Direct Approach, a plugin manufacturer who specialise in dynamics plugins which offer additional control through writing automation, have made all of their plugins available for free. We have the details.
A common issue with dynamics processing is finding the right setting for all of your material. it’s not unusual to use a combination of manually created automation and the automatic gain control of dynamics plugins to ge things just right. Direct Approach take the approach, also found in plugins like Quiet Art’s Waverider and Waves’ Vocal Rider of having the gain reduction created by a plugin written to an automation playlist and taken it further, applying it to processes like limiting and de-essing as well as compression.
They create other categories of plugin such as a delay, a spectrum analyser, filters and a Haas panner, which we particularly like.
Direct Approach have made all of their plugins available for free. This follows a move to a ‘pay what you can afford’ pricing structure which has now been changed to a free offer, with no plugin registration necessary.
These plugins are offered as donationware and we strongly suggest that if you like these plugins you support the developer’s hard work by making an appropriate donation.
How To Get Direct Approach Plugins
Click the button below, follow the link at the bottom of the linked page and download the installer. Direct Approach plugins are available as 64 bit PC and Mac - VST, VST3, AAX, and AU
What Plugins Do You Get?
SpecTrend
SpecTrend is a Spectral Trend Analyzer. More than just a spectrum analyzer, SpecTrend shows you the ongoing RMS spectral content of your track, or mix, referenced against a Pink noise spectrum This allows you to easily see the spectral balance of your mix, since all frequency bands will show at the same level when balanced.
CompPlus
In addition to compression CompPlus has articulation control which allows it to ride up the gain at the end of musical words and phrases. The compression controls the louder signals while the articulation brings up the level of the tail of musical notes and phrases to help the track sit in the mix.
You set the threshold and ratio, and CompPlus does the work! It applies a gentle transparent compression while, also, gently increasing the gain on the low levels. And, with the automation recording capability, it gives you automatic gain riding, which you can then edit as necessary for exactly the results you want
LimitX
LimitX was born out of a desire to develop a limiter that controls the peaks of your signal by adjusting the waveform proportionally as it approaches the limit, and leaving the remainder of your signal untouched.
It does so by adjusting not only the loudest peak, but also the nearby peaks, in such a manner that the waveform is preserved. This is why LimitX is so transparent.
BoostX
BoostX is unique in that it is able to raise only the low level parts of the signal, without affecting the remaining signal. This allows you to bring up the signal on the tail end of musical notes and phrases to help the track sit in the mix.
You set the threshold and BoostX passes, untouched, the signal that is above the threshold, while gently increasing the gain on the low levels. Used with the automation recording capabilty, it gives you automatic gain riding, which you can then edit as necessary.
DLA
DLA is a very flexible delay that is specifically designed to be very transparent. It features feedback, low pass, dry/wet, and delay time controls on two completely independent channels.
A powerful feature is that the plugin will follow the tempo changes of your track. Once you set a delay time, for example 1/4 note, the plugin will modify the delay time to remain as a 1/4 note when the tempo changes.
Snap!
Snap! restores some of the peak amplitude that is lost when samples are processed and compressed, sometimes taking the life and impact out of them. Snap! stretches those peaks upward, in a proportional manner, this is the exact opposite of a limiter. Snap! will increase your peaks which could result in clipping. But when used properly, it can put the musical life back into the sound. And now with the ability to read/write the automation of the dynamics processor, you have the greatest possible control of transients
DASR
Used with its automation capability, DASR gives total control of the de-essing process You can use DASR as a normal de-esser without the automation, of course, but its great power comes when you record the automation, and then are able to edit it as necessary for that perfect de-essing.
Also Included: PanPlus, HiLoPass and Dip