Few effects define a musical era in quite the same way that digital 1980s reverb does. Although we’ve seen so many advancements in audio since then, those classic ’80s reverb sounds are still popular and sought after today.

There are numerous factors that led to this – and few of them are completely rational – so together we’ll look at digital reverb and how to go about using it in your production.

We know it’s not purely due to the sound because we don’t use the same techniques as we did when digital reverb was first introduced. It must be a combination of factors, including the interface design and the nostalgic sentiment of using retro-styled creative tools.

The story of digital reverb

It begins in 1976 with the EMT 250. Digital reverb provided a controlled environmental ambience with a low noise floor, which was revolutionary in the recording process. Until that time, the use of plates, springs, and re-amping had been some of the methods commonly used to add spatial characteristics to a sound.

Studios also evolved drastically due to the introduction of the SSL 4000 E series(and later G series) consoles. This provided unprecedented routing flexibility and when combined with the newly available tools of the time like analogue synthesizers and digital samplers, we got the magical explosion in the record industry that was the 1980s.

Digital reverb units like the AMS RMX16, Lexicon 224X, Yamaha REV-7, and the Sony DRE-2000 became icons of this era. They were used on so many of our favourite records and engineering superstars like Chris Lorde-Alge still use vintage reverb units or their software equivalents in every mix.

Using 1980s reverb in your studio

Like many effects we use for tonal quality, reverbs are available in several formats. The set-and-forget approach we take with leveling amplifiers is often used with reverbs too. This is due to the rather involved technical process that comes with designing your own reverb patches.

Good reverb units were never cheap, but you can get great-sounding reverb without the risk of buying a temperamental and astronomically priced vintage reverb. There are factors to consider like the advantages of software vs hardware, so we’ll check out some options and find something suitable for your setup.

Reverb software plug-ins

Having multiple instances of quality reverb plug-ins available in a single click is an incredibly powerful creative tool. Software provides instant gratification without patch cables, which makes it extremely convenient.

Remember though, that some vintage reverb units were one-trick ponies in the studio. So, unless you’re after the sound of a specific make or model, ensure you select something that has some versatility.

UAD AMS RMX16 Expanded

Developed in collaboration with AMS founder, Mark Crabtree, the AMS RMX16 Expanded plug-in is an authentic emulation of one of the most famous reverb units of all time. The no-nonsense UI gives you the classic controls without menu diving, which makes it a pleasure to use.

Like most UAD plug-ins, it sounds great, but it also has all the original patches so you get a realistic feel of using the RMX16 reverb in all its glory. All the famous algorithms are included, like the ambience and non-linear reverb settings, and it’s now available natively for any DAW.

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Universal Audio Custom Bundle – Pick Any 3 Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 217.00 € at

Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics

Verbsuite Classics puts all the famous reverbs in one easy-to-use plug-in. The controls are simple but effective, and the EQ and chorus allow you to shape the sound according to your desired application easily.

What it lacks in looks and features, it makes up for with its sound. Even if you never deviate from the patches, Verbsuite gives you a wide range of reverbs to choose from.

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Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics Download

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(12)

Available for 149.00 € at

Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle

The Lexicon PCM Native Reverb plug-ins have become an industry standard over the years. The bundle gives you seven different reverbs, each with its own patch library. The controls are reminiscent of the PCM96, providing detailed controls and visual EQ.

If you’re a lover of the Lexicon sound, this is an easy choice. Although it’s a considerable investment, it does offer a huge amount of flexibility and control beyond simply being a quality reverb.

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Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle Download

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(23)

Available for 269.00 € at

Audio Ease Altiverb 8

Quite simply, Altiverb 8 is the Omnisphere of reverb plug-ins and one of the most powerful reverbs available in hardware or software. If you work as an engineer or sound designer in games, TV, film, or music – you’ve probably used it before.

Among its amazing spaces and IR designing capabilities, Altiverb also offers astonishingly realistic vintage reverbs from AMS, Lexicon, Yamaha, and many others. It is pricey, but at least you won’t be needing another reverb any time soon.

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Reverb Effects Pedals

Not all reverb pedals are exclusively designed for guitars. Some offer line-level I/O to suit other instruments like synths and drum machines. This is great for using them on aux sends from your mixer, just like you would with outboard rack gear.

Apart from that, they offer great sounding effects and some even allow you to stack multiple reverb patches and create more complex layered sounds. The creative immediacy of working with a live tweakable instrument also has its own appeal.

Meris Mercury 7 and MercuryX

Inspired by Vangelis’ shimmering, modulated Lexicon 224 reverb sounds from the Bladerunner soundtrack, the Mercury 7 is a pedal version of its 500 series counterpart. The Meris 24-Bit AD/DA with 32-bit floating point DSP engine combined with true analogue signal path means you get studio-quality sound.

