'My original interests and intentions in guitar playing were primarily created on quality of tone, for instance, the way the instrument could be made to echo or simulate the human voice.'
We showed you some of the best Logic plugins that are often times underutilized. We also showed you one great guide series that will get you up to speed, and teach you everything you need to know about Logic Pro X, and how to get the best results using it. Hopefully this short article got you closer to where you want to be as a Logic Pro X user.
Download thousands of free sample packs and more producer resources: ——— In this tutorial, Jake takes us through fi. Mastering in Logic Pro X is absolutely possible, even with just stock plugins! Many get lost though. Not because they don't know, but because they don't know what they are aiming for. Perhaps you can relate. This article should help you get going, so you can confidently make great sounding masters for your music.
— Eric Clapton
Before we even get into discussing the best reverb plugins available, it's important to talk about why we should even care. When I was newer to producing, I had difficulty understanding the purpose of purchasing additional reverbs. My DAW already has reverbs – why would I buy more?
I came to learn that there are many kinds of reverbs, at varying levels of quality, with different characters that suit different purposes. After reading this post you'll get a much stronger idea of the different types of reverbs, when to use them, and our favorite reverb plugins on the market.
Before we came up with techniques to emulate reverb, there was only one way to have reverb on your tracks- record them in a space that had the room characteristics you wanted. Phil Spectre, famous for his 'wall of sound', was revolutionary in his approach to space by recording different elements of his song in different studios so that he could get different sizes and tones in the recordings.
As our audio gear became more sophisticated, we came up with many solutions to add reverb without having to have large spaces to suit our needs. This became the origin of what a lot of modern-day reverb plugins try to emulate.
Types of Reverb Plugins
In this section we'll quickly highlight the 5 types of reverb, as well as the difference between the two overarching categories of reverb, that is, convolution and algorithmic reverbs.
Here's a video that quickly covers the 5 types of reverb and how to apply each of them to your music, with audio examples for each.
Room Reverbs:
Plain and simple, the reverb of a room. Most room reverbs are an emulation of a studio room designed for the purpose of having a specific sound to them. The main purpose of a room reverb is to for most or all elements of your mix to have a shared space. Think of this like a cohesive glue that places sounds into one real space.
Hall Reverbs:
Hall reverbs sound big, smooth, and spacious. They are the sound of the reverberations in a large space, like concert halls, cathedrals or concert venues. These large and flowing reverbs generally push a sound further back in a mix.
Chamber Reverbs:
Chamber reverbs were an invention to make reverb accessible without requiring massive spaces. They were basically a small side-room or chamber (hence the name) that had a lot of angles and was covered in very reflective surfaces.
The engineer would run the audio into the room via a speaker, which was then recorded with mics in the room. This gave them a 'wet' reverb signal they could then mix into the original signal.
Chambers feel denser and thicker than other reverbs since they are really a small space artificially made to have more reflections.
Plate Reverbs:
Plates made reverb even more accessible. The audio signal would be run through a metallic plate, and the vibrations of the plate would be recorded.
The timbre of the reverb would be highly dependent on the material used for the plate, but plate reverbs are famous for their bright and smooth sound. Because of their brighter tone, plate reverbs are great for elements at the front of the mix.
Spring Reverbs:
A spring reverb is similar to a plate, except instead of vibrating a plate, we're moving a spring. This allowed the plate concept to be miniaturized as you got more surface into a smaller area, and springs move more easily.
Spring reverbs sound almost like a lot of echos closely together as opposed to smoother reflections. Spring reverbs are known for their use on guitars and are a staple of the tone of classic rock.
Algorithmic Reverbs:
Algorithmic reverbs are reverbs that are digitally produced via the use of an algorithm, generally trying to emulate one of the previously mentioned reverb types.
Convolution Reverbs:
Convolution reverbs use samples (called impulse responses, or just IR) of real-life spaces to recreate how that space sounds. These reverbs can make very realistic sounding reverbs since they are based off actual naturally occurring reverbs.
Why Do I Need So Many Reverb Plugins?
The short and honest answer is – you don't. You can absolutely make a killer mix with just one reverb. However, understanding the different characteristics of different reverbs will help you make your mixes that much better.
As with any skill, the deeper you dive into producing and mixing, the more you learn about the details, and those details will inform your decision making and help you become a stronger producer. It's all in the nuances.
Some reverbs like halls will make a sound feel like it's in a space and push it further back in a mix, while plate reverbs are so bright that they can make elements jump to the front of a mix.
Now that we're all caught up on the different types of reverbs and why it's useful to have multiple reverb plugins, let's examine some of our favorite reverb plugins in detail.
Organizing the Best Reverb Plugins
In order to help you get a clear, concise outlook on our favorite reverb plugins, we've broken down each tool into several subcategories. Here is how we are defining those subcategories:
Price: This one is pretty straight forward. How much will the recommended reverb plugin in question set you back? We'll update this article in the future, so these prices should reflect current prices. Plenty of jackpots.
Type: As we spoke about above, we'll categorize the respective reverb plugin itself a convolution or algorithmic reverb.
UX: User experience and workflow are paramount with plugins, so we included some simple thoughts on the overall user interface and design of the plugin itself.
Character: What is the sonic character and quality and tone of the reverb itself? In short, how does the sound of the reverb, uh, sound?
Uses: How do we generally like to utilize this reverb plugin? Was hercules the son of zeus. Why do we often find ourselves reaching for this specific plugin?
Pro Tip: And finally, we've included a small, definitive tip as to how we like to use a specific reverb plugin, or something interesting that makes that plugin unique.
1. Liquidsonics & Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics
Price: $149 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Convolution
UX: Sporting a simple interface with big knobs and no complicated settings, it's easy to dial in amazing tones with the Verbsuite Classics plugin. It also comes with many great sounding presets to use as a starting point.
