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jason
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When it comes to sound design, we all know the big names,Massive, Serum, Kontakt.
But what about the hidden gems?
The plugins that quietly pack a punch and take your creativity to new heights? Let’s shine a light on some underrated tools that deserve a spot in your arsenal.
SpectraLayers by Steinberg
What It Does: A spectral editing powerhouse that lets you literally sculpt your audio in 3D. Extract vocals, remove noise, or create mind-bending effects by manipulating individual frequencies.
Why It’s Underrated: Often overshadowed by DAWs’ built-in tools, SpectraLayers is a game-changer for precision editing and experimental sound design.
Quanta 2 by Audio Damage
What It Does: A granular synth with an intuitive interface that makes transforming audio into rich textures a breeze.
Why It’s Underrated: It’s simple to use but surprisingly powerful, perfect for creating cinematic atmospheres and glitchy effects without overwhelming menus.
Fracture XT by Glitchmachines
What It Does: A plugin for creating complex glitch effects, from subtle rhythmic variations to full-on audio destruction.
Why It’s Underrated: While Glitchmachines has a cult following, Fracture XT often gets overlooked despite its ability to bring unique chaos to any track.
Plasmonic by Rhizomatic
What It Does: A synth that blends physical modeling with subtractive synthesis, producing incredibly organic and expressive sounds.
Why It’s Underrated: It’s a deep, rewarding tool for sound designers seeking lifelike textures or otherworldly tones, but it often flies under the radar compared to other synths.
The Mangle by Sound Guru
What It Does: A granular synth that gives you hands-on control to stretch, rearrange, and manipulate audio into intricate soundscapes.
Why It’s Underrated: Despite its age, The Mangle remains one of the most intuitive granular tools for crafting unique textures and experimental layers.
ShaperBox 3 by Cableguys
What It Does: A multi-effect plugin that lets you shape volume, time, filter, and more using powerful curve-based modulation.
Why It’s Underrated: While popular among producers, its potential for sound design—like creating rhythmic textures or evolving atmospheres—is still underutilized.
Turnado by Sugar Bytes
What It Does: A multi-effects plugin with 24 creative effects you can tweak and automate in real-time.
Why It’s Underrated: It’s perfect for live sound design or injecting movement and unpredictability into your projects but doesn’t always get the spotlight.
Borderlands Granular (iOS)
What It Does: A granular synth for iOS that turns touchscreen gestures into rich, evolving textures.
Why It’s Underrated: Mobile platforms are often overlooked, but Borderlands delivers professional-grade sound design on the go.
Your Turn!
What’s your favourite underrated sound design plugin?
Have you tried any of these? Share your thoughts!
Got a hidden gem you swear by? Let the community know!
Let’s uncover the unsung heroes of sound design and give them the credit they deserve.
But what about the hidden gems?
The plugins that quietly pack a punch and take your creativity to new heights? Let’s shine a light on some underrated tools that deserve a spot in your arsenal.
SpectraLayers by Steinberg What It Does: A spectral editing powerhouse that lets you literally sculpt your audio in 3D. Extract vocals, remove noise, or create mind-bending effects by manipulating individual frequencies. Why It’s Underrated: Often overshadowed by DAWs’ built-in tools, SpectraLayers is a game-changer for precision editing and experimental sound design. Quanta 2 by Audio Damage What It Does: A granular synth with an intuitive interface that makes transforming audio into rich textures a breeze. Why It’s Underrated: It’s simple to use but surprisingly powerful, perfect for creating cinematic atmospheres and glitchy effects without overwhelming menus. Fracture XT by Glitchmachines What It Does: A plugin for creating complex glitch effects, from subtle rhythmic variations to full-on audio destruction. Why It’s Underrated: While Glitchmachines has a cult following, Fracture XT often gets overlooked despite its ability to bring unique chaos to any track. Plasmonic by Rhizomatic What It Does: A synth that blends physical modeling with subtractive synthesis, producing incredibly organic and expressive sounds. Why It’s Underrated: It’s a deep, rewarding tool for sound designers seeking lifelike textures or otherworldly tones, but it often flies under the radar compared to other synths. The Mangle by Sound Guru What It Does: A granular synth that gives you hands-on control to stretch, rearrange, and manipulate audio into intricate soundscapes. Why It’s Underrated: Despite its age, The Mangle remains one of the most intuitive granular tools for crafting unique textures and experimental layers. ShaperBox 3 by Cableguys What It Does: A multi-effect plugin that lets you shape volume, time, filter, and more using powerful curve-based modulation. Why It’s Underrated: While popular among producers, its potential for sound design—like creating rhythmic textures or evolving atmospheres—is still underutilized. Turnado by Sugar Bytes What It Does: A multi-effects plugin with 24 creative effects you can tweak and automate in real-time. Why It’s Underrated: It’s perfect for live sound design or injecting movement and unpredictability into your projects but doesn’t always get the spotlight. Borderlands Granular (iOS) What It Does: A granular synth for iOS that turns touchscreen gestures into rich, evolving textures. Why It’s Underrated: Mobile platforms are often overlooked, but Borderlands delivers professional-grade sound design on the go.Your Turn!
What’s your favourite underrated sound design plugin? Have you tried any of these? Share your thoughts! Got a hidden gem you swear by? Let the community know!Let’s uncover the unsung heroes of sound design and give them the credit they deserve.