Xfer Records releases a new version of OTT, the popular freeware multiband compressor VST plugin for Windows and macOS.
This update will be music to the ears of EDM and Dubstep producers everywhere.
Producers in genres like EDM or Dubstep often favor Ableton over other DAWs. I can’t personally speak on the benefits of Ableton, but from what I understand, that’s where the OTT sound began.
Xfer Records (the people behind Serum) created OTT as a way for non-Ableton users to experience the OTT sound.
OTT is a multiband compressor that can apply both upward and downward compression. Thankfully, it’s still freeware, and this new version comes with an updated resizable GUI. The Straightforward but visually informative GUI shows three frequency bands, High, Mid, and Low.
Beside each frequency band is a knob that allows the user to isolate that particular range. Each band will show a white marker representing the original audio and a yellow line representing the compressed audio as the audio is playing. You can also see the expander and compressor thresholds indicated by different color tones. That kind of visual feedback can be handy in simple plugins.
There are four control knobs above the visual display: Depth, Time, In Gain, and Out Gain.
The Depth knob acts as a simple dry/wet controlling the blend of processed and unprocessed signals.
The Time knob controls the attack and release times of all frequency bands.
Below the visual display, you’ll find the final two controls, which set the Upward and Downward compression amounts.
While I haven’t used Xfer’s OTT before, I’m sure I’ve heard it in countless tracks. When you talk about being heavily utilized in Dubstep music, you think of a particular sound, that growling bass.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of use cases people find for OTT. I see it used on basses, leads, vocals, and more.
I’m a bit late to this party, but experimenting with OTT is now on my to-do list.
If you want a different free compressor, check out dBComp from Analog Obsession.
OTT is available in AU, VST, and VST3 formats for macOS and Windows.
Download: OTT (8.2 MB download size, EXE installer, 64-bit VST2/VST3/AU plugin formats for Windows & macOS)
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