Hey Guys/Gals,
I was just reading this article at the recording revolution
http://therecordingrevolution.com/2012/03/30/what-are-your-go-to-plugins/And I thought it would be interesting to see what folks here consider their top 5 "go to" plugs - the ones you reach for first and use to get your mix 90% there. Not talking about the 10% where you hunt for something <grin> I'm specifically talking about your top five core "go to" ones you pick first and feel most comfortable using:
1. EQ
2. Compressor
3. Reverb
4. Delay
5. Saturation (or whatever is your # five)
For me,
1. EQ - think I'm gonna like the one in Reaper best when I get used to it, before that Easy Q or T Racks.
2. Compressor blank (favs in T3).
3. Reverb - My TC M30 but I'd like something besides just "halls". Reaverb with the "impulses" is hard to get my head around yet.
4. Delay - blank - (used the one in T3).
5. Saturation - blank - maybe Ozone....
Anyway, hope you'll all chime in with your "go to" plugins.
So many plugins so little time. LOL!
Thanks,
Josie
For the first four functions listed, Ozone 5.
That's interesting Matt. I've had Ozone 4 for awhile now but on the old computer I could only use one instance. So I'm just now delving into using it on several individual tracks. I'm not crazy about the reverb in Ozone 4 - I've heard it's better in version 5. I really should upgrade next time they offer me a good deal. Thanks so much for sharing!
I like Ozone to master a stereo .WAV file. If you like to apply effects on multiple channels in a mix, you should get Alloy instead. From the makers of Ozone, it's "Ozone light" as far as using computer resources.
Oh, I should've been more clear. I was asking about top 5 "go to" plugins for mixing tracks - not final mixdown or mastering.
I tried the demo of Alloy and I know lots of people love it but I didn't feel it was for me. Maybe I'll give it another look.
Josie
1. EQ - High Pass filter in Tracktion. I do very little EQ work other than cutting out the low end that doesn't need to be there.
2. Compressor - Tractkion stereo compressor
3. Ariesverb by Ariescode. 2nd place goes to Glaceverb
4. Bionic Delay by interruptor
5. Final Mix
Hi Josie,
Since I bought Ozone and Nectar, I've found that I don't use too much in the way of plugins because those programs have pretty much what I need.
That being said ...
1. For EQ, I really like the versatility of Reapers EQ.
2. ReaComp is also a great compressor. I don't compress too often but, when I do, I use one of the presets and then modify it to suit my need. I also like simplicity of the the "Classic Compressor" from Kjaerhus Audio (it's free). It's a great little unit.
3. Reverb: I have two buses set up - one with a short reverb and the other with a longer reverb. These are part of my beginning template. Like you, I use TC M 30. I like the PG Music reverb too. Unfortunately, Reaper doesn't show the PG Music presets so I load the reverb onto a track in Realband and then have a listen to the different presets. When I find one I like, I use the snipping tool to capture a picture of the settings and then I duplicate those settings in Reaper.
4. ReaTune is a must for me. My voice doesn't always sing in tune so I manually touch up the wonky notes using the tuning plugin that comes with Reaper.
Other than the above, it's all Ozone and Nectar.
Hope this gives some insight,
Noel
Sonar has many, many, stock plugins, including some built into the track on the Pro-Channel. And I just bought the IK Multimedia T-RackS 3 Classic suite for mastering on a budget, but am using some of its modules on tracks too.
Anyway, I tend to reach for these first....
1. Pro-Channel QuadCurve EQ
2. Pro-Channel PC76 Compessor
3. Sonitus fx Gate
4. Cakewalk Breverb 2
5. Cakewalk VX-64 Vocal Strip (EQ, Comp, De-ess, etc.)
For me it's:
1. Ozone
2. Cakewalk Studioverb 2 ( I too do not like the Ozone reverb)
3. Sheppi Spatial
4. Cakewalk paraQ & Sonitus EQ. Depending on the instrument
5. ARC (note) this is not exactly a plug to use for making things sound better in the mix, actually it kind of does the opposite.... it's really designed to ensure the room's sound characteristics do not influence the mix in a negative way. Kind of like an anti-plug.
