DtBlkFx by Darrell Barrell is a freeware Fast-Fourier-Transform (FFT) based Multi effect VST plug-in for Windows and Mac.
This effect works differently to most others – instead of filtering or distorting audio data directly, it finds the frequency spectrum via a fast-fourier-transform and then does stuff to that.
DtBlkFx v1.1 features
- Precision parametric equalizing with sharp-roll off, adjust individual harmonics of a sound.
- Harmonic based (or comb) filtering, including active harmonic tracking.
- Various types of noise control, change contrast between loud and soft frequencies, clip frequencies or apply sound smearing.
- Frequency shifting, harmonic and non-harmonic shifting, including active harmonic repitch.
- Various methods of mixing left and right channels, standard and harmonic vocoding, convolution like mixing and more.
- Frequency masking, set harmonic or threshold masks for any effect.
- Up to 8 effects in series.
- GUI graphics can be customized.
DtBlkFx is available to download as a free VST effect plug-in for Windows and Mac. The download includes a manual in HTML format. You can also get a pdf version here (thanks George!)
Update: Note that Windows users can also get a 64-bit version at GitHub (thanks Dozius!).
The Mac version is built as universal binaries and should run on PowerPC & Intel Macs. Note that there is currently no GUI with this Mac version.
You can still download previous versions from the following posts: DtBlkFx v0.9 (Win), and DtBlkFx v1.0 (Win).
hi there, your DtBlkFx v1.1 (Windows) for windows is skipping numbers in hz. can you please fix this?
The plugin is no longer in development, sorry!
Too bad it’s no longer updated. No support in 64-bit applications :(
Such a flexible contortionist!!!
Hearty congratulations to the developer and thanks for the generous gift :D
ANy chance of a x64 compile?
Still one of my fav plugs ever.No alternative ;)
This is so good .. Darrell please update to 64bit make it payware if needs be!!
Love this effect :)
Brilliant documentation :)
Fantastic plugin! Thanks.
Unique and inspiring Plug-In that has become
one of mx favourite FX for all things leftfield.
Thanks for sharing!
I’d really liket to see more Plug Ins from you and wouldn’t mind paying for them either.
wow, simply amazing plugin! no other plugin gives you this amount of control over frequency composition. and it’s free!
if there were a GUI for the mac version, it would definitely be perfect.
Hi I’m having trouble getting this plugin to use PDC in Renoise. It shows up in the mixer as having a delay of 0.. Is that normal?
Amazing, unique sounding and user-friendly.
One of my favorite VST plugs for sure. Great when used with Kore, or Chainer, randomize to new dimensions.
best EFFEX plugin ever. PERIOD!!!
dtblkfx works perfectly with samplitude on win 2k and xp but bugs when installed in Pyramix as vst plug ,any one could explain me why?
Update or I’ll have to make a commercial version!
this thing is simply fertile!
i use it in all of my productions.
i’ve tried a demo of “magenta” and “morph” by prosoniq and i’m convinced that “DtBlkFX” is able to do exactly the same for a much greater cost-benefit ratio!
elden(vita minima recordings)
Thomas, I don’t think Darrell checks this page much. You can reach him at the email address that’s in the manual html (included in the download).
Would you be willing to allow a Mac developer to add a Mac GUI?
@Bobby, should work fine I reckon.
The gui-less Mac version will just use the default gui of the host application (usually a set of sliders with parameter names).
Hey guys,
I’m kinda confused here. I use cubase 4 on Intel mac. Will this work for me?
I don’t understand the fact that it doesn’t have a GUI on mac. How should I operate this plugin when it doesn’t have a GUI?
Thanks
VST as a format has parameters that you can ‘dress up’ to resemble knobs, sliders etc. You dont need it to function however, it just looks nice. Each daw has their own set of standard parameter controlers that will appear when you load a plugin without a GUI.
Ahh…Just an installation error. Great VST!
Hi Neil, are you on Windows or Mac? The Windows version works fine here on Live 7.0.14.
I’d really like to use this acclaimed plug-in, but I can’t get it to show up in Live 7. Does it not work with this DAW?
HI DannyKing, I’m having some problems with the hosting at the moment, so everything is acting a bit flakey. Check you email.
This seem like it is a great plugin but alas the link isn’t working for me. Is there another location I can download this for Mac. I’ve tried other sites but they just link back to this one. Also how is the performace with Logic?? Thanks.
Danny
Thank you.
Its amazing, Happy New Year.
Regards
MIMO
i gotta say. ive used for only two days and am certain that it is THE most unique filter i’ve used. thanks for giving it as freeware.
Thank you so much for the fantastic plug. I have found myself turning to this so many times. Please keep up the awesome work :)
What an amazing plugin! This is an absolute must for any sound mangling operations you may have to do, and it’s amazing what it’s capable of. I could, for instance, turn a male voice into a female one (or at least a teenage boy) by using AutoHarm and HarmShift algorithms together. And vice versa too. It can be used for changing the harmonic content of various sounds to change their “size” (essential for sound design), it can be used to “boost” sounds to give them extra oomph, or just to turn any sound plain weird… I haven’t even explored all… Read more »
Joey: the generic GUI is not a problem, except when you try to wrap the VST so that it becomes an AU in Logic. You are probably using the VST version, which is fine, unless you’re using Logic. Logic users really need 1/ either a real GUI, or 2/ an AU version.
Victor.
