Entirely free noise generators are almost unheard of, but denise offers an impressive tool that will get you one step closer to a warm, vintage sound. The limited Noize Retro by denise is based on their paid “Noize” series. Noize Retro offers one type of sound generation but still functions in the same way as Noize 1 and Noize 2 which are both available for purchase.
Noize Retro is sleek, aesthetically pleasing, and simple to use. Simply load an audio sample into the plugin and tweak the parameters to generate the vintage sounds of your choice. The parent company denise recommends using this plugin to make sounds more natural, add power, process vintage-inspired vocals, and add layers to white noise and other fx. The plugin is useful enough to be used to boost individual tracks but can also be used on an audio bus for a more coherent sound.
Specs and Features
The plugin is pretty simple but still powerful. The “adapt” button is used to import an audio sample or track of your choosing, and the plugin adjusts according to the signal’s particular parameters. From there, you can adjust the embedded high and low pass filters. The rise and fall knobs essentially work as attack and decay toggles. There’s also a stereo mix send within the plugin so you can widen your audio image inside of Noize Retro. You can boost or lower the mix by 12 dB. There’s also a built-in level meter to ensure you don’t clip your track. There’s a mix level within Noize Retro, so you can certainly run your raw signal parallel to the altered one. Noize Retro is modeled after vintage arcade noises, but only playing around with the plugin will give you a true sense of what kinds of sounds this VST is capable of.
Our Impressions
At first sight, I’m immediately excited to use this plugin. Unlike many other free VSTs, it feels like denise put a good amount of effort in the overall aesthetic and flow to Noize Retro which I appreciate and feel reflects upon denise’s overall craftsmanship. This plugin does a great job at producing retro sounds in a short amount of time. It certainly isn’t something you’ll use on every project, but for what it’s worth, the plugin is flexible enough to be used on vocals, drums, and fxs. I appreciate the sound generator especially for beefing up kicks and snares without being too overt. The interface is pretty intuitive making this plugin easy and fun to use.
User Impressions
Users loved Noize Retro’s ability to produce quality sounds without a whole lot of hassle. It seems that the plugin does all that it sets out to, and users seeking more features usually find their desired solution in the paid version of the plugin, Noize 2. Notably, users appreciated the embedded mix knob so that they could run their altered sound parallel to the raw audio signal. Overall, users found Noize Retro to be very useful and very much worth the initial time investment, especially for a free plugin.
Bottom Line
Noize Retro poses an impressive solution for those looking to generate retro-inspired noises quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of time to figure out how to use the VST, and the sleek plugin lends itself to numerous applications including vocal processing, boosting up drums and fxs, and giving a retro vibe instantly to any instrument. With the built-in stereo mixer and high/low pass filters, it also contributes a good amount of sound shaping. It’s a great tool to have within your arsenal of plugins.
Where to Get It
You can get Noize Retro from denise’s site here. The plugin comes in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX formats. It is available for Windows 10 and Mac OS X and is 64-bit compatible.
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