Hats by AudioThing hi-hat and cymbal synth plugin interface

Hats: Hi-Hat and Cymbal Synthesizer by AudioThing Free Download

Rated 4.5/5 on Plugin Boutique (435 ratings)

Hats is a drum synthesizer plugin from AudioThing dedicated to hi-hat and cymbal sounds. It combines a synthesized noise source with a sample source, and processes both through four effects.

VST3VST2AUAAXCLAPWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Hats is a plugin from AudioThing built around hi-hats and cymbals. Instead of relying on plain white or pink noise, its noise section uses six square wave oscillators at different pitches and phases, which gives the sound a controllable metallic character. A second source plays back custom samples, so you can layer or switch between synthesized and recorded textures. The factory bank includes 55 samples and 80 presets.

Best for

Hi-hat sound design
Cymbal and crash textures
Electronic drum programming
Lo-fi percussion
Experimental noise sounds

Developer: AudioThing
Category: Drum Machines
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Two sources: synthesized noise and custom sample
Six square wave oscillators for metallic noise
55 samples and 80 presets in the factory bank
Ring Modulator, Bit Crusher, Filter and Reverb effects
Drag-and-drop reordering of effects
Two 12dB/oct state variable filters in series
Preset system with randomizer
64-bit plugin in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and CLAP formats

03In depth

Sound Sources and Character

The noise section is the core of Hats. Its six square wave oscillators are tuned and phased differently, producing a metallic noise that can be shaped from subtle to aggressive.

The sample source draws on a factory bank that ranges from analog drum machine sounds to acoustic hi-hats and cymbals. According to the developer, some samples were processed with an Aphex Aural Exciter and recorded to tape with a Revox B77 MkII, adding a distinct coloration to parts of the library.

Effects and Workflow for Hi-Hat Sound Design

Both sources pass through four effects: Ring Modulator, Bit Crusher, Filter and Reverb. The effects can be reordered by drag and drop, so you can change how each one interacts with the sound.

The filter section runs a HighPass and a BandPass in series. Both are 12dB/oct state variable filters with zero delay feedback. A preset system with a randomizer helps you explore new variations quickly.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	AudioThing
Type	Plugin
Category	Drum Machine
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, CLAP
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Hats used for?

Hats is a drum synthesizer focused on hi-hat and cymbal sounds. It combines synthesized noise with samples, and its effects let you shape both into percussive or experimental textures.

Which formats and operating systems does Hats support?

Hats is available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and CLAP formats, all 64-bit. It runs on Windows 7 to 11 and macOS 10.9 to macOS 14, with a 2GHz CPU and 4 GB RAM as the listed minimum.