Mastering

Brainworx bx_solo

Brainworx bx_solo is a free stereo imaging and signal monitoring VST, VST3, Audio Unit, RTAS, AAX plugin developed by Plugin Alliance. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

M & S solo knobs. free! Just grab it.

bx_solo is a nice little tool that we have designed to get you started with and used to the way we approach the M/S technique – be it for recording-, mixing- or mastering purposes.

Description

L (LEFT channel), R (RIGHT channel), M (MONO sum, mid signal) & S (STEREO-Difference, side signal) – and all this phase-corrected (when needed) and mono-ed out on both speakers of your system. This is very helpful when working in M/S modes (because especially listening to only the S-signal of a stereo mix is not so easy to do with modern DAW stations) and to check your signals / mixes for errors, noises, clicks, whatever…

bx_solo also contains a stepped M/S Stereo Width Control, so you can get an impression about what you can actually do with it. Do try it out on subgroups (makes rock guitar subgroups jump out of your speakers at about 150%!), FX returns, keyboards / samplers, etc.

Using the Stereo Width Control too heavily may lead to phase problems. bx_control & bx_digital both have the Mono Maker on board – this tool will be able to get rid off these phase problems with its unique way of mono-ing out your stereo signals / mixes only in the bass frequencies – Mono Maker is the solution – unless you really over-do the settings…

To be able to fine-adjust the Stereo Width Control (and use Mono Maker at the same time for best results!) please try bx_control.

Features:

Fully automatable.

“Mouse Over” feature: adjust the parameters by holding the mouse over any knob and simply turn your mouse wheel.

Direct access: just type in any valid number into the text fields for direct access to the exact value.

http://www.plugin-alliance.com/

bolsterisers

bolsterisers is a free compressor VST plugin developed by whiteLABEL. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

whiteLABEL’s collection of bolsterisers are described as “naive dynamics” plug-ins.

An Imaginary History

The bolsterisers hark from a time before compression as we now know it. A long-obscure English experimentalist engineer and gentleman scientist by the name of Edwin Pierfax III derived his naive design of the original bolsteriser during a nap on the lawn with his cat Tiswold. He is said to have announced one day during afternoon-tea that he had “found a method to aid in the bolsterising of signals to an extent most satisfactory”.

He set to work at once.

Fast-forward nearly ninety years and the bolsterisers are reborn in digital form. After various component-level tests, it was decided to power-up the devices and take some measurements with a view to recreating these fantasy beasts in software – and here they are in their equally naive digital implementations.

In their day, there was no working language of audio compression, so some of the terminology associated with the bolsterisers is a little out of keeping with the modern production lexicon. Today, the devices would be characterised roughly as follows:

Rev (A) – Softknee RMS Compressor

Rev (B) – Hardknee Peak Compressor

Rev (C) – Hardknee Booster

Rev (D) – Softknee Booster

Rev (E) – Side-channel Hybrid

http://dazdisley.co.uk/whiteLABEL/

Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst CM Edition

Blue Cats FreqAnalyst CM Edition is a free spectrum analyzer VST, Audio Unit, DirectX plugin developed by Computer Music. Compatible OS(s): Windows, macOS.

Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst CM Edition is a spectrum analysis plug-in, exclusively available for free on the cover-DVD with Computer Music Magazine (CM 130), which also includes a tutorial to get started with the plug-in.

Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst CM is a frequency analyser for Windows in VST and DX formats. It offers average, instant and peak modes, curve comparison functionality, and lots more. If you’re serious about perfecting your tracks, FreqAnalyst CM will give you invaluable insight into what’s really going on in your mixes.

http://www.computermusic.co.uk/

Blockfish

Blockfish is a free compressor VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by digitalfishphones. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Blockfish is a versatile compressor with countless ways to shape the incoming audio. Unlike many other digital compressors, Blockfish has ‘soul’. It likes to bite, but it can be tamed easily once you’ve learned how to use its potential.