Character: Liquidsonics brags they use a different technology than classic impulse responses by also capturing more information such as 'the evolving character of modulating digital reverbs, making the overall tone rich, smooth and dynamic.'
Verbsuite includes models of many classic digital reverb units that were staples in the major studios many of our favorite records were produced and mixed in. This makes it extremely versatile as by switching the model you can completely change the tone of the reverb.
Uses: Verbsuite can be used across an entire mix. If you're only going to have one reverb, this is the one since it is so versatile. I personally think it shines the best on drums.
Pro Tip: The 'Gatey 80s Drums' preset sounds amazing on snares and toms. I like to lower the mix to about 30%, lower the highs on the eq section to about 10 o'clock, and turn the width up a bit. I then set the decay to taste.
2. Relab LX480 Complete
Price: $219
Bet online com. Type: Emulation/Algorithm
UX: The LX480 does not have the simplest of designs, especially if you're not accustomed to the original unit it is emulating, the Lexicon 480. Despite it's design though, it is easy to dial in incredible tones because it sounds so good right out of the box.
Character: The Lexicon 480 is possibly the most famous digital reverb unit ever made, and for good reason. While there are many emulations of this classic unit, I haven't used any that sounds nearly as good as the Relab.
It has an incredible way of putting tracks in a smooth space without having the reverb conflict with other elements in the mix. Win pdf reader xbox one download.
Uses: Vocals. There isn't a better vocal reverb than this one in my opinion.
Best version of doom 2. Pro tip: Give it a long pre-delay to get the reverb out of the way of the vocal. Also, there are some great sounding delays built right into the plugin!
3. Valhalla Room
Price: $50
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Despite its many advanced options, Valhalla has one of the cleanest and simplest interfaces of any of the plugins on this list.
Character: The multiple different modes affect its character, but mainly Room is very clean and smooth, in an unnatural yet pleasing way. It's possibly the most popular reverb amongst EDM producers, and for great reason. It sounds amazing on pretty much everything, and is very affordable.
We're not picking favorites here (all of these plugins are incredible), but this might be the best bang for your buck on this entire list.
Uses: While it can be used on anything, I like using it when I want a bit of an unnatural reverb tail. Try it out on synths, drums, FX, reverb throws, long tail reverbs, and when you want wide reverbs.
Pro tip: Try raising the ‘Early Cross' parameter to get a wider reverb.
4. Liquidsonics Lustrous Plates
Price: $199 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Plate
UX: Clean and visually appealing, opinions for both light and dark plugin skins.
Character: When Slate Digital announced they were adding a new plate plugin to the plugin, I couldn't imagine why. They already had so many plates in Verbsuites! Despite my doubts, I was shocked when I heard how good this plugin sounds.
It has many different plate modes, and even a fake metal called 'Unobtanium'. This reverb is thick, lush, and bright and just shoves tracks all the way to the front of your mix with a vengeance.
Uses: Vocals, Lead Elements, Snares.
Pro tip: Try pushing the width knob, and using the high shelf in the eq section to make this even brighter.
5. Valhalla Vintage Verb
Price: $50
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Fun and psychedelic, while still simple to use.
Character: This extremely popular reverb is capable of some more natural tones than Valhalla Room, but it's most famous for being very forward and bright, and having big and lush tails. It is reminiscent of those awesome 80s reverb tones.
Uses: Vocals, leads, drums, and anything that should be pushed forward and appear 'large' in your mix.
Pro tip: Use the built-in low cut options to clean up the low-end of this reverb
6. UAD Pure Plates
Price: $74 (frequently bundled with UA hardware purchases)
Type: Plate
UX: Not many options, but it doesn't need them. Easy and straightforward to use.
Character: UAD is known for their super high quality plugins, and this one does not disappoint. Very smooth, full, bright and big tone. This is a very forward reverb.
Uses: Vocals, guitars, snares.
Pro tip: I love to use this reverb with the UA Console app for live monitoring while tracking artists.
7. Soundtoys Little Plate
Price: $99
Type: Plate
UX: In the classic style of Soundtoys, pretty and simple with no more options than you need.
Character: Not a very strong reverb, should be used more for subtle tone than for putting elements in a big space. It sounds great, but will not be your main reverb, more of something you'll reach for when you're craving it's tone.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Pro tip: The mod switch introduces more modulation, giving this nifty plugin even more character. It also has an infinite decay mode which can be used to make neat ambiences.
8. Native Instruments Raum
Price: $49
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Simple and modern, while still packing some more advanced options.
Character: With three modes, Raum can sound pretty different based on your needs. I love it because it is designed to sound very different from the traditional reverbs we are used to using and hearing. You can make some wacky unnatural effects with this plugin.
Uses: Synths, percussion, but especially on electric guitar.
Pro tip: Predelay has a bpm sync option, that allows you to delay the onset of the reverb to note values based on your project's tempo. Also, you can make some sweet ambiences using the freeze option.
9. Overloud THU
Price: $299 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Spring/room
UX: Despite being complex with many options, it is still easy to use due to intelligent design. This plugin does eat up a lot of screen real-estate so it may be difficult to use on smaller displays.
Character: The two reverbs in THU are models of rack units that sound great on guitars. They sound shockingly good for reverbs that are built into a multi-fx plugin, which usually leave much to be desired.
Uses: Electric guitar, synths.
Pro tip: This plugin has tons of awesome effects built in – the reverb is just a sidepoint!
10. Altiverb
Price: $543 for regular, $923 for XL
Type: Convolution
UX: While Altiverb doesn't sport the most modern or prettiest of interfaces, it is fairly easy to navigate and dial in a sound.
