u/jameshgordy

Hey all, I know I posted a plugin last week, but I've since made another one based on feedback (and some editing for a release I have coming out).

Basically sometimes we've nailed the part but either it's not cutting through enough or we get regret over how we played it - well this little plugin let's you adjust your signal so a part you played with fingers now sounds like a pick or vice versa.

I asked a lot of mix engineers what they did in this situation and they said compressor, EQ or both. That didn't make sense to me as this is a transient response problem, now solved.

I recorded samples of 8 different bass guitars in lots of settings to get the exact feel and I think I nailed it.

VST3/AU/AAX*

*AAX mac and linux only

I promise I won't post any more plugins after this for a while, just the feedback from the community has been really useful!

And to be clear this, and all software I currently have out, is completely free :)

Back in June I posted Bass Better-er here, my free plugin that turns a raw bass signal into a full warm multi-layer studio sound, and asked for feedback, which I received a lot of (thanks!). Between here and TalkBass I got two months of exactly the feedback a beta needs. The beta is now finished, and what it grew into shipped this week: Box of Bass v1, still completely free.

Click here to view and/or download Box Of Bass

What's new in Box of Bass now it's left BETA

• The distortion and fuzz have been enhanced with SATURATE, DRIVE, RELEASE and SUSTAIN dials. Plus the Fuzz and Distortion can now run in sequence (Fuzz -> Distortion or vice versa)
• Six-band master EQ with movable band frequencies (and hover over frequency identification in the analyser)
• Room feed selection - choose which layers feed each room mic.
• A stereo spreader that leaves the mono fold-down mathematically intact (lows stay centred).
• GUITAR MODE pitches the whole chain down an octave. Plug in a guitar, get a bass.
• Artist presets: my three hand-dialled tones from my upcoming Box Of Rules single "Tax Wealth, Not Work" transcribed knob for knob.
• Pro Tools, properly: the macOS installer now includes a PACE-signed AAX. This was the most-asked question of the beta and it finally has a good answer. (Signed Windows AAX is coming soon)
• Sidechain input: route any signal to the plugin's sidechain and it can replace the track audio (TRACK/EXT/AUTO), so one instance can live on a bus fed by a DI send.
  • LINK mode: instances on multiple channels share one sound; one is MASTER, the rest follow, with per-instance filters for what follows (mutes/solos, drive, faders, controls).

Still free, for any use, commercial productions included: no account, no dongle. AU, VST3, AAX and Standalone, with installers for macOS, Windows, and Linux. There is a pro version coming later this year, but there's no obligation to upgrade or sign up.

Thanks again to everyone who tested, reported, and argued with me about what a bass plugin should be.

A few days ago I posted Bass Better-er here, my free plugin that turns a single bass DI into a full multi-layer studio sound. The original thread is here, and the response and feedback were way beyond what I expected. I also ran a parallel thread over on TalkBass, and between the two communities you gave me a proper list of things to fix. So I went away and fixed the lot.

v0.1.4 is live, and almost everything in it came straight from you. Quick demo video attached so you can see and hear the changes.

Fixed (the ones you flagged)

• Fuzz no longer jumps in volume. Engaging FUZZ used to be much louder than clean, which made it feel like clipping. It's now loudness matched, so the button changes character, not level. Old sessions migrate automatically.
• The (GarageBand) "everything distorts" bug is gone. It was a buffer size issue under the hood. Big thanks to the tester who sent me a clip, it let me recreate and fix it fast.
• No more zipper noise on live playing. All controls now ramp smoothly while playing instead of stepping.
• Cleaner spectrum display at the low end.

New

• A/B button on the DI strip, to flip between your raw DI and the full processed sound instantly.
• Spectrum view toggle showing your dry DI in grey against the processed output in cyan, so you can see exactly what it adds.
• SYS panel with live CPU, latency, and buffer info, plus one-click copy for bug reports.
• Update notice when a new version is out. Checks once a day, sends nothing about you or your audio.
• A proper tech FAQ and plain-English glossary in the README.

Still completely free. AU, VST3, and Standalone, with installers for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Download v0.1.4: https://github.com/boxofrules/bass-betterer/releases/tag/v0.1.4

Bugs and requests are best as a GitHub Issue so I can track them. The feedback form is still open too, would help me with my studies on my Masters: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeubMHAKh_17mB1MMCtbwSShB_RwfxPooTSsMV9FJzxLbICHw/viewform

Thanks again to everyone who tested the first build and told me what was wrong. You made it better with very quick turnaround!

I've been recording bass for 15 years and I'm also a coder, so I put both together and built a simple bass plugin.

The idea was to get that big, pro studio bass sound, the Justin Chancellor and Muse end of things, into the hands of people who don't have the gear or the cash for a pile of expensive kit (ie DSP neurals blah blah) 

The beta is free. Check it out here and download here

Heads up: I built this on a Mac. The Windows installer should work fine, but if it gives you any grief the plugin files are in there too so you can drop them in manually.

Two asks if you try it:

Bugs and requests go on the repo as an Issue so I can track them, not in the comments

Quick feedback goes here

Cheers!

EDIT: We have a winner with the Russell Hobbs Inspire 2 Slice

• Comfortably in budget
• Wide slots (bagels yes please)
• High lift
• Crumb tray looks properly detachable
• Looks nice
• Defrosts(!)
• Up to 3 year Warranty.

Thanks to all who advised - if anything goes wrong with this one and/or I become a millionaire, then the Dualit devices do indeed look like the best option. May your train journeys be free of delays and your snacks unaffected by shrinkflation.

ORIGINAL:

A toaster is a quintessential UK appliance: arguably the tonsils of the kitchen, where you don't realise the importance until it's gone.

Mine broke recently and I hadn't got round to buying a new one or (as I live in Brighton), collecting one off the street near some bins.

Since we live in the future, I feel the AskUK group is going to be very clued in to value vs Quality of Life improvements for a toaster. Basically I don't want to spend more than £40 (ie unnecessary "brand/aesthetic) but are there any features worth elevating from the base models that have been game changing?

Or are there any toasters you can recommend that contributed to conversation when someone has visited your home? (For example, on Taskmaster, Alex has mentioned multiple times his transparent toaster).

Now I am not a toaster expert ("a toastie") but I have read The Toaster Project so I am open to a basic toaster ethically sourced. I am not open to air fryers. They are the printers of the culinary world and I still don't trust them.