Freakshow Industries has released Mishby, a $50 tape machine effect in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin formats for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. There’s a catch, though (or no catch at all, depending on your perspective). The developers will let you download and use the plugin for free. To do so, click the Steal button instead of the Buy button on the official product page.
Mishby (an acronym for Maybe I Shouldn’t Have Built You) is a chaotic audio destruction effect that is loosely inspired by a malfunctioning tape machine. Well, it’s more than just a malfunctioning tape machine. This tape recording device was “twisted by forbidden science” and then “infected by a long-forgotten parasite god” (good luck killing that with your antivirus software!) which eventually gained full control over it. At least this is how Freakshow Industries describe their newest plugin.
And it totally makes sense. Mishby is an audio mangling unit like no other. If you’re on a lookout for a completely unconventional and weird audio effect to inspire your sound design endeavors, this is it.
The thing with Mishby is that it can be both completely chill and utterly insane. Go easy on the controls and explore a range of wonderfully subtle lo-fi tape and vinyl effects, reminiscent of plugins like Wavesfactory Cassette and Vinyl Strip by AudioThing. But rotate any knob further than six o’clock and things will get super crazy very quickly.
Mishby is priced at $50 but you can pick a lower price (all the way down to $5) or even download it completely free of charge from the developer’s website. You can also choose to “buy yourself poverty” for $420 if you want. LOL. I mean, I absolutely love this. Being a dude who writes about music production software on a daily basis, encountering something truly original and funny like this is a much-needed change to the ordinary routine.
The same pricing model was used for Freakshow Industries’ older (but equally fantastic) Backmask plugin. I remember that some comments on that article were negative, stating that the free download option shouldn’t be labeled as “stealing”. That’s taking things too literally if you ask me. This is a $50 plugin with a pay-what-you-want option and one of the funniest product pages in the recorded history of VST plugins. Be sure to pay the developers if you can and use Mishby to make some great music.
More info: Mishby (24.5 MB download size, EXE installer, 64-bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX plugin format for Windows & macOS)
10 Comments
Mohammad Khraibah
onI decided to steal it, but i swear their comments made me feel bad :(
They made me think of going back to buy the plugin.
Raven
onThats the point. But what they’re actually saying is, “we love our work and we think its good. please pay us if you can so that we can make more cool stuff”, but as an artist would, thereby informing you that they consider their work “Art”. That makes me want to pay and continue reciving more “steals”
heavymetalmixer
onOk, so this one is a tape machine, Backmask is a reverser/glitch machine but what is Dumpster Fire? Man, if only they did a little of rational explanations (even if it was just in small letters).
Tomislav Zlatic
onI know what you mean! It’s also a big part of their appeal and I quite like it. A part of me would like to know what these plugins are *really* supposed to be but the whole “mystery box” theme they have going on is quite refreshing.
Bren
onGreat comment, Tomislav. I agree that it’s refreshing! Freakshow Industries is currently one of my favorite developers. :)
Giordano Rivolta
onHi Tomislav,
how can you pay $ 5 for this plugin? I can see only the full price of $ 50 or the steal option
marfaxa
onclick on steal… offers an option to “underpay”
Mariusz
onIt sounds good. However, a GUI is simply disgusting….
I remember when a Novuzeit / jackard in their VST plugins implemented erotic themes and then somethimes I could smile a little but here I don’t know what to do – run to the bathroom or close the DAW …
Seriously speaking, there are other similar plugins that will do a similar task and allow you to focus on the right artistic message.
Izzy
onYes!! Love Freakshow Industries! Every one of their plugs is a piece of art.
For people wanting to know more about the vaguely named controls: clicking on the eyeball button (lower right) enables an overlay with lots of technical information.
Normans Little Pinky
onNo longer can you steal? Takes you to ‘Underpay’ page, where you can choose from paying $40 down to $10, but you can’t get out for less than that. :(