brainworx Vertigo VSM-3

is a big trick in itself

 

i do the same with pultec -> la2a vintage -> pultec

 

the biggest secret is parallel processing, noone admits it and everyone does it

 

10 Years ago maybe :d

 

With UVI Shade or Fabfilter Volcano 3 you can create everything from your own overdrive and wah guitar pedals to rotary speaker sims to multi-band compressors. Don't know if you can call them "tricks" though as these plug-ins are made for doing all of this.

If you have a gate that has a invert function (ReaGate, Unfiltered Audio G8) you can create your own transient shaper where you can insert plug-ins for either the attack or sustain parts separately (like Wavesfactory Quantum, Boz Digital Transgressor etc). You only need a DAW that supports multi-channel tracks and also a 4-channel to stereo mixer utility plug-in (Reaper JS:Channel-Mapper Downmixer, Analog Obsession NCAR) if you want it to be done all on the same track. If you don't mind using separate tracks for the attack and sustain parts the only thing you need is the gate.