Character: Altiverb is just as famous for being pricey as it is for it's quality. It is known for its hyper-realistic recreation of spaces, and being pretty much the best reverb money can buy – which they ask for no shortage of. It may be a great reverb, but I personally believe your money is best spent elsewhere, especially now that such amazing reverbs are available at a tremendously lower cost.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Best Logic Pro Plug-ins
Pro tip: use the brightness knob to adjust how forward you want that track to be in the mix.
11. Lexicon
Price: $599.95
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Not super pretty or simple, may confuse users at first.
Character: Lexicon is the biggest name in algorithmic reverbs, having invented many of the most sought after and famous digital reverb units. They claim to offer that same quality in their plugin, which offers 7 different reverb modes and many options for customizing the tone.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Pro tip: The Lexicon reverb can be run as a combination of both stereo/mono, which can help you gain tighter control over your stereo imaging.
12. UAD EMT 140
Price: $199
Type: Plate
UX: In the similar manner to most UAD plugins, the EMT 140 is designed to look like a hardware unit. The interface is nice though, and should be a quick learn.
Character: A very smooth and pretty reverb, the UAD EMT 140 includes three models of plate emulations which range in how much bandwidth they cover. A is the most bright, B has a bit more lowend as well to it, and C is the fullest of the three.
Uses: Naturally recorded elements that you want to push forward in the mix.
Pro tip: Use the ‘Depth' knob to make the reverb thicker and fuller.
13. FabFilter Pro-R
Price: $199
Type: Algorithmic
UX: While it has the beautiful interface we've come to love and expect from FabFilter, this is a very versatile reverb with a lot of options.
Character: This plugin is very malleable, but due to FabFilter's strong digital algorithms and futuristic UX, it's best at performing smooth, clean reverbs for a transparent, modern sound.
Uses: While it will work on anything, I believe it to be best suited for synths.
Pro tip: The space knob doesn't just affect just the length of the decay, but also the kind of space the algorithm is emulating.
14. ChromaVerb (Logic only)
Price: Included with Logic Pro X
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Chromaverb is clearly designed by Apple with a clean, simple interface, that boasts great visual monitoring of the output through a creative color display.
Character: This reverb sounds shockingly good for a stock plugin, and has many different modes, both natural and non, that can radically affect the tone.
Uses: ChromaVerb can be used on any part of a mix.
Pro tip: Use the nodes on the main screen to affect which frequencies will be accentuated in the tone of the reverb. This allows for some serious tone shaping.
Logic Pro X Plugins For Mac
15. Your Stock Reverb
While not all reverbs are created equal, and there are stronger options than your stock reverb, not having tons of fancy reverbs shouldn't hold you back from making awesome music. You can get great results with just your stock reverb, and you can use them until you're ready to upgrade to some of the options we've discussed.
While Ableton's stock reverb isn't anything to write home about, Logic's Space Designer is one of the best sounding reverbs available in the reverb market today.
The Best Reverb Plugins in Music Production
The reverb you choose can make a big difference in how your final mix will turn out. We discussed many different types of reverbs, and the best uses for them.
Use this guide by first differentiating between rooms, halls, plates, chambers and spring reverbs, and then selecting the various reverb plugins at your disposal to learn more about their subtle differences.
Whether you're using your stock reverb or you're rocking one of the premiere options we discussed, you are on your way to becoming a reverb master!
Logic Pro X is undoubtedly a very powerful tool for music composition. Its roots date back to the early 1990s when it was initially released under the title Notator Logic. Since then ownership of the founding company, C-Lab, has changed several times – it was finally purchased by Apple in 2002 through their acquisition of Emagic software.
As a market leader in the world of computer based music production, it's not short of features and has maintained a loyal user base through its excellent workflow, sound quality and built-in plugin suite.
That said, it would be fair to say there are some music production tasks which it cannot do natively with ease. Some of these tasks are better attempted with help from 3rd party plugins to ensure a fast workflow.
Let's take a look at some amazing third-party plugins which will enhance your sound, turbo-charge your workflow and elevate your music.
Award-winning AU + VST plugins for music composition.
- Use Captain Plugins to write your own Chord Progressions, Hooks, Melodies and Basslines
- Export to your DAW
- Available on Mac and Windows.
FabFilter
FabFilter produce some of the most forward thinking, great sounding and intuitive effect plugins on the market – we've been using them in our studio since day one!
Known for their outstanding sound quality, they are used by a vast number of producers. From hobbyists to high-end professional studios, they are often the go-to plugins for effects.
What sets Fabfilter apart is their design. They are super-easy and intuitive to use, something their hardware modelled counterparts often lack. The interface lacks clutter, which really helps to speed up the learning curve and workflow. If you want a vintage-looking plug-in, there are lots of great alternatives. FabFilter didn't go down that route, their design is clean and ultramodern. They didn't attempt to mimic the skeuomorphic design of older analogue hardware, it's futuristic design only and we love it!
Roland Cloud
For most electronic producers and knowledgeable dance music fans, names such as TR-808, SH-101 and Juno-106 are likje household names. Many of dance music's early hits were produced using these classic machines. A Guy Called Gerald ‘Voodoo Ray' being a notable example.
Most of these classic units were discontinued in the 80s and 90s. As a result, the combination of rarity and high demand saw prices of second hand units soar into the thousands of dollars. Thankfully, Roland caught on to this trend, releasing various new iterations of these classic instruments. Leaving no stone unturned in the development of these new models, Roland brought in the designers of the original units to ensure that the new models sounded exactly the same.
The last few years have seen these new units, referred to as Aira or Boutique, become a regular feature in most dance music producers studio. Additional features, which could have only been dreamt about first time around, have helped the new range achieve classic status in their own right.
The problem with hardware units is inevitably the cost. It would be fantastic to own the full Roland range, but realistically that would require eye-watering expenditure which not everyone can afford.
