Best Free Vocal De-Esser Plugins in 2024

To reduce sibilance or Ess sounds we use De-Essing plugins. However, there are other techniques to reduce sibilance at the time of recording. One of them is the pencil method which is very effective when we use it in the right way.

In this article, I have come up with the best free vocal de-esser plugins that you can use in your mix.

Here I have 4 of the very effective De-Esser plugins which are also free to use.

1. Tonmann De-Esser

Tonmann De-Esser

The Tonmann De-Esser is a plugin that helps to reduce sibilance in vocals. It is easy to use, with only a few controls, and it is perfect for beginners just entering the world of vocal mixing.

Features

  • Get rid of sibilance that often pops out after adding high-end EQ boosts or heavy compression
  • Easy to use, with only a few controls
  • Perfect for beginners just entering the world of vocal mixing

2. Sleepy-Time DSP Lisp

Sleepy-Time DSP Lisp

Sleepy-Time DSP Lisp is a great de-esser plugin for vocals. It features a sensitivity knob and a filter knob to help reduce harsh, unwanted sibilance.

There’s also a smoothing feature to help make the process of getting rid of harsh sounds easier.

And finally, Lisp offers stereo and mid/side modes to help you get the most accurate results possible.

Features

  • Reduces harsh, unwanted sibilance
  • Easy to use – just specify the amount of signal you want to reduce
  • Measures the pitch and amplitude of input signal in real-time
  • Smooths out the de-essing process

3. Digital Fish Phones SPITFISH

Digital Fish Phones SPITFISH

Digital Fish Phones SPITFISH is a great de-esser for reducing harsh “ss” sounds from your vocals.

It has an intuitive interface with only a few controls, making it easy for beginner mix engineers to use.

The “Listen” feature makes it easy to pinpoint sibilance so you always know what you are affecting.

This plugin is only available for Windows, though the developers have said they plan to release a Mac OS version.

Features

  • Filter out harsh, unwanted “ss” sounds that would poke out of your mix otherwise
  • Easily reduce sibilance with the “Listen” feature
  • Intuitive interface with only a few controls
  • Windows-only for now, but developers are planning to release a Mac OS version in the future

4. Techivation T-De-Esser

Techivation T-De-Esser

The Techivation T-De-Esser plugin is a simple but effective tool for reducing the sibilance in your vocals.

It’s easy to use – just select the frequency range you want to target and set the sharpness and intensity to suit your needs.

You can then add the amount of effect you want to apply.

If you’re looking for a straightforward and easy-to-use de-esser plugin, the Techivation T-De-Esser is a good option.

Features

  • Reducing sibilance in your vocals with a de-esser plugin
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Targets a specific frequency range
  • Adjust sharpness and intensity
  • Adds the amount of effect you want

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Gautam Roy is a recording engineer and a blogger from India. He loves music, writing, and travelling. He is also an active investor and a successful entrepreneur. Checkout his Facebook and Instagram handles for more information.

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