Zakk Cervini is a Grammy-nominated producer and mixer known for his "huge, polished" modern rock and metal production for artists like Blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon, and Machine Gun Kelly. While he doesn't have a massive line of original plugin software, he has released a major signature preset pack and frequently cites specific third-party tools as "crucial" to his signature sound. Signature Plugin Collaboration
STL ToneHub: Zakk Cervini Preset Pack: This is his primary digital product, released with STL Tones. It features 49 presets captured from his personal collection of pedals, amps, and cabs.
Versatility: Includes everything from clean rock tones to heavily saturated sounds for drop tunings.
Mix-Ready: Many presets were created using his full mix chain, providing instant access to the guitar and bass sounds used on his past professional records. Core Mixing Plugins (The "Cervini Sound")
In professional breakdowns of his work, particularly on Blink-182’s California, Cervini highlights several key plugins he relies on for aggressive, modern processing: Dynamics & EQ:
Softube FET Compressor: Singled out as one of his top five most crucial plugins, specifically for his drum bus processing.
Waves MV2: A go-to for bass DI tracks to achieve a rock-solid, consistent low end.
McDSP Channel G & Analog Channel: Used extensively for snare processing and adding analog character to digital sessions.
Waves Renaissance Axx: Employed for extreme compression on rhythm guitars to create his signature wall-of-sound effect.
UA Harrison EQ: A favorite for shaping bass DI and individual instrument tracks. Creative & Utilities:
McDSP FutzBox: Used for lo-fi effects and adding grit to vocals or specific mix elements.
Dynamic EQ: Cervini typically places dynamic EQ after static EQ but before compression to solve frequency problems before "smashing" the signal. Sample-Based Production
While not a plugin in the traditional sense, his drum sound is highly sought after.
Zakk Cervini discusses his preset pack for STL ToneHub Plugin zakk cervini plugins
Producer Zakk Cervini, known for work with Blink-182 and Bring Me The Horizon, utilizes a "minimalist but aggressive" approach focusing on rapid, character-driven plugin chains. Key tools include the STL ToneHub Zakk Cervini Pack, Waves Renaissance Vox for vocal leveling, and FabFilter Pro-L 2 for limiting. For a detailed look at his vocal techniques, visit Nail The Mix. How Zakk Cervini Crafts Modern Metal's Polished Aggression
Zakk Cervini is a prominent figure in modern rock and metalcore production, known for a "hyper-pristine yet aggressive" sound
. While he doesn't have a standalone plugin brand like CLA or JJP, his signature sound is accessible through collaborations with major plugin developers.
Here is a review of the primary ways to get the "Zakk Cervini sound" through software: STL Tones: Zakk Cervini ToneHub Pack
This is the most direct way to access his guitar and bass processing chain. The Content: A signature preset pack for the STL ToneHub plugin
, featuring 65 presets captured from his actual studio rigs. The Sound:
It covers everything from clean rock tones to heavily saturated, drop-tuned metal sounds. Many presets include his full mix chain, meaning the EQ and compression he uses to make guitars sit in a dense mix are already baked in.
Immediate "radio-ready" results for modern rock; excellent for quick songwriting and demoing.
Requires the ToneHub host plugin; some users find the presets highly specialized for his specific "plastic" and polished aesthetic. GetGood Drums (GGD): Modern & Massive Vol. 2
Cervini recently collaborated with GGD to provide signature presets for their popular drum library. The Content: Specialized presets within Modern & Massive Vol. 2 that utilize his specific drum bus processing techniques. The Sound:
Focused on that "huge," punchy, and sample-accurate drum sound found on records by Architects and Bring Me The Horizon. Key Features:
Includes his unique approach to adding "pink noise" or white noise samples to snares to give them more "air" and sustain in a digital mix. Zakk's Essential Toolset
If you want to recreate his sound using your own plugins, these are the tools he frequently advocates for in interviews and masterclasses: Zakk Cervini is a Grammy-nominated producer and mixer
Zakk Cervini discusses his preset pack for STL ToneHub Plugin
Zakk Cervini has become a dominant force in modern rock and metalcore, known for his "polished aggression" on tracks for artists like Blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon, and Machine Gun Kelly. His workflow leans heavily on a specific set of plugins to achieve his signature punchy, radio-ready sound. Signature Plugin Collaborations
Cervini has partnered with major software developers to release his own signature tones:
STL ToneHub Zakk Cervini Pack: A dedicated preset pack for the STL Tones platform containing 49 presets. These include album-ready guitar and bass chains used on his major records, ranging from clean rock to heavy saturated drop-tuning tones.