Cue, Roland Cloud.
What is Roland Cloud exactly? In short, a range of VST/AU instrument plugins designed to look and sound exactly the same as the classic models. In Roland Cloud they are referred to as the Legendary series. Additional synths are split into several categories such as Essentials, Flavr and Aira. Roland have also added some new excellent new features to the instruments not found on the originals. Being cloud based also gives the ability to push-out updates and new additions to the plugin range, at no extra cost to the user.
How do they sound? In one word, amazing! It should be noted that 100% replication of an analogue synth through software emulation is impossible. However, due to these new plugins featuring the same Analogue Circuit Behaviour (ACB) technology Roland developed for the Aira and Boutique range, they come as close to the originals as the new hardware offerings. It would be fair to say that most people agree that the new hardware models sound extremely close when compared to the original models. Another stand-out feature of these new plugins is the ability to load them directly into the Roland System-1 and System-8 keyboards. Named ‘Plug-out', this inventive feature means you can take any of the new soft-synths on the road by loading them directly into the System-1 or System-8. No connection to your DAW or laptop is required once loaded.
Best Logic Pro X Plug-ins
I am massively impressed with the offering. If you're a fan of Roland's classic synths and drum machines, then I would highly recommend adding Roland Cloud to your studio.
Izotope RX7 Audio Editor
OK, so it's not exactly a plugin – RX7 Audio Editor is standalone with an included bundle of individual audio clean-up plugins for your DAW. Ideally suited to both production and post-production, RX-7 comes with some really unique, stand-out features.
Fix clicks, pops, hum or noise effortlessly with Repair Assistant. Music Rebalance allows the separation and individual level control of vocals, bass, percussion and other instruments. This means you can rebalance existing pre-masters – even with no multi-track available! Or, strip away parts from existing songs to create vocal acapellas, instrumentals or stems to use for remixes, mashups or DJ sets.
Captain Plugins
Captain Plugins by Mixed In Key presents a unique and intuitive way to aid music composition. There's a plethora of plugins on the market designed to create or effect sounds within your DAW. However, until recently, the availability of music composition plugins to assist in music theory have been limited.
Music theory is a complex and often ‘mind boggling' science, and with so many other aspects to consider when producing music, it can often be an area of knowledge which is overlooked. Luckily, for those who are not classically trained in music theory, Captain Plugins offer an intuitive and fun way to produce stunning chord progressions, basslines and melodies; while increasing your workflow, allowing you to spend more time on what matters most, making music.
Native Instruments
Native Instruments produces a wide range of products, from synthesizers to instruments and effects. No matter what style you produce, their plugins will inspire you to create in the studio. Those who are new to their products may want to check out Komplete 12, which is a comprehensive bundle that includes 60+ products including Massive X, Kontakt 6, TRK-01, Discovery Series and 10 Expansions.
One of my favorite Native Instruments products is Reaktor 6, a modular DSP Lab that allows producers to build custom synths, samplers, effects and sound design tools. Massive X is their latest synthesizer, it offers a wide range of sonics for advanced sound design. Another of my go-to tools is TRK-01, a creative kick and bass instrument for creating powerful kick and bass sounds. It offers intuitive sequencing and modulation capabilities, and is a must have for producers. TRK-01 can be used inside Reaktor or the free Reaktor player.
Native Instruments offers unique sampler plugins, like the Kontakt 6 player. Kontakt has a large selection of sampled instruments, and can be used to create or play sampled instruments. In addition, their company creates great sounding effect plugins, including Guitar Rig 5 Pro, the Solid Mix Series of EQ's and compressors, reverb classics including RC 24 and RC 48, distortion effects like Driver and dynamic effects like Transient Master to enhance drums and percussion.
Here's a few free VST Plugins from Native Instruments
Soundtoys
When it comes to studio effect plug-ins designed to warp and mangle audio, there seems to be endless choices available on the market. I stumbled upon Soundtoys by chance and was delighted when I loaded them into my effect insert slots and heard the results.
Recommended to me by a producer friend, I added the latest bundle to my ever expanding list of plug-ins. Firstly, with no less than 20 plug-ins contained within the bundle, it would be impossible to react to all of them for this feature, so I'll stick to the highlights. These fantastic plug-ins bring colour, character and creativity to your digital music studio. They merge the sound and vibe of classic analogue gear, with modern and musical twists. The results being limited only by the imagination of the user.
For crazy and spaced out delays, ‘Echoboy' offers tons of tweaking options. Or for those throaty formant-shifted vocals, akin to many current ‘Deep House' records, the aptly named ‘Little Alter Boy' delivers a fantastic effect. If you like kick drums distorted and harsh then look no further than ‘Decapitator', with its ‘punish' setting!
Mixed In Key Studio Edition
Logic Pro
Mixed In Key Studio Edition analyzes your sample collection in real-time and enables you to match the perfect one-shot, loop, vocal or any other sample to your music production, remix or mashup.
It will instantly tell you the key, scale and tonality of any audio sample.
With Mixed In Key Studio Edition you can base compositions around a sample with total confidence. You'll know exactly which notes are already present, giving you a great foundation for composition.
This is extremely useful in Logic, as even though Logic does have Flex Pitch and Tuner, there is no built-in key and scale detection. Having the ability to find the key and scale of your samples in real-time really opens up the possibilities with Logic's existing features.
Mastering The Mix – Bassroom
Have you ever spent hours upon hours meticulously fine tuning your track's bass frequencies, only to find that when played back in your car or at a gig it sounds way to boomy or thin?
Algorithmic reverbs are reverbs that are digitally produced via the use of an algorithm, generally trying to emulate one of the previously mentioned reverb types.