In addition, the Mercury 7 offers two different reverb algorithms (Ultraplate/Cathedra) and extensive tone-shaping capabilities. Apart from the EQ, the pitch vector allows you to accurately shift the wet signal for whichever instrument you’re using.

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Meris Mercury 7 Reverb Pedal

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(30)

Available for 349.00 € at

Meris Mercury X Reverb Pedal

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(4)

Available for 699.00 € at

Eventide Space

The Eventide Space pedal gives you 12 signature reverb combo algorithms and 10 knobs to design the sound to your liking. Furthermore, you get 100 patches designed by top engineers and producers like Richard Devine, Alan Moulder, and Flood.

The Space is well built with a metal chassis, so it’s rugged enough for the road. Also, it has great features like MIDI sync via DIN or USB to combine it with other hardware in your setup or even your DAW.

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Eventide Space

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(103)

Available for 457.00 € at

Empress Effects Reverb

Empress Effects are known for creating some of the most innovative designs when it comes to pedals and the Empress Reverb is no exception. Not only is this an amazing-sounding reverb, but it’s also a very versatile creative tool with 32 reverb algorithms and the ability to further update the firmware via SD card.

Overall, it’s a great combination of good build quality and simple effective design. You will, however, need a re-amping device for it to function optimally as a line-level outboard processor.

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Empress Effects Reverb

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(60)

Available for 549.00 € at

500 Series reverbs

500 Series effects give you much of the same quality as 19″ rack gear, but the more compact format provides certain benefits. In studio, these are great units if you don’t have much space and they offer excellent portability for live use.

All it takes is the right 500 series chassis and you can put your own rig together. Be aware of the space requirements before you look at purchasing these units, as some are larger than others.

Meris Mercury 7 500

The Mercury 7 500 has all the same features as the pedal version save for the swell and bypass switches. The fundamental difference is that the 500 series version is a single-space mono unit with more expandability.

It is both stereo and surround linkable, which makes it extremely formidable considering the cost of high-end studio reverbs. Overall, the approach of the Mercury 7 500 is refreshing, as it encourages real-time sound-shaping rather than sticking to one patch.

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Meris 500 Series Mercury 7 Reverb

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(1)

Available for 549.00 € at

AMS Neve RMX16 500

The RMX16 500 is AMS Neve’s rather recent reissue of the 1981 classic reverb. It takes up three spaces in your 500 series rack and has a very straightforward interface, making it a breeze to build and save patches.

Best of all though, it’s almost impossible to distinguish from the sound of the vintage RMX16. The character is captured in every way, with the I/O stages perfectly modeled and all the original patches maintained.

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AMS RMX16

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(2)

Available for 1,369.00 € at

Rackmount reverbs

This is where we get into the higher-end side of reverbs available. You certainly don’t need to spend $2000 simply to create a decent 80s reverb sound. However, it will get you a top-of-the-line reverb capable of creating reverbs for any application.

The great thing about high-end hardware reverbs is that they don’t seem to date, lose much resale value, or go out of style. Once you have one of these in your rack, you are far less likely to keep buying every newly released product as you would with software.

Lexicon PCM92

Lexicon’s PCM92 has all the features you’d expect from a professional stereo reverb. This includes 28 new and classic reverb, delay, and modulation effects and a library of over 700 presets to choose from.

The PCM92 supports up to 96kHz sample rate with its 32-bit floating point system. In addition, It’s equipped with pro-industry connectivity formats such as AES/EBU, word clock, and ethernet. This makes it easy to slot into just about any studio or live setup.

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Lexicon PCM96 Surround D No customer rating available yet

Available for 4,990.00 € at

Bricasti M7

Bricasti was founded by DSP engineer, Casey Dowdell, and Brian Zolner – who has 20 years of experience working with Lexicon. The Bricasti M7 was launched in 2007 and fast established itself as the industry standard professional reverb unit worldwide.

With the ability to produce huge reverbs, transparent chambers, and anything in between, M7 owners are unlikely to ever need another digital reverb. The M7 gives you 100 presets with 12 tweakable parameters and all the pristine DSP you’d expect for the price.

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Bricasti Design M7

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(17)

Available for 4,979.00 € at

Quantec Yardstick 2496 S

The German answer to AMS and Lexicon, the Yardstick 2496 S is based on the classic Quantec QRS digital reverb from 1982. It’s just astonishing how transparent an early 1980s reverb algorithm still sounds today when compared to other professional reverbs.

The Yardstick comes with a web app that gives you comprehensive control over its wide range of parameters and the ability to easily match the reverb to the dimensions of the original recording space.

• More about Quantec

More about 1980s reverb and vintage effects:

• All about reverb
• Everything vintage
• Dub delay plug-ins

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The post Why do we still use 1980s reverb? appeared first on gearnews.com.

