1 Cheap Virtual Patchbay Plugins for Music Production [Updated: December 2023]

We're currently living in the age of digital audio. Virtual Patchbay is an incredibly powerful tool that is essential to any music producer.

But there are so many different Virtual Patchbay plugins in the music production landscape, so we decided to create the ultimate list of the top Virtual Patchbay plugins today that will help you find the perfect fit.

Blue Cat's PatchWork

Virtual Patchbay by Blue Cat Audio


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Description


Blue Cat's PatchWork

Blue Cat's PatchWork is a universal plug-ins patch bay that can host up to 64 VST, VST3, Audio Unit or built-in plug-ins into any Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) in one instance.

It is possible to chain effects in series or create up to 8 parallel chains that can be activated independently. This lets you create your favourite effects or instruments configurations within the plug-in, without the need for multiple busses. These configurations can be saved as presets and recalled instantly, or shared with multiple DAWs, using any plug-in format (full list below). Use the built-in audio effects to add colour to your own plug-in chains.

Despite the name, you can forget about wires or cables: configuring plug-ins routing is as simple as adding or removing a row or a column in the rack's matrix. All plug-ins can also communicate with each other or with the host application using the virtual MIDI ports offered by the plug-in.

For each plug-in slot - latency compensation presets management, undo/redo integration, audio i/o selection and individual plug-in bypass are included for optimal operation. The plug-in also stores the position of the window for each plug-in so that the layout is restored with your session or saved with presets.

Also, sub plug-ins can be automated or controlled with external control surfaces using Blue Cat's PatchWork parameters mapping capabilities.

This product is available as an audio plug-in (effect or a virtual instrument) and standalone application so that it can be used alone or inserted on any type of track in your favourite DAW, with up to 16 audio channels.

Input and output level meters are also available to monitor the signal that is dispatched to inserted plug-ins, including side chain and aux channels.

Typical applications: Plug-ins host, custom channel strip, parallel processing, effects chainer, virtual bussing, virtual instrument, share bus and plug-ins configurations between DAWs, VST or Audio Unit to AAX, Audio Unit, RTAS plug-in adapter, effect chains A/B comparison, standalone audio processing application, multi-effects processor.



Features

  • Main Features

  • Configurable VST, VST3 or Audio Unit plug-ins rack: host up to 64 third party plug-ins or instruments in series or parallel.
  • 30 built-in effects: Reverb, EQ, filters, pitch & frequency shifter, delays, modulation effects, compressor, gate, bit crusher, wave shaper and more.
  • Available as an effect, virtual instrument or standalone application.
  • Build your own effects chains: up to 8 "pre" and "post" plug-ins slots to chain plug-ins in series.
  • Parallel processing made easy: up to 8 parallel plug-ins chains, with phase flip, solo and gain controls.
  • Host up to 8 virtual instruments in parallel and mix them within the plug-in.
  • Global Dry/Wet control ("Mix").
  • Parameters Mapping: map sub-plug-ins parameters to automate them or use a control surface.
  • Flexible MIDI routing: connect sub-plug-ins together or with the host application.
  • Flexible Audio routing: connect sub-plug-ins i/o to any audio channel.
  • External side chain and multiple outputs support.
  • Link pre and post gains for automatic gain compensation.
  • Drag and drop or cut, copy and paste plug-ins with their settings between slots.
  • Recall complex processing setups and plug-ins layouts with one click and share them between your DAWs.
  • Input and output levels monitoring.
  • Plug-ins Latency compensation.
  • Supports VST Shell plug-ins.
  • Integrated undo/redo.
  • A fully customisable user interface, with multiple sizes.

  • Blue Cat Audio Standards

  • Available as: Mac-AAX, Mac-AU, Mac-App, Mac-RTAS, Mac-VST, Mac-VST3, Win-AAX, Win-App, Win-RTAS, Win-VST, Win-VST3, Win x64-AAX, Win x64-App, Win x64-VST, Win x64-VST3.
  • Native DSP code for optimal performance.
  • Full MIDI control and automation support with silent, zipper-free parameters update, advanced response control and MIDI Learn.
  • No CPU load on idle: when the plug-in is fed with silence, the processing smoothly shuts down, to optimize the CPU usage of your Digital Audio Workstation.
  • Customizable user interface with transparency management and zoom.
  • Smooth Bypass: activate/deactivate the plug-in with absolutely no noise.
  • Undo/Redo.
  • Full-featured integrated presets manager.
  • Copy/paste the state of the plug-in between instances using the system clipboard.
  • Any sample rate supported.

  • For owners of Scaler 2, you can save 20% with Blue Cat's PatchWork Crossgrade from Scaler 2.

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Windows

  • Windows Vista or newer (32 or 64-bit)
  • SSE2-enabled processor (Pentium 4 or newer).
  • Plug-in: any DirectX / VST / RTAS / AAX compatible host software (32 or 64-bit)
  • Standalone application: an ASIO, MME or WASAPI compatible audio interface (ASIO recommended).

Mac

  • macOS 10.7 or higher (Intel or M1 Apple Silicon processor) (64-bit only)
  • Any VST / Audio Unit / RTAS / AAX compatible application (64-bit only)
  • Standalone application: a Core Audio compatible audio interface.

OS Compatibility




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