Convolution Reverbs:
Convolution reverbs use samples (called impulse responses, or just IR) of real-life spaces to recreate how that space sounds. These reverbs can make very realistic sounding reverbs since they are based off actual naturally occurring reverbs.
Why Do I Need So Many Reverb Plugins?
The short and honest answer is – you don't. You can absolutely make a killer mix with just one reverb. However, understanding the different characteristics of different reverbs will help you make your mixes that much better.
As with any skill, the deeper you dive into producing and mixing, the more you learn about the details, and those details will inform your decision making and help you become a stronger producer. It's all in the nuances.
Some reverbs like halls will make a sound feel like it's in a space and push it further back in a mix, while plate reverbs are so bright that they can make elements jump to the front of a mix.
Now that we're all caught up on the different types of reverbs and why it's useful to have multiple reverb plugins, let's examine some of our favorite reverb plugins in detail.
Organizing the Best Reverb Plugins
In order to help you get a clear, concise outlook on our favorite reverb plugins, we've broken down each tool into several subcategories. Here is how we are defining those subcategories:
Price: This one is pretty straight forward. How much will the recommended reverb plugin in question set you back? We'll update this article in the future, so these prices should reflect current prices. Plenty of jackpots.
Type: As we spoke about above, we'll categorize the respective reverb plugin itself a convolution or algorithmic reverb.
UX: User experience and workflow are paramount with plugins, so we included some simple thoughts on the overall user interface and design of the plugin itself.
Character: What is the sonic character and quality and tone of the reverb itself? In short, how does the sound of the reverb, uh, sound?
Uses: How do we generally like to utilize this reverb plugin? Was hercules the son of zeus. Why do we often find ourselves reaching for this specific plugin?
Pro Tip: And finally, we've included a small, definitive tip as to how we like to use a specific reverb plugin, or something interesting that makes that plugin unique.
1. Liquidsonics & Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics
Price: $149 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Convolution
UX: Sporting a simple interface with big knobs and no complicated settings, it's easy to dial in amazing tones with the Verbsuite Classics plugin. It also comes with many great sounding presets to use as a starting point.
Character: Liquidsonics brags they use a different technology than classic impulse responses by also capturing more information such as 'the evolving character of modulating digital reverbs, making the overall tone rich, smooth and dynamic.'
Verbsuite includes models of many classic digital reverb units that were staples in the major studios many of our favorite records were produced and mixed in. This makes it extremely versatile as by switching the model you can completely change the tone of the reverb.
Uses: Verbsuite can be used across an entire mix. If you're only going to have one reverb, this is the one since it is so versatile. I personally think it shines the best on drums.
Pro Tip: The 'Gatey 80s Drums' preset sounds amazing on snares and toms. I like to lower the mix to about 30%, lower the highs on the eq section to about 10 o'clock, and turn the width up a bit. I then set the decay to taste.
2. Relab LX480 Complete
Price: $219
Bet online com. Type: Emulation/Algorithm
UX: The LX480 does not have the simplest of designs, especially if you're not accustomed to the original unit it is emulating, the Lexicon 480. Despite it's design though, it is easy to dial in incredible tones because it sounds so good right out of the box.
Character: The Lexicon 480 is possibly the most famous digital reverb unit ever made, and for good reason. While there are many emulations of this classic unit, I haven't used any that sounds nearly as good as the Relab.
It has an incredible way of putting tracks in a smooth space without having the reverb conflict with other elements in the mix. Win pdf reader xbox one download.
Uses: Vocals. There isn't a better vocal reverb than this one in my opinion.
Best version of doom 2. Pro tip: Give it a long pre-delay to get the reverb out of the way of the vocal. Also, there are some great sounding delays built right into the plugin!
3. Valhalla Room
Price: $50
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Despite its many advanced options, Valhalla has one of the cleanest and simplest interfaces of any of the plugins on this list.
Character: The multiple different modes affect its character, but mainly Room is very clean and smooth, in an unnatural yet pleasing way. It's possibly the most popular reverb amongst EDM producers, and for great reason. It sounds amazing on pretty much everything, and is very affordable.
We're not picking favorites here (all of these plugins are incredible), but this might be the best bang for your buck on this entire list.
Uses: While it can be used on anything, I like using it when I want a bit of an unnatural reverb tail. Try it out on synths, drums, FX, reverb throws, long tail reverbs, and when you want wide reverbs.
Pro tip: Try raising the ‘Early Cross' parameter to get a wider reverb.
4. Liquidsonics Lustrous Plates
Price: $199 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Plate
UX: Clean and visually appealing, opinions for both light and dark plugin skins.
Character: When Slate Digital announced they were adding a new plate plugin to the plugin, I couldn't imagine why. They already had so many plates in Verbsuites! Despite my doubts, I was shocked when I heard how good this plugin sounds.
It has many different plate modes, and even a fake metal called 'Unobtanium'. This reverb is thick, lush, and bright and just shoves tracks all the way to the front of your mix with a vengeance.
Uses: Vocals, Lead Elements, Snares.
Pro tip: Try pushing the width knob, and using the high shelf in the eq section to make this even brighter.
5. Valhalla Vintage Verb
Price: $50
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Fun and psychedelic, while still simple to use.
Character: This extremely popular reverb is capable of some more natural tones than Valhalla Room, but it's most famous for being very forward and bright, and having big and lush tails. It is reminiscent of those awesome 80s reverb tones.
Uses: Vocals, leads, drums, and anything that should be pushed forward and appear 'large' in your mix.
Pro tip: Use the built-in low cut options to clean up the low-end of this reverb
6. UAD Pure Plates
Price: $74 (frequently bundled with UA hardware purchases)
Type: Plate
UX: Not many options, but it doesn't need them. Easy and straightforward to use.
