Favorite Plugins?

[Johnny the Kid]

I've been using Logic Pro a lot for stuff like drum programming and such for projects at school. I love the EQ, reverb, and compressor plugins that are available in Logic. The ES2 synth is fantastic as well. But I also just bought a subscription for the Slate Digital "everything bundle" and I'll be excited to hear what those sound like. Anyone got any favorite plugins that they use? Paid or free.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I used SDD for a while, but prefer Logic Drummer for writing parts. SDD does sound great, though.

LPX's EQ and Flex Pitch are both great, as are the comps.

For flavour, though, I really like :

Waves NLS
Waves Kramer Master Tape
Waves HLS and PiE for acoustic guitar

Soundtoys Little Alter Boy
Soundtoys SiQ
Soundtoys DevilLoc for parallel drum bus

Ownhammer IRs

EastWest Composer Cloud

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I use EZ Drummer over LPX drums.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I use EZ Drummer over LPX drums.

I have been wanting to check out EZ-D for a while now; looks really versatile! Since I use live drummers, my main concern is just to get the demo in the ballpark. But if I were using virtual drums 100%, I would definitely be checking out EZ-D!

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Too many to list, but:

-My Go-To reverb is the Relab LX480
-I use an H910 plugin on alot of sources (subtly)
-Crowd Chamber is a great little tool for backing vocals

I use most of the built in ProChanel EQ and Comp in Sonar.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I have been wanting to check out EZ-D for a while now; looks really versatile! Since I use live drummers, my main concern is just to get the demo in the ballpark. But if I were using virtual drums 100%, I would definitely be checking out EZ-D!

Superior Drummer is a more industry standard, but EZ is super hassle free. The Progressive Pack from them is fantastic. Plus you can send out each drum to a separate output so that you can eq and mix each one properly.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Is anyone here using Neutron from Izotope?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Nope, but I use Nectar2 and Ozone. So if it's anything like those I'm sure it will be a great all in one solution. I'll have to look at that one more.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

does logic still have that tape compressor preset? man that thing added magic to every track it touched. didn't even need to change any of the settings, freakin' brilliant. I've never found a free one that comes close.

I always liked voxengo's overtone EQ for quick fixes of stuff.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Logic has an entire suite of compressors now, but I don't know of a 'tape compressor'. Tape compression is a thing but it's the result of saturation, which is probably what you heard. It is a great sound! There are other plugins that do tape saturation really well, and some of them are free, like the one from Softube.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Logic has an entire suite of compressors now, but I don't know of a 'tape compressor'. Tape compression is a thing but it's the result of saturation, which is probably what you heard. It is a great sound! There are other plugins that do tape saturation really well, and some of them are free, like the one from Softube.

That'd be crappy if they took it away. It was listed in with the compressors but it may have added saturation too. I'd describe it as subtle but powerful. Here's a screen shot, maybe that tells more than I can. I'll try the same settings with the softube one in reaper - thx. Express no longer works right on my mac but I can at least pull up stuff like this.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Yup, looks like it didn't make it to Logic Pro X. Here's the current suite of 7 compressors you get. Personally I use Kramer Master Tape, but it's a shame that they don't include it any longer.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

huh. maybe the platinum with the same settings is similar.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

They are all models of classic/vintage compressors.
There have been a few articles written about what the models are. Most are obvious from their skins.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

The compressors that come with Logic are really fantastic. A lot better than the plugins in Pro stools, IMO.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

The compressors that come with Logic are really fantastic. A lot better than the plugins in Pro stools, IMO.

Totally agree. I use them often, and the Studio EQ is usually the first EQ I grab. The Waves Ren Channel Strip is supposed to have a really nice EQ that's also low-CPU intensive, but I've never tried it. I tend to use the stock EQ for surgical work and then switch to a colour EQ for character (Pultec, SiQ, Helios, or EMI; all Waves).

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I'm a ProTools guy. These are the ones I found myself using or preferring most.

Waves NLS Summer
Waves REDD Channel
Waves EMI TG12345 EQ
Waves PuigChild Compressor
SoftTube RS125 EQ
SoftTube EMI TG 12413 Limiter
SoftTube RS124 Limiter
UAD EMT 140 Plate Reverb
UAD Neve 1073 Channel
UAD SSL 4000 E Channel
UAD SSL G Buss Compressor
UAD Neve 33609 Compressor
UAD Ampex 102 Tape
UAD Studer A800 Tape
UAD Fairchild 660/670 Compressor
Waves Vocal Rider
Waves CLA 76 Limiter
Waves C6 Multi-band Compressor
Waves IR1 Convolution Reverb
Waves X-Noise / X-Click / X-Hum / Z-Noise Suppression
Waves PAZ Analyzer
Synthogy Ivory
Native Instruments Hammond Organ / Elektrik Piano

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Waves REDD Channel

Which channel do you like the most? I use REDD.17 most, and some REDD.37.

Oh, that reminds me -- a colour EQ that I also use a lot on vox is the RS56. It's also a great m/s EQ for background vox.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

I'm a ProTools guy. These are the ones I found myself using or preferring most.

Waves NLS Summer
Waves REDD Channel
Waves EMI TG12345 EQ
Waves PuigChild Compressor
SoftTube RS125 EQ
SoftTube EMI TG 12413 Limiter
SoftTube RS124 Limiter
UAD EMT 140 Plate Reverb
UAD Neve 1073 Channel
UAD SSL 4000 E Channel
UAD SSL G Buss Compressor
UAD Neve 33609 Compressor
UAD Ampex 102 Tape
UAD Studer A800 Tape
UAD Fairchild 660/670 Compressor
Waves Vocal Rider
Waves CLA 76 Limiter
Waves C6 Multi-band Compressor
Waves IR1 Convolution Reverb
Waves X-Noise / X-Click / X-Hum / Z-Noise Suppression
Waves PAZ Analyzer
Synthogy Ivory
Native Instruments Hammond Organ / Elektrik Piano

Pro Tools is fine, but having used PT at school, I just find that I like Logic more. It's got a much better workflow in my opinion, where as Pro Tools is a bit more irritating. Avid is also up their own ass about their certifications. I missed the 40/50 question cutoff by 3 questions (you have to get 40 questions correctly, and I got 37), and a lot of that test was asking about keyboard shortcuts for stuff that's really simple to do manually (I don't need to remember the shortcut to make a audio track, I can just go to "track" and make one, which will take all of about 10 seconds of my time). I also don't think the plugins that come with Pro Tools are that good, where as Logic has a great selection of stock stuff. You don't need to go invest money elsewhere to get some solid plugins from Logic. I find with Pro Tools you do (although the 7 band EQ in PT is amazing).

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Favorite Plugins?

Which channel do you like the most? I use REDD.17 most, and some REDD.37.

Oh, that reminds me -- a colour EQ that I also use a lot on vox is the RS56. It's also a great m/s EQ for background vox.

I tended to use the .37 most but only because I was replicating a specific signal path for a number of compositions. The .17 with classic EQ was pretty great on its own and didn't need as much other processing to get a stellar result. I used the .37 with pop EQ and the RS125 for treble boost and the RS124 on the master buss. Had some other things in there as well. I basically replicated the path of a REDD desk. It worked really well, but was quite a bit of work and research.