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AMENBREAK VST

Sampler player VST

Performance based multi-playhead sample mangler with auto-slicing, sequencing and bespoke effects.

$29 $19
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What people are saying

"If you like chopped and effected breakbeats in a jungle/breakcore style, then this could very well be your dream plugin"

— Alex Holmes, MusicTech.com, Favorite plugins of 2025

"The open-source Zeptocore is a super fun, portable instrument that makes sample slicing very immediate, enjoyable, and creative. Packaging that into a plugin to reach more people is a brilliant idea."

— Synth Anatomy

"AMENBREAK VST is a break-slicing, sample-mangling junglist powerhouse"

— Matt Mullen, musicradar

"Makes quick work of chopping up samples without breaking your flow."

— Tomislav Zlatic, bpb

"This randomly pops up in my YT feed – holy shit, bought it 10 minutes later! This thing is fkn awesome."

— @figureofspeechless

“Omfg. Tunnel. This is a dream VST.”

— @dumafuji

“Never been so quickly and easily convinced of a VST — genuinely has every feature for live performance I’ve dreamt of all in one package.”

— @dommyDOTel

“This looks exactly like what I am looking for! Impressive — kind of strange that none of the bigger developers have managed to do this.”

— @stutterstrum

“Immaculate VST. Imagine having this in the AKAI days!”

— @prahnoaudio

“Beautifully composed; a loving homage to the break that changed the whole wide world.”

— @GL-GildedLining

"The Tunnel is special… great for live set mixing."

— @StuSiney

"Strong case for VST of the year."

— @NRLXN

Downloads (v3.1.8)

Download for free. A license unlocks stereo output, pitch preservation, tunneling, and premium effects.

Other downloads

Features

Amen knob

Pray for your sequences. Straight mode or random K-step patterns. Regenerate on demand.

Break knob

Destroy stuff. Probabilistic reverses, stutters, jumps, and stretches.

Multi playhead

Retrigger without clicks, add phasing, add delays with configurable crossfades.

Automatic splicing

Use "AUTO" to automatically splice your sample according to configurable algorithms.

Slice memory

Per-file markers and settings saved via content hash. Reload and keep cutting.

MIDI input

Full MIDI control in standalone mode with MIDI learn. Trigger slices and control parameters.

Transport controls

DAW integration with transport sync. Start, stop, and follow your host tempo.

Pitch preservation (paid)

State-of-the art time-stretching keeps pitch locked in.

Stereo mode (paid)

Full stereo output. Free version is mono only.

Decimation (paid)

Downsample & filter for crunchy lo-fi texture on demand.

Tunneling (paid)

Scrub folders of audio in real-time.

Free vs Paid Features

Free includes the full engine in mono. A license unlocks stereo output, pitch preservation, tunneling, and premium effects.

Feature Free Paid
Amen knob sequencing Included Included
Break knob effects Included Included
Multi-playhead engine Included Included
Auto slicing + slice memory Included Included
Stutter + tape-stop Included Included
MIDI input with learn (standalone) Included Included
Transport controls (DAW) Included Included
Stereo output Locked Included
Pitch correction / preservation Locked Included
Braindance effect Locked Included
Decimation effect Locked Included
Tunneling effect Locked Included

Free vs Paid

The free version includes the core engine in mono. A license unlocks stereo output, pitch preservation, and premium effects (braindance, decimation, and tunneling).

Get License → $29 $19

History

From a tiny norns script to the amen-slicing core you’re running now.

2020 - glitchlets

SuperCollider project investigating different types of glitches.

2021 - amen

First norns script focused on quick break slicing and playback experiments. Sparked the obsession with live slice triggering.

2022 - amenbreak

Second-gen norns script with tighter timing, slice memory, and more playful performance controls.

2022 - nyblcore

Custom core for break manipulation, translated stretching and stuttering core to hardware.

2023 - pikocore

Improved hardware core, taking the norns ideas into a standalone box emphasizing performance and lowfi.

2024 - zeptocore

Refinement of the pikocore, stereo and high-fidelity audio with 12 new effects.

2025 - EZEPTOCORE

Eurorack form-factor of the zeptocore.

2026 - amenbreak vst

Bringing the slicing engine to your DAW of choice as a VST3/AU plugin.