For a limited time, you can grab Native Instruments Kontakt 7 for half the regular price! A huge selection of libraries for the flagship sample player is also on sale. Other awesome software deals are coming from IK Multimedia, Universal Audio, and Baby Audio this week.

50% off Native Instruments Kontakt 7

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 is without a doubt one of the most powerful sample-based software instruments on the market today. The sample player not only comes loaded with more than 900 high-quality factory sounds. It also gives you access to a huge selection of add-on libraries from renowned developers. Anyone who’s serious about producing music needs NI Kontakt 7 – so grab it for half the price while this offer lasts!

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 is on sale at Thomann* until March 5 for just $134 – that’s 50% off* the regular price! And if you own an older version of Kontakt, the upgrade to version 7 is also on sale!

Native Instruments Kontakt 7

Available for $134 at

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 Upgrade Kontakt 1-6

Available for $44 at

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Huge Discounts on Kontakt Libraries

Now that you’ve got Kontakt, how about some nice libraries to go along with it? Plugin Boutique is currently offering huge discounts on sampled instruments from many renowned developers including Native Instruments, Big Fish Audio, Cinesamples, Vir2, AVA Music Group, and more. Save up to 92% on these high-quality Kontakt libraries! But hurry up, some of these deals expire today!

• Up to 86% off* Native Instruments virtual instruments (until March 3)
• Up to 50% off* Cinesamples sample libraries (until February 20)
• 91% off* Rigid Audio Everything Bundle (until February 29)
• Up to 28% off* Vir2 instruments (until February 21)
• Up to 25% off* Big Fish Audio libraries (until February 21)
• 25% off* Soundiron Granada 49 (until February 25)
• Up to 62% off AVA Music Group Kontakt instruments (until February 20)
• Up to 90% off* the Karanyi Sounds Kontakt Collection Bundle (until February 29)
• 50% off* Audiority Octamorph FE (until February 29)
• Up to 90% off* Muze (until February 29)
• Up to 92% off Strix Instruments (until February 29)

60% off IK Multimedia Amplitube Collections

What Kontakt is to sample libraries, IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 is to guitar amp and effect simulations! For a limited time, you can stock up on AmpliTube Collections for less than half the regular price. Choose from officially licensed manufacturer collections from Orange, MESA/Boogie, or Fender, or get the authentic sounds of your favorite artists with the AmpliTube signature collections from Slash, Brian May, Joe Satriani, and many more. The collections run in all versions of AmpliTube 5, including the free AmpliTube 5 CS.

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Collections are 60% off* at Thomann until February 29. Check out the full list here!

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Slash

Available for $40 at

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50% off Universal Audio UAD Bundles

The Universal Audio UAD Native Bundles are the perfect gateway to the world of UAD plugins. Originally exclusive to UA’s DSP hardware such as the Apollo series audio interfaces, these high-quality plugins now run natively on Mac and Windows computers. The UAD Essentials Edition gets you 11 essential plugins, including the LA-2A Leveler Collection, Pulteq EQ Collection, and Oxide Tape Recorder. The PolyMAX synth is also included. Or step it up a notch with the UAD Signature Edition, which includes no less than 44 Universal Audio plugins for an amazing price.

The Universal Audio UAD Essentials Edition Native and Signature Edition Native are both 50% off* at Thomann until February 29.

Universal Audio UAD Essentials Edition Native

Available for $146 at

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40% off Baby Audio Atoms

The brand-new Baby Audio Atoms is still available for the low introductory price! This unique software synth uses a physical model of a mass/spring interaction network to create a huge spectrum of extraordinary sounds. Sounds complicated? Thanks to Atoms’ simple user interface with just six parameters, you’ll be designing unique sounds in no time. If you like to venture off the beaten path when it comes to sound design, don’t miss this fabulous new synth.

Baby Audio Atoms is on sale at Thomann until March 31 for $53 – 40% off* the regular price!

Baby Audio Atoms

Available for $53 at

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The post Software Deals: Big Discounts on NI Kontakt 7, IK Multimedia, UAD & more! appeared first on gearnews.com.

The Softube Widener and Clipper are two versatile audio plug-ins for mixing and mastering that form a new software bundle for your DAW.

Softube continues to offer high-quality software-based solutions for music production, mixing, and mastering with plug-ins based on classic gear, as well as new innovative processors for various audio applications.

Softube Widener and Clipper

The Widener and Clipper plug-ins are both designed to perform specific functions within your mixing or mastering workflow. Let’s take a closer look at each one and see where you might use them.

Widener

The new Softube Widener plug-in is a simple but effective stereo image processor that allows you to work with individual tracks, buses, or your entire mix.

