Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts

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Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts Average ratng: 6,1/10 7691 reviews

Most podcasters and info spreaders are quick to talk about the gear they recommend — me included — for getting great audio.

Nov 20, 2020 ValhallaDSP makes some of the best commercial reverb and delay plugins going, but the developer has also treated us to several must-have freebies over the years, such as the excellent Freq Echo and Space Modulator. Nov 29, 2016 Stereo Tool is one of the most popular broadcast audio processors for FM and internet radio, and is our #1 top pick. It's available in several forms, including a VST plugin that brings world-class audio processing to Rocket Broadcaster. Stereo Tool offers a comprehensive suite of effects that makes audio consistent, clear, and warm to listen to. “What are the best reverb VST plugins out there in 2020?” Reverb is easily one of the most important sound effects in modern music, across all genres. From large, spacious fade-outs to short, tubular reverberations, it is an incredibly powerful tool for transforming a sound.

We know all about the ATR2100 or other mics like the Shure SM58 because they get a lot of word of mouth, but even if you have great gear that’s only one part of the puzzle.

After you record your audio, you’ll need to edit and process it. That’s what we’re talking about today:

Ooooooooooooh yeah.

You’re probably wondering why even the most prolific podcasters and audio content producers don’t really talk about plugins. Frankly… there’s no commission with free plugins.

My site is currently too young to have any real affiliate marketing yet, so I’m happy to talk about it!

Here’s the rundown:

Picture above (left) is the AIR Kill EQ which is a 3-band eq, and (right) the Channel Strip EQ which is a parametric eq.

3-band equalizers

You probably recognize the 3-band interface of the Air Kill EQ. It has the typical Low – Mid – High options that you’re used to seeing on a mixing board. When you turn up one of these knobs — also called pots which is short for potentiometer… the more you know — you increase that specific sound. When you turn the knob down it also turns down that sound… simple enough, right? With the 3-band EQ these groups of frequencies or bands are fixed, and cannot be spread out or focused unless they have a sweep which this 3-band EQ happens to have.

So if you want less low frequency in your sound you are able to lower it by turning down the low knob. If you want more clarity you are able to turn up the high knob. It’s very straight forward.

Parametric equalizers

You might be familiar with the layout of a parametric equalizer if you’ve ever played around in Garageband or other editing softwares. When using this type of EQ you are able to grab a specific point and drag it around the frequency spectrum. This allows you to select a specific frequency you want to manipulate. You can then either focus in on it, or broaden your selection by manipulating your Q — that’s a bit tough to understand in writing, so just play with it when you can. You’ll hear the difference. The Channel Strip plugin allows you to manipulate 4 different frequency points including a low frequency (LF), low mid frequency (LMF), high mid frequency (HMF), and a high frequency (HF) along with two filters.

More often than not, I will use a parametric equalizer because I love the visual representation and the extra precision.

Dyn3 Expander / Gate Pictured Above

Simplified, gates get rid of unwanted noise such as breathing, or spit smacks by clamping down — closing — when you aren’t speaking. The gate determines what is considered unwanted sound with the threshold. If the audio is quieter than the set threshold, the gate remains closed preventing any audio from passing.

This is the #1 tool I rely on for cleaning up audio when producing voiceover.

Garageband, Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, and many other softwares have this tool built in. Trust me, the gate is your friend.

For Further Learning: Audio Gates & Expanders Explained

Dyn3 Compressor / Limiter Picture Above

Compressors work to decrease your audio’s dynamic range. Why does that matter? When you’re producing audio for broadcast you want a smaller — compressed — amount of volume fluctuation, so that your listener doesn’t have to mess with their volume.

Have you ever watched a movie where all of the sudden the music comes in and you struggle to hear the dialogue? That’s a great example of too much dynamic range, and not enough compression. By keeping your audio in a tight pocket you enable your listener to hear your voice at all times whether you speak softly or are shouting.

Speaking of shouting, the compressor also helps prevent audio from reaching 0 dB and peaking. In this case, the threshold determines when to start compressing the audio. As soon as the volume is over the threshold the compressor applies its ratio. In the picture above, the ratio is 3.0:1. That means for every 3 decibels (dB) that the audio goes over the threshold, only 1 decibel will actually pass. Pretty neat, right!

For Further Learning: Compression 101: How to Use a Compressor (I apologize ahead of time… this dude’s like… really dry.)