Not in any particular order, but that is the main plugs I use for just about everything I do.
Depending on the project, I may or may not have all of them in a given project. I kind of had to stretch to find the ones in the list because often I don't have 5 different ones in a project. I keep it simple, and if you have good sonically balanced tracks often the need to use a plug is minimal.
The SONAR mentions remind me that I have used Boost-11 with success as a limiter, and Tube Saturation to add 'warmth'.
Sundance whenever you have a plug in where you can only use one instance of it. Mute all your other instruments and then turn just that track into a wave file with the plugin under a new name, for example save Vocal as Vocal 2 just incase you want to go back later and revamp. This also helps if you find yourself getting into a lot of CPU usage. Take and get the tracks the way you want them to sound, then make a new audio file. You can then take all of your plugins for that track off and free up cpu. This is not as much of a problem as it used to be, but for those that still hear the clicks of an over powered CPU. This is a great work around. As I said before just always make sure to save the new file under a new name, always keep the original unaltered just in case. I hope this helps.
Thanks Robert, With the new computer I no longer have that issue but I appreciate the tip. I just switched DAWs and in a little flux over my preferred top 5 for mixing but it's interesting what others have settled on. BTW, you didn't mention your top 5.
Thanks Scott, Noel, Olemon, and Herb.
Josie
My top 5 Plugins
5. Waves Truverb (for Reverb)
4. Waves Renaissance Eq (For correction and High Pass/Low Pass)
3. Waves Renaissance Compressor for lite mastering before main mastering plug in
2. Izone4 Main Mastering
1. Waves RVOX for vocal (LOVE IT!!)
I could also put at 5. Waves Renaissance Reverb and the free reverb Ambience as I bounce between them and Truverb. Lately have been using the ambience for an insert on the individual tracks and really like the sound of it. I then make and FX channel and add the Waves verbs as needed.
at 4 I could also mention the eq that comes with my Cubase Le4 as I use it for a High Pass and a High shelf on all of the individual instruments
at 2 I some times use Waves Ultramaximizer for mastering
at 1 I sometimes use Waves Loudness for my vocals, but RVOX is my favorite compressor of them all, I have never heard in the box a better vocal compressor and it is so simple to set up!
This sounds interesting. I hope someday to learn enough to have a clue about what all this means.
Thanks a bunch for all you guys sharing all you know. For a new guy like me, it gives me a window into what's in store throughout my learning process. It's all about the journey!
I read a lot of post to learn and I have to say - this group is the kindest and most willing to help I have ever seen. Even though I am new, no one ever "talks down" to my newbie questions.
Where do you get these plugins?
These plugins are mostly third-party add-ons, made by individual companies, so you'll have to hunt. A few, like Waves, are a suite of many plugins. There there are some like Ozone by Izotope that is one plugin that offers a suite of functions.
Many of these have demos you can download and try. They will be crippled in some way but you can hear how they sound. I've included a link to the one I use primarily (Ozone) and you'll see buttons for "Buy/Try" in the upper right. The demo works fully for 10 days.
http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/Tip: use in moderation.
Best prices I've gotten for plugins are from Audiodeluxe.com
There are many decent free ones out there.
Off the top of my head, Top 5 freebies conforming to list requirements of original post.
1. EQ - Depending on need, may include ReaEQ (icluded in Reapers ReaPlug package I believe), PG 10 Band, or even an oldie called A0EQ
2. Compressor - The compressor from same Reaper plugin set is nice, so are Classic Compressor and PGDynamics and PPeakLimit and TripleComp and ..
3. Reverb - Ambience (not just because it is free, this is a go to for me many times) PGReverb, Classic Reverb
4. Delay - Probably Classic delay would be first freebie I'd look for, but many other good ones are out there. I don't find myself needing one that often to really have a 'go to'. Kinda wondered why this one was listed.
5. Saturation (or whatever is your # five) - For me number 5 may be something like stereo imaging or metering .. actually PGRTA is an oft overlooked metering tool. It tells you a lot about levels and EQ at a glance so I'll go with that.