You can remove the front plate and make further adjustments on the circuit board. Everything is possible: clean, transparent, loud, punchy, silky, subtle, fat. But still with a unique sonic character.

http://www.digitalfishphones.com/

Bitter Sweet V3

Bitter Sweet V3 is a free compressor VST, Audio Unit, AAX plugin developed by FLUX::. Compatible OS(s): Windows, macOS.

Bitter Sweet is a free dynamics processor to manage audio transients. Turning the central button on the sweet side, decreases the transients amplitude. On the bitter side, the transients amplitude is magnified. Bitter Sweet also features a control for the signal to be processed. When the main position is engaged, the process affects the stereo signal. If Center is engaged, only the M signal of the internal MS matrix is processed. If stereo is selected, only the S signal from the MS matrix is processed.

http://www.fluximmersive.com

Bitter

Bitter is a free bitscope VST, VST3, Audio Unit, RTAS, AAX plugin developed by schwa. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Bitter is a 64-bit bitscope and intersample clip indicator.

Bitter shows how many of the available bits are being used by the audio signal, reports clipping samples, and estimates when digital-to-analog conversion would cause inter-sample clips.

Typical uses for a bitscope include: verifying that a render dither is working properly; verifying that a particular plugin is not reducing the signal bit depth; testing for faulty audio source data.

http://www.stillwellaudio.com/

BeatCounter

BeatCounter is a free bpm counter VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by Teragon Audio. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

BeatCounter is a simple plugin designed to facilitate beat-matching software and turntables. It displays the current tempo in beats per minute (BPM), and an accumulated average over the last few seconds.

BeatCounter is the perfect tool for DJ’s that want to integrate computer effects with turntables or a live band.

http://www.teragonaudio.com

BattleComp Vintage

BattleComp Vintage is a free compressor VST plugin developed by RobotPlanet.dk. Compatible OS(s): Windows, macOS.

BattleComp Vintage is a punchy yet smooth compressor with an EQ and a high-pass filter on its internal sidechain and tube emulation + soft-clipping circuit in the output stage to keep peaks under control, all in one VST plug-in. The high-pass filter on the enveloper follower makes it easy to avoid pumping effects when there’s a lot of bass – something many compressors struggle with.

This compressor is suitable for both master signal compression and per-instrument compression.

http://www.robotplanet.dk/

AudioXplorer

AudioXplorer is a free spectrum analyzer and sonogram plugin developed by Arizona Software. Compatible OS(s): macOS.

AudioXplorer is a powerful sound analyzer application.

Features:

Real-time analysis: AudioXplorer provides real-time analysis window where user can visualize the sound, spectrum and sonogram. Several real-time windows can be opened simultaneously.

Static analysis: AudioXplorer provides static analysis window: user can record or generate any sound and performs operation on it. Sound from the real-time window can be dragged at any time to the static window for more analysis.

Easy-to-use: AudioXplorer is very easy to use with it Aqua interface (several windows can be opened at a time, drag-and-drop support, view appearance can be customized).

Plug-ins and Audio Units Effects: AudioXplorer supports its own Cocoa plug-ins architecture as well as Audio Units Effects plug-ins.

Record sound directly inside AudioXplorer from any source.

Generate sound (sinus, triangle, sawtooth, etc.).

Import any QuickTime compatible sound file (MP3, MP4, WAV, SND, etc.).

Export file in AIFF format.

Fullscreen option for static and real-time window for better presentation.

Static window can have several predefined page layout.

Unlimited number of views per static window.

Unlimited number of static windows.

Unlimited number of real-time windows.

Export view as TIFF, PDF, EPS or raw data.

Print view.

http://www.arizona-software.ch/

AudioChordAnalyzer

AudioChordAnalyzer is a free studio tools VST, VST3 plugin developed by Mirax Labs. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b.

AudioChordAnalyzer is a real time chord analyzer using audio as input.

http://miraxlabs.com/