Hi Eric.

This is a technique which I've mentioned on here before, though some considerable time ago.

I think a lot of people are put off by the word "distortion", but as you say PG describe it more as a tape saturation simulator - quote "Soft Distortion is similar to over driven analogue tape or tube amplifiers".

Once I've finished a mix in Realband or Powertracks, I will almost certainly patch in a levelling effect across the main output buss and sometimes it is the PG soft distortion. It's simplicity itself to use - I set the output gain and then push the pre-gain until I get the required amount of tape saturation. The trick I find, is to keep it subtle - too much and you hear the distortion, much as you would with real tape.

I'm not saying it works for everything, but it's a great help in binding together certain mixes. I use a variety of modelled vintage levelling amp plug-ins, which all have their own character and occasionally I resort to patching in an old hardware Drawmer 1960 valve compressor, which has served me well for many years. Even though I compress everything to some extent at the tracking stage (a hang-over from working with tape) I still can't remember a mix I've done without some kind of levelling. Old habits die hard!

ROG.

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