With a range of metering options including a goniometer and correlation meter, you can easily keep an eye on the processing taking place. What’s more, there are five algorithms including Classic, Freq Spread, Rotation, Ambience, and Reflections.

• Official Product Page

Each algorithm presents a different processing application for mono and stereo signal and you can control the amount for accurate results. What’s more, the Widener plug-in is compatible with all Console 1 models, so it fits right into the workflow of current users.

Clipper

The Clipper has a similar look, with extensive metering and a useful waveform overview. This easy-to-use processor reduces the risk of audio artifacts and offers two gain stages so you can do a certain degree of tonal shaping.

With the visual interface and the analytical overview, the Clipper is a useful tool for processing individual tracks within your mix. In addition, you can use it to master music for different platforms or in video post-production workflows.

• Official Product Page

Pricing and availability:

The Widener and Clipper will be available from your favourite retailer, at an introductory offer of $79 for both plug-ins. The offer runs until March 20, so be sure to grab it before time runs out.

Softube Widener & Clipper Bundle

Available for $79,00 at

More about the Softube Widener and Clipper:

• Shop Softube on Plugin Boutique
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The post The new Softube Widener and Clipper: 2 Essential Plugins at One Price appeared first on gearnews.com.

SSL Native FlexVerb plug-in is now and only today available for $18 (down from $279)! Here’s the deal!

Solid State Logic Native FlexVerb deal at Plugin Boutique

SSL remains among the recording industry greats to this day, embodying both quality and innovation for 5 decades (and counting). This goes for both the hardware and software realms of pro audio. Native FlexVerb is an example of SSL’s excellence with the latter. It’s a comprehensive reverb plug-in with Room, Hall, Plate, and Chamber simulations. At this price, it’s worth adding to any plug-in collection.

The SSL Native FlexVerb plug-in generates room, hall, plate, and chamber reverbs with plenty of sound shaping options. In addition to the typical parameters, which we’ll talk about in a second, they include a 6-band EQ and compressor.

The available reverb and effects controls are input and output volume, early reflections, pre-delay, diffusion, size, reverb time, and modulation (rate, depth). A visual analyzer represents the generated reverb graphically.

SSL Native FlexVerb – Price and availability

You can have Solid State Logic Native FlexVerb here at Thomann for the party price of $18 (down from a decidedly non-party $279). The offer is valid only today (February 20, 2024). The plug-in works under macOS 10.12+ and Windows 7+ in AU, AAX, VST, and VST3 64-bit formats.

You need a free iLok account (or a paid USB dongle) for authorization. An unrestricted demo version and a PDF user manual are also available for download from the developer’s website.

SSL Native FlexVerb

Available for $18 at

More information about Solid State Logic and the plug-in

• Deal at Thomann
• SSL Native FlexVerb at the Solid State Logic website
• More SSL news

SSL Native FlexVerb Video

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The post Deal: Get SSL Native FlexVerb for $18 – last chance! appeared first on gearnews.com.

If you’re recording vocals or any other acoustic instruments that go out of tune quickly, you’ll run into Melodyne sooner or later. The plug-in is almost unrivaled in terms of pitch correction quality. But what if you’re on a tight budget or you don’t like the workflow of the ARA plugin? Take a look at the best Melodyne alternatives.

What is Melodyne?

When Celemony CEO Peter Neubäcker presented DNA – Direct Note Access – at the 2008 Musikmesse in Frankfurt, visitors and engineers were blown away. This technology was introduced as a new feature of Melodyne, and it made it possible to change polyphonic audio recordings. With DNA, you can change an audio recording of a major chord on the guitar to a minor chord, or even transpose entire songs.

The plug-in is also central to the workflow of most vocal producers; this type of editing is known as “Graphical Mode,” as each analyzed note can be moved, stretched, and selected separately in the Melodyne editor. Melodyne has set the bar regarding audio quality and in-depth editing options for adjusting individual notes in audio recordings. And few other plug-ins have even come close.

In addition to vocal recordings, Melodyne is frequently used to correct recordings of acoustic instruments. If a piano is slightly out of tune or a string on a guitar is not quite there, Melodyne allows you to make barely audible adjustments. So, when you’re looking for the best Melodyne alternatives, these features are a must!

What do the best Melodyne alternatives need to bring to the table?

Correcting individual notes in a recording with a high quality that you can barely hear it working its magic is the basis for Melodyne’s success. The plug-in can also be used in ARA format in DAWs that support it. This means that you don’t always have to play back the track’s contents on which you load Melodyne to edit them in Melodyne.

As mentioned, the plug-in also offers the option (with the most extensive version, Melodyne 5 Studio*) of correcting notes in polyphonic audio material. The notes the plug-in recognizes can also be exported to your DAW as a MIDI clip. Since version 4, it has also been possible to edit notes from several instances of Melodyne in one. New features in the latest update, Melodyne 5, include editing sibilants separately for de-essing.

