From first install
to your first sound.
A practical guide to installation, the signal path and the controls. Start here, then let your ears take over.
Windows installation
The current public build is Windows x64, VST3 and Standalone. Use a 64-bit Windows DAW with VST3 support. The current release is Windows only; Mac development is a possible future direction. No Mac binary is available.
- Download the Windows ZIP and extract it. Close your DAW, or remove active instances before replacing plugin files.
- Copy the entire Analog Forge.vst3 folder from the extracted ZIP folder to your user plugin folder. A suitable path is
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\VST3. Paste that path into File Explorer and create the folder if needed. Keep the VST3 bundle and its internal folders together. - In REAPER, open Options → Preferences → Plug-ins → VST → Edit path list. Add the full expanded path to your user VST3 folder.
- Choose Re-scan, open the FX browser and search for Analog Forge.
The ZIP also contains Install.ps1 for an optional user-level installation. It copies the plugin and preserves an existing version in a backup folder. The manual steps above are sufficient; no administrator access is needed for a user folder.
Other VST3 hosts
Use your DAW's plugin manager to add the same folder and rescan. Support for custom VST3 folders varies by host. The 0.2.0 build has been checked in REAPER on Windows and has automated pluginval and VST3 SDK validation. Other DAWs have not all been verified.
Standalone application
Open the included Standalone application to explore the interface and process a live input. Select the correct audio input and output in its audio settings. Use headphones when processing a live microphone to avoid acoustic feedback.
Update or uninstall
Close the host before replacing the whole VST3 folder. Keep a copy of the previous version if you need to return to it. To uninstall, remove only the Analog Forge.vst3 bundle you installed and rescan your DAW. Your DAW projects remain separate.
Start with the source
Start at a comfortable monitoring level. Pick a voice, increase Drive slowly and compare with Bypass. Use Level Match as a listening aid, then set Output so the result works in the mix.
- Vocals and plucked instruments: try Tube with moderate Drive. Reduce Mix to around 30–60% to preserve the original performance.
- Bass: try Transformer. Raise Bass Protect if the fundamental becomes too blurred or distorted.
- Drums: try Tape for rounded density or Diode Clip for a firmer edge. Lower Mix for a parallel layer.
- Guitar and synth textures: explore either fuzz voice. Use Tone before the nonlinear stage, then High Cut to tame fizz.
These are starting points, not rules. Input level strongly affects the result. A preset will sound different on a quiet recording and a loud one.
The signal path
The processed path starts with Input trim and Tone, then passes through the selected nonlinear model with Drive, Bias and Dynamics. Bass Protect routes part of the low-frequency energy around that stage. Low Cut and High Cut shape the processed sound, and Mix blends it with the latency-aligned dry path. Output and Soft Ceiling come afterwards.
The nonlinear stage uses fixed 4× FIR oversampling. The plugin reports latency to the host; the dry and bypass paths are delayed to match it. Mono and stereo processing are supported.
| Control | Range | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Character | 6 models | Tube, Transformer, Tape, Germanium Fuzz, Silicon Fuzz and Diode Clip. |
| Input | −24 to +24 dB | Trim before processing. Helps set the model's operating level. |
| Drive | 0 to 36 dB | Increase the level into the nonlinear stage. |
| Tone | −100 to +100% | Pre-drive tilt: darker to brighter. Changes which frequencies hit saturation. |
| Bias | −100 to +100% | Change the asymmetry and harmonic balance of the selected voice. |
| Dynamics | 0 to 100% | Adjust the model's response to the signal envelope. |
| Bass Protect | 0 to 100% | Keep more low-frequency energy outside the nonlinear stage, then reconstruct it. |
| Low Cut | 20 to 300 Hz | Remove low frequencies from the processed path. |
| High Cut | 2 to 20 kHz | Tame high frequencies in the processed path. |
| Mix | 0 to 100% | Blend the aligned dry and processed signals. |
| Output | −24 to +12 dB | Final output trim, after the blend. |
| Level Match | On / Off | Approximate level compensation; not LUFS-based loudness measurement. |
| Soft Ceiling | On / Off | Soft output bound near −0.3 dBFS; not a true-peak or mastering limiter. |
| Bypass | On / Off | Original signal with latency alignment, skipping processing, output trim and ceiling. |
Mix 0% is not the same as full Bypass. At Mix 0%, the delayed dry signal still passes through Output and Soft Ceiling. For a clean comparison at Mix 0%, set Output to 0 dB and switch Soft Ceiling off. Bypass skips these stages as well.