Character: UAD is known for their super high quality plugins, and this one does not disappoint. Very smooth, full, bright and big tone. This is a very forward reverb.
Uses: Vocals, guitars, snares.
Pro tip: I love to use this reverb with the UA Console app for live monitoring while tracking artists.
7. Soundtoys Little Plate
Price: $99
Type: Plate
UX: In the classic style of Soundtoys, pretty and simple with no more options than you need.
Character: Not a very strong reverb, should be used more for subtle tone than for putting elements in a big space. It sounds great, but will not be your main reverb, more of something you'll reach for when you're craving it's tone.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Pro tip: The mod switch introduces more modulation, giving this nifty plugin even more character. It also has an infinite decay mode which can be used to make neat ambiences.
8. Native Instruments Raum
Price: $49
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Simple and modern, while still packing some more advanced options.
Character: With three modes, Raum can sound pretty different based on your needs. I love it because it is designed to sound very different from the traditional reverbs we are used to using and hearing. You can make some wacky unnatural effects with this plugin.
Uses: Synths, percussion, but especially on electric guitar.
Pro tip: Predelay has a bpm sync option, that allows you to delay the onset of the reverb to note values based on your project's tempo. Also, you can make some sweet ambiences using the freeze option.
9. Overloud THU
Price: $299 (or included in the Slate All Access Pass for $15/month)
Type: Spring/room
UX: Despite being complex with many options, it is still easy to use due to intelligent design. This plugin does eat up a lot of screen real-estate so it may be difficult to use on smaller displays.
Character: The two reverbs in THU are models of rack units that sound great on guitars. They sound shockingly good for reverbs that are built into a multi-fx plugin, which usually leave much to be desired.
Uses: Electric guitar, synths.
Pro tip: This plugin has tons of awesome effects built in – the reverb is just a sidepoint!
10. Altiverb
Price: $543 for regular, $923 for XL
Type: Convolution
UX: While Altiverb doesn't sport the most modern or prettiest of interfaces, it is fairly easy to navigate and dial in a sound.
Character: Altiverb is just as famous for being pricey as it is for it's quality. It is known for its hyper-realistic recreation of spaces, and being pretty much the best reverb money can buy – which they ask for no shortage of. It may be a great reverb, but I personally believe your money is best spent elsewhere, especially now that such amazing reverbs are available at a tremendously lower cost.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Best Logic Pro Plug-ins
Pro tip: use the brightness knob to adjust how forward you want that track to be in the mix.
11. Lexicon
Price: $599.95
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Not super pretty or simple, may confuse users at first.
Character: Lexicon is the biggest name in algorithmic reverbs, having invented many of the most sought after and famous digital reverb units. They claim to offer that same quality in their plugin, which offers 7 different reverb modes and many options for customizing the tone.
Uses: Anything and everything.
Pro tip: The Lexicon reverb can be run as a combination of both stereo/mono, which can help you gain tighter control over your stereo imaging.
12. UAD EMT 140
Price: $199
Type: Plate
UX: In the similar manner to most UAD plugins, the EMT 140 is designed to look like a hardware unit. The interface is nice though, and should be a quick learn.
Character: A very smooth and pretty reverb, the UAD EMT 140 includes three models of plate emulations which range in how much bandwidth they cover. A is the most bright, B has a bit more lowend as well to it, and C is the fullest of the three.
Uses: Naturally recorded elements that you want to push forward in the mix.
Pro tip: Use the ‘Depth' knob to make the reverb thicker and fuller.
13. FabFilter Pro-R
Price: $199
Type: Algorithmic
UX: While it has the beautiful interface we've come to love and expect from FabFilter, this is a very versatile reverb with a lot of options.
Character: This plugin is very malleable, but due to FabFilter's strong digital algorithms and futuristic UX, it's best at performing smooth, clean reverbs for a transparent, modern sound.
Uses: While it will work on anything, I believe it to be best suited for synths.
Pro tip: The space knob doesn't just affect just the length of the decay, but also the kind of space the algorithm is emulating.
14. ChromaVerb (Logic only)
Price: Included with Logic Pro X
Type: Algorithmic
UX: Chromaverb is clearly designed by Apple with a clean, simple interface, that boasts great visual monitoring of the output through a creative color display.
Character: This reverb sounds shockingly good for a stock plugin, and has many different modes, both natural and non, that can radically affect the tone.
Uses: ChromaVerb can be used on any part of a mix.
Pro tip: Use the nodes on the main screen to affect which frequencies will be accentuated in the tone of the reverb. This allows for some serious tone shaping.
Logic Pro X Plugins For Mac
15. Your Stock Reverb
While not all reverbs are created equal, and there are stronger options than your stock reverb, not having tons of fancy reverbs shouldn't hold you back from making awesome music. You can get great results with just your stock reverb, and you can use them until you're ready to upgrade to some of the options we've discussed.
While Ableton's stock reverb isn't anything to write home about, Logic's Space Designer is one of the best sounding reverbs available in the reverb market today.
The Best Reverb Plugins in Music Production
The reverb you choose can make a big difference in how your final mix will turn out. We discussed many different types of reverbs, and the best uses for them.
Use this guide by first differentiating between rooms, halls, plates, chambers and spring reverbs, and then selecting the various reverb plugins at your disposal to learn more about their subtle differences.
Whether you're using your stock reverb or you're rocking one of the premiere options we discussed, you are on your way to becoming a reverb master!
Logic Pro X is undoubtedly a very powerful tool for music composition. Its roots date back to the early 1990s when it was initially released under the title Notator Logic. Since then ownership of the founding company, C-Lab, has changed several times – it was finally purchased by Apple in 2002 through their acquisition of Emagic software.
As a market leader in the world of computer based music production, it's not short of features and has maintained a loyal user base through its excellent workflow, sound quality and built-in plugin suite.
