SoundToys releases SoundToys Native Effects V3

SoundToys has released SoundToys Native Effects V3, which consists of five plug-ins, EchoBoy, FilterFreak, PhaseMistress, Crystallizer, and Tremolator, in Audio Units, RTAS and AudioSuite plug-in formats for Mac OS X Universal Binary. A sixth effect, Speed, is also included but currently in AudioSuite format only. SoundToys Native Effects costs $495. Demo versions are available.

EchoBoy

EchoBoy includes 30 built-in echo styles modeled after various vintage echos, such as the warm sound of "Studio Tape", modeled after an ATR-102 half-inch two-track machine. EchoBoy provides instant access to a whole range of classics, including EchoPlex, Space Echo, Memory Man, DM-2, and the TelRay oilcan delay. EchoBoy's chorus even emulates the CE-2 chorus, considered a holy-grail of guitar chorus pedals.

No math needed to figure out delay times. Simply dial in a musical note value and lock it to your song's tempo with the flip of a switch. Fine-tune the echo rhythm with the Groove, Accent, and Feel controls. With these simple controls, dial in a musical sound that fits your style.

Switch to Dual Echo or Ping-Pong modes for powerful stereo echo effects or use Rhythm mode's easy-to-use 16-tap rhythmic delay. Under the Style Tweak button you'll find a 3-band parametric EQ with separate control over echo decay and tone. Choose the amount and type of analog saturation, dial in the amount of tape wobble, and even reverb-style diffusion control.

FilterFreak

FilterFreak is a "fat" and "warm" resonant analog filter plug-in, designed to do all the things you do with filters. From funky envelope followers like Mutron, to classic synth style reshaping with ADSR, to big resonant LFO sweeps like the Sherman Filterbank, as well as the classic sound of the old Morley WahWah pedals. Even two flavors of the great old Sci-Fi sample and hold sound. It also has a unique Rhythm Mode that lets you create custom patterns that lock to MIDI.

You can select emulations of different filter types to get a wide range of classic sounds. Crank up the resonance to make it squeal. Flip on the Analog Mode switch and hit it hard to add Dirt, Pump, Shred or Fat.

The Rhythm Editor enables you to create a custom pattern that fits your tune (Save that pattern and use it in PhaseMistress, Tremolator, or EchoBoy).

FilterFreak2 is included, offering two analog filters you can run serial or parallel. Each can select from Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass and Band Reject. As well as, 2, 4, 6, or 8 pole filters.

PhaseMistress

PhaseMistress provides classic phase-shifting, emulating the likes of the Bi-Phase, Boss Super Phaser, Phase 90, to the Moogerfooger 12 stage, Small Stone, Trine and many more, with additional features those old boxes couldn't do, like MIDI sync, and a large preset library.

PhaseMistress has an LFO, Envelope follower, Random, ADSR and the unique Rhythm Mode. All the main controls are right there to tweak, turn and automate. MIDI locked 4 bar sweeps, custom rhythmic patterns, freaky talk box random phase, wide stereo swirls, every phase you've ever heard all in a straight-forward interface with automation. The "Tweak Menu" allows you to dig into the guts of Phasemistress and create your own sound or fine tune an existing one.

Crystallizer

Inspired by the Crystal Echoes preset in the Eventide H3000, Crystallizer combines granular reverse echo slicing and retro pitch processing to create a huge range of radical sonic manipulations and classics with a twist. Use it to create synth-like textures from simple acoustic guitar rhythms, lush detuned echos, or completely psychedelic pitch-shifted reverse echo effects. Great for drums, guitar, bass, sound design, electronic music, and just about anything else.

If you listened to the radio in the late 80s, you've heard the original Crystal Echoes effect. It's sound was absolutely unmistakable, and was often used on an intro or at the end of a song to create a synth-like pad from simple guitar chords. Crystallizer adds a few improvements, like MIDI sync, built-in Gate/Duck control, and high-cut and low-cut filters to help tame this sometimes unruly effect. Of course, automation is also supported.

Modern pitch-shifters use sophisticated mathematical algorithms to transform music and vocals as naturally as possible. The original old school devices (like Eventide's classic H910 Harmonizer) used a resample and cross-fade technique that introduced audible 'glitches' in the pitch-shifted audio. That's a big part of the "retro" sound.

Tremolator

Tremolator emulates the tremolo effect of classic guitar amps such as the Fender, and even the great tremolo sound of the Wurlitzer electric piano. Add dynamic control of speed and depth that lets the tremolo respond to the music. Then toss in MIDI sync to lock to your tempo. The programmable Rhythm Editor let's you write custom patterns and turns this tremolo into a rhythmic auto-gate.

Switch the nice smooth tremolo waveforms over to a sharp square wave and you turn this into a monster of an auto-gate. You can lock it to MIDI with the flip of a switch, then select 1/8th notes, 16th notes or whatever fits the rhythm you need. If straight note pulses isn't what you need, use the Rhythm Editor to write your own cool groove. Add some swing or shuffle, accents, and analog mode. You can even use the Waveshape Editor to tighten or loosen the gate time.

In the Tweak menu you'll find the Dynamics controls. These parameters let your playing control the speed and/or depth of the modulation. You can create speed ups or slow downs based on how loud or soft you play. You can create smooth increases in depth as your cords fade out, or heavy tremolo that fades away.