Our friends at Nugen Audio have produced this simple but deceptively powerful plug-in called SigMod. SigMod is billed as a modular, customisable signal modification plug-in allowing users to easily combine simple processes into complex combinations to correct, tweak or convert an audio signal for a wide variety of purposes. In this article, we have more information about SigMod, a review and 3 tutorials for you to check out.

What Is SigMod?

SigMod is suitable for many quick-fix tasks, enhancing or overcoming DAW limitations. Multiple modules may be combined to create complex experimental signal-flows and routings.

To achieve these solutions in one simple plug-in, SigMod is made up of 11 single process modules designed to enhance the functionality of any plug-ins and DAWs with many useful, creative functions. These include master & channel strip features, signal monitoring & routing options, mid-side conversion, crossovers and output level protection. 

You can now use plug-ins to process in MS that were not designed to work in MS. You can use plug-ins with parallel processing that were never designed to offer parallel processing. This and more with this simple little plug-in from Nugen Audio.

Each signal modification unit can be combined in any order to design the precise routing required. Auto-resizing keeps the signal flow and functionality clear at all times.

How Sig Mod Works

In the settings panel, multiple instances of the 11 available processing modules can be arranged in any order allowing useful channel operations to be quickly set up and recalled. The available modules are:

• Mid-Side - Converts L/R stereo signal to Mid/Side or Mid/Side back to L/R stereo 
• Mute/Solo - Mutes the signal
• Tap - Duplicates the signal to an instance of the complementary Nugen Recieve Plug-in
• Phase - Inverts the polarity of the signal
• Mono - Sums to mono
• Switch - Swaps the left/right or mid/side channel order
• Delay - Delay in ms or samples up to 100ms
• Crossover - 2-way first-order crossover, tap the HF or LF and pass the other band
• Trim - +20dB to -70dB
• DC Offset - DC Offset
• Protect - Cuts the signal if it exceeds a specified TP measurement

The ability to freely combine these modules makes it suitable for anything from basic channel operations, for example providing the missing mono check and phase buttons in the Pro Tools mixer, through to enabling complex multi-band processing using other plug-ins in combination with SigMod. 

Pricing

• US - Retail Price $49
• Europe - Retail Price €40
• UK - Retail Price £35

Exclusive Production Expert Review Of The Nugen Audio SigMod Utility Plug-in

In this exclusive review Production Expert Team member Julian Rodgers looks at SigMod, from Nugen Audio which can combine basic channel operation into customisable combinations.

Free Tutorial - Using Nugen Audio SigMod To Set Up Parallel Processing Paths

In this free video tutorial brought to you with the support of Nugen Audio, Production Expert team member Julian Rodgers demonstrates setting up audio paths using SigMod's Tap module in combination with the complementary Receive plug-in.

Parallel Processing Paths Using Tap

In this tutorial, Julian demonstrates instantiating the plug-ins and setting up the routing followed by two examples of possible applications in a typical music scenario: Bass processing to augment the bottom end and a high-pass filtered treatment using stereo widening and reverb to make the track brighter and wider without compromising the bottom end.

Free Tutorial - Transforming L/R Plug-ins Into Mid-side Plugins With Nugen SigMod

In this free video tutorial Julian Rodgers demonstrates using the Mid-Side module in SigMod to transform LR stereo plug-ins to mid-side plug-ins.

Mid-Side And Back Again

The Mid-Side module is very simple, simply switch it in and your left and right channels are converted into their mid and side components. Because this is a reversible operation, if you use a pair of mid-side modules then the stereo signal changes format and then changes back again: LR-MS-LR.

Any stereo plug-in inserted into the signal path between the two instances of SigMod will operate in MS. If they are unlinked, multi-mono then different processing can be applied to the mid or sides channel without any dedicated MS mode needed in that plugin, SigMod handles it all.

Free Tutorial - Using The Crossover Module In the Nugen Audio SigMod Plug-in

In this free video tutorial, Julian Rodgers demonstrates using the Crossover module in SigMod in combination with other modules to manipulate the stereo image on an acoustic guitar recording.

Crossover Module

The Crossover module is a 2-way crossover which allows either the high or low pass element to be tapped off to a parallel path via the complementary receive plug-in in much the same way as the tap module demonstrated in the first of these tutorials.

Unlike the tap module, because it is a crossover, the two signals can be recombined to a full bandwidth signal. In this demonstration, the crossover forms the basis of a chain which allows the width of the bass end of the signal to be controlled and using the Tap module a second path is created which can process the top end of the signal using polarity inversion, Level trims and channel swaps.

Nugen Audio SigMod System Requirements

• It supports AAX, VST, VST3, AU and AudioSuite in both 64-bit and 32-bit versions. RTAS is also available as 32-bit only.
• Minimum System Requirements
  • Mac OSX 10.7.x / 512 MB RAM
  • Windows XP or above / 512 MB RAM