Three great plugin alternatives

EXPERT SLEEPERS SILENT WAY

Let’s face it, any DAW can do everything the DSX could do and better. However, most DAWs can’t communicate with the many CV-capable analogue instruments currently on the market. For this, a plugin suite like Silent Way offers the ideal solution with its ability to shuttle CV and gate voltage through a compatible audio interface. www.expert-sleepers.co.uk

BITWIG STUDIO 2

This nifty DAW offers all mod cons, including built-in tools that allow gate, trigger, and control voltages to be sent back and forth between computer and analogue hardware. Like Silent Way, it’ll work best with specific (DC-coupled) audio interfaces, but you can manage to do some cool stuff with any interface. www.bitwig.com

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS REAKTOR

With its recent introduction of the Blocks concept, Native Instruments brought Eurorack-style modular synthesis to Reaktor. Better still, some of those Blocks are designed specifically to interface with a real modular system – or any CV-capable hardware, for that matter. Again, an interface with DC-coupled outputs is required. www.native-instruments.com