- Publisher: Strymon
- Product: BigSky Plugin
- Release: R2R
- Version: 1.2.0
- Format: AAX/VST3
- Requirements: Windows 10 or higher
For over a decade, one name has been synonymous with the pinnacle of reverb: BigSky. What began as a meticulous research project—a deep dive into five decades of reverb technology—became the most celebrated and beloved reverb pedal in history. Audio engineers, producers, and musicians have long used the iconic blue pedal as a secret weapon, an outboard processor to add unparalleled depth and character to vocals, drums, strings, and synths. Now, that same legendary sound has been unleashed from its hardware shell. Introducing the Strymon BigSky Plugin.
This is not a mere emulation; it is a perfect recreation, purpose-built for the modern studio. Add BigSky to any track and instantly lift your sound into the stratosphere. From vast, immersive, nearly infinite decays to responsive plates perfectly tuned to accentuate a vocal performance, the BigSky plugin offers the absolute pinnacle of premium reverb with unmatched spaciousness. It’s an inspiring sound design tool, a creativity machine with a character all its own, ready to help you craft your unique sonic signature.
Discover Twelve Worlds of Reverb
The heart of BigSky is its collection of twelve unique, handcrafted reverb machines. Each algorithm is a world unto itself, full of vibe and sonic interest, designed to be musically inspirational from the moment you load it.
- Cloud: A gorgeously big, ambient reverb that draws from techniques developed in the late ‘70s, obscuring the distinction between reality and fantasy.
- Bloom: Generates a slowly building envelope that “blooms” beautifully, creating huge ambient reverbs that sit perfectly in a mix, even at high levels.
- Chorale: Summons a virtual vocal choir to accompany your music. Choose vowel ranges and intensities to customize your choir for a truly unique texture.
- Shimmer: The quintessential BigSky effect. Adds two tunable, pitch-shifted voices to the reverberated signal for resplendent, majestic, and unearthly ambience.
- Swell: Gradually fades in the reverb behind the dry signal for subtle, evolving textures, like having a volume pedal on the wet signal.
- Spring: Delivers the definitive sound of vintage spring reverb tanks. Fully customizable from warm and mellow to splashy, dripping surf-rock tones.
- Plate: A rich, fast-building reverb that creates instant depth and studio polish without the sonic footprint of a specific room.
- Hall: The hallmark of classic, versatile reverb. Choose from the well-balanced Concert size or the huge, enveloping boom of the Arena setting.
- Room: Creates authentic acoustic spaces, ranging from a tight, well-tuned studio ambience to the lively reflections of a larger nightclub.
- Reflections: A psycho-acoustically accurate small-space reverb that precisely calculates 250 reflections to place your sound in a realistic virtual room.
- Magneto: Recreates the sound of a multi-head tape echo, smearing the repeats to blur the line between delay and reverb for a wash of vintage character.
- Nonlinear: A collection of physics-defying reverb shapes, including Swoosh, Reverse, Ramp, and Gated effects for unique textures and time-warped transitions.
Key Features
- Twelve Distinct Reverb Machines: A complete collection of vintage, modern, and experimental reverb algorithms.
- Intuitive, Adaptive Interface: The controls you need for each machine appear automatically, making it effortless to dial in the perfect sound.
- Infinite Sustain & Freeze: Click the “Hold” button to sustain reverb tails indefinitely or freeze a sonic texture to play over.
- Full Automation Potential: Automate any parameter in your DAW to create evolving filter sweeps, swelling decay times, and dynamic shimmer effects.
- Uncompromising Sound Quality: The exact algorithms from the legendary hardware, perfectly recreated for studio use.
The Sky Is Now Unlimited
Sculpt Your Sound, Not Your Screen
A user interface should empower creativity, not hinder it. For the BigSky plugin, we’ve handpicked the most essential controls for each reverb machine and tailored their range and functionality so that world-class sounds can be created effortlessly. The layout naturally and intuitively adjusts to display the clearly labeled knobs and switches for each algorithm. This means you can understand all the relevant parameters at a glance, inviting experimentation and making it genuinely fun to find your desired tone.
Animate Your Ambience with Limitless Creativity
Bringing BigSky into your DAW unlocks a universe of new creative opportunities. The ability to use a separate instance on each track allows you to audition and sculpt reverb sounds within the context of your complete mix. Give your lead vocal a classic plate, drench a synth pad in the Cloud machine, and add a subtle room to your drums—all at the same time. This high degree of control, combined with the ability to easily automate parameters, turns BigSky into a playground for your imagination.
Create Endless Soundscapes with a Single Click
The beloved Infinite Sustain and Freeze functions from the hardware are here. With a single click, you can sustain reverb tails indefinitely, allowing each new note to blend into a gorgeous, swelling soundscape. Switch to Freeze mode to capture a slice of audio and hold it in suspension, allowing you to play new, unprocessed notes over the top of a static, ambient texture. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for transitions, ambient pads, and one-of-a-kind sonic design.
The BigSky plugin delivers the same soul, character, and inspiration that made its hardware predecessor a legend. It’s more than a utility; it’s a creative partner that will fundamentally elevate the sound and emotional impact of your music. Now, you can integrate this atmospheric phenomenon directly into your workflow, without limitations.
Experience the reverb that defined a decade.
Download the Strymon BigSky Plugin for free today.
R2R
* iLok License Manager isn’t required to run.
* Our release loads faster and uses less memory than legit version.