Kemper Producer Bundle: A collection of Kemper profiles developed alongside John Feldmann, providing the specific amp and cab combinations used on numerous number-one hits. Core Mixing Plugins & Chains
Zakk Cervini's "cookie cutter" yet highly effective mixing method relies on a few key software tools: Drums and Percussion
Samples & Libraries: He frequently uses GetGood Drums (GGD) "Modern & Massive" for drum sounds. Bus Processing
: To achieve his signature "smack," he uses SSL-style VCA compressors like the Slate Digital VBC Grey or Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Transient Control: Waves TransX Go to product viewer dialog for this item.
is a go-to for multi-band transient design, particularly for helping the low end of a kick drum punch through a dense mix.
His vocal chain typically involves a series of small, surgical steps:
Pitch Correction: Melodyne or MetaTune for subtle leveling and correction. EQ : FabFilter Pro-Q 3 Go to product viewer dialog for this item. for subtractive notching and iZotope EQ Match for tone matching. Compression: A two-stage approach using a "gentle" Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Slate FG-2A Go to product viewer dialog for this item. ) followed by an aggressive 1176 (or Slate FG-116 Go to product viewer dialog for this item. ) to pin the vocal in place. Effects: ValhallaVintageVerb Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Soundtoys EchoBoy Go to product viewer dialog for this item. for space and delay. Guitar and Bass Architects / BMTH snare - Gearspace
Cervini brought hip-hop 808s into rock music. To achieve this, he popularized the use of Kickstart (for sidechain pumping) and his own custom preset in Sub Destroyer (for sub-bass separation). In his ecosystem, the kick drum triggers the 808, and the guitar chugs duck underneath. It’s EDM logic applied to punk rock, and plugins like Sausage Fattener (another staple in his folder) are the glue that holds that weird marriage together.
No list of Zakk Cervini plugins is complete without the Decapitator. This saturation plugin is on every mix he does—usually on guitars and parallel drums. What it does: A 2-knob optical-style compressor (Threshold
Zakk has admitted he uses Nectar’s "Unmasking" module. It side-chains the vocal against the guitars. Every time the singer opens their mouth, the 3kHz range in the guitars dips by 1dB automatically. This keeps the vocal intelligible at extreme volumes.
Cervini’s signature is an aggressive, "wall of sound" drum mix.
Zakk Cervini’s
Zakk Cervini has become a titan of modern music production by blending the raw energy of rock and metal with the polished precision of modern pop. His "in-the-box" workflow is highly sought after by producers looking to recreate the massive sounds heard on records by Bring Me The Horizon, Blink-182, and Machine Gun Kelly.
Whether you are looking for his signature tones or the specific tools he uses to shape his mixes, this guide covers the essential Zakk Cervini plugins and production techniques. Signature Plugins and Presets
Cervini has collaborated with top developers to package his go-to sounds into accessible digital tools:
STL ToneHub: Zakk Cervini Preset Pack: This is his primary signature offering, containing 49 presets that replicate his actual album tones. It covers everything from clean, atmospheric rock to heavily saturated, low-tuned metal tones and aggressive bass chains.
STL Tones: John Feldmann & Zakk Cervini Kemper Bundle: For hardware users, this bundle offers profiles of the exact amp and cab setups used in their joint productions. The Cervini Vocal Chain
Zakk is known for a "polished aggression" in his vocals that keeps them pinned at the front of a dense mix. His standard plugin chain often includes:
Subtractive EQ: FabFilter Pro-Q 3 for surgically removing harsh resonances and muddy low-mids.
Serial Compression: He typically uses two stages—a smooth optical compressor like the Waves CLA-2A for leveling, followed by a fast FET compressor like the Softube FET Compressor or Waves CLA-76 to add bite and control peaks.
Character EQ: Boosting "air" (12–16kHz) with Pultec-style emulations, such as the Slate Digital FG-Pultec.
Saturation & Width: Tools like Soundtoys EchoBoy and ValhallaVintageVerb are often side-chained to the lead vocal to maintain clarity. Drum Mixing and Sound Design
Zakk’s drum sounds are famously punchy and "expensive" sounding, often relying on heavy layering:
Zakk Cervini discusses his preset pack for STL ToneHub Plugin