Celemony Melodyne 5 essential Download

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(46)

Available for 95.00 € at

Celemony Melodyne 5 editor Download

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(8)

Available for 389.00 € at

Celemony Melodyne 5 studio Download

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(6)

Available for 669.00 € at

• The latest news about Celemony
• Product website

Synchro Arts Revoice 5 – Most versatile of the best Melodyne alternatives

Freshly released with new features and improved pitch correction quality, Revoice 5 from Synchro Arts* is one of the most versatile Melodyne alternatives. It also includes ARA support, extensive options for correcting each note, and more.

Revoice offers several options for automatically adjusting vocal stacks for duets and creating natural-sounding harmonies with a vocal track. Compared to the biggest version of Melodyne, what is missing is the option to fix polyphonic audio material.

If you want something simpler, there are two versions of RePitch from the same manufacturer, RePitch Elements* and RePitch Standard*. These lack the option of aligning recordings of multiple vocals, and some of the correction tools are not quite as detailed.

Synchro Arts RePitch Elements Download

Customer rating:

(1)

Available for 44.00 € at

Synchro Arts RePitch Standard Download

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 89.00 € at

Synchro Arts Revoice Pro Download

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(11)

Available for 499.00 € at

• The latest news about Synchro Arts
• Product website

Antares Auto-Tune Pro – Graphic Editor and ARA

This list of the best Melodyne alternatives is explicitly NOT about real-time correction à la Auto-Tune, which can be heard in almost every Pop song these days. Nevertheless, the original Auto-Tune plug-in manufacturer also offers one of the best Melodyne alternatives with the most extensive version, Auto-Tune Pro*.

As with Melodyne 5, Auto-Tune Pro X allows you to compare the recordings of several tracks using the multi-view function. You can also change and correct each note of the recording in detail in the graphic editor. And, of course, the legendary real-time tuning effect is also included, whether as a creative tool or gently for live performances.

Antares Auto-Tune Pro X Download

Customer rating:

(3)

Available for 459.00 € at

• More on Antares
• Product website

Waves Tune and Plugin Alliance Bx_Crispytuner: The cheaper VSTs of our best Melodyne alternatives

Waves Tune* and Plugin Alliance Bx_Crispytuner are not nearly as powerful as Melodyne. But both are more than sufficient for straightening out out-of-tune notes of vocal recordings or gently adjusting a guitar melody. And the manufacturers of both plug-ins have sales so often that you can buy them for a very reasonable price.

Like Melodyne, Waves Tune (unlike Waves Tune Real-Time) is designed to correct individual notes of a vocal recording in a graphical editor. You can do this manually and move individual notes to the correct pitch using the mouse. Or you can set a key and let the plugin move the wrong notes to the right place automatically.

Bx_Crispy Tuner from Plugin Alliance / BrainWorx / Native Instruments includes pitch correction in the graphical mode and in real-time, key recognition, and additional tools for editing formants, vibrato, and the timing of vocal recordings. So, you’ve got quite a few features to fix your vocals!

Brainworx bx_crispytuner

Available for €448.24 at

• Get all the news about Waves Audio
• The latest news on Plugin Alliance

Free Melodyne alternatives: Samplab and in your DAW!

If you’re looking for a way to recognize the chords in an audio recording, which Melodyne does as well, then there is the free alternative, Samplab. There is also a paid version of the VST. With this version, you can change the chords of a recording, almost like in Melodyne Studio. They have also included an AI audio generator to create free text input samples.

Many of you will have read this so far and, at some point, thought: “My DAW can do that!” Reaper (ReaTune), Logic Pro (Flex Pitch), Cubase Pro (Vari-Audio), FL Studio Signature Edition (Netwone), and Reason (Pitch Edit) each come with their own, perhaps not quite as robust “Graphic Mode” vocal tuning plug-in which might be enough for what you need. Users of Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio still have to resort to third-party plug-ins and check out this list of the best Melodyne alternatives.

Image-Line FL Studio Signature Bundle Download

Customer rating:

(105)

Available for 339.00 € at

Steinberg Cubase Pro 13 Download

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 569.00 € at

• News on Samplab
• More on Image-Line
• The latest from Steinberg

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The post Best Melodyne Alternatives: Cheaper and free VSTs for Vocal Tuning! appeared first on gearnews.com.

We look into the creative process of world-renowned and critically acclaimed drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer Phil Collins.

After developing a reputation as a session drummer and a key member of the English progressive rock band, Genesis, Phil Collins began his career as a solo artist.

The Phil Collins Sound

He may have been unaware, but looking back, the timing of this foray was ideal. The period in the late 1970s and early 1980s was completely revolutionary for the recording industry, with so many new creative musical tools introduced onto the market.

