Available for download, Waves Bass Slapper is a virtual instrument that puts the sound of slap-bass under your fingertips, allowing you to achieve funky slaps and plucky patterns by means of your MIDI keyboard. In sampling this virtual instrument, Waves made sure to slap, pop, and more, in various neck-positions, opting to record the notes as a bass player would choose to play them on the fingerboard. This aspect of the sampling process is important, as different positions change the articulation of all those desirable and musical effects surrounding the slap—the thumb pops, hammer-ons, muted hits, and so on. The resulting tones are more authentic as a result of this method.

Over 3,700 samples have been utilized in fashioning this virtual instrument, including slaps, pulls (with pointer and index fingers), hammer-ons, hammer-offs, percussive samples, release samples, slides, and special effects. Each of these samples have been recorded at different velocities. Round robin samples are also on hand, so you don’t get that machine-gun effect when you repeat the same note over and over again.

Bass Slapper comes with a standard and a high-definition library. The former is more useful for the recording stage, or for rigs where storage space is at a premium. Once you’ve recorded your samples, you can load the high-definition library and use those for mix. Bass Slapper is compatible with Mac and Windows platforms, and is compatible with AU, VST, VSTi, VST3, and AAX formats. The virtual instrument also works as a standalone application.

The Codex Wavetable Synthesizer from Waves is a polyphonic synthesizer offering a range of sounds from analog and acoustic emulations, to intricate and evolving textures. Its sound source is an advanced granular wavetable engine, and the synthesizer functions as a plug-in or standalone. Hundreds of sound presets are included, as is the ability to import custom audio files and transform them into wavetables.

Advanced formant control technology allows Codex to provide direct control over the acoustic resonance of a sound while maintaining its resonance character, and high-resolution FFT-based automatic interpolation technology results in smooth morphing while sweeping through wavetables. The analog subtractive synthesis component offers a more traditional method to further shape the sound using filters, envelopes, LFOs, a modulation matrix, arpeggiator/sequencer, 4-band EQ, and distortion, delay, reverb and chorus effects.

The Electric 200 Piano from Waves is a virtual instrument that recreates the sound of an iconic 70s electric piano, one that had a huge impact on the rock, jazz, RnB, and electronic music of the day. The reed tone of the electric piano model used on classic recordings by Ray Charles, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan and many more, is recreated from sampling two original models, each with a distinctive sound. For added customization, the software provides for mixing in the sound of the internal piano mechanisms, such as hammer strike, key up, etc. A relevant suite of effects is included.

The Electric 88 Piano virtual instrument from Waves is designed to bring you the musical character of a well-used, road-worn Mark 1 88-key vintage electric piano, combined with the flexibility and control of a software instrument. Every element of the instrument’s sound, including the non-linearity of the individual keys, is captured to recreate the magic realism of the original.

The instrument can be used as a plug-in or stand-alone, and comes equipped with the tools to create classic or adventurous sounds. The mix section gives you control over formants, sample shifting, and internal mechanics such as tines and key-up sound. Also included are high-quality tremolo, autopan, phaser, chorus, and reverb effects, as well as controls for boosting bass, mid, and treble frequencies.

A vintage-style compressor and an amplified cabinet that was sampled with both a condenser a dynamic mic let you further tweak your sound to achieve tones ranging from mellow jazz flavors to distorted rock riffs.

The Electric Grand 80 Piano from Waves brings you the musical character of a faithfully-sampled CP-80 electric grand piano with the flexibility and control of a virtual instrument plug-in. It combines the sonic characteristics of acoustic piano mechanics and electric-guitar-style pickups to recreate the distinctive tone of the original instrument, heard on a multitude of pop and R&B hits throughout the 80’s.

The Electric Grand 80 Piano can be used as a plug-in or standalone. It comes with EQ and tremolo controls found on the CP-80, and includes effects such as compression, autopan, phaser, chorus, and reverb. The instrument features a mix section that lets you combine four separately sampled sound (main, key up, internal mechanics, sustain pedal), for added nuances and realism. Furthermore, the Sustain Resonance knob lets you blend in the sound produced by sympathetic resonance of un-played strings when the sustain pedal is pressed, adding depth to long chords and solos alike.

The OneKnob Pumper from Waves is a single-knob-operated sidechain compression simulator, designed to achieve an instant ducking effect. This easy-to-use plug-in is ideal for making either an entire mix or individual tracks pump with the beat, and saves having to route the kick track to the sidechain input of a compressor. The plug-in includes only the Native license for use in most audio hosts.

Available for download, Waves Sibilance is a de-esser that makes use of Waves Organic ReSynthesis technology to result in glitch-free processing of sibilated sounds. Use this plug-in to reduce the harsh noise from s and sh consonants in sung and spoken vocals, doing so in a way that doesn’t alter the vocal’s inherent tonality. With this plug-in, you’ll be able to secure a brighter overall tone without the harshness commonly associated with sibilance.

Threshold and Range controls function as you’d expect, setting the level at which processing begins and the maximum amount of gain-reduction respectively. Conventional Lookahead and Monitor controls are also on hand.

Instead of a frequency control, you’re provided with the Detection Width knob. This control, located on the left of the GUI, intelligently focuses on sibilance. At lower values, it detects narrower frequency ranges, while higher values result in wider frequency ranges. Use the lower settings to isolate the s and higher-settings to find sh sounds.

Traditional de-essers often let you select between wide and split-band processing. The Sibilance’s Mode control, however, lets you transition gradually between the two. Lower values will affect the full frequency range, while the highest value targets frequencies above 4 kHz. You can blend between the two poles or automate the Mode control to target different types of sibilance at different parts of the tune.

This plug-in works in mono and stereo applications. Included are modules for mono/stereo live use as well, but these modules don’t sport lookahead controls. Sibilance is compatible with Mac and Windows platforms, and can operate in AU, VST, and AAX formats.

The Smack Attack from Waves is a transient shaper plug-in designed to provide flexible envelope modification of drums, loops, pianos, and other percussive instruments. It can be used in mono or stereo in a variety of hosts and platforms, including the eMotion LV1 mixing console. The Smack Attack’s zero latency, large controls, and simple interface make it ideal for both live and in-the-studio production.

Input signal is displayed as a scrolling, real-time graphic waveform. Lines overlaying the waveform provide visual feedback for sensitivity settings and gain change. As with traditional transient shapers, level controls for attack and sustain are present. Unlike traditional transient shapers, the Smack Attack offers additional controls for the shape and duration of attack and sustain. Independent sensitivity sliders for attack and sustain allow you to set thresholds for transient processing, controlling when the Smack Attack will affect the signal.

Transient shapers tend to significantly change output level. To address that issue and prevent clipping, the Smack Attack features adjustable output level and a selectable limiter. Clip mode allows intentional clipping of signals over 0 dBFS, while keeping final output levels limited to a maximum of -0.1 dBFS. Easily dial in parallel processing via the Mix control.