Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

[Reckless Abandon]

For those that record at home: do you add plugins such as eq and compression to individual tracks or the master bus?

I use t-racks. I know there are tons of ways to do this. I typically use eq, compression, and a limiter on the master bus.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

I always like a faux analog compressor (light) on an individual track and a similar, but sometimes a bit more pronounced version on the master bus.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

Individual tracks.

Only thing sitting on my master bus is (sometimes) a super light compressor (no more than 2db reduction).

Overall track eq/ compression/ limiter is saved for the mastering stage.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

Anything you do on the master bus will affect the entire mix. You have far more flexibility if you group tracks by similar instrument into their own buses and then apply effects for that group. The screen shot below is a song I am currently working on. The first 7 buses are my sub-master buses; after that I have about 40 more buses for the individual tracks. So, for example, let's say you have 2 rhythm guitars. I will send the output of those tracks to a 'clean' or 'distorted' guitar bus, and then the output of that bus goes to my main Guitar bus. Then it can be EQ'd and compressed in stages depending on how it sounds as more elements are added. This also saves a lot on CPU because you are only running, say 10 EQs instead of 150!

Once you like the sound of a track, you really should bounce it in place with your initial effects to save processing power.

All that being said, there are some people who enjoy doing 'top down' mixing, which is basically when you don't solo anything and immediately start by applying corrective EQ across the mix bus ... so, there are no rules!

 

[LLL]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

It all depends on what I'm doing and also what sound I'm going after. Like TO said, there are no "rules".

A few items off the top o' my head:

- most of the time I have compression on the drums
- most of the time I have separate EQs on guitars, although I will sum guitars and EQ the group at other times; a la Twilight Odyssey's tips
- I rarely use compression on distorted guitars, or will use a particular comp (1176 for ex) with no comp going just for the extra "mojo"
- I usually use a limiter on the master to get things loud enough
- I usually use a compressor (light) of some sort on the master to act as a "mix glue" and/or add punch (if needed)
- I sometimes use a tape saturation sim on the master to act as a "mix glue" and/or tape "fatness"
- I usually use an EQ on the master (miniscule changes at most) for final EQ shaping
- If I have many different guitar tracks playing at the same time, I carve out their EQs so that they don't overlap each other (and therefore are heard clearly). For a single frequency example, one track I may add 500hZ, the other I'll subtract 500hZ.
- EQ and compression are by far the most useful items in your toolbox - learn them; master them

BONUS: keep in mind that an (for ex.) isolated guitar track pulled from a song may sound like crap by itself, but in the context of the song with all instruments playing, it will sound great. And alternatively: a guitar may sound great in the room through the amp, but mic and record it, then use that track as-is, and it will sound like crap with all instruments playing.

The rule of thumb is this - recorded songs are an illusion and typically do not represent how instruments sound in a real-world setting.

 

[AmirH]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

there are no rules!

This. There are guidelines you can follow, but you'll also find yourself breaking them from time to time. I used to apply a gazillion plugins thinking I was making things better, but now-days my mixing is very "need based" in the sense that I try to start with a strong source sound and mostly use eq, compression and reverb to help each sound "sit" in its respective spot in the mix, and the better I've done at tailoring the source in the first place the less work that requires. One big exception is when I use plug-ins in conjunction with keys or a bass to replace hardware I don't have, like a proper bass DI. Also, after years of trying different plug-ins on the master-bus, I decided I didn't like what it did to the sound even with subtle settings -- particularly limiters. So basically, at a certain stage I checked out of the "volume wars" and decided to forego mastering entirely and just focus on doing a strong, reasonably loud, balanced mix job. Having said that, I dream of having the funds to pay for professional mastering services.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

Thanks a bunch!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Plug in use (mixing/mastering)

Anything you do on the master bus will affect the entire mix. You have far more flexibility if you group tracks by similar instrument into their own buses and then apply effects for that group.

(...)

there are no rules!

This above. Rule #1.

Don't be afraid to experiment. The most important thing that I learned during my engineer days: any good project needs to be built up from the scratch.

Other than that, try to approach per/track processing as problem solving. Bass and kickdrums are fighting for the place? Filter one out of the other. Mixing is too boomy? Gently cut the master EQ below 50-80 Hz. Too big dynamic differences on the vocal track? Compress the hell out of the singer lady. Well, literally.