Another interesting aspect of Phil Collins’ approach to music production is that he never intended to write hits initially. Rather than fame or commercial success, he simply saw his solo project as an artistic outlet that offered him the freedom of expression he wanted.

Roland CompuRhythm CR-78

Introduced by Roland in 1978, the CompuRhythm CR-78 was the first-ever microprocessor-controlled drum machine. Although limited, it has the ability to select and vary 34 different rhythm patterns.

With its intuitive interface, the CR-78 became an absolutely integral part of Phil’s songwriting process. He would start by selecting the rhythm part with the right “atmosphere” as he put it, and setting the tempo to match the feel he had in mind.

With the tape machine running, the CR-78 was always positioned just next to Phil’s drum kit. This way, he could play drums and sing over the unrelenting loops created by the CR-78, building ideas and arrangement concepts as he went.

If you’re looking for the classic CompuRhythm sound with all its familiar drum patterns, the Cherry Audio CR-78 plug-in provides an easy way to recreate it in your DAW.

• The History Of Roland

Cherry Audio CR-78 Drum Machine Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 49.00 € at

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

When Phil went solo in the late 1970s, there wasn’t a massive range of polyphonic synths available like we have today. That being said, many of us would likely still prefer a Prophet-5 over many modern options.

The illustrious Prophet 5 was still quite new on the market when Phil began work on his debut album. With its simple controls and 5-voice architecture, you can generate anything from innocuous to outrageous sounds.

The beauty of the Prophet is that it’s easy to program, and like the Oberheim OB-8 he also acquired later, it always managed to sound interesting, whether it was placed in the background or the foreground of the mix.

You can hear the famous Prophet-5 chord sequence in the intro of In The Air Tonight, where it becomes the foundation of the song, along with the CR-78. The Sequential Prophet-5 is still in production as a reissue that can mimic the original’s various revisions.

• The History Of Sequential

Sequential Prophet 5

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(14)

Available for 3,799.00 € at

Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus

The VP-330 Vocoder Plus is another exciting instrument used by Phil Collins on his debut solo recordings, notably on In The Air Tonight. This sought-after instrument combines a paraphonic 10-band vocoder and a string synthesizer.

With the VP-330, you don’t actually have access to control each individual band. However, the presets sound great, and when combined with the BBD Ensemble effect, you can produce a hauntingly beautiful sound.

The fact that the VP-330 is relatively easy to use would have suited Phil nicely when putting together his first record, Face Value. His improvisational song and lyric writing style relies on spontaneity, so highly technical interfaces can sometimes hinder this.

As a modern alternative, the Behringer VC340 gives you the same authentic sound with an almost identical interface. Its limitation could well be a catalyst for creativity when making any style of music.

• More about Behringer clones

Behringer Vocoder VC340

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(106)

Available for 498.00 € at

SSL Listen Mic Compressor

Like most of the creatively groundbreaking aspects of the early Phil Collins records, the ideas came together while simply “messing around”. Similarly, the famous Phil Collins gated drum sound has an origin story that is also unintentional.

In 1979, engineer Hugh Padgham was working on a Phil Collins drum session for Peter Gabriel’s third solo album at Townhouse Studio in London. By accident, the talkback mic was left active while Phil was playing, resulting in a thunderous effect.

As the talkback circuit in the SSL 4000 B console couldn’t be patched into the recording path, Padgham promptly rewired it, allowing his mistake with the Listen Mic Compressor to be used creatively.

What we hear on the subsequent Phil Collins drum recordings is a more evolved version of this, with the addition of the recording console’s noise gate implemented.

• More about Analogue Consoles

SSL LMC+ Download

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(2)

Available for 135.00 € at

AMS RMX16

The AMS RMX16 is a legendary digital reverb introduced in the early 1980s that Phil Collins was an early adopter of. It offered a selection of great-sounding reverbs and ambiences, with the now legendary non-linear algorithm that worked well on drums.

Once again, the interface is certainly Phil Collins friendly, offering easy operation and the ability to save your own presets. This allows the RMX16 to be used creatively rather than clinically, which suited Phil’s songwriting process.

At the time, there simply weren’t microprocessor-controlled reverb units like the RMX16 around that gave you both precision and flexibility. So it’s no surprise that it’s still a sought-after reverb in both plug-in and hardware format today.

In recent years, AMS Neve has created a 500-series reissue of the RMX16 with a similar interface and the same reverb algorithms, a great addition to any studio setup.

• More about 1980s Reverb

AMS RMX16

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 1,369.00 € at

Which of your favourite artists would you like to see in our Sound-alike series? Please let us know in the comments below!

More about Phil Collins:

• Official Artist Page
• More Sound-alikes

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post I Can Feel It: How To Sound Like Phil Collins appeared first on gearnews.com.

