Waves has launched Smack Attack, an audio effect plugin that aims to add smack and bite to drums, loops, synth hits and all percussive sounds by designing the level, shape and duration of their transients’ attack and sustain – from surgical tweaks to savage effects.
The first attack, initial hit or onset of a sound is known as its ‘transient.’ By controlling the exact level, shape and duration of these sounds, you can give your tracks the perfect tightness and dynamics they need, in ways that a compressor can’t always do.
With Smack Attack, you can unleash or tame kicks, snares, claps, drum samples, or any other drum or percussion instrument – but also guitar and bass plucks, quick piano arpeggios, synth stabs, or even your entire mix.
Unlike traditional transient shapers, Smack Attack lets you control more than just attack and sustain levels; you also get pinpoint control over the transients’ shape and duration. You can make a kick tighter than you’d ever imagined – or give your snares that extra crack. You also have a Sensitivity control for selective transient shaping: you can process all your transients, only the loudest ones, or anything in between.
With a user-friendly GUI, plus zero latency in the studio and live, Smack Attack will let you go sensitive or aggressive on your transients, design the perfect pulse in your tracks, and make every hit count.
Smack Attack features
- ‘Secret weapon’ for mixing drums and all other percussive instruments.
- Unleash or tame transient attack & sustain.
- Fine-tune transient level, shape and duration.
- Real-time graphic wave display.
- Zero latency in the studio or live.
- Limiter/clipper for driving your sound to the limit.
- Sensitivity control for selective transient shaping.
- Wet/Dry mix control for parallel processing.
- MIDI control assignable.
Smack Attack for Windows and Mac (VST/AU/AAX) is now available for purchase for $49 USD.
More information: Waves Audio / Smack Attack
