Transient Master
by Native Instruments · Transient Shaper · Two-knob
Not rated yet
Native Instruments' straightforward transient shaper: Attack and Sustain, with input and output gain and a built-in limiter.
A long-time favorite for fattening drums in Maschine and Komplete setups.
Best for: Drums, Drum Bus, Guitars. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Electronic & EDM.
Keywords: drums, electric guitar, simple, enhancement, fat, mixing, smooth, bus processing, CPU-light, drum bus, percussion, single-band, subtle, tight.
What it does
Native Instruments calls Transient Master "deceptively simple": it reshapes the envelope of a sound so you can move it forward or back in the mix without changing its volume.
- Attack: emphasises or reduces transients, making a sound more or less lively.
- Sustain: cuts or lengthens the tail, controlling room sound and space.
- Gain: output level.
- Smooth and Limit: Smooth softens the processing curves (useful on distorted guitars) and Limit stops attack boosts from clipping.
It's sold on its own and is part of Komplete.
Source: Native Instruments product page
When to use it
Transient Master is the simplest paid option here and follows the SPL Transient Designer idea of two main knobs. Compared with SPL Transient Designer Plus it has no side-chain filter or Mix knob, and reviewers find its sustain cut harder and less natural. If you own Komplete you already have it.
- Best for: quickly fattening or tightening drums, percussion and guitars, especially in Maschine and Komplete setups.
- Genres: hip-hop, trap and electronic beat-making.
- Look elsewhere if: you need side-chain targeting, parallel mix or envelope shapes; the free Kilohearts Transient Shaper already offers more controls.
- Tip: go easy on negative Sustain; it can sound like a noise gate.
What producers say
Seen as a dependable, low-CPU tool rather than a standout.
- Audiofanzine (2011) liked its simplicity and low CPU use, but heard an obvious "noise-gate effect" when cutting sustain and found the Smooth button too subtle.
- MusicRadar (2017) included it in its list of 12 of the best transient shapers.
- Native Instruments blog: producer N2N used it for shaping hi-hat groove and tone.
- Audiofanzine review
- MusicRadar: 12 of the best transient shapers
- Native Instruments blog: N2N on hi-hats
Where to buy
- Plugin Boutique: $24 (regular $46)
- Native Instruments: $49
Tutorials and reviews
- TRANSIENT MASTER | Native Instruments (Native Instruments)
- How To Use Native Instruments TRANSIENT MASTER Plugin
- Transient Master (Native Instruments) - Plugin Review
- Transient Master by Native Instruments
- Mixing with Transient Master in Ableton
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