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Tag: eventide blackhole

  • Spitfire Audio introduces LABS – Synth News Digest 18

    Spitfire Audio introduces LABS – Synth News Digest 18

    Welcome to the latest edition of our TabMuse music technology news digest. It gives us the opportunity to cover a few fresh stories and product announcements worthy of your interest. If you want to check out the last digest, simply click on the following link.

    Spitfire LABS brings High-Quality Free Instrument Samples to You

    Spitfire Audio continues to be one of the top sample library purveyors in the industry. We previously reviewed their BT Phobos and Hans Zimmer Percussion products. HZP made a vital impact on the new Church of Hed album, Sandstoned.

    Recently, the company announced a new initiative, Spitfire LABS. Its purpose is to provide top of the line instrument samples for free. Spitfire calls this program “an infinite series of software instruments.” This is exciting stuff, especially considering the quality of their work.

    spitfire labs
    Spitfire Audio’s LABS offers great sampled instruments for free. Image copyright Spitfire Audio.

    The first two instruments were released late last week. Soft Piano uses samples of a piano where a piece of soft felt was placed between the hammer and the strings. The other instrument is Strings, leveraging a recording of a small chamber group using a host of vintage mics.

    I am in promo mode for the new Church of Hed album, so I still need to download the instruments. Expect a review of both sometime in the future. Nonetheless, major props to Spitfire Audio for debuting their LABS program.

    Audified releases SpeakUp aimed at the Voiceover Recording Market

    Another excellent plugin from a top shelf music software shop, Audified’s DW Drum Enhancer received coverage earlier at TabMuse. These folks recently announced a new plugin aimed at the spoken word and voiceover market. Called SpeakUp, it promises to add clarity to both voiceovers and music tracks using speech.

    SpeakUp includes two separate plugins. SpeakUp Sensor is aimed at enhancing voice tracks, while SpeakUp Performer works with projects including both voice and music. Those of you producing YouTube shows and/or podcasts need to explore picking up this collection.

    If interested, SpeakUp is available in most popular plugin formats for an introductory price of $99. Its regular cost is $129. Buy many for all your friends!

    Eventide introduces Blackhole for the NKS Standard

    Eventide’s Blackhole reverb plugin is perfect for music projects with a strong sense of outer space. We reviewed it earlier this year. Now Jon Anderson’s favorite effects shop introduced a version of Blackhole compatible with Native Instruments NKS.

    NKS stands for Native Kontrol Standard, which is typically supported by NI’s line of high-grade hardware controllers. So if you own a MASCHINE or one of the KOMPLETE KONTROL keyboards, prepare to blast into deep space. NI’s Ray Chemo commented on Eventide’s support for NKS.

    “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Eventide, a brand famous for their high-quality, creative FX, on the NKS platform and deeply integrated into our KOMPLETE KONTROL and MASCHINE eco-systems,” said Chemo. If you want to pick up Blackhole, which supports most popular plugin formats, expect to pay $69. It is also part of Eventide’s Anthology XI, which includes pretty much the entire collection of Eventide audio plugins.

    Frankly, all this NKS support makes me want to get my own NI controller!


  • Review: Travel Deep Space with Eventide Blackhole

    Review: Travel Deep Space with Eventide Blackhole

    Able to warp across distant galaxies with a simple knob twist, Eventide Blackhole offers an otherworldly reverb plugin to musicians of all styles. Featuring an easy to use interface similar to MangledVerb or UltraTap, Blackhole lets you begin your journey with minimal effort. Of course, it sounds great!

    Eventide Blackhole Features

    • The Same Classic Reverb Algorithm from the H8000FW, DSP4000
    • Intuitive User Interface
    • Mono/Stereo I/O
    • Ribbon Control and Hotswitch
    • 50 Presets from Richard Devine, Sigur Ros, Flood, Vernon Reid, and more
    • Tempo Sync with Host DAW
    • Supports Most Popular Plugin Formats
    • Available as Part of Eventide Anthology XI or Separately

    In short, Blackhole is one of the top reverb plugins on the market. If you specialize in spacerock, space ambient, or simply space, put it on your shortlist. We highly recommend it.

    The Intuitive Eventide Plugin Interface

    As noted earlier, Blackhole sports a similar interface as MangledVerb, UltraTap, and other Eventide plugins with the same virtual form factor. The familiar Hotswitch and ribbon controller let you switch between parameter settings in unique and intuitive ways. The knobs and other controls are laid out in an easy to follow manner.

    eventide blackhole
    Eventide Blackhole sports an intuitive interface. Image by author.

    A menu bar at the top of the plugin helps you manage presets – both your own and 50 from a few industry legends, like Richard Devine, Sigur Ros, and Flood. Input and output faders – each with its own meter – frame Blackhole’s interface on both sides. Expect no problems simply diving in and using Blackhole, and its mono/stereo I/O provides additional flexibility for your setup.

    The Classic Eventide Reverb Sound

    Blackhole first appeared as an algorithm in Eventide’s hardware effects units, like the DSP4000 and the H8000. Its huge sense of space makes it useful for musical applications set among the stars. We previously noted that if you are a spacerocker or take part in spacey ambient projects, this reverb plugin lies directly in your wheelhouse.

    The Gravity knob serves as Blackhole’s decay parameter. The leftmost settings are used for reverse reverb, giving the plugin additional flexibility. The rightmost settings are suitable for intergalactic voyages. Use Gravity in tandem with the Size parameter to dial-in the reverb of your otherworldly desires.

    Predelay works as expected; letting you control the time before the reverb effect begins. Syncing it to the tempo in your DAW is another option. The Low and High parameters provide a measure of filtering to the overall effect; use these with the resonance parameter for additional fun.

    The Mod Depth and Rate controls add a subtle sense of movement to the reverb. It also can lessen the ringing in the overall sound. Slamming the Feedback parameter lets you take your reverb to infinity. The Sigur Ros preset uses this to great effect. As Nigel Tufnel would say: “you can go out and have a bite and you’d still be hearing that one.”

    Ultimately, Eventide Blackhole ranks as one of the top reverb plugins on the market. Of course, as a psychedelic electronic spacerock musician, I’m likely biased a bit. Give it a whirl in your setup to truly travel those mystic galaxies.


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