Working with the controls
Drag a knob or click its value box to type a value. Shift-drag gives finer control; mouse-wheel adjustment is also supported. Double-click a knob to reset it to its default. Frequency values accept Hz or kHz. Hover over a control for a short explanation. Watch the input and output meters when adding drive.
What the models represent
These voices use analog-inspired nonlinear and dynamic behaviours. They are not measured replicas of a named circuit or hardware unit. They offer distinct musical responses, rather than a claim of exact circuit authenticity.
Automation, presets and A/B
All 14 processing parameters, including model selection and bypass, are available for host automation and are stored in the DAW project. Continuous controls are smoothed. Model transitions crossfade to reduce abrupt changes.
Automation is read at host block boundaries and then smoothed. This release does not promise sample-accurate event offsets.
REAPER automation
In the plugin window, choose Param → FX parameter list → Show track envelope and select a parameter. You can then draw or record its envelope using REAPER's automation tools.
Factory presets
Twelve presets provide starting points. If the current controls differ from the selected factory preset, the field shows Custom. Host automation can also change the controls and this label.
Compare two ideas
COPY copies the current settings to the other slot. A/B switches between the two settings slots. Use this to compare a restrained version with a bolder one. A/B and preset selection are interface functions, not extra automatable processing parameters. Active DAW envelopes may immediately replace values chosen through a preset or A/B.
Useful answers
Is Analog Forge really free?
Yes. The early release is free to download without an account, email signup or payment. Version 0.2.0 is free for personal, educational and commercial audio work under the Free Binary Use License. The publisher's source code for this version is private.
Will it work in my DAW?
The current Windows build needs a 64-bit host supporting VST3. Version 0.2.0 has been checked in REAPER on Windows, including all six models, all 14 parameter envelopes, saved and reopened project state, and latency-aligned bypass. Automated pluginval and VST3 SDK checks also passed. Other hosts may work, but they have not all been verified. There is no AAX version in this release.
Can I use it on a Mac or in Logic Pro?
No. The current release is Windows only. Mac VST3 and AU are possible future work; no Mac build has been completed or tested. Logic Pro requires an AU version.
Why does saturation change the volume?
Changing the harmonic content and compressing the waveform can change perceived loudness. Level Match provides approximate compensation, but it is not a LUFS meter or an exact match for every source. Use your ears and Output trim.
Does Soft Ceiling guarantee no clipping?
It provides a soft output bound near −0.3 dBFS. It is not a brickwall or true-peak limiter and does not guarantee protection from every intersample peak. Check the rest of your signal chain and final delivery level.
What are the listening examples?
Recorded vocals, ukulele and guitar with produced accompaniment from Music Through Love (2012), by Kara Square featuring Admiral Bob. The original song and its included Admiral Bob material are licensed under CC BY 3.0. The 25-second excerpts were trimmed and faded; processed versions were rendered through the actual 0.2.0 engine, aligned and RMS matched. Switch Plugin OFF / ON at the same position. Listen and read the complete attribution.
The plugin does not appear. What should I check?
Confirm that the host is 64-bit and supports VST3. Check that the whole VST3 bundle is present, that its folder is in the host's scan path, and that the scan has been refreshed. In REAPER, try a fresh rescan after closing and reopening the application. If it still fails, send the host version, Windows version and the error text.
Help us make it better
Found a problem, a host-specific issue or a sound you would like to improve? Send the plugin version, DAW version, Windows version and a short description of how to reproduce it. Please do not send private recordings or credentials unless we have agreed on a suitable way to share them.
Support email: info@normsonic.com