Corrosion 1.1.1 update

We are excited to announce the latest update for Corrosion, our frequency modulator plugin designed to bring gritty, distorted, and corroded sounds to your audio productions. Corrosion is not just another modulation tool; it is a creative powerhouse that allows you to manipulate your sounds in ways that are both innovative and highly customizable. Whether you’re working with basses, synth sounds, drum loops, or anything in between, Corrosion offers a wide range of possibilities for transforming ordinary audio into extraordinary, edgy textures.

Corrosion is ideal for those who want to add a bit of roughness and character to their sound palette. Whether you’re producing electronic music, sound design, or even cinematic audio, it brings an extra layer of intensity to your work. It’s particularly useful for adding grit to smooth basslines, creating aggressive synths, and enhancing drum loops. For example, you can use it to add weight to your snare drums, giving them a more punchy, thick sound, or apply it to kick drums to create a “thumpy” or “noisy” effect that can help drive a track forward. It’s a versatile tool that can take your tracks from polished to raw and exciting.

One of the key techniques that Corrosion uses to achieve these effects is ring modulation. Ring modulation is a unique form of audio modulation that generates complex harmonic distortions. This technique works by modulating one sound source (called the “carrier”) with another sound source (called the “modulator”). By combining these signals, the process produces a wide array of frequencies, often creating what’s known as intermodulation distortion. When applied creatively, this results in a sound that can range from subtle harmonics to intense metallic, clangy distortion.

Corrosion allows you to modulate a wide range of sound sources, including white noise, sine waves, saw waves, or square waves. Each of these options provides different characteristics, making it easy to experiment and find the perfect modulation for your specific needs. For instance, white noise is great for adding high-end grit and noise to a bass or synth, while sine waves might give you more controlled, smooth distortions. Saw waves and square waves, on the other hand, can add more aggressive or rich harmonic content, making the sound more complex and full.

What sets Corrosion apart from many other modulation tools is its use of a resonant filter for the modulator. Traditional ring modulators typically use simple filters, but we decided to give Corrosion an extra edge by incorporating a resonant filter. This allows you to tune the modulator to a specific frequency, adding harmonic resonances to the original sound. The resonant filter emphasizes specific frequencies, making them more pronounced and adding a unique texture to your modulated sounds. The result is a more musical, evolving modulation that can enhance any track or sound.

To make Corrosion even more dynamic, we’ve included a “track pitch” feature. This feature automatically tunes the modulator or filter to the fundamental frequency of your input sound. What this means is that, if your sound changes pitch, the filter or modulator will follow along and adjust accordingly. This is an incredibly useful tool when working with evolving sounds or tracks where the pitch varies over time. For example, if you’re working with a bassline that shifts between different notes, the modulator will adapt to those changes, ensuring that the distortion and modulation remain in harmony with the music. This is a unique feature that sets Corrosion apart from other ring modulators, offering greater versatility and responsiveness.

One of the things that makes Corrosion particularly effective in sound design and music production is its integration of analog saturation. The combination of analog saturation with ring modulation creates a sound that is both aggressive and warm. When you push the plugin hard, particularly on drum loops or aggressive synth sounds, the saturation gives the sound a fat, rich quality that brings out the character of the distortion. This saturation adds warmth and depth to the modulation, preventing the sound from becoming overly harsh or thin. It’s a great way to keep your sounds full and engaging, even when you’re applying heavy modulation.

Another standout feature of Corrosion is its ability to accept external audio inputs as modulator sources. This opens up even more creative possibilities. You can now use one audio track to modulate another. For example, you might want to take the audio from a vocal track and use it to modulate a synth sound. This capability allows for complex interactions between different elements in your project, making it easier to create evolving, dynamic soundscapes that change over time.

The new 1.1.1 update is a feature release that addresses some important issues and enhances the overall user experience. Specifically, we’ve resolved an issue where Corrosion would only run under Rosetta emulation on M1 chip-based Macs. This issue caused problems for users with Apple’s latest M1-based Macs, as it limited the performance and compatibility of the plugin. With this update, Corrosion now runs natively on M1 Macs, improving its stability and performance on Apple’s new hardware.

Additionally, we’ve fixed VST3 crashes in some Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) when the external side chain feature was selected. Side chaining is a critical tool for many producers, especially in electronic music, as it helps create rhythmic effects and dynamic mixes. By fixing this bug, we’ve made it easier for users to integrate Corrosion into their workflows without encountering crashes or other stability issues.

We are pleased to offer this update as a free download for all owners of Corrosion. If you already own the plugin, you can easily access the new version by visiting your account page or downloading it through the HoRNet DoIn utility. This update further enhances the plugin’s functionality, ensuring that you have access to the most stable and effective version of Corrosion.

With its powerful capabilities, flexibility, and intuitive interface, Corrosion is an essential tool for anyone looking to experiment with distortion and modulation in their music production. Whether you are designing cutting-edge electronic sounds, adding texture to your drums, or creating complex, evolving soundscapes, Corrosion is the perfect tool for pushing the boundaries of your sound. We’re confident that the new update will make your experience even better, and we can’t wait to see how you incorporate it into your projects.