Plugin Pulse April 6th: Your Weekly Audio Update
This Week in Audio Plugins we talk Plugin Alliance and also look at LFO synths to get a Deadmau5 sound
Your weekly roundup of plugin news, tips, and epic deals.
👋 Welcome!
Welcome to this week's edition of Plugin Pulse from Audioblob.com! Whether you're a producer, sound engineer, or plugin enthusiast, we’ve got the latest news, updates, and the best deals from the audio plugin world to keep you ahead of the game.
Affiliate disclosure: Please note that URL’s marked with an asterisk * are affiliate URL’s which mean that we may get a small commission from any purchases you make through them (at no extra cost to you). These commissions help support the newsletter and gives me some extra inspiration to keep on doing it!
🔊 Industry News:
TC Electronic are having an Intro Sale
TC Electronic is a Danish audio equipment company that designs and imports guitar effects, bass amplification, computer audio interfaces, audio plug-in software, live sound equalisers, studio and post-production equipment, studio effect processors, and broadcast loudness processors and meters.
Read more → TC Electronic at Plugin Boutique*Happy (Belated) Birthday Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles "Fast Car" (1988) and "Give Me One Reason" (1995). and she celebrates her birthday on 30th March.
Read more → Link to SubstackThe Boss is putting out some “Lost” music.
Bruce Springsteen will publish seven albums of unreleased music that he performed over more than 30 years.
Read more → Link to full article
💡 Plugin of the Week:
Arturia OP-XA V Synthesizer
Type: VST, AAX
Category: Synth
Key Features:
A rework of the retro 1980’s OB-XA Synth
Wonderful arpeggiator features
Lots of sample manipulation possibilities under the hood.
Why we love it: [Brief personal insight on why the plugin stands out.]
Read the review → on the audioblob website
Watch the review video
💸 Top Deal: Arturia V Collection X (50% off)
🔥 Arturia V Collection X for half price
Until April 16th you can enjoy 50% off Arturia V Collection X. V Collection X is a premium suite of 39 enigmatic instruments. These range from protean hybrid synth engines to legendary organs & keyboards and beautifully captured acoustic sounds - enhanced for today’s production workflow.
Shop Now → Link to deal*
🎧 Tips & Tricks:
Lets talk about the epic sounds of Deadmau5.
For years I’ve been obsessed with the music of Deadmau5, not just because of the big mouse head that he wears, but also from the way he uses his synthesizers. I listen to his tracks and rather than just enjoy the music, I try to figure out how he achieves such sounds.
One particular track which sticks in my head is “Sofi Needs A Ladder”
That ripping synth line at the start which fluctuates in and out of sync with the beat (always ending up in sync” is a beautiful use of the synthesizer features.
The synth effect in "Sofi Needs a Ladder" by Deadmau5 is a heavily processed, aggressive, and growling lead that comes from a combination of the following techniques:
1. FM Synthesis & Wavetable Synthesis
Deadmau5 often uses Native Instruments Massive and Xfer Serum (which he co-created) for his synths.
The main lead in Sofi Needs a Ladder is likely made with FM synthesis or a wavetable synth with formant shifting.
The growling quality suggests modulation of the oscillator position, creating a vocal-like texture.
2. Formant & Notch Filtering
A formant filter or a notch filter with automation helps create that talking/screaming effect.
The filter cutoff is modulated over time to give movement.
3. Distortion & Saturation
The lead synth is heavily distorted, possibly using Ohmicide, CamelPhat, or FabFilter Saturn*.
Saturation helps fatten the sound, while distortion adds aggression.
4. Glide & Portamento
The synth has glide (portamento) enabled, meaning notes slide between pitches rather than playing separately.
This gives a smooth, legato, pitch-bending effect.
5. Sidechain Compression
The synth is sidechained to the kick drum, which creates that signature pulsing effect.
Deadmau5 often uses LFO Tool or volume automation instead of traditional sidechain compression.
6. Layering
The sound is likely layered with multiple synth patches playing slightly different roles (one for the growl, one for the high end, etc.).
A sub-bass layer ensures the sound has body without muddying the mix.
Shall we make it in Native Instruments Massive?
To recreate the synth pluck from "Sofi Needs A Ladder" in Native Instruments Massive*, here's a step-by-step guide:
Oscillators:
Use Oscillator 1 with a saw wave and Oscillator 2 with a square wave.
Detune them slightly to create a richer sound.
Filter:
Route both oscillators through a low-pass filter.
Set the cutoff frequency low and use an envelope to modulate it for that plucky effect.
Envelope:
Assign Envelope 1 to the filter cutoff.
Use a fast attack, short decay, and no sustain to shape the pluck.
Effects:
Add reverb and delay to give the sound depth and space.
Use a chorus effect to widen the sound.
Modulation:
Use an LFO to modulate the pitch or amplitude slightly for added movement.
EQ:
Boost the high frequencies to make the pluck stand out in the mix.
If you'd like a visual walkthrough, you can check out this tutorial below that demonstrates how to create a Deadmau5-style synth in Massive.
If you want some DeadMau5 style samples in a pack, check out Deadmau5 Xfer*.
💸 Amazing Deal 😍
🔥 $19.99 Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Ends April 6th*
Your chance to own this historic compressor (well a VST version of it) for much less monies that it normally sells at. Plugin Alliance have a deal at the moment and ends TODAY.
This is a fire plugin deal. Be sure to grab it.
🚨 Upcoming Releases & Blog News:
- to Unveil New SubStack Sessions – Don’t miss this wonderful way to support the thriving SubStack music community.
Event details → Link
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Thanks for reading!
We’ll be back next week with even more news, reviews, and deals. Stay tuned!