The best shoegaze plugins
Shoegaze is fuzz into a huge reverb, with a little modulation. Free: Nembrini Big Stuff (Big Muff-style fuzz) into ValhallaSupermassive. Paid: ValhallaShimmer or Eventide Blackhole for the wall. If you want the whole wall from two knobs and a preset, that is what my Adrift is for.
Kevin Shields, Rachel Goswell, Neil Halstead: the sound is not one pedal. It is fuzz feeding a reverb so big the notes stop having edges, with some pitch wobble and delay smeared through it. You can build that with plugins for very little money. Here is what people actually use, and the order to put it in.
I make Siesta Audio plugins, and one of mine is on this list, marked as mine. Everything else is here because people actually recommend it. Prices are list prices from each developer's site as of 2026 and change often, so check before you buy.
| Plugin | Price | Formats | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrift (mine)Siesta Audio | $39 | VST3, AU, StandaloneMac, Win, Linux | Two-knob shoegaze reverb: HEAT for warmth and saturation, MELT for the size of the wall, plus FREEZE to hold a sound forever. |
| ValhallaSupermassiveValhalla DSP | Free | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win | Free plugin built for massive delays and reverbs. No authorization needed. |
| ValhallaShimmerValhalla DSP | $50 | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win | Reverb with pitch shifting in the feedback path, for huge, ethereal shimmer tails. |
| ValhallaVintageVerbValhalla DSP | $50 | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win | Algorithmic reverb with modes and color settings modeled on different eras of digital reverb. |
| BlackholeEventide | $99 | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win, iOS | Enormous, unreal reverb spaces, with a Gravity control that inverts the decay. |
| Big StuffNembrini Audio | Free | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win, iOS | Fuzz and sustain inspired by the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff. |
| EchoBoySoundtoys | $199 | VST2, VST3, AU, AAXMac, Win | Delay modeling decades of vintage echo hardware, with groove and rhythm controls. |
A shoegaze chain, in order
Guitar track, top to bottom
- Fuzz. Big Stuff (free) for the Big Muff wall. Plenty of sustain, tone a little dark.
- Modulation, optional. A slow chorus or vibrato for the woozy pitch bend you hear on Loveless.
- Delay. EchoBoy, or your DAW's own delay, mixed low and long.
- The wall. A huge reverb at a high mix: Supermassive (free), Shimmer, Blackhole, or Adrift.
Should the reverb go before or after the fuzz? Both are valid and they sound completely different. I broke that down in reverb before or after fuzz.
The reverbs, honestly
ValhallaSupermassive is the best free starting point there is, full stop. ValhallaShimmer adds the octave-up halo that makes Slowdive-style pads float. Blackhole is the biggest and strangest, and its reversed decay is great for swells. Adrift is my answer to "I do not want to tune a reverb": the warmth, saturation and size are one gesture each, and the presets are finished sounds. It also runs on Linux, which none of the others do.
Shoegaze in Ableton, Logic, FL Studio and GarageBand
Every plugin here comes as VST3 and AU, so it works in Ableton, Logic and FL Studio. GarageBand on Mac loads AU plugins too, so the free pair (Big Stuff into Supermassive) is a complete shoegaze rig in GarageBand at no cost.
For the sound itself, by band: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride, Lush, Cocteau Twins and Deafheaven. Or start with the history of shoegaze.
Quick answers
What plugins do you need for shoegaze?
A fuzz and a big reverb cover most of it. Add delay and slow modulation for the full sound. Free: Nembrini Big Stuff into ValhallaSupermassive.
What is the best reverb plugin for shoegaze?
ValhallaSupermassive is the best free one. Paid options are ValhallaShimmer, Eventide Blackhole and Adrift, which is built specifically for the shoegaze wall.
What is the best reverb plugin for shoegaze vocals?
Use a long, dark reverb at a high mix with the highs rolled off so the vocal melts into the guitars instead of sitting on top. Shimmer or Adrift both suit this, and so does Supermassive with its damping turned up.
Can you make shoegaze in GarageBand?
Yes. GarageBand on Mac loads AU plugins, so free plugins like Big Stuff and ValhallaSupermassive work in it.