We all know that Pro Tools is the industry standard when it comes to digital recording.    Pro Tools comes standard with many wonderful features, but one of the best things about Pro Tools is the amount of quality available plugins that are out on the market today.   There is a plugin for almost every imaginable need when it comes to recording sound.   

This article will cover the 7 best plugins that you can purchase for Pro Tools, and how you can use them to better improve your recording.

1. Sonic NoNOISE – The Sonic NoNoise is a plugin that is developed by Sonic Solutions.  It does exactly what you think, i reduces and eliminates all unwanted noise.   This is a high quality noise gate and well worth the money.
   
2. Antares Auto-Tune Pitch Correction 4 – I have to say that I am torn when it comes to this plugin.    Lets face it though, all music today that is recorded and released uses auto-tune.   This software corrects any variations when someone begins to sing out of key.   It will automatically bring them back up to pitch.   I know some people are “anti-autotune” but if you want to have great sounding recordings from those how are vocally challenged you will need this plugin.
   
3. The Waves Restoration Bundle – This plugin is very handy when you need to remove unwanted clicks, pops, and microphone smacks.  You never think that you will need this, until you have a perfectly performed track, but somehow got a “pop” in it somewhere.  It is also designed to restore old recordings.   Think of static that you would of heard with old records, and kiss it good bye with this plugin.
   
4. The Waves SSL 4000 Channel Strip Plug-In Collection – This is a very pricey plugin, but well worth the cash.   This plugin not only increases the number of available channels that one has to record on, but it also uses propriatery algorithms to emulate those warm preamp sounds that are used on so many recordings.  Many producers and sound engineers swear by this plugin.  
   
5. IK Multimedia’s Ampeg SVX Bass Recording Plug-In – Getting good bass tones and sounds can be a very difficult task, but never fear the IK Multimedia’s Ampeg SVX Bass Recording Plug-In is here!  This little plugin can take any normal sounding bass tone and beef it up to sound like hundreds of different bass sounds.  Think of it as the plug that gives you 50 amps and 50 different types of basses toplay through.  I know many producers that swear by this plugin.
   
6. Digidesign Virtual Instrument Box Set –  This cool little plugin is made by the Pro Tools team, and is an emulator that replicates tons of old 1960’s and 1970’s sounds.  It even comes with on screen depictions of the original istruments, and the contorls so you can play with the sounds and make them your own.
   
7. Digidesign Smack! Compressor – The industry standard of compressors.  The nice thing abou this plugin is it is almost designed to be idiot proof.  It is really hard to mess up the compression with this plugin. Best of all it really knows how to beef up certain instruments and give it that BIG ROOM sound we all desire for drums and guitar!