier to obtain by now.

FerricTDS Recently updated to v1.5

I joined in the public beta on this one as I wanted to see an input level adjustment.

This plug-in has reached the status of sublime after scooping last years KVR challenge Bootsy's taken it to another level.

Basically just the benefits of using tape are included here (i.e. none of the artifacts) making for one of the best tape sim plugs around bar none, absolutely stunning tape style compression can be had up to full limiting clean enough for sub mixes or at the mastering end with enough tape characteristics to make all the difference.

If that ain't enough the saturation part of the plug is equally as good with two types saturation available ('Classic' for backward compatibility with the 1.02 version of the plug and 'Modern' Bootsy newer harmonic saturation algorithm) the range goes from extremely subtle to subtle as this is by no means a nastiness inducing plug.

You can overdrive it if you wish though by means of the input level and trim controls conversely you'll get a really good emulation of a low level tape recording by going the other way.

I like this one you can tell, get it here.

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/

Bump

 
Bump

 

Things that go bump in the night (again).

bump

bump.
 
Thanks SteveStrummerUK

ok guys I just registered to show appreciation for this. I just downloaded the FerrictDS and man.....what a difference I wish I had it for my 2 previous albums,it soudns so warm and vintage.I cant wait to play with all the others EQ etc I feel like a kid @Christmas morning lol
Cant wait to remaster my previous tracks and the onces coming!

Thanks so much Steve and Legion!!! And, all the incredibly helpful regulars. Man, what a collection. I mean forum members. Thanks too, Fede4real, if you hadn't of replied i'd never have gone looking for this post!

jamesday


Thanks so much Steve and Legion!!! And, all the incredibly helpful regulars. Man, what a collection. I mean forum members. Thanks too, Fede4real, if you hadn't of replied i'd never have gone looking for this post!

U're wellcome!. I came across this via google search "free mastering vst" and I was like WTF??????? I didnt know there was this kind of tape simulators for free.Now I see I will have to bring down all my stuff in my website and reupload with this full vintage sound.I do jazz soul stuff so getting rid of that digital sound is a MUST.

Hello everybody. Im looking to start producing hiphop beats. I got the beats the sounds and ideas but I would like to get that almost radio ready sound when mastering. Im looking for commercial hiphop  dance sound industry standard of today not oldschool underground.
If anybody can tell me wich of these plugins you use for hiphop and/or some presets would be cool. Im not producing vocals just the instrumental. Thanks!