Plugins like the Softube Saturation Knob are a no-brainer to add analog console saturation to your collection. Depending on your DAW and OS, there are a large collection of free VST, AU, RTAS, and AAX plugins.

However, this can be a very costly decision if you do not know how to use the tools at your disposal.Īdditionally, there are many free options of plugins that can supplement what you already have, without having to spend any money. It is tempting to think that your mixes could be significantly improved by spending a lot of money on new gear. In fact, a set of stock plugins in the hands of an experienced engineer is more than sufficient to create a professional mix. Prior to purchasing and replacing stock plugins, I recommend two things: learning (and even mastering) how to use your stock plugins, and supplementing your stock plugins with other free plugins.Ĭontrary to conventional wisdom, stock plugins are extremely powerful and can sound great if used correctly. These additional purchased plugins are under the same categories of processors/instruments as stock plugins, but they can function and sound differently. Nonetheless, you can replace these stock plugins with many 3rd party options. These stock plugins usually cover the basic signal processors and instruments necessary for an audio engineer and producer. One similarity between DAWs is the use of plugins for instruments and signal processing.Īll modern DAWs come bundled with a set of stock plugins for you to use as soon as you install the DAW. There are many differences to consider between DAWs, but that’s a topic for a different day.

There are many DAW options to choose from, including Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Reaper, Reason, Studio One, etc. As an audio engineer, an important tool for recording is the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

Reaper stock plugins