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Florah (Lite) Plugin is a FREE Wavesfactory Trackspacer Alternative

By 22 Comments3 Mins Read
Ewan Bristow’s New Florah(Lite) Plugin is a FREE Dynamic Processor

On Thursday, Ewan Bristow launched the Florah (LITE) plugin, a dynamic processor he describes as a free alternative to Wavesfactory’s Trackspacer. 

Like Bristow’s other plugins, Florah (LITE) runs in the free Plugdata programming environment, 

Plugdata is a standalone app or plugin for Windows, macOS, Linux, and more, and Florah (LITE) is available for VST3, LV2, CLAP, and AU formats.  

Florah (LITE) is the little brother of Florah, which Bristow launched for £10 earlier this week. 

The indie dev created Florah (LITE) after experimenting with dynamic EQs and dynamic resonance suppressors. 

Bristow describes Florah (LITE) as a multiband comp that can help you deal with annoying frequencies and bring equilibrium to your mix. 

It can also be a handy tool for sidechaining and spectral sound design. 

Bristow produced a YouTube demo to showcase Florah (LITE).

YouTube video

He explains the features very thoroughly, although I have to say it would have been nice to hear more about the plugin operating to see what he was talking about applied in practice. 

Florah (LITE) has a very simple design, with the main panel only offering the Glide, Amount, and Smoothening parameters. 

These parameters control the shape of the filter, with the Amount knob increasing the amount of suppression. At higher values, this can add some spicy sound design results. 

There is also a visual display showcasing the original signal at the top, and the filtered signal at the bottom, along with the Freeze, Delta and Sidechain buttons. 

Delta allows you to hear exactly what you’re filtering out, and it can also be used to create some unique sounds. 

As demonstrated in the YouTube demo, Florah(Lite) automatically adjusts its operation based on the incoming signal, thereby suppressing resonance. 

If you like all of the above but want some more customisation options, then the full version of Florah could be right up your alley. 

The full version fattens up the controls with a total of seven parameters on the main panel and eight moveable notches along the EQ curve. 

This means you can get a lot more surgical and detailed in your approach with the full version. 

You can nab yourself a free copy of Florah (LITE) via Bristow’s Gumroad account, where it is available via a “name a fair price’ model.

When I entered an email address on the form, I was immediately forwarded to a page where I could download the install Zip file with a single click. 

Download: Florah (LITE) (FREE / Name-your-price)

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Stephen is a musician and journalist who hails from Melbourne, Australia. He learned everything he knows about production from Google and used that vast knowledge to create a series of records you definitely haven’t heard of.

22 Comments

  3. Eugene

     on

    To use this plugin, you have to watch a video in which the developer informs you to first download a 365mb app which can then run the plugin. Thanks, but no thanks.

    Reply

    • mrg

       on

      You do you, but maybe think of PureData (or CSound, etc…) as a effect/synth plugin, and PD files as patches/presets for it.
      Maybe? It’s just the same, really.

      Reply

    • Ewan Bristow

       on

      Plugdata opens up a world of possibilities beyond just my plugin – you can essentially design DSP chains from the ground up, for free. My patches are starting points to spark your creativity, or, just us them as plugins.
      Of course, you can always achieve similar effects with tools like dynamic EQs or “dedicated plugins” like TrackSpacer.
      Feedback heard however :)

      Reply

    • Ewanbristow

       on

      While i appreciate many people would like a “normal” vst (even though this can be run as a “vst” in plug)…
      Making them in plugdata gives me the fastest, cleanest and least “gatekeepy” way to make plugins.
      You can customise them to your hearts content, and see exactly how they work. It also means i don’t have to debug for 4 months straight.

      I will be keeping them Plugdata patches, as i can see this becoming the next step in plugin development.
      There’s always the £50 trackspacer ;)

      Reply

  6. Lucas

     on

    This is a large topic, but a quick overview: plugdata is essentially a derivative of Pure Data which is the Open Source version of MAX (as in, Ableton LIVE,) is related to the arguably more capable RNBO, and can be compiled to C++ if needed.
    My hot-take: I don’t currently see it as the future of plugins, partially because of its history of upkeep, failings in certain areas which are often more prominent in certain OS environments, and because the forerunners of the industry will largely dictate what’s a standard in any capitalistic landscape.
    Overall, I think this format has its uses, and though any plugdata plugin will probably fall into the category of an early Christmas present for script-happy Reaper fans, it’s not the frightening unknown that some people seem to think it is.

    Reply

  7. Dee

     on

    I’m not able to understand why, but its working as a single band compressor in my FLStudio.
    No peaks getting compressed as shown in the video :)

    Reply

  8. Karl

     on

    Every time i try and open the Plugdata in Ableton it crashes Ableton 11 saying a serious error has occurred, definitely not a good start for something thats supposedly the “Future of plugins”.

    Reply
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