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Post by aremos on May 28, 2020 21:00:34 GMT -6
ITB final mix for lead vox. What (compressor/limiter) plug-in do you usually go for (& why)?
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Post by Johnkenn on May 28, 2020 21:09:25 GMT -6
I always track with compression - for the last year or so it’s been the AS V-Comp...but I find myself using the UAD 1176 E nearly all the time. Just so versatile and I know it like the back of my hand.
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Post by svart on May 28, 2020 22:11:17 GMT -6
Soothe.
I don't use it as the main compression, I use a hardware 1176 and la4a for that now, but the soothe really fixes those strange resonances.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2020 22:21:51 GMT -6
Molot hammer compressor. Still my favorite itb sound betterizer compressor. Sometimes ThrillseekerVLA and ThrillseekerVBL but mostly Molot. I love that thing and don't like paying for plugins. I've never found any paid plug that beats it. It just makes things sound better. Sometimes only slightly and sometimes without even any gain reduction or running the input into the red but it works. It's awesome. The sheen both modes add is killer. None of the Tokyo Dawn plugs have the VladG sheen.
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Post by the other mark williams on May 28, 2020 22:25:39 GMT -6
DMG TrackComp is so good. So many emulations that sound great. (1176, LA-2A, SSL E-Channel, API 2500, Zener, and more.)
London Acoustics Brighton is fantastic. My gosh it’s killer for the tubey Opto thing. My favorite for that. But it’s got the whole Nebula (free version) latency stuff, so I don’t typically break it out until tracking is done or close.
Autocorrect kept trying to make “Opto” in my above paragraph into “Optic,” which prompted me to remember the Acme Optichrome, which is great for an aggressive, in-your-face thing.
The Black Rooster BRA-2A and BRA-3A are both good, too. Much lower CPU hit than anything Nebula/Acustica.
I still haven’t had a chance to try out the newer stuff like Pulsar or Magic Death Eye, but a lot of people have been speaking highly of them.
But like John, I like compressing with hardware on the way in. At least a little, if not all the way.
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Post by kcatthedog on May 29, 2020 3:55:08 GMT -6
Sorry, Another nod to OB , I like the Hairball audio 76 A.
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Post by mrholmes on May 29, 2020 6:30:19 GMT -6
1176 90% of the time why because it sounds good.... If you don not go by numbers, but by ears you even get great results with the stock LogicX blackface...
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Post by levon on May 29, 2020 7:11:17 GMT -6
I don't compress while tracking, but later run the vocals through an 1176 followed by a Manley VariMu. Love the 1176 for a lot of stuff. But that's outboard, not plugins. I suppose you could easily build that chain with plugins.
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Post by avgatzeblouz on May 29, 2020 7:29:48 GMT -6
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Post by seawell on May 29, 2020 7:45:07 GMT -6
For years it was the Abbey Road RS124 followed by the waves CLA Bluey. Since the RS124 got discontinued, I’ve slid Acustica Coffee in that slot & it is working really well.
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Post by Vincent R. on May 29, 2020 8:31:25 GMT -6
I have a few ways I compress vocals. Albeit I’m usually working on standards, classical crossover, or musical style songs. I usually use a combo of compressors if I need more than just taming. Generally I start with an opto comp Plugin of some kind. I’m an apollo guy so I usually reach for the Summit TLA100 (this is my go to these days and I also have the native softtube version) or LA2A Grey. If I need more compression than just taming the peaks I’ll add something with a lot of controls.
My two favorite setups are:
-UAD or Waves SSL channel strip, usually setting the ratio low at 2:1 or 4:1 and pushing the threshold so that it’s always showing a dB of compression. Then I run that into the LA2A Grey to grab just the peaks, and because I like what it sonically imparts in the signal.
-I’ll start with the Summit TLA-100 and tweak the attack and release so it feels natural. If I need a little more Compression I’ll add the UAD Neve 33609, usually at a low ration like 1.5:1 and dial in the compression from there. I’ve been using this set up a lot lately while mixing my Christmas album. For opera I loose the 33609 and just set the Summit up as gently as I can just to tame the peaks.
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Post by Guitar on May 29, 2020 8:58:12 GMT -6
For a long time I was using a combo of Waves Rvox and the MJUC on the third mode, great combo, really smooth sounding compression and tone.
Also will use the UAD 1176 sometimes.
For a slower more ballad kind of thing I will reach for the UAD LA2A grey
On a recent mix, I used only the UAD SSL 4000 E channel and I kind of loved it. Gave a nice sheen to the track, very up front. Probably going to pull this out again soon.
Sometimes I will use the Scheps Omni Channel. Since it has 3 modes (FET, opto, VCA) one of those will usually suit the track. Most recently, I ended up on the VCA model. This is another one-stop plugin / channel strip. Get it all done in one place.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2020 9:25:35 GMT -6
UAD LA2A "grey" is probably my favorite. I dig all the LA variants. Lately I lean on my MC77 hardware for the heavy lifting, then following it up with the LA.