Soundeziner, haven’t you noticed there IS a Mac OS X version (I’m using it in DSP Quattro on a G5/10.4.11 right now with a generic GUI). The GUI may be dependent on the host, though – I haven’t been able to get it to show in Live 7.
But use, for instance, DSP Quattro, which is cheap and very good, and you’ll have all the DtBlkFx goodies at your fingertips. Also works with Tracktion 2 — just tried it.
No need to whimper… ;-)
/Joey
I must add to the plea for an OSX version. *whimper*
Played with this plug on a colleague’s PC and fell in loooovvveee……
But to use I’d love a Mac version w/ a GUI.
Even the plain-simple sliders-and-nothing-else AU interface would suffice.
Great work, though.
Thank-you…quite fabulous! The funny thing is that I had gone on a free vst downloading spree months ago…and was finally getting around to cleaning the undesirables out when I came accross your vst! I must have overlooked it…Long story short I use your vst more than all of the rest combined! Thanks agian!!!!
MUCH LOVE~
Michael, I’m afraid I don’t have Ableton, nor do I own a Mac…
Ronnie, Do you know why this vst multi- effect, will not show up in my plugin folder, in Live 6.
For Mac OSX 10.3.9? I know their is no interface, but live just doesn’t see it at all.
Hi Charles, here’s the info on sound smearing from the manual (included in the download):
Randomizes the phase of the spectrum data which results in a flattening of the sound envelope. Sound smearing can be used to remove loop clicks and give a sustain effect.
Similar to reverb in other plugins except that outcome is both forwards and backwards in time!
Being a relative newbie – would like to know a definition of “sound smearing” mentioned on the DtBLKFx VST –
Thanks
I just can’t get over the fact that this is an *improvement*
I’m shocked. And I love the six slots for algorithms. That alone is wonderful. Maybe only I would “stack” instances of dtblkfx?
I love it, I really do.
Thank you VERY much!
Hi Matteo,
You can download v1.0 here:
http://rekkerd.org/darrell-barrell-releases-dtblkfx-v10/
(I changed the link on that post since it went back to this exact page).
Any chance you will repost the 1.0 version? The link seems broken…
been using this thing nonstop for 5 years now! glad to see there’s been an update to the vst version :D thanks!
Hi,
I can see the potential of this, but honestly I don’t know how to implement it.
Thanks. God Bless.
Aaron.
I wish I could hear it. But this VST will not show up in Ableton Live 6 on my Mac PB G4 running 10.3.9. So much for that…sounds cool thou…
proudly used by makunouchi bento :)
thanks Darell.
i hope mac build with gui will be out soon :)
This is one of the best plug-ins going. Free or otherwise.
i think this plugin rules…. yeah i’m pretty sure…
I agree with VICTOR. I hope a GUI version for OSX will be released soon or later because this one is one of the most interesting free plugs out there. An AU version would be great too.
Anyway thank you for this one! Great job!
The “no GUI” seems to be a problem with Mac OS X: the box with all the controls is too high for my screen. As a result I can with a little luck choose a preset, but definitely can not tweak any controls. Pity, because this thing sounds very interesting.
Is there any news on the Windows release of this update? Pretty please?
I LOVE DtBlkFx, as I’m sure you know.
I am heartbroken not to be able to use the new features in the Mac version. I think I was the first person to completely flip out over DtBlkFx, try to explain it to others, and I’ve used it in many, many songs, and yet have by no means exhausted it’s potential.
Once again a most profound thanks for this plug-in. It’s simply amazing!
Never heard of this one until I saw the Mac version announced on KVR just now. Still hadn’t an idea of what to expect but hey! this is one amazing sound creation workshop!
I was just going to check it out with a simple two bar drumloop, and before I knew it, BAM! half an hour gone!
Fantastic work! I’d happily pay any reasonable fee to have a GUI on the Mac version, though.
Please carry on this inspiring work!
Best,
Joey
OMG, it’s fuckin’ wonderful!!! Thanks Darrell, keep up the good job!
i would to like to try out this plugin
Very good sound destruction unit , unique sound, interesting GUI.
I like to use the mono version on stereo tracks. Extremely good on guitar tracks.
I turn to this plugin time and again when I want somthing high quality with a futuristic sound hardly anyone else has.
Truly one of the best free plugins around. 9/10.
You can set the delay in the top of the GUI, although if you set it too low it will affect the output. If your host allows, you can also compensate for the delay by changing the PDC on the output.
This is an absolutely amazing vst!!! I’ve been looking for a freeware spectral processor to get that unique effect from aphex twin’s “windowlicker” album. This goes above and beyond all expectations i had. at first the gui seemed a bit intimidating and complicated but after about a half an hour i found it to be very user-friendly. I wouldn’t change anything about this other than the delay caused by processing the spectrum, the sound comes about a second after it should, but that’s just a small nuisance for something this powerful. This vst is one of my favorites above any… Read more »
Hi mobylette, the last version (v1.0) is from April 2006. No updates have been released since that version.
Hi,
There’s no date for the last update ?
i have try it one year ago, and i found it’s a really funny efx.
Especialy for sound disegner or if you like strange efx
sound good and no crash
Best
yes, really breathtaking ,as much as a filtering as a creating tool to tailor and tweak sounds in an incredible way, one of my favourite plugs
No comments yet? Cause the plug takes your breath away? Its truely unique. Hail to the producer. Ive not seen anything like this for free… Im waiting for V2…with maybe a little more beat-orientation. eg “freeze” and “seed”-parametres…
bye