That said, it would be fair to say there are some music production tasks which it cannot do natively with ease. Some of these tasks are better attempted with help from 3rd party plugins to ensure a fast workflow.
Let's take a look at some amazing third-party plugins which will enhance your sound, turbo-charge your workflow and elevate your music.
Award-winning AU + VST plugins for music composition.
- Use Captain Plugins to write your own Chord Progressions, Hooks, Melodies and Basslines
- Export to your DAW
- Available on Mac and Windows.
FabFilter
FabFilter produce some of the most forward thinking, great sounding and intuitive effect plugins on the market – we've been using them in our studio since day one!
Known for their outstanding sound quality, they are used by a vast number of producers. From hobbyists to high-end professional studios, they are often the go-to plugins for effects.
What sets Fabfilter apart is their design. They are super-easy and intuitive to use, something their hardware modelled counterparts often lack. The interface lacks clutter, which really helps to speed up the learning curve and workflow. If you want a vintage-looking plug-in, there are lots of great alternatives. FabFilter didn't go down that route, their design is clean and ultramodern. They didn't attempt to mimic the skeuomorphic design of older analogue hardware, it's futuristic design only and we love it!
Roland Cloud
For most electronic producers and knowledgeable dance music fans, names such as TR-808, SH-101 and Juno-106 are likje household names. Many of dance music's early hits were produced using these classic machines. A Guy Called Gerald ‘Voodoo Ray' being a notable example.
Most of these classic units were discontinued in the 80s and 90s. As a result, the combination of rarity and high demand saw prices of second hand units soar into the thousands of dollars. Thankfully, Roland caught on to this trend, releasing various new iterations of these classic instruments. Leaving no stone unturned in the development of these new models, Roland brought in the designers of the original units to ensure that the new models sounded exactly the same.
The last few years have seen these new units, referred to as Aira or Boutique, become a regular feature in most dance music producers studio. Additional features, which could have only been dreamt about first time around, have helped the new range achieve classic status in their own right.
The problem with hardware units is inevitably the cost. It would be fantastic to own the full Roland range, but realistically that would require eye-watering expenditure which not everyone can afford.
Cue, Roland Cloud.
What is Roland Cloud exactly? In short, a range of VST/AU instrument plugins designed to look and sound exactly the same as the classic models. In Roland Cloud they are referred to as the Legendary series. Additional synths are split into several categories such as Essentials, Flavr and Aira. Roland have also added some new excellent new features to the instruments not found on the originals. Being cloud based also gives the ability to push-out updates and new additions to the plugin range, at no extra cost to the user.
How do they sound? In one word, amazing! It should be noted that 100% replication of an analogue synth through software emulation is impossible. However, due to these new plugins featuring the same Analogue Circuit Behaviour (ACB) technology Roland developed for the Aira and Boutique range, they come as close to the originals as the new hardware offerings. It would be fair to say that most people agree that the new hardware models sound extremely close when compared to the original models. Another stand-out feature of these new plugins is the ability to load them directly into the Roland System-1 and System-8 keyboards. Named ‘Plug-out', this inventive feature means you can take any of the new soft-synths on the road by loading them directly into the System-1 or System-8. No connection to your DAW or laptop is required once loaded.
Best Logic Pro X Plug-ins
I am massively impressed with the offering. If you're a fan of Roland's classic synths and drum machines, then I would highly recommend adding Roland Cloud to your studio.
Izotope RX7 Audio Editor
OK, so it's not exactly a plugin – RX7 Audio Editor is standalone with an included bundle of individual audio clean-up plugins for your DAW. Ideally suited to both production and post-production, RX-7 comes with some really unique, stand-out features.
Fix clicks, pops, hum or noise effortlessly with Repair Assistant. Music Rebalance allows the separation and individual level control of vocals, bass, percussion and other instruments. This means you can rebalance existing pre-masters – even with no multi-track available! Or, strip away parts from existing songs to create vocal acapellas, instrumentals or stems to use for remixes, mashups or DJ sets.
Captain Plugins
Captain Plugins by Mixed In Key presents a unique and intuitive way to aid music composition. There's a plethora of plugins on the market designed to create or effect sounds within your DAW. However, until recently, the availability of music composition plugins to assist in music theory have been limited.
Music theory is a complex and often ‘mind boggling' science, and with so many other aspects to consider when producing music, it can often be an area of knowledge which is overlooked. Luckily, for those who are not classically trained in music theory, Captain Plugins offer an intuitive and fun way to produce stunning chord progressions, basslines and melodies; while increasing your workflow, allowing you to spend more time on what matters most, making music.
Native Instruments
Native Instruments produces a wide range of products, from synthesizers to instruments and effects. No matter what style you produce, their plugins will inspire you to create in the studio. Those who are new to their products may want to check out Komplete 12, which is a comprehensive bundle that includes 60+ products including Massive X, Kontakt 6, TRK-01, Discovery Series and 10 Expansions.
One of my favorite Native Instruments products is Reaktor 6, a modular DSP Lab that allows producers to build custom synths, samplers, effects and sound design tools. Massive X is their latest synthesizer, it offers a wide range of sonics for advanced sound design. Another of my go-to tools is TRK-01, a creative kick and bass instrument for creating powerful kick and bass sounds. It offers intuitive sequencing and modulation capabilities, and is a must have for producers. TRK-01 can be used inside Reaktor or the free Reaktor player.
Native Instruments offers unique sampler plugins, like the Kontakt 6 player. Kontakt has a large selection of sampled instruments, and can be used to create or play sampled instruments. In addition, their company creates great sounding effect plugins, including Guitar Rig 5 Pro, the Solid Mix Series of EQ's and compressors, reverb classics including RC 24 and RC 48, distortion effects like Driver and dynamic effects like Transient Master to enhance drums and percussion.
