BRIEFCASEMANX
Winner chicken dinner!
???....??.....!?
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
*PER TRACK* in a mix or the whole mix...?
If every track needs a plug, somethin's wrong somewhere...
If every track needs a plug, somethin's wrong somewhere...
wesley tanner
New member
Q
almost every track gets a plug from me at some point, but very very rarely over 5. I have no outboard gear, thus even things i like pretty pristine or sound pretty badass already need a touch of EQ to make space in a mix. Esp with heavy stuff, I can't think of a thing that doesn't need either compression or EQ... guitars on occasion don't need anything, I guess. but chances are if I'm just MIXING something, they'll need that plug I haven't found just yet... (pray.vst)
almost every track gets a plug from me at some point, but very very rarely over 5. I have no outboard gear, thus even things i like pretty pristine or sound pretty badass already need a touch of EQ to make space in a mix. Esp with heavy stuff, I can't think of a thing that doesn't need either compression or EQ... guitars on occasion don't need anything, I guess. but chances are if I'm just MIXING something, they'll need that plug I haven't found just yet... (pray.vst)
LemonTree
Suck 'em and see!
I'll use 1 to 2 plugs on a track that I think needs it with a mixture of outboard aswell.
I can remember a few years back when I used to throw plugs at everything, then I started using my ears. Less is usualy more
I can remember a few years back when I used to throw plugs at everything, then I started using my ears. Less is usualy more
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
As few as possible!
Most of the sound massaging I do is done in batch. Treatments such as eq and compression I am quite happy to do outside Logic (uh, I use Logic Audio for tracking and mixing).
Where an effect depends heavily on context (e.g. reverb), I use a plug in. Sometimes I need to do this with eq too, so that I can get the right perspective and placement of instruments. However, as soon as I have settled on an eq setting, I take it and apply to the track in batch, then remove it from the mixer.
Most of the sound massaging I do is done in batch. Treatments such as eq and compression I am quite happy to do outside Logic (uh, I use Logic Audio for tracking and mixing).
Where an effect depends heavily on context (e.g. reverb), I use a plug in. Sometimes I need to do this with eq too, so that I can get the right perspective and placement of instruments. However, as soon as I have settled on an eq setting, I take it and apply to the track in batch, then remove it from the mixer.
metalhead28
Hates Raymond
It's usually one or two tops for me. On some tracks, none. However I usually do several effects on busses as well so I'm not sure how to do the math on that. 
Nick98338
New member
Most, not all, but most individual tracks need a little compression. Sometimes a bit of eq adjustment. Vocals sometimes need a little delay, or reverb. Tracks that are mixed from individual tracks often seem to need a bit more compression. The final stereo track, that is mixed from all other mixes, usually gets put through a limiter or brick-wall compression.
Farview
Well-known member
I don't even EQ most of the tracks, much less use plugins. But if I have to, I'll end up with no more than 3, unless something just sucks.
BRIEFCASEMANX
Winner chicken dinner!
I probably use AT LEAST a bass rolloff on like half the tracks. Half the tracks need compression. Half will need some other sort of EQ. Reverb or delay on half the tracks, mostly busses. Drum buss with super heavy compression. Drum replacement. Analog or tube emulation stuff.
I probably use about 2.5-3 per track avg.
I asked because I heard people talking in another thread about using a gajillion plugins and I wanted to know what was normal.
I probably use about 2.5-3 per track avg.
I asked because I heard people talking in another thread about using a gajillion plugins and I wanted to know what was normal.
BRIEFCASEMANX
Winner chicken dinner!
Massive Master said:
I think this is a pretty broad generalization to make.
giraffe
i love negative rep
i assume you mean track=song
hmmmmmmm, making a lot of generalizations and a few more assumptions than that......
kik in-gate, eq, comp (possibly limit)
kik out-about the same
snare- possibly the same
toms- possibly the same
overs- probably hi-pass, possibly some insanely light comp.
gitars- eq? comp? depends.......
bass- same as gits, hell, sometimes i strap a limiter on top of it all, depends..
vox- comp, de-esser, possibly eq but not usually.
just for the fun of it lets run the kit out an aux and compress the hell out of it........ hey, this is hypothetical isn't it?
maybe 2 verbs, one for the kit and one for the git and vox, who knows.
maybe a delay for something.
rounding up, i'd say.......
maybe 24 
that's with one git and one vox track!
is that wrong?
probably.
hmmmmmmm, making a lot of generalizations and a few more assumptions than that......
kik in-gate, eq, comp (possibly limit)
kik out-about the same
snare- possibly the same
toms- possibly the same
overs- probably hi-pass, possibly some insanely light comp.
gitars- eq? comp? depends.......
bass- same as gits, hell, sometimes i strap a limiter on top of it all, depends..
vox- comp, de-esser, possibly eq but not usually.
just for the fun of it lets run the kit out an aux and compress the hell out of it........ hey, this is hypothetical isn't it?
maybe 2 verbs, one for the kit and one for the git and vox, who knows.
maybe a delay for something.
rounding up, i'd say.......
maybe 24
that's with one git and one vox track!
is that wrong?
probably.
Farview
Well-known member
Do you count the track EQ as a plugin?
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
Okay, then - If every track needs some sort of plug, then the core sounds weren't right in the first place...?BRIEFCASEMANX said:
giraffe
i love negative rep
i'm sure none of the "hit makers" use eq.
ever.
ever.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
I'm not talking about EQ... Although if *every track* needed EQ'ing, I'd say the same thing.
Farview
Well-known member
John and I are not talking about EQ. Both our DAWs have eq on