The t.akustik Hexagon series is a range of absorbers for the acoustic treatment of recording spaces, conference rooms, and podcast studios.

When you need to reduce the reflectivity in a room for better results when recording or mixing, these Hegaxon absorbers provide an easy and affordable way to do it.

t.akustik Hexagon

The stylish Hexagon absorbers come in 3-piece sets in 5 colours, allowing you to create your own designs that truly match the space. The construction consists of white melamine foam with the Sonus PG3 fabric covering available in grey, light grey, light blue, dark blue, and Bordeaux.

According to your needs, you can also choose between three different thickness levels: 25, 50, and 75 mm. This means you easily can treat rooms of different sizes and provide the best solution for your specific application.

Even if you’re using excellent broadcast mics on your podcast like the Shure SM7B, a nasty reflective room can still negatively affect the overall speech clarity and intelligibility.

This is why the Hexagon absorbers can become an essential part of your studio. Rather than spending time in post editing and trying to make vocals sound more lively, the absorbers will help you capture the source more effectively.

In addition, the Hexagon offers additional safety with a fire retardant rating of Euroclass B s-1,d-0 in accordance with the EN13501-1 testing standard.

Pricing and availability:

As we’ve mentioned before, the Hexagon absorbers are available from Thomann in 3-piece sets in three different models:

25mm Hexagon

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Grey 25 No customer rating available yet

Available for 25.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Grey 25 No customer rating available yet

Available for 25.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Blue 25 No customer rating available yet

Available for 25.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Dark Blue 25 No customer rating available yet

Available for 25.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Bordeaux 25 No customer rating available yet

Available for 25.00 € at

50mm Hexagon

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Grey 50 No customer rating available yet

Available for 29.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Grey 50 No customer rating available yet

Available for 29.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Blue 50 No customer rating available yet

Available for 29.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Dark Blue 50 No customer rating available yet

Available for 29.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Bordeaux 50 No customer rating available yet

Available for 29.00 € at

75mm Hexagon

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Grey 75 No customer rating available yet

Available for 33.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Grey 75 No customer rating available yet

Available for 33.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Light Blue 75 No customer rating available yet

Available for 33.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Dark Blue 75 No customer rating available yet

Available for 33.00 € at

t.akustik Hexagon Melamine Bordeaux 75 No customer rating available yet

Available for 33.00 € at

More about the t.akustik Hexagon:

• Shop t.akustik Absorbers on Thomann
• Official t.akustik Page
• More from t.akustik
• t.akustik on YouTube

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post Get the most out of your room with t.akustik Hexagon absorbers appeared first on gearnews.com.

Tonocracy by Atomic Amps is a fully featured guitar amp simulation and modeling plugin – and it’s now FREE! This week’s collection of the best free plugins also includes a unique low-pass filter by NUSofting and a simple but effective Tremolo effect by Outobugi. Enjoy!

Atomic Amps Tonocracy is now FREE!

Atomic Amps has announced that the Tonocracy amp and effects modeling plugin is now free! Tonocracy was originally released in 2023 and combines the developer’s SchemAccurate modeling tech with a ToneSnap feature for capturing your own gear snapshots and loading Neural Amp Modeler profiles. It also comes with a bunch of custom IRs by ML Sound Lab. Quite an amazing deal if you ask me!

At the core of Tonocracy is the SchemAccurate modeling technology, which combines component-level modeling with AI-based techniques to produce accurate recreations of classic amps. It comes loaded with a great selection of amps from classic Marshalls and Fenders to Vox, Mesa Boogie, EVH, and even Friedman and Dumble.

The built-in ToneSnap feature is based on the free Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) by Steve Atkinson. Using a simple, streamlined interface, you can easily capture snapshots of your own gear and store them as a playable preset. ToneSnap also gives you access to a growing library of snapshots created by the community.

With the added bonus of custom IRs by ML Sound Lab, Tonocracy looks like a fantastic package for a FREE plugin!

Tonocracy is available for macOS and Windows in VST3, AU, and AAX formats.

• Get Tonocracy here
• More from Atomic Amps

NUSofting Eugene Filter Free

Eugene Filter by NUSofting is a unique low-pass filter plugin based on a Cascaded Integral Comb (CIC) Ladder. The developer says that this circuit provides self-oscillating characteristics similar to typical synth VCFs, but with an airy character and a wider spectrum of resonances.

In addition to this, Eugene Filter also features a traditional 24 dB transistor ladder filter emulation. There’s even a built-in chorus effect for more sonic variety, as well as the option to adjust the dry/wet mix.

Eugene Filter comes in two versions. The paid version (€10) is the same as the free version but adds an envelope follower and a “Random Walk LFO” for modulation.

