Waves Smack Attack Transient Shaping Plug-in

Transient-shaping Plug-in for Drums and Percussive Instruments - AAX Native, AudioSuite, AU, VST3, SoundGrid
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Item ID: SmackAttack
Waves Smack Attack Transient Shaping Plug-in
Price:$34 and 99 cents
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Compatible with:
macOS
Windows
AAX
AU
VST
AudioSuite
SoundGrid
NKS
Software Compatibility

Most software is compatible with both macOS and Windows, but check to make sure.

If you're using Pro Tools, AAX plug-ins are what you need. Most other DAWs on macOS support Audio Units (AU) plug-ins, while VST is compatible with many DAWs on oth macOS and Windows. Be sure you choose plug-ins that work with your DAW!

To learn more about software compatibility, check out our buying guide.

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Waves Smack Attack Transient Shaping Plug-in
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Price:$34 and 99 cents
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Inject Serious Impact Into Your Drum Mixes

Ever wonder how professional engineers achieve drum mixes with that coveted smack and bite? Everyone has their modus operandi, but many rely on transient-shaping as their number one secret weapon. And that's just what Waves Smack Attack does. Optimized for drums, Smack Attack fine-tunes each instrument's level, shape, and duration. Use this plug-in on individual tracks, or slap it on your drum bus to maximize the entire kit. Either way, it results in kicks that punch and snares that crack. Armed with a Sensitivity control for selective transient shaping, a Wet/Dry mix control for parallel processing, and more, the level of control afforded by Smack Attack is astounding.

More than mere transient shaping

Unlike many transient-shaping plug-ins, Smack Attack provides you with more than simple Attack and Sustain controls. With Smack Attack, you can also achieve precise control over each transient's shape and duration. A Sensitivity control allows you to process every transient, only the loudest ones, or anything in-between. You can also use the Wet/Dry mix control for parallel processing, while the Guard control with Limit, Clip, and Off settings can be used to push your sound to the brink. And although it's optimized for drums, engineers at Sweetwater have also used Smack Attack to add impact to loops, synth hits, percussion, and more.

Waves Smack Attack Features:

  • Drum-optimized transient-shaping plug-in
  • Produce kicks that punch and snares that crack
  • Manipulate the attack and sustain of your drums' transients
  • Fine-tune transient level, shape, and duration
  • Sensitivity control for selective transient shaping
  • Wet/Dry mix control for parallel processing
  • Guard control with Limit, Clip, and Off settings for pushing your sound to the brink
  • Use on individual tracks or on your drum bus to maximize an entire kit
  • Real-time graphic wave display provides visual guidance
  • Also works on loops, synth hits, percussion, and more

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Tech Specs

  • Software Type: Percussion Processing
  • Platform: Mac, PC
  • Upgrade/Full: Full
  • Download/Boxed: Download
  • Bit Depth: 64-bit
  • Plug-in Formats: AAX, AU, VST
  • Additional Compatibility: AudioSuite, SoundGrid, NKS
  • Hardware Requirements - Mac: Intel Core i7 or higher (M1 support), 8GB RAM minimum
  • Hardware Requirements - PC: Intel Core i5 / AMD Quad-core or higher (AVX required), 8GB RAM minimum
  • OS Requirements - Mac: macOS 13 or later
  • OS Requirements - PC: Windows 10 (22H2) or later
  • Manufacturer Part Number: SMATCK

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Reviews

Love This Plugin and would recommend it.
Love This Plugin and would recommend it.
Music background: Hip Hop Producer
Great Plugin! Not Compatible with early OSX
I had the privilege of using this plugin on a friend's project. I applied it to bongos and percussive drums and it really brought out the transients nicely without any harsh artifacts. I checked and looked up the plugin specs. Everything looked good so I decided to buy it for myself. Unfortunately the plugin was not downloading correctly and was not being recognized by my software, even after doing a sync. Apparently it's not compatible with any OSX later than 10.10. This information was not listed when I checked, I wasn't aware of this until contacted a Waves Rep over the phone... They offered me a refund but I'm still kind of disappointed that I can't use this awesome plugin.

Since the early days of DAW software, Waves has been a dominating force in music and audio production. For those of us here at Sweetwater who've been recording since the industry switched over to computer-based studios, it's impossible to imagine sessions without L series Ultramaximizers, MaxxBass, and other staples. Since then, we've been impressed every time Waves has brought top producers such as Jack Joseph Puig and Chris Lord-Alge to Sweetwater to show off their next cutting-edge creations, and Waves is constantly adding new and innovative plug-ins to their catalog. And with cool new gear such as their SoundGrid series, Sweetwater engineers have discovered just how easy it is to use Waves plug-ins live.