Mastering

NightShine

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

NightShine is based on Alesis 3630 peak compressor specs:

Single band.

Threshold: -40.0 dB to 0.0dB.

Ratio: 1.0:1 to 20.0:1.

Attack: 0.1 ms to 200 ms.

Release: 50 ms to 3 seconds.

Output: -20 dB to 20 dB (Makeup).

Threshold range: -inf dB. to 0.0dB, exponential curve.

Gain depth: 0% to 100%.

Switches: Auto Makeup, Softclip and Limiter.

Monitor: Input, Gain, Output and Display (+Additional gain scale depth control).

https://www.discodsp.com/

Neutrino

Neutrino is a free eq and dynamic VST, VST3, Audio Unit, RTAS, AAX plugin developed by iZotope. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Neutrino is a free spectral shaping plug-in for Mac OS X and Windows.

Neutrino can be used to to reveal subtle amounts of detail that can elevate great mixes to a new level of refinement, say iZotope. The user can add balance and focus to their mixes by applying it to every track or the major mix buses (just like analog summing or console emulations).

Neutrino includes 4 modes, tailored to specific instrument types:

Voice: Adds clarity and detail to help vocals sit on top of the mix.

Instrument: Preserves the authentic character of the instrument.

Bass: Adds punch and weight to electric, acoustic, and synth basses.

Drums: Emphasizes transient detail to avoid “muddy” mixes.

{See video at top of page}

YouTube.com/watch?v=MQp9AXuxuJw

http://www.izotope.com/

NastyVCS

NastyVCS is a free compressor VST plugin developed by Variety Of Sound. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

NastyVCS is described as a virtual console strip which finally brings the “nasty” signal coloration series to the next level.

Built around an entirely new opto-electric style compression unit, NastyVCS offers everything you need to shape your channels dynamics and tone. It offers a dedicated input stage featuring crunchy pre-amp saturation and a brickwall safety limiter in the output stage. Everything is set up to work in zero latency and so be available for hassle free tracking and mixing.

Two dedicated filters can be used in either the audio path or in the compressor’s sidechain which can be external as well. Whether pre or post compression, the equalizer section offers four interacting coloring tools with well-selected musical sounding curves. The concept gets rounded off by a phase alignment tool which can be used for coloring purposes as well.

https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

MultiInspectorFree

MultiInspectorFree is a free spectrum analyzer VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by VertexDSP. Compatible OS(s): Windows, macOS.

MultiInspectorFree is a 31 band spectral analyzer designed to be used in a multitrack environment and provides an easy way for simultaneous spectral analysis of several audio signals.

The first instance of MultiInspectorFree behaves like a standard 31 band spectral analyzer. Additional instances automatically send their spectral analysis result to all other instances of MultiInspectorFree. Every editor window of MultiInspectorFree shows the same content. Therefore, after opening all necessary plug-in instances it is sufficient to leave just one editor window open. The width and the color of the level bars are adjusted according to the current number of instances.

MultiInspectorFree incorporates a standard third octave frequency analyzer. The centre frequencies of the bands are based on the ISO 266:1997 standard (20 Hz to 20 kHz). Pink noise will appear flat in the frequency spectrum.

MultiInspectorFree supports up to 4 instances at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz.

http://www.vertexdsp.com/

MultiFreek Junior

MultiFreek Junior is a free spectrum analyzer VST plugin developed by UFO Scientific. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

MultiFreek Junior is a freeware multi-channel spectral analyzer.

Main features:

Up to 7 different tracks.

Distinct name and color for each graph.

Two different processing modes – efficient and precise.

http://www.ufo-scientific.com/

Multiband

Multiband is a free compressor VST plugin developed by mda. Compatible OS(s): Windows, macOS.

Multi-band compressor with Mid/Side processing modes.

http://www.mda-vst.com/

MSI Stereo Buss Compressor

MSI Stereo Buss Compressor is a free compressor VST plugin developed by Studio Toolz. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

This plugin is perfect for those producers looking to add the finishing touches to their latest masterpiece. Modelled on legendary buss compressors from classic analogue consoles the MSI Stereo Buss Compressor could be just what you need. Analogue Buss Compressors are the secret behind many classic releases. Often very simple units a buss compressors job is to ‘glue’ all the elements of a track together and make mixes sound bigger with more punch and character without loosing clarity.

Features:

Analogue Modelled Buss Compressor.

The MSI Stereo Buss Compressor can be used on the Master Buss and also on sub-groups (Drum Groups etc).

Great visual feedback.

Great sound.

Presets.

Professional GUI Design.

Very low CPU usage.

Hints and Tips:

Try placing the MSI Stereo Buss Compressor over the main output early on in the mixing process using around 1-3dB of gain reduction.

Buss compressors are often used on signal that display a variation of frequencies and transients such as drum kits and backing vocals.

Try grouping all elements of you drums together into one group. Add the MSI Stereo Buss Compressor onto this group.

Holding down the ‘Shift’ key whilst operating a parameter allows fine adjustments to be made. Holding down ‘CTRL’ and clicking on a parameter reverts it to its default position. (These two operations work on all MSI plugins).

http://www.studio-toolz.com

MSaturator

MSaturator is a free compressor VST, VST3, Audio Unit, AAX plugin developed by MeldaProduction. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

MSaturator performs smooth saturation in a definitive tube-like way improving the clarity of the resulting sound. Its excellent sound quality makes it flexible enough to double as a distortion module for guitars and other instruments.

Features:

Actual source level indication inside the shape graph.

7 smooth limiting modes.

Fully automatable.

Global preset management – using a title button you can save your settings, which are shared on the computer, so you can easily access them in another songs.

http://www.meldaproduction.com/

MQ57

MQ57 is a free equalizer VST plugin developed by J1000. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

MQ57 is parametric equalizer designed for mastering. It is powerful, but quite easy to use after you understand what each knob and button does, so learning curve should be very mild for everyone who grasps basic principles of equalization. The main difference from other EQs is that MQ57 has all controls and functions optimized for mastering needs – it has relatively wide Q factors that focus on overall balance rather than narrow cuts and boosts, moderate gain ranges for fine-tuning and low and high-cut filters that tame spectrum extremes. There is no hidden processing going on beyond what you dial in – what you set is what you get:

7 fully parametric minimum-phase filters per channel: 5 of them are peak, 2 are shelf.

2 additional cut filters per channel with two selectable slopes.

Separated or linked Mid/Side operation for each filter.

Functions and ranges optimized for subtle mastering equalization tasks.

Band-pass frequency monitoring for 5 peak filters.

32-bit internal precision with zero latency and reasonable CPU consumption.

No introduced harmonic or dynamic distortion.

http://www.jovaniljadica.com/j1000

Molot

Molot is a free compressor VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by vladg/sound. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Molot is a compressor plug-in with a GUI inspired by an old Soviet military device.

Features:

Very characterful sound.

Sigma and alpha attack modes.

33609-like sound in sigma mode.

Dual mono, linked stereo, M, S and M/S modes.

Up to 8x oversampling.

Mid-scoop EQ for simple tonal balance fix.

Built-in limiter for peaks suppressing.

Almost zero latency (2 samples).

Switchable GUI language EN/RU.

External sidechaining (inputs 3/4).

https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/