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Posted By: jimmadsen What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/09/18 06:14 PM
Thought I would pose a question to the group:

What is your favorite plug-in or VST and why?

I'm thinking about getting the Sonic Sweet by BBE. I've used them in live performances for years, and am thinking about getting the plug-ins to sweeten my overall sound a bit and keep it from sounding too flat.

Does anyone use it or do you have another one you like better?

Thanks!
For live performances, I've always used hardware based FX. However, with the advent of digital mixers, they come loaded with all sorts of good FX.

For my studio work, my indispensable plug in is Ozone.
Posted By: jimmadsen Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/10/18 11:41 AM
Hey GH - thanks for the note back.

Do you use Ozone directly in BIAB or as a mixing element in RealBand or your DAW?

Thanks!
Another vote for Ozone. I use it on the master bus of the DAW’s final stereo mix.

In case it helps, Ozone takes serious computer resources so Izotope offers Alloy. I use Alloy if I was to adjust individual tracks.
Posted By: jimmadsen Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/10/18 11:50 PM
I figured out how to apply it to all tracks if you want to apply effects prior to exporting tracks as separate .wav files prior to mixing.

When you add your VST plug in, select it to the "combo" bus, and it will apply it to all the tracks, as opposed to just and individual track.

Izotope's Ozone 8, Neutron 2 and Nectar 2
Waves' LinMb and CLA Drums.

They are all indispensable for what we do. It would be hard to pick one as they play different roles in our productions.

Bud
FabFilter's Pro-Q and SoundToys' Decapitator are my go-tos, I throw them on pretty much everything.

I'm also crazy about Waves' API 2500 for compressing drums.

Cheers
Kent
PG Music
Posted By: sslechta Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/12/18 12:35 PM
I agree on all the Izotope products...

Here's a fun one:
Izotope Vinyl - FREE
Originally Posted By: jimmadsen
Hey GH - thanks for the note back.

Do you use Ozone directly in BIAB or as a mixing element in RealBand or your DAW?

Thanks!


I use it in Sonar in the master buss. I also use it in the Sonar vocal buss quite often.

Never use it in BB. BB is a writing and structure tool. Nothing in it makes it to the final mix.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/13/18 02:06 AM
In order of preference...

1. iZotope's Ozone on the master stereo bus for the final mix.

2. iZotope's Nectar or Waves' 'CLA Vocal' plugin (both are great).

3. CLA plugins

4. Renaissance Bass (from Waves)

5. Reatune (in Reaper), Melodyne
I love DMG audio products. I use DMG EQuality as an excellent EQ on any track and DMG Limitless as a final Limiter when mastering. I also like Sonible Smart EQ+ which I prefer to Ozone 8 in making a nice clear final master.

Based on Noel Adams nod to ReaTune in Reaper, I have been using it "on trial" and purchased Reaper just to be a legit and honest user of ReaTune.

I love it.

I have many plug-ins I love, but ReaTune is a gem and my new favorite. It is SO EASY. My other pitch correction stuff drives me nuts. This is so fast, so intuitive, so easy to use. I will use it on all my correction projects.

Thanks Noel.

I guess I have an extra DAW now too.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/17/18 04:11 AM
David,

You won't be sorry!

Reatune is a great vocal pitch corrector. I also use it on single-note instruments like sax, trumpet, etc., from time to time.

For reference, Reatune uses the same zplane's élastique that BIAB does with Realtracks and Realdrums.

In case it's useful information...

I use Reatune in Manual Correction mode. Since I record my vocals in mono:

  • I de-activate the default "Stereo correction"
  • set the attack time to 80 ms (rather than the default 250 ms)
  • set the "Algorithm" to "élastique 3.2.7 Soloist"
  • use a monophonic "parameter"

This seems to work well enough for me.

For anyone else who is reading this thread and who is interested, Kenny Gioia explains Reatune in the below video clip.



One thing that Kenny doesn't mention in his video is that it's also possible to set the tuning at an angle. This can be useful for enhancing slide effects. When I use it at an angle, I usually finish the note off with a horizontal tuning line at the top if needed. See the image below. (On this image, none of the notes need correcting. I'm just using them to illustrate what I mean.)

Lastly, in the "Project Settings" I set...

  • the "Playback resample mode" to "Better (384 pt sinc)"
  • the "Render resample mode" to "Extreme HQ (768 pt HQ sinc)

I don't know if this helps with ReaTune but since the plugin is pitch shifting, I reason that it's probably better to set these options rather than leave them with their defaults.

Regards,
Noel

Attached picture reatune - angle tuning.JPG
Posted By: rharv Re: What is your favorite Plug-in or VST? - 10/19/18 08:33 PM
Originally Posted By: David Snyder

I guess I have an extra DAW now too.


Like many DAWs it has it's benefits, and once you dig in they are plentiful.
If you can, take the time to tinker with it.

Sometimes I open RB/PT and Reaper at the same time, and just drag the tracks from RB/PT to Reaper. Then keep on working in a new environment, that (sometimes) can be more productive, & quicker (like when mixing).
It's different, but worth learning IMHO



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