Charlatan 3, Liver 6, Gnarl: Free Plugins of the Week
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Charlatan 3, Liver 6, Gnarl: Free Plugins of the Week · Source: Aurora DSP, Blaukraut Engineering
Charlatan 3 brings back the popular free virtual analog synth with an all-new GUI and loads of new features! This week’s collection of the best free plugins also includes Liver 6 – Aurora DSP’s take on the legendary Line 6 POD for April 1st – and Gnarl, a unique distortion plugin by Myroslav Artiukh.
Blaukraut Engineering Charlatan 3: Free VA Synth
Charlatan by Blaukraut Engineering has been a freeware favorite for many years. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, the dual-oscillator virtual analog synth is easy to use and surprisingly flexible. And the latest version Charlatan 3, which has just been officially released, steps it up a notch with an all-new user interface and many new features.
The two oscillators now offer custom drawable waveforms, as well as phase and ring modulationand linear FM. Each oscillator can deliver up to seven unison voices, which is perfect for lush pads and fat basses. In addition to this, Blaukraut Engineering has greatly expanded the filter section. Not only does Charlatan 3 feature two multi-mode filters per voice instead of one, but the selection of filter modes has also grown considerably.
While the predecessor offered two envelopes and one LFO, Charlatan 3 features four versatile modulation generators with freely drawable shapes. Each of these can operate as an LFO or envelope and includes its own modulation transformer for reshaping and remapping the control signal. Speaking of mapping, Charlatan 3 also features a new drag-and-drop routing system for modulation – quick and easy! In addition to this, the new version of the free software synth includes a bunch of built-in master FX.
Charlatan 3 is a major update that greatly expands the possibilities of this popular freeware synth. It is available for Windows and Linux in VST3 and CLAP formats. Sadly, however, there’s still no Mac version.
Aurora DSP Liver 6: Back to the 2000s!
Why sell a kidney for an amp modeler? Aurora DSP Liver 6 pays homage to the grandaddy of hardware modelers that single-handedly transformed how we recorded guitars in our bedrooms in the early 2000s. The fact that it was released on April 1st goes to show that there’s a chance they weren’t entirely serious when they designed this plugin. But it isn’t a joke – you can actually download it and run your signals through this organ-shaped contraption.
While it’s by no means a faithful emulation of the original Line 6 POD (and who would want that, really), Liver 6 offers a choice of 16 amp models – let’s call them “creatively named”. With an authentically digital sound and minimal variety, they take you back to the good old days of early 2000s bedroom metal.
If you’re in a nostalgic mood and want to relive the home recording sessions of your youth, give Liver 6 a try! If anything, it’s sure to give you a good laugh!
Liver 6 is available for macOS and Windows in VST3, AU, and AAX formats and as a stand-alone app.
If that got you in the mood, this is about as close as you can get to the origianl with hardware*:
Myroslav Artiukh Gnarl: Six Types of Distortion
Gnarl by Myroslav Artiukh is a versatile distortion plugin with six distortion types to choose from. It also offers a threshold slider that lets you control the intensity of the distortion, as well as a dry/wet knob. In addition to this, you can shape the sound using a pair of resonant multi-mode filters. Gnarl even includes a basic reverb, which is great if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to open another plugin.
Gnarl is available as a VST3 plugin for macOS and Windows. While you can download the plugin for free, the developer asks you to name a fair price if you like it.
Looking for more free plugins like Charlatan 3, Liver 6, and Gnarl? Check out our archive!
*This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
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