Here's a few free VST Plugins from Native Instruments
Soundtoys
When it comes to studio effect plug-ins designed to warp and mangle audio, there seems to be endless choices available on the market. I stumbled upon Soundtoys by chance and was delighted when I loaded them into my effect insert slots and heard the results.
Recommended to me by a producer friend, I added the latest bundle to my ever expanding list of plug-ins. Firstly, with no less than 20 plug-ins contained within the bundle, it would be impossible to react to all of them for this feature, so I'll stick to the highlights. These fantastic plug-ins bring colour, character and creativity to your digital music studio. They merge the sound and vibe of classic analogue gear, with modern and musical twists. The results being limited only by the imagination of the user.
For crazy and spaced out delays, ‘Echoboy' offers tons of tweaking options. Or for those throaty formant-shifted vocals, akin to many current ‘Deep House' records, the aptly named ‘Little Alter Boy' delivers a fantastic effect. If you like kick drums distorted and harsh then look no further than ‘Decapitator', with its ‘punish' setting!
Mixed In Key Studio Edition
Logic Pro
Mixed In Key Studio Edition analyzes your sample collection in real-time and enables you to match the perfect one-shot, loop, vocal or any other sample to your music production, remix or mashup.
It will instantly tell you the key, scale and tonality of any audio sample.
With Mixed In Key Studio Edition you can base compositions around a sample with total confidence. You'll know exactly which notes are already present, giving you a great foundation for composition.
This is extremely useful in Logic, as even though Logic does have Flex Pitch and Tuner, there is no built-in key and scale detection. Having the ability to find the key and scale of your samples in real-time really opens up the possibilities with Logic's existing features.
Mastering The Mix – Bassroom
Have you ever spent hours upon hours meticulously fine tuning your track's bass frequencies, only to find that when played back in your car or at a gig it sounds way to boomy or thin?
Mixing the low end of music is generally a much harder task then the upper mid and high frequencies. This will exacerbate the situation if your listening environment has acoustic issues, such as standing waves or other modal problems.
Well those days might be gone! Mastering The Mix have launched Bassroom, an advanced EQ unit which is designed to be inserted on the master bus in your DAW. Rather than using the traditional linear style EQ, they have opted for a rather intuitive, easy to use 3D user interface. Dial in your chosen genre and Bassroom will suggest cuts and boosts across five lower mid, bass and sub-bass frequency bands. You can even import your favorite songs for analysis to help achieve that low end you've always dreamt of!
Eventide – Blackhole
With hundreds of reverb plugins on the market, finding one that stands out can be challenging. Look no further, especially if you want a reverb plugin which can do more than simply create a sense of space.
Blackhole by Eventide is more than a reverb unit. In fact, I'd go as far as to call it a reverb instrument. This is due to its various non-standard reverb parameters, such as Freeze and Hotswitch. These allow you to bend, warp and create amazing sonic delights by using multiple parameters at once. You can then sustain the output signal for as long as you want, without any nasty feedback!
Not only is this a great sounding reverb plugin in the traditional sense. Its vast array of controls allow the creation of unique textures, while maintaining a familiar and intuitive user interface.
D16 – LuSH-101
I'll be honest and say I was sceptical about this plugin instrument when I first installed it. The legendary SH-101 by Roland has had countless clones and imitations. So how could the LuSH-101 by D16 bring anything new to the table?
Thankfully my concerns were not warranted. D16 have created a multi timbral, polyphonic monster of a soft-synth! A quick scroll through some of the presets demonstrates just how powerful the LuSH-101 is. If you're more the preset producer type, and many of us are, then this synth offers a really solid and useable soundset straight out of the box. Preset patches are split into two main zones, multiple and single. Single zone presets are the regular bass, chords, drum, fx, mono lead and poly lead sounds. Whereas, multiple zone sounds include drum kits and splits. These splits enable the user to play multiple preset layers across various keyboard octaves.
The user interface is busy but intuitive, with a classic design. Most of the common synth parameters, such as ADSR and filters are simple to access and familiar in layout. The LuSH-101 has a few extra tricks up its sleeve with a arpeggio/gater and a range of insert effects. Being 8-part multitimbral, with a mixer to blend each timbre, means the sonic capabilities are vast. This ability reminds me of another famed synth, the Access Virus Ti.
On first glance the LuSH-101 does resemble the classic Roland SH-101. However, the similarities don't extend too much further. Of course you can use the LuSH-101 to recreate classic SH-101 sounds. But as the former was only a single oscillator monophonic synth, its sound pallette was far more restricted than that of D16's multitimbral polyphonic beast!
Sugar Bytes – Factory
If you're the type of producer who likes to experiment with synthesis, then I highly recommend checking out Factory by Sugar Bytes.
Centered around two Oscillators, each sporting 10 waveform types, this mega polyphonic soft-synth can create the most unusual and evolving textures. If a specific timbre is what you're after, then Factory might not be the right choice. However, if you're looking for something unique with almost endless modulation options, then look no further!
Starting with the oscillators, before the mixer and then filter section, the well laid out and intuitive UI allows the creation of your own sounds in seconds. Once you have the foundations of your sound, the magic really begins in the matrix section. This section allows the routing of multiple modulators such as LFOs and envelopes to the other synth parameters. If you need inspiration then simply roll the dice option in the matrix and you'll be blown away with how the sound is morphed, mangled and warped.
Factory comes bundled with lots of presets, which are great for demoing the synth's capabilities. However, this synth is not really about using presets. It's clearly designed for experimentation and creating completely unique and interesting timbres.
Write Your Own Chords With Captain Chords
It's super easy to create your own ideas from scratch. Visit the official Chords homepage and see how it will help you explore music and write your own original productions.