I think it's an emulation that actually has some tone to it and it's so simple. In general, it's probably my favorite UAD compressor, alongside the 1176 series.
EDIT: Adding the Massey CT5 into the mix too. For years, the CT4 was virtually (pun intended) the only compressor I used... like for everything, but I especially loved it on vocals.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on May 29, 2020 9:50:38 GMT -6
Arouser works fine for me.
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Post by notneeson on May 29, 2020 9:58:32 GMT -6
I was going to say Massey CT5 as well. Usually for subtle smoothing, after hardware compression is printed to the track.
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Post by mamm7215 on May 29, 2020 11:10:37 GMT -6
Pulsar Smasher. UAD Fairchild and/or Distressor.
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Post by Ward on May 29, 2020 11:19:45 GMT -6
ITB final mix for lead vox. What (compressor/limiter) plug-in do you usually go for (& why)? VOCAL - always recorded with a choice of microphone after testing at least 6, sometimes 8-12. Medium gain hitting -18dbFS peak, into a CL1B or audioscape V-Comp usually then a bluestripe. Just lopping off the peaks and riding the rails. then mixing . . . what you asked for . . . CLA2a first, riding the rails usually about 4db gr about 11 to noon on both knobs, compress, no high end boost. De-ess next, 6db at about 6K. Nothing drastic EQ to try and neutralize and get it rising up through the mix CLA76 set to bluestripe mode again. Just to finish off any peaks and peg the needle when needed. 18 15 3 7 8:1 for neutral 12:1 for brighter. That's my go-to. The starting point. Don't ever just stay there. But that's where I start
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Post by mcirish on May 29, 2020 14:18:54 GMT -6
Softube FET is first and then a CL1B or Summit after some EQ. I always use Waves MV2 as the last slot on a vocal channel. After other compressors do their thing, this adds that little extra thing.
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Post by bluegrassdan on May 29, 2020 16:02:48 GMT -6
My favorite plugins for vocals:
Softube CL1B RVox (don't underestimate this dated, yet, awesome tool) Black Rooster (just now trying it out and I like it) FabFilter (all of their stuff is awesome)
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Post by wiz on May 29, 2020 17:52:39 GMT -6
UAD Fairchild
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Post by ragan on May 29, 2020 18:02:08 GMT -6
After some Stam ADG, it’s usually the PA Purple MC77 or Softube FET. If I need smoother, bx_opto or Pro-L2.
Or sometimes another round of ADG. But I get tired of dealing with the peaks that thing won’t grab (by drawing them down in the DAW, either pre-emptively before I hit the ADG or afterward).
The “why” is I think the Purple is the best ITB 1176 I’ve used. Softube FET was my fav before that. I also liked the UAD 1176s when I was on that platform. The Purple has the hardware like S's and T's that I want out of any 1176. I think it's a fantastic emulation.
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Post by phantom on May 29, 2020 20:56:42 GMT -6
I was using UAD 1176 followed by UAD LA2A.
Now I'm going with PA Purple MC77 followed by Fuse VLC4.
When tracking, I compress with hardware a bit on the way in.
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Post by lando on May 29, 2020 23:57:43 GMT -6
UAD Fairchild is my most used by far. Never found another plugin that sounds like it.
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Post by schmalzy on May 30, 2020 3:32:04 GMT -6
I'm pretty much always compressing a bit on the way in. Even if just in parallel to feed a singer that wants to monitor a compressed sound (I record both compressed and uncompressed into the DAW). Often the vocal comp that goes to my mix session is a blend of the compressed and uncompressed vocal. I'm using an ART ProVLA II because it always sounds pretty decent. It gets a little hairy but I don't mind because I'm splitting off my patch bay after my preamp it's in phase and gets blended for my end comp it turns out pretty decent. I'm looking to upgrade the compressor but I'm not sure what I'm going to use most. I'm probably going to go the 1176 route but I also think an LA2A might be good to take the place of the ProVLA.
In the mix I'm using my Softube Console 1 strip on everything including lead vocal. Often an aggressive vocal sees the "American Class A" (API, basically) compressor that I think is a model of the 525. If I need a little less aggressive I'll use the Summit TLA-100 compressor (in Console 1). Sometimes if I need more attitude or control I'll use the Boz Digital Labs +10db compressor (it's a model of the Compex Vocal Stressor). I'll use it set fast/fast 2:1 to do an 1176-like thing if I need that or I'll go slow/med-fast 3:1 if I need to push some clarity/spit/consonants forward.
Oftentimes I'm going for little bits of compression all over the place. The initial tracking might get 6-10db of compression but it's blended 50/50 with uncompressed. Aggressive or pop stuff might get a SlyFi Deflector in parallel during the mix just to provide extra grit and push the low stuff forward.
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Post by Martin John Butler on May 30, 2020 21:30:22 GMT -6
I print with the UAD LA2A for tracking, and try few different ones after if I need a little more.
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