TheZhe releases TheUtility, a freeware VST plugin for blending wet and dry audio signals.
TheUtility is a simple mixing tool that lets you manipulate the wet audio signal and blend it with the dry signal. The plugin can apply several basic transformations like complementing and inverting the phase.
To make this possible, TheUtility has two audio inputs – one for the wet signal (with effects applied) and one for the dry signal (without the effects). Of course, you can connect any audio source you want to the inputs, but this is the intended way to use the plugin.
It’s worth noting that you will need to do some manual routing in your DAW for the plugin to work correctly. Doing this is easy in some digital audio workstations (like Reaper), but some programs make it more complicated.
One such example is Studio One. The internal routing in Studio One is effortless for native PreSonus effects (side-chain compression is a breeze). However, the routing setup for third-party plugins is a more lengthy process.
Anyway, presuming that TheUtility works in your DAW, it lets you manipulate the processed audio signal and mix it with the clean audio source. This could be useful for detecting phasing issues, monitoring, or isolating specific parts of the signal.
If you like TheUtility’s undeniable simplicity, chances are you’ll like TheZhe’s other plugins. We recently covered TheExpressor (a flexible expander/compressor), but you should also check out TheSplit (an audio splitter) and TheChorus (a capable modulation effect) plugins.
TheZhe plugins are free to download and use, with optional donations. You can pay any amount you like for their plugins in their Ko-fi store.
TheUtility is available in VST3 and AU plugin formats for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. It’s worth noting that the software is only compatible with 64-bit plugin hosts.
Download: TheUtility (665 kB download size, ZIP archive, 64-bit VST3/AU plugin formats for Windows & macOS)
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10 Comments
MRG
onSuperb idea, nice execution but… There’s a but. A big but, and I cannot lie. One of my pet peeves has always been effects plugins with only one Dry/Wet knob. Because when you turn it up, you get more wet but also less dry. Well, imagine you want to have a steady wet or dry and automate the other? You’re… in bad luck. Now this tool is great, but just moves the problem further down the line. Yes, I noticed the Makeup knob. But I think it would be a lot more easier to have, as a replacement or a secondary mode, two different levels. One for dry, one for wet. Simple, easy to automate. But maybe it’s out of scope of this particular plugin. Anyways, thanks TheZhe for -another- great plugin.
mx
ondry and wet as separated knobs is a brilliant idea for such a plugin, it would make it really more complete in my opinion.
i would not use this plugin because i dont mind doing my send effect routing the old school way like on a console, aux send to a new channel with the effect as insert, but for anybody who likes this plugin it would be a sensible addition i think. and i would guess that it is also no problem to implement this in a plugin instead of a mix knob.
Arseniy
onYou mean the transition between dry wet not correct? Like in the middle of the way it has like quieter signal?
MRG
onBeing quieter at, say 50% of a dry/wet knob -is- correct. But might not be what one wants. Say you want a steady dry signal and slowly introduce a wet signal using automation, you can’t do that if you only have a knob controlling both signals. It’s a plague among many fx plugins. Look at Reaper’s stock effects, they all have two sliders. One dry, one wet. Not saying there isn’t a use for the combined dry-wet knob. In a perfect world all fx would give you the choice. In an imperfect world plugins like TheUtility could provide an alternative. ;-)
TheZhe
onAppreciate you guys for your feedback and Tomislav for the article. Check back in a day or two for the update. – Zhe
MRG
onMy pleasure, I love to complain. ;-)
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt’s a pleasure, thanks for stopping by!
Tomislav Zlatic
onGreat suggestion!
Dave
onHey TheZhe,
I usually don’t download new plugins but I am interested a bit in your “TheExpressor”.
To be honest? I saw it firstly in Gearspace and I read that you are working on a new update for it. Great! But it is very difficult to understand if it’s in progress or already done because there isn’t any version number 1.1.1 or 1.1.2 or some kind of understanding about when it was last updated by the creator – A current date for every change.
I think that it will boost your downloads.
Dave
TheZhe
onThanks Dave. I’ll make it more clear. In the meantime, you can see the patch notes in the README.txt included in each download. – Zhe