NEL

Name: NEL
Author: Florian Mrugalla

by Florian Mrugalla · Modulation · Vibrato

Not rated yet

NEL is a free vibrato from Florian Mrugalla with six mixable modulators, including Perlin noise, audio-rate, envelope follower and LFO, plus four macros and oversampling.

It is free and open source (GPL 3), as VST3 and AU for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Guitars, Vocals, Sound Design. Genres: Lo-Fi, Electronic & EDM, Ambient & Cinematic.

Keywords: vibrato, free, randomize, open source, keys, macro controls, clean, mixing, oversampling, vocals, wide, electric guitar, pads, classic, heavy, Linux, lo-fi, look-ahead, MIDI-controllable, sound design.

What it does

NEL is a free, open-source vibrato plugin that modulates pitch and time with a feed-forward delay. The developer calls it "the last vibrato plugin that you need" and aims for clean vibrato without lo-fi degradation.

Six modulators: Perlin (procedural noise), Audio Rate (MIDI-driven, with phase distortion), EnvFol (envelope follower), Macro (direct delay modulation for classic delay-style effects), Pitchbend (from the keyboard) and LFO.
Mixing sources: two modulators can be blended at once to build the vibrato shape.
LFO wavetables: the LFO offers three custom-designed wavetables.
Macros: four macro knobs, which can be dragged onto any modulation target, including each other.
Randomizer: randomize the whole interface or a single modulator, with sensitivity control and parameter locking.
Quality and latency: optional oversampling to reduce sidelobe artifacts at heavy settings, and lookahead to compensate for latency.
Look: custom colour schemes that can be created and shared.

KVR lists versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.3. It is free and open source under the GPL 3 license. Presets from older versions are not compatible.

Source: Florian Mrugalla product page

When to use it

NEL is the pick when you want vibrato itself, from subtle drift to wild pitch warping, and want it free. Compared with MicroShift it goes much deeper on pitch modulation sources, but it has no fixed doubling presets and takes more setting up for a quick width effect. Next to UberMod it is a single-purpose tool rather than a multi-tap modulation delay, and its noise and audio-rate sources reach tape-wobble and FM-like effects that UberMod isn't built for. Unlike ShaperBox 3, it has no volume, filter or pan shaping; it only moves pitch and time.

Best for: vibrato and pitch drift on pads, keys, guitars and vocals, and wide ensemble-like stereo movement.
Genres: lo-fi, electronic, ambient and experimental.
Look elsewhere if: you want instant stereo doubling (MicroShift) or rhythmic volume and filter modulation (ShaperBox 3).
Tip: hit the randomizer for a starting point, then lock the parameters you like and pull the rest back to a usable range.

What producers say

Users and reviewers like its clean sound and randomizer; the interface's look is the main complaint.

KVR users rate it 4.5 out of 5 from 2 reviews; one praised how it makes sounds wide, another called it a "very unique and nice sounding vibrato/ensemble like fx".
Bedroom Producers Blog said it "sounded fantastic on a series of pads", heard little noise or bit reduction, and liked the randomizer as a source of ideas.
Criticisms: one KVR reviewer felt the GUI "does not look nice".

Where to buy

Florian Mrugalla: Free

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

Module8 by Solid State Logic · Modulation effects rack · $29
MVibrato by MeldaProduction · Shape-adjustable vibrato · Free
VectoMelt2 by Psychic Modulation · XY wow/flutter multi-effect · $64
MRingModulator by MeldaProduction · Ring modulator · Free
Blend by Sinevibes · Multi-voice chorus · $29
Duoflux by United Plugins · Dual-engine modulation · $79
Spectral Wobbler by Dystopian Waves · Spectral frequency-shift modulator · Free
UberMod by Valhalla DSP · Multitap modulation / chorus · $50
BLEASS Dragonfly by BLEASS · Frequency-driven tremolo · $29
Adaptive Vibrato by Antelope Audio · Vibrato effect · $129

All modulation & movement

NEL