Free Software Friday is our regular Friday feature here at the dBs blog. We dig the depths of the music production and media webosphere and discover what downloadable plugin freebies are worth double clicking each week.
The Center for Haptic Audio Interaction Research (Chair) has released EXC!TE SNARE DRUM; a free plugin that creates ultra-realistic snare sounds using physical modelling algorithms.
Right off the bat, EXC!TE SNARE DRUM offers a much greater level of control than working with samples. Thanks to a simple UI, crafting your unique snare sound is a rapid process. There are 6 controls available to mould your perfect snare that are separated into 'Excitation' and 'Resonator'. Excitation holds the velocity, tip hardness and rimshot controls, while Resonator holds drumhead tuning, snare tension and hit position.
Regardless of the fact that this plugin is free, EXC!TE does a good job of recreating acoustic snares. The physical modelling at play can create additional characteristics like snare rattle as well as alternate snare drum sizes. Whether you're replacing a poor snare recording or creating something bespoke for your latest track, this plugin is an excellent tool to have at your disposal.
There is a paid version available for €19.90 that includes a side-chain input and 'extra crunch' mode, so if you like the free version and want to show a little support to the developers we highly recommend investing.
EXC!TE SNARE DRUM is available for Windows (10 or older), macOS (10.12 or later) and Linux (VST3/64-bit) and can be downloaded for free using the link below.
FIND OUT MORE
https://www.chair.audio/product/excite_snare_drum/Want more free software? Check out all our other Free Software Friday blogs here
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