Maxim Limiter Pictured Above

A limiter is essentially a compressor on steroids. As soon as the audio goes over the threshold it is boosted up to the ceiling or specific output that is set — that’s insanely reductive, but we’ll count it. This is used to tighten up your dynamics even more, and can really sound like crap if you overdo it. This is definitely a process that shows its price tag. Waves makes some amazing limiters, but the stock ones that come with most softwares can’t be pushed very hard without causing distortion. Note: Audacity calls their limiter a leveler.

For Further Learning: A Beginner’s Introduction to Limiters by Mo Volans – Mo is awesomely thorough in this article!

Normalize Pictured Above

You always need to normalize your audio as a final step. All it does — when the peak setting is selected — is maximize your volume based on the loudest point in your recording. Looking at the picture above, if you move the level to the left, you set the deciBels to a lower level. So if you were to set it -1 dB, then the loudest point in your audio will be -1 dB. It’s incredibly simple, but extremely powerful for adding that last little bit of polish to your audio.

These 5 plugins more than any others are the nuts and bolts of great voiceover and podcast audio. If you master them, you will deliver industry standard high quality audio every time. Plus, you will only get better with practice, and experience!

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In the meantime, drop me a comment below and share which plugins you use to knock your audio out of the park.

Till next time,

Cheers

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How to get the radio FM broadcast processing ?

You have music that you want to broadcast, you have set up a web radio, and now you need this “FM radio sound” : loud, clear and powerful.

What vst pultec equalizer plugin is available for cubase.
You can set up a chain of effects to try to achieve this FM radio sound : multiband compressor (s), equalizer, enhancer… Or you can try this “all in one” FREE plugin, intended for FM broadcasting :

Smash your sound with ENERGIZE free VST plugin

Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts For Beginners

This very powerful VST plugin is old but nothing compares to it! Let’s have a look in the web archive : energize free plugin

Here’s the signal flow in the plugin :

signal chain processing

As you can see, the signal is separated into 5 bands :

0-70 Hz
70 Hz – 200 Hz
200 Hz – 1KHz
1 KHz – 5 KHz
5 Khz – 15 KHz

Roland 808 vst free. each band is processed separately.
You can download the energize II manual here
You can download the VST plugin here

Using Energize VST in Wavosaur to get the FM radio sound

1) launch Wavosaur

2) load the music / podcast / anything else you want to process : menu File -> Open

3) click on the “rack” button to oepn the VST rack, then click on “Load VST” and choose “EnergizeII.dll” –> EnergizeII.dll is in this archive !!!! => here uncompress and copy in your VST folder <–

4) the VST rack should look like this :

The energize plugin has no GUI, so you have to use the VST rack to access the parameters
the parameters are on the right : AGC release, Compressor drive, Slide B2 etc…
I choose to present the 1.37 version because the next versions don’t show the parameters in the VST host. But if you don’t have to tweak and are satisfied with the default preset sound you can download the other versions : energize plugin v 1.4

5) check “processing” in Wavosaur to hear the effect when playing, click apply if you want to process your sound!

Before / After : ready for the FM broadcasting !!

here’s some before / after to show how dramatic is the effect !

Italo-dance ! note how the sound level is raised on “quiet” parts
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Master-Of-Progress-Can-You-Feel-It.mp3
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Master-Of-Progress-Can-You-Feel-It-big-radio-sound.mp3

biguine bretonne : stereo enhancing is very present
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Les-Charlots-La-Biguine-Au-Biniou.mp3
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Les-Charlots-La-Biguine-Au-Biniou-big-radio-sound.mp3

new beat / house : back to 1988
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Bassline-boys-On-Se-Calme.mp3
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Bassline-boys-On-Se-Calme-big-radio-sound.mp3

house : the level of the part without the beat is dramatically raised ! => fm radio broadcast sound
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DJ-Creator-Ki-Ki-Ki-ss-Me.mp3
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DJ-Creator-Ki-Ki-Ki-ss-Me-big-radio-sound.mp3

Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts Download

FM broadcasting yes ! but mastering…

Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts Free

We could be tempted to use this funky plugin for mastering purpose, but i found the effect a bit too radical. It’s perfect to get this radio broadcasting sound. But if you need to master your sounds, more subtle effects are recommended, more articles will come about compressors and eq !
Nothing prevents you from using the free Energize II VST plugin for creative effects though

Big broadcast sound with Stardust VST plugin

Best Vst Plugins For Podcasts For Beginners

Stadust VST is a free and incredibly good plugin, it’s intended for mastering, but with extreme settings you can achieve something close to the “big fat FM radio sound”