This week’s free plugin is Rhodes V-Pan. A classic tremolo/autopan effect which goes further than most. But get it while you can. It’s only free until the end of January.
What Is Rhodes V-Pan?
V-Pan is the tremolo effect from the famous Rhodes electric piano. Misnamed as Vibrato back in the 70s it modulates volume rather than pitch and as it operates in stereo it functions as a autopanner, adding anything from subtle movement through to hard left-right flutters.
It has a continuously variable shape control, far anything between a square wave to a sawtooth, the slew and smooth controls offer further variation and the (tempo syncable) rate control goes all the way up into audio frequencies for clangy FM tones.
As anyone who has tried to use the pen tool in Pro Tools to create tremolo using pan or volume automation will know, the magic lies in the details and the precise shape has a big influence on the success of the effect. This plugin provides those details for a period-correct effect.
How Do I Get Rhodes V-Pan?
Use the button above to go to the Rhodes website. Click ‘Buy Now’ and set up a free account providing email and postal addresses and a phone number. Download the installer from your account and use the serial code in the confirmation email to unlock V-Pan on first instantiation.
V-Pan is available for Windows and macOS as a VST, AU and AAX plugin, Apple Silicon compatible, and no iLok is required.
Julian Rodgers is Editor of Production Expert. He has a background in live sound and has been a Pro Tools user since 2001. He lives by the sea in West Cornwall where he plays piano, bass and guitar equally badly and is an avid collector of microphones and opinions about all things audio.