Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
UA
Tech Universal Audio is giving away eight of its most popular plugins for free in the UAD Explore FREE bundle
Secret Cinema delivers a techno masterclass in the studio
Tech "Record everything all the time – and keep it all": 8 pro techno producers explain how they create their tracks
Elektron Tonverk
Samplers “Easily one of the most inspirational and accessible Elektrons we've used”: Elektron Tonverk review
Basement Jaxx
Artists Re-create the sound of the powerful Where’s Your Head At bassline - which Basement Jaxx nabbed from Numan!
An Apple Mac Mini M4 on a light green background
Computers Best PCs for music production 2026: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
plugin
Tech You might want to open a window before using The Crow Hill Company's filthy new synth
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
splice
Tech Splice launches generative AI tools that fairly compensate sample creators
minimoog model d synth
Samples SampleRadar: 250 free bass synth samples
inear
Tech I just stumbled on a treasure trove of free glitch plugins
Electro-Harmonix Neo Clone pedal on a wooden floor
Guitar Pedals Best chorus pedals 2026: Our pick of the top chorus pedals
field recording
Samples SampleRadar: 303 free organic drone samples
UVI
Tech A much-loved reverb plugin that we called "one of the most creative we've come across" is free for a limited time
drumbot
Tech DrumBot is an AI-powered chatbot drum machine that “listens, learns and talks back” – but who is it for?
More
  • Jimmy Douglass speaks
  • Ultravox's Vienna
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Elektron Tonverk Review
  1. Tech
  2. Software & Apps
  3. Plugins

VST/AU plug-in instrument/effect round-up: Week 25

News
By Ben Rogerson published 5 October 2011

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Five stars

Five stars

An instrument that’s specifically designed for dubstep, a new effects processor from Rob Papen, a soundscape generator, a transient shaper and an analogue synth emulation. You’ll find them all here - click through for the details.

Also make sure you check out these regularly updated features.

The 17 best VST plug-in synths in the world today

The 14 best VST plug-in drum machines in the world today

If you've got a new PC or Mac plug-in, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.

NEXT: Sonivox Wobble

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Sonivox Wobble

Sonivox Wobble

If you’re going to release a synth for dubstep production, you may as well go the whole hog and call it Wobble. It’s powered by a new spectral synthesis engine, sports a tempo-synced modulation generator and comes with more than 200 easily tweakable presets.

Buy Sonivox Wobble

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Rob Papen RP-Distort

Rob Papen RP-Distort

Yes, RP is about to drop a distortion unit, but it promises to be far more than that. This is because it also features an analogue-modelled filter, compressor and widener, all of which can be re-ordered and switched on or off. You can modulate the controls using MIDI sources or one of the four-built in LFOs, too.

Find out more about Rob Papen RP-Distort

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
H G Fortune Scapes Wizard 2 Pro

H G Fortune Scapes Wizard 2 Pro

The developer says from the outset that this isn’t an instrument that’s designed to be played like a regular synth. It generates soundscapes by triggering different samples that are assigned to keys: you can use the Lazy Sequencer to play its sets in sequence or at random with varying intervals of step lengths. There are myriad control options, too.

Buy or download demo of H G Fortune Scapes Wizard 2 Pro

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
G-Sonique Transient Shaping System+

G-Sonique Transient Shaping System+

Designed to give your drums more ‘shape’, this new processor is endowed with both Long and Short transient controls, plus a saturation shaping knob for each. G-Sonique explains that this isn’t a dynamic processor that’s controlled by input levels - the sound is shaped by its own dynamics and transients.

Buy or download demo of G-Sonique Transient Shaping System+

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Wok SAM

Wok SAM

If you think this looks familiar, it’s because it’s inspired by Oberheim’s SEM analogue synth module. However, while it’s designed to capture said module’s sound and circuit instabilities, it adds polyphonic operation, more than one MIDI modulation source, an extra LFO for pitch and a noise oscillator.

Buy or download demo of Wok SAM

Liked this? Now read: Free music software: the best audio app and plug-in downloads on the net

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Social Links Navigation
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

Read more
inear
Tech I just stumbled on a treasure trove of free glitch plugins
 
 
UJAM
Tech “I’ll be having fun with this for a long time to come”: UJAM's Voxcraft delivers creative vocal manipulation without the menu-diving
 
 
Arturia's Efx Ambient from FX Collection 6, being used in a studio
Tech Arturia's FX Collection 6 adds an ambient plugin specialising in "novel, emotive textures" and a souped-up H910
 
 
timbre wolf
Tech "Boy, do people hate it": 10 of the most divisive products in music tech history, from iLok to the Akai Timbre Wolf
 
 
roland
Tech Cherry Audio’s SH-MAX takes on a trio of classic Roland monosynths called upon by everyone from Kraftwerk to Tame Impala
 
 
Baby Audio Grainferno
Tech Baby Audio's “most advanced synthesizer to date” is a granular plugin capable of creating “entirely new textures”
 
 
Latest in Plugins
pistil
Tech Tame Impala's synth company releases Pistil companion app for Orchid
 
 
plugin
Tech You might want to open a window before using The Crow Hill Company's filthy new synth
 
 
beautyflute
Tech This free plugin captures the shrill and squeaky sound of the most irritating musical instrument known to man
 
 
Electro-Harmonix has teamed up with MixWave to offer some of its most-famous pedals as plugins.
Guitars Electro-Harmonix launches six of its most-famous pedals as plugins
 
 
xln
Tech XLN Audio wants to put the fun back in drum processing with DB-30 Drum Butter
 
 
UVI
Tech A much-loved reverb plugin that we called "one of the most creative we've come across" is free for a limited time
 
 
Latest in News
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Olivia Rodrigo performs on the Pyramid stage during day five of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200,000 fans to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages. In 2026, the festival will take a fallow year, a planned pause to allow the Worthy Farm site time to rest and recover. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Artists Olivia Rodrigo reveals Robert Smith's Glastonbury prank, and says she didn’t play her Cure-referencing new single to him
 
 
Jose Gonzalez portrait photo
Singers & Songwriters “I’m curious about this new technology”: Jose González has collaborated with ChatGPT on his new album
 
 
pistil
Tech Tame Impala's synth company releases Pistil companion app for Orchid
 
 
Prince embraces Apollonia Kotero in a scene from the film 'Purple Rain', 1984. (Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images)
Artists Prince’s Purple Rain co-star recalls the moment he had the idea for one of his greatest songs
 
 
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Olivia Rodrigo performs with Robert Smith of The Cure on the Pyramid stage during day five of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200,000 fans to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages. In 2026, the festival will take a fallow year, a planned pause to allow the Worthy Farm site time to rest and recover. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Artists Olivia Rodrigo still has The Cure’s Robert Smith on her mind on new single, Drop Dead
 
 
boc
Artists Boards of Canada are back with their first new music in 13 years
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...