Transmutator is a less boring kind of crossfader plugin that’s designed for producers as well as DJs

You might think that crossfading is a utilitarian process best left to DJs, but United Plugins reckons that it has plenty of potential as a creative production trick, too. Step forward its new Transmutator plugin, which enables you to blend sounds in 16 different ways.

Using the plugin is easy: insert it on one track and feed a second track to its sidechain input (you’ll need to ensure that your DAW supports this - GarageBand doesn’t, for example). Then just use the Mix knob to transition from one track to another in your mode of choice.

These modes include mid/side, multiband, dynamics, filtering, spectral freezing/blurring and pitch/frequency shifting options, and you can also invert the parameters in each mode for even more variety. There’s also a Dry/Wet mix slider and you can set the input level for both of your tracks.

Transmutator can be trialled for free for 15 days and is currently available at the introductory price of €19. It runs on PC and Mac in VST/AU/AAX formats and you can find out more on the United Plugins website.

Ben Rogerson

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. 

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