Novation Sound Collective August/September: free iZotope Trash 2

Sound Collective is a community hub that brings you, Novation and the most innovative software brands together. If you want to find great virtual instruments and effects, keeping up to date with the constant stream of new releases is essential, and Sound Collective makes it easy, with regular free software downloads and generous discounts on high-end plug-ins. To join Sound Collective, simply register any Novation product, then look out for a new offer every couple of months. No one else works with software manufacturers like we do to bring you inspirational tools for your next production.

The Sound Collective community giveaway for August and September is without doubt one of the best yet. From 8th August to 3rd October, renowned software effects developers iZotope are gifting Sound Collective members the full version of their hugely acclaimed Trash 2.

One of the most powerful distortion plug-ins ever made, Trash 2’s dual-stage multiband architecture enables two different styles of distortion and saturation to be applied to each of up to four frequency ranges, with high- and low-shelving filters after each one. Over 60 distortion algorithms are onboard, but if none of them fit your particular signal-mangling bill, you can easily design your own using the graphic waveshaper.

Distortion is just the start, though, as Trash 2 also features two six-band Filters with 23 filter types, plus per-band LFO and envelope modulation; a convolution processor for modelling a wide range of amplifiers, speakers, tubes, boxes and other devices; multiband compression and gating; and a Delay module offering six styles of analogue and digital processing – Tape, Lo-Fi Digital, etc. All six modules can be arranged in any order you like from input to output, and the Spectrum analyser can be placed at any point in the signal path for targeted visualisation.

A true one-stop shop for everything from gentle signal-warming saturation to tonally complex, frequency-specific overdrive, Trash 2 is guaranteed to find a place in your first-call plug-ins list, no matter what kind of music you make.

Trash 2 retails for $99, but Sound Collective members can get it for free from 8th August to 3rd October from their Novation account.

“I really like this plug-in – it’s my go-to distortion unit and has featured on 95% of my releases in the last four or five years,” says Sound Collective Product Manager Jonathan Campbell. “What sets it apart from other distortion units is the easy-to-use multiband feature. You can quickly split out and create layers of crazy distortions on any sound to add sonic interest. There’s a shedload of great presets to get you started, and on either side of the Trash tab are two filters. Further down the chain, the Convolve tab is particularly powerful, allowing you to put your sound in an imaginary box or space, changing how it interacts with its environment, and ultimately producing new and interesting tones.

“This unit will sound great on just about any synth you pair it with and I’m very excited for you to try it!”