ANAHEIM ― NUGEN Audio will feature its latest utility plug-ins to attendees at the 2024 NAMM Show (Booth 16000). These solutions, including AB Assist 2, Jotter and Aligner, aim to provide artists, music producers and engineers of all skill levels with tools that ease and streamline their work and enhance the creative process. AB Assist 2 is a new spin on the classic ABX machines that provide engineers with an easy-to-use and reliable way to compare two or more pieces of material. NUGEN will also demonstrate Jotter, a timestamped annotation tool, and Aligner, which helps to perfectly phase align audio with just the touch of a button.
NUGEN Audio’s AB Assist 2, Aligner and Jotter Plug-ins
“These utility plug-ins have proven useful for sound professionals throughout the industry and have gained a lot of attention since being released throughout the past year,” says Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe, Product Specialist, NUGEN Audio. “Each of these plug-ins improves workflows, proving that they are valuable solutions for audio professionals, and we look forward to sharing them with NAMM Show attendees.”
AB Assist 2 enables users to receive and compare up to four different takes, plug-in options, mix revisions or versions of a master, and to compare surround mixes in any channel count. It also enables multiple plug-in instances to link up and communicate directly rather than using an external send. To ensure there are no biases in the comparison, a blind test function randomly re-labels the streams as X or Y for a completely unbiased assessment of audio sources. Additionally, an auto-level match function allows the user to match short-term loudness (LUFS) of sources, while a mono-check feature compares mono fold-downs and the smooth tool creates fades between sources. The software also features a “trim” function, which allows users to trim the gain on one stream to match the subjective level of the other ― further aiding in its unbiased testing.
Aligner is an automatic phase and polarity alignment/correction tool designed to enhance workflows with convenience and speed. With the automatic linking functionality, users can also connect multiple instances of the plug-in during one session. It can be utilized in various instances, including when lining up a multitrack recording with microphones at different distances, or where the polarity of one microphone is reversed. Users can also apply the tool to ensure a microphone and direct input signals are lined up correctly. For users who prefer to align an audio track on their own, or who wish to fine-tune the adjustments made automatically, the plug-in also provides the option to make sample delay or phase adjustments manually.
Jotter allows sound editors to collaborate with each other, and directly with clients, to and from anywhere in the world. Among the collaborative tools is the ability for a client to load the latest mix of their track into the standalone Jotter app, add their notes throughout the file and then export the notes to send to the mixing engineer, who can access it via the standalone app or the plug-in version. Exported in CSV format, the notes provide detailed feedback, locked to the exact positions on a project timeline. With this solution, NUGEN Audio has also rolled out the brand’s first accessibility features, such as screen reader support and keyboard shortcuts for users with visual impairments.
In addition to the fully licensed plug-in solution that can be integrated directly into Pro Tools or other DAWs, the Jotter software is also available as a free standalone version that includes the same management tools and can be used by clients and other collaborators.