Chainer

Ok, this is actually not a VST instrument or VST effect, but a VST/VSTi host, that can be used within a VST compatible application. Confused? Well, this is where the fun starts.

Ever wanted to run a sound source through a flanger through a delay through a distortion through a reverb and a compressor? Or stack a couple of VST instruments for a fat layer sound? And save your favourite combinations for easy retrieval?

Each FX or instrument slot (and there are a lot, 10 chains with 10 slots each) does have it's own volume level, panning and a through level from the previous slot which means that you can exactly define it's internal mix of the audio signal.

It's also amazing for intrument plugins that are not multitimbral like the FM-7 for example... just open several within the Chainer, set each to their own midi channel and voila, works like a charm! In the same way it can also be used to give you more than the regular 8 instrument slots in VST 5.1, which I for example love because I don't like to switch to Cubase SX yet.

But actually this thing can do even more. It's also a standalone software, means a full functioning VST host with midi input and ASIO support that can be used to run instruments and effects just like a rack full of audio machines on a second computer for example.

It incorporates even more extras: You have a function that can randomize parameters of any plugin. And you can assign any midi modulation source to almost any parameter using a midi learning function, so you can finally automate plugins using midi CCs (like the free TAU for example) who don't support them in the first place.

Stability seems to be excellent (I had no problems so far in Cubase 5.1, couldn't try other hosts though)

The documentation could be a bit more extensive, but most of the functions are easy to understand.

This is an amazing piece of software that deserves more attention and it's very much worth the price!Read Review