This weeks Friday Free Plug-in is not just one free plug-in, it is several - The Blue Cat Audio Plug-ins Pack II. This bundle includes six plug-ins covering modulation based effects, gain and EQ.

Plug-in Formats

All the free plug-ins in this bundle work in Pro Tools (RTAS/AAX Native) and are also available in VST, Audio Unit and DirectX for both 32 and 64-bit on Mac & Windows.

Visit the Blue Cat Audio website to download the freeware Blue Cat Audio Plug-ins Pack II

Blue Cat's Gain Suite

Blue Cat's Gain plug-ins (separate plug-ins for mono & dual) enables users to easily adjust the volume of one or several audio tracks in real time. This is a much more comprehensive volume plug-in compared to Trim that's bundled with Pro Tools. The dual version of Blue Cat's Gain has mid/side capabilities. This means users can control the volume of left and right or mid and side channels, useful for widening or narrowing stereo tracks.

Pro Tools Plug-in Catagory: Dynamics

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst is, what I like to describe as, a utility plug-in. In short, it is a real-time spectrum analyzer that monitors and displays spectral content of audio. It smoothly displays a continuous spectrum. Zoom and freezing the display are two key features. 

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst has a unique threshold system that enables users to hone in on important parts of a spectrum.

Pro Tools plug-in category: Other

Blue Cat's Triple EQ

The Blue Cat's Triple EQ is a 3 bands semi-parametric EQ that can be used like a single filter with customizable shapes - Think Pro Tools EQ3 1-Band with extra features. 

Blue Cat's Triple EQ features:

• A low shelf filter
• A high shelf filter
• A boost/cut peak filter

These three filters are linked together so adjusting the centre frequency will modify the parameters of the three filters accordingly making this a very simply EQ plug-in to control.

Similar to Blue Cat's Gain, Triple EQ is also available in dual channel form enabling users to control left/right or mid/side. Both channels can be linked together meaning we can use this EQ as a frequency-dependent panner.

Blue Cat's Chorus

Blue Cat's Chorus is one of my favourite free Pro Tools plug-ins - read my article My Most Used Free Plugin For Mixing In Pro Tools - Dan. 

We all know what Chorus sounds like. I have never been a big fan of the bundled Chorus plug-ins  in Pro Tools - thank high heaven then that Blue Cat Audio gave us this, I really like it. I would go as far to say that I would have even paid for it, if Blue Cat sold it!

Pro Tools plug-in category: Modulation

Blue Cat's Flanger

Love it or hate it, there is no denying that Flanger is an interesting effect. Flanger is an effect I rarely use but some applications do require something different and Flanger is usually the first "think outside the box" effect I'll reach for.

The Blue Cat's Flanger GUI is almost identical in design to Blue Cat's Chorus & Phaser plug-ins. All these plug-ins feature a spread control that works stereo voodoo - put some headphones on and have a try of this control on all the Blue Cat Audio free modulation plug-ins.

Pro Tools plug-in category: Modulation

Blue Cat's Phaser

Last, but by no means least the free Blue Cat Audio Plugin Pack II also contains Blue Cat's Phaser. Users can choose to apply up to 32 phasing stages, pushing the model to its limits, or create a subtle phasing effect with wet and feedback parameters set to a few percents.

Pro Tools plug-in category: Modulation

Use Blue Cat Audio Plug-ins Pack II With Destructor

We feel that the Blue Cat Audio Plug-ins Pack II is a great effects companion to Blue Cat's latest distortion and amp simulator plug-in Destructor. The only area where Destructor is lacking is in the effects department - not that this is a deal breaker by any means. The free plug-ins listed in this article by Blue Cat Audio could very well be the perfect virtual guitarist's pedal board.