Changelog

v3.1.8 - March 2nd, 2016

  • Fix fix installer

v3.1.7 - March 2nd, 2026

  • Fix Cosmetic fixes

v3.1.6 - February 20th, 2026

  • New Package installers for Windows and macOS

v3.1.5 - February 11th, 2026

  • Fix First slice plays without xfade envelope

v3.1.4 - February 8th, 2026

  • Fix Keep sample in sync after changing AMEN back to straight

v3.1.3 - January 10th, 2026

  • New Added a little button to re-roll the AMEN sequence

v3.1.2 - January 7th, 2026

  • Fix Smoother stuttering when sequencing via MIDI

v3.1.1 - January 2nd, 2026

  • Fix Bitwig now loads track-specific settings correctly
  • Fix MIDI device names now show up consistently
  • Fix Direct2D rendering glitches on Windows are resolved

v3.1.0 - December 31st, 2025

  • New Standalone MIDI transport now responds to start/stop/continue
  • New Added Initialize Presets button to reset your presets
  • Fix Tunneling MIDI is more reliable
  • Fix Stutter and stretch no longer block playback from starting
  • Fix Moving slices around playheads no longer causes pops
  • Fix Amen knob automation follows the host reliably
  • Fix Tighter timing when synced to the DAW

v3.0.1 - December 26th, 2025

  • New Timestretching now overrides sequencing for more performative control
  • Fix Prevented volume spikes by eliminating divide-by-zero errors

v3.0.0 - December 24th, 2025

  • New Edit and delete slices - right-click slices to move, split, or delete them
  • Fix Spacebar no longer triggers plugin controls when DAW has focus
  • Fix Presets now save per plugin instance instead of globally
  • Fix Playback position resets correctly when loading a new sample

Note: Upgrading from v2 might lose previously saved settings when upgrading to v3.

v2.0.2 - December 20th, 2025

  • Fix Stutter now has its own gain with better defaults
  • Fix Improved BREAK logic for fewer dropouts

v2.0.1 - December 17th, 2025

  • Fix Fixes loading parameters from multiple instances in the same DAW project

v2.0.0 - December 17th, 2025

  • New Added swing timing
  • New Drag-and-drop MIDI pattern export
  • New Windows 10 support
  • New Each MIDI listen now has reset
  • Fix Added uninstall information
  • Fix Restored missing images in Windows builds
  • Fix Multiple VST3 instances in same project now work correctly
  • Fix No longer crashes in Renoise

v1.0.11 - December 11th, 2025

  • New Added Windows 10 build support
  • Fix Fixed tunneling toggle not working correctly
  • Fix Fixed MIDI CC control of Amen knob causing issues
  • Fix Fixed last loaded file path not being remembered

v1.0.10 - December 10th, 2025

  • Fix Resolved Chrome download issues with macOS resource forks

v1.0.9 - December 8th, 2025

  • New Added file navigator MIDI CC control
  • New Added tunneling dial for real-time folder scrubbing
  • New Added support for Renoise and OP-1 sample formats
  • New Added AIFF file format support
  • New Added AUv3 plugin format for iOS/macOS
  • Fix Fixed stutter stopping unexpectedly on one-shot slices
  • Fix Fixed DAW internal sequencer synchronization
  • Fix Fixed time-stretch disabling during stutter effects
  • Fix Improved one-shot slice mode behavior

v1.0.8 - December 7th, 2025

  • New Added keyboard controls for plugin navigation

v1.0.7 - December 7th, 2025

  • New Added macOS Intel build support

v1.0.6 - December 7th, 2025

  • New Added documentation website
  • New Added email notifications for purchases

v1.0.5 - December 6th, 2025

  • Fix Improved parameter update safety for real-time performance

v1.0.4 - December 6th, 2025

  • Fix Improved pitch preservation with seamless buffer transitions
  • Fix Fixed stretching not starting in some cases
  • Fix Improved mobile UI responsiveness

v1.0.3 - December 6th, 2025

  • New Added tunneling effect for real-time folder audio scrubbing
  • New Added support for loading audio folders
  • New Added FLAC and additional audio format support
  • Fix Fixed decimation effect
  • Fix Fixed MIDI mapping issues

v1.0.2 - December 6th, 2025

  • Fix Minor stability improvements

v1.0.1 - December 6th, 2025

  • New Added preset system with 8 main preset slots
  • New Added CC preset system for MIDI mappings
  • New Added sitewide sale support
  • Fix Improved license dialog UX
  • Fix Fixed button colors in options dialog

v1.0.0 - December 6th, 2025

  • New Initial release - Let's go!!