Image Credit: Solid State Logic

SSL X-Gate features SSL’s renowned advanced workflow; suited to musicians, mix engineers and content creators.

SSL X-Gate features a rolling waveform graph for visual analysis. The inclusion of mid/side will allow for creative stereo field gating, in addition a fixed expander mode, and built-in ducking.

With its multitude of features, X-Gate is set to be a tool for creative sound design, in addition to audio restoration and mixing.

SSL X-Gate

The rolling waveform visualisation graph empowers you to set the right threshold for your audio. Furthermore, the threshold and range controls are visually aligned with the waveform graph and the gain reduction meter for “coordinated control”.

X-Gate makes use of a “traffic light system” that informs you of the momentary open, closed, and hold states of the gate.

Moreover, you can trigger the gate more creatively with MID/SIDE processing options and specify whether the plugin should gate the mono or stereo elements of your signal.

Fast, snappy and precise, X-Gate is guaranteed to be your new workhorse plug-in for shaping drums and other instruments, adding punch to your mixes, and transparently fixing ghost notes, noise or room bleed

Jonathan Sandman, Plug-ins Product Manager at SSL

Traditional attack, release and hold parameters give you control over the final shape of your output too. And you can use the expander mode and knee control to expand the dynamic range of your signal.

More advanced options include the lookahead feature which enables the plugin to anticipate fluctuations in your signal. Additionally, duck mode only attenuates the signal when it breaches your threshold.

Finally, you can audition the sidechain and gate functions for A/B testing.

Price and compatibility

You can get SSL X-Gate now in VST2, VST3, AAX and AU plugin formats. It’s available for just $89 until July 28^th, whereafter it’ll be $129. Apple M1 processor compatible is available too.

However, you can get X-Gate and a lot more from Solid State Logic in SSL’s Complete plugin subscription service for $14.99 a month.

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Image Credit: Big Fish Audio

“The next generation of body percussion” has arrived. SMACK 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the percussion plugin SMACK.

SMACK is a body percussion plugin where you can design your own percussion sounds with impressive precision. Now, SMACK 2 is here to add to the reputation of the original plugin with ever more epicness.

SMACK 2 Claps, Snaps & Stomps

SMACK 2: Claps, Snaps & Stomps is a sample set of body percussion sounds that offers an unrivalled level of detail.

“[We] set out to design and record a worthy sequel that not only captures the same magic of the first library”, state Big Fish Audio, “but also improves on it in several ways”.

As a result of this ambition, all of the body percussion sounds were recorded with three different customizable microphone positions – close, stereo, and room.

And the developer added further depth to the sample set in order to make every production as realistic as they could. To do so, they recorded every sound evenly from different positions and at several different velocity layers!

And you have total control over every sound too as you’ll have access to over seventy articulation patches. These give you immediate access to each individually recorded sample on the keyboard.

Big Fish captured every performance in small, medium, and large rooms to add more dynamics to every sound.

For further versatility, Big Fish explored a variety of new clapping techniques and stomping surfaces. “We sampled a single person stomping on a guitar case with a tambourine on top”, they say, “and also a small group stomping on plastic packing materials”.

You’ll also be able to utilise unique electronic sounds that complement the body percussion sounds too. “This patch includes electronic toms, kicks, snaps, claps, and other percussion instruments”. state Big Fish. “While these samples sound great on their own, they also blend beautifully with the acoustic samples”.

Product Features of SMACK 2

38 articulations
Recorded in 3 environments
3 mixable mic positions
43 effect presets
83 total patches
11 round robins
Up to 7 velocity layers
Over 12,000 samples
Full Komplete Kontrol & Maschine integration
Total size: 3.2GB

Komplete Kontrol and Maschine integration

Finally, Big FIsh has developed SMACK 2 for “seamless integration” with Komplete Kontrol and Maschine interfaces. This means you can get fully hands on with your sound crafting, and manipulate the plugin interface using the controls of compatible hardware.

Price and compatibility

SMACK 2 is now available for an introductory price of $79.95 until July 8th. Furthermore, SMACK 1 owners get SMACK 2 for only $69.95 through July 8th by using their original serial number as a checkout coupon. The regular price will be $99.95.

The SMACK 2 sound library requires approx 3.2GB of free hard drive space, 4GB RAM, Kontakt 6 Player (Included) or Kontakt 6 (Version 6.7.1).

The plugin is compatible with Windows 7+(32 or 64 bit) & OSX 10.13+ (64 bit).

Image Credit: Techivation

Techivation T-Exciter “brings life to sounds” by musically brightening the highs and adding both width and depth to your sound.

Any plugins that empower us to save our precious time while we produce our recordings are more welcome than the in-laws. Well, Tecivation specialises in this particular arena.

They’re relatively new to the plugin scene, but they bring a lot to the market. Testament to that is their new plugin T-Exciter: a plugin that gives us “magical results quickly”.

Techivation T-Exciter

With just a few settings, Techivation T-Exciter allows you to bring your sound to life quickly and effectively.

Moreover, where you may think to use an EQ to enhance your sound, T-Exciter’s simple and tidy interface removes the need for processor-hungry plugins. Whether you’re a Windows or macOS user, T-Exciter is optimised for low CPU consumption.

Features

T-Exciter has four Effect Modes where each gives our sounds and recordings different characteristics.

1. Shine makes our sounds sharper by enhancing sonic details.
2. Air, as you may have guessed, adds “natural” air to our sound with a musical overtone.
3. Wet glues different sounds together by adding “overall excitement” – perfect for grouped instruments.
4. Crisp allows sound to cut through our mix and brings them to the front.

And additional controls and buttons give us more control over the final effect.

• Width widens the stereo image of sounds, instruments, groups to add “dramatic or subtle” depth and width.
• Undo/Redo allow us to undo mistakes quickly, removing the risk of losing desirable settings.
• A/B Switch is an onboard referee control for easily comparing different settings.
• Mix adjusts the wet/dry mix of the two input/output signals – perfect for parallel processing.

Adding both richness and crispness to your mix has never been more instantaneous. Furthermore, you can add more definition to your sounds, instruments and groups and bring them to the front of your mixdown with a simplified workflow.

Whether guitars, vocals, drums, or key-based instruments, you can enhance the distinct tones of these sounds. Meanwhile, you can glue your grouped instruments together and add more energy by making the little details bigger.

Finally, T-Exciter reduces aliasing by running the internal process at a sample rate up to 16 X faster than the host for optimal sound quality.

Price and availability

Techivation T-Exciter is now available for $29 as an introductory price, whereas $39 will be the regular price.

The plugin is compatible with Windows 7+ in 32 / 64-bit VST and VST3, and 64-bit AAX.

It’s also compatible with macOS X 10.11+ in 64bit VST, VST3, AU and 64-bit AAX with Native M1 support.