Eugene Filter is available for macOS and Windows in VST, VST3, and AU formats.

• Get Eugene Filter here
• More from NUSofting

Outobugi Wave: Free Tremolo Plugin

Outobugi Wave is a basic but effective tremolo plugin. It’s got a Time knob with the option to sync to your song tempo, and a large Amount knob for dialing in the desired intensity of the effect. Furthermore, Wave also offers Shape and Offset controls for shaping the modulation curve. There’s even a waveform display, so you can see what you’re doing.

Wave is a VST3 plugin for Windows.

• Get Wave here
• More from Outobugi

Looking for more free plugins like Tonocracy, Eugene Filter and Wave? Check out our archive!

More Videos about Tonocracy

The post Tonocracy, Eugene Filter, Wave: Free Plugins of the Week appeared first on gearnews.com.

In this week’s edition of Studio Deals, we’ve got a selection ranging from basic recording essentials to professional preamps and more.

Studio Deals

Whether you’re at the beginning of your recording journey or a seasoned audio campaigner, we’ve got an impressive selection of offers to take your studio to the next level.

SSL 2

The SSL 2 is a USB desktop audio interface with 24-bit 192 kHz AKM converters and a pair of microphone preamps with a vintage 4K function. What’s more, the inputs allow you to switch between line, Hi-Z, and instrument impedance settings.

On the top panel, you also have access to direct monitoring mix control and headphones level. Meanwhile, there is clearly visible metering on each channel and the oversized main monitor control gives the SSL 2 a great look and feel.

Overall, the SSL 2 gives you the essential tools to kick off with your recording project or podcast. In addition, you get the SSL Vocalstrip 2 and Drumstrip plug-ins included to help get you started.

• Get nearly 15% off the SSL 2 now at $156
• More from SSL

SSL 2

Available for $156 at

KRK GoAux 3

When you need a mobile recording studio, the KRK GoAux 3 gets you there fast. Each monitor is built with a 3-inch woofer (22W) and a 1-inch tweeter (8W), and the package ships with acoustic isolation stands and a handy carry bag.

On the rear panel, there are connectivity options including a stereo minijack input and RCA inputs. What’s more, you’ll find the function button for pairing your devices via Bluetooth 5.0.

Meanwhile, the volume control and headphones input on the front of the left speaker are conveniently placed, and there are also controls for making EQ optimization adjustments.

• Save over 20% on the KRK GoAux 3 now at $171
• More from KRK

KRK GoAux 3

Available for $171 at

Shure SM7B

Easily one of the most popular mics available today, the Shure SM7B is loved equally by creators, podcasters, and musicians. As a broadcast-quality dynamic mic, it offers excellent speech intelligibility and will also do well capturing guitar amps and brass instruments.

The SM7B is perfect for recording in unfavourable acoustic spaces, as its cardioid pickup pattern is highly localized with excellent off-axis cancelation. In addition, the mid-boost and low-end roll-off switches allow you to enhance the source somewhat.

One thing worth noting when recording with the SM7B is that it’s a low-output microphone and requires extra preamplification to perform at optimal.

• Get over 10% off the Shure SM7B now at $349
• More from Shure

Shure SM7B

Available for $349 at

AMS Neve 1073LB

The AMS Neve 1073LB brings the world’s most saught-after preamp into the 500-series format. Now, you can easily carry around the legendary 1073 in your lunchbox for use in studio or live sound situations.

Whether you need a warm vocal preamp or a high-quality DI input for guitar, this 1073LB provides a professional solution that allows you overload the input and fine tune the output for added character.

Of course it’s a considerable investment for a single preamp, which excludes the cost of a 500-series chassis. However, if you’re planning on entering the professional arena in recording or live sound, it’s a sure bet.

• Get 20% off the AMS Neve 1073LB now at $877
• More from AMS Neve

AMS Neve 1073LB

Available for $877 at

Drawmer 1974

The Drawmer 1974 is a 4-band stereo EQ with a vintage sound capable of treating vocals, drums, guitars, and your mixbus. For starters, the high and low pass filters allow you to isolate the frequency range.

From there, the variable low band has a peak function and multiple shelf slope settings while the two mid bands have variable Q, and the high-shelf has both 12 and 6 dB per octave slope settings.

All in all, this makes the 1974 a versatile processor in recording and mixing applications. Moreover, it’s suitable for use on individual tracks as well as channel groups.

• Save 25% on the Drawmer 1974 now at $899
• More from Drawmer

Drawmer 1974

Available for $899 at

More about Studio Deals:

• All about Studio Gear
• More Deals

*Note: percentage discounts may vary according to your region and currency conversion rates on the day of purchase. Displayed percentage discounts are guidelines only.

The post Studio Deals from AMS Neve, SSL, Shure, and KRK appeared first on gearnews.com.