Audiolatry has just released RetroGrit Lite, a Retro Lofi virtual instrument for Mac and Windows.
You should consider RetroGrit Lite if you’re into Lofi Hip Hop, Retro Pop, Chillout, Ambient, and similar genres. The Free Lite version of RetroGrit comes with 9 multi-sampled presets taken from the full version.
Apart from the limited number of patches, RetroGrit Lite is fully functional and has no limitations in terms of controls.
This means that you can exploit its easy-to-use and appealing GUI to customize the presets to your needs, thanks to a set of effect units and controls.
Starting from the left, you’ll find an Envelope section with classic controls over the ADSR envelope of the overall sound.
Then, a Modulation section is displayed, with a selectable LFO shape and destination, in addition to the essential Depth and Speed parameters.
ROMplers like this one benefit from some LFO Modulation to make the patches feel less static since they originally are samples.
In this way, you can introduce further interest and timbral interest in the sound, for example, by modulating the pitch with a triangle wave. Choose a slow Speed and little Depth amount, and you’ve effectively introduced some nice vibrato into the patch!
Moving on with the GUI’s set of controls, we can also find four effect panels: Chorus, Distortion, Delay, and Reverb.
These simple but usable effects can spice up the patches to your desired flavor.
Other developers are making sample-based virtual instruments with similar sets of controls. For example, you can check out the recent release from SampleScience.
RetroGrit Lite also has a one-knob highpass/lowpass filter, a switchable Cabinet effect, and overall Gain and Pan controls.
Interestingly, you can choose a Velocity Curve and how much you want the patch to be responsive to the velocity itself. This way, you can customize it to your playing styles, adding a touch of expressiveness.
Talking of playing modes, you can also select the Voice Mode and Glide amount.
Overall, it’s a very lovely and intuitive instrument.
The GUI is certainly well-designed, and the look-feel of the plugin is great.
A very cool little but important feature is the tiny peak meter found at the bottom-left of the interface so that you can see the overall volume of your patch at a glance.
Being a ROMpler, RetroGrit Lite is relatively light in terms of disk usage, occupying just 100 MB.
It’s available as a VST, VST3 plugin for 64-bit Windows and as a VST, VST3, and AU for macOS.
Download: RetroGrit Lite (Use coupon code FREE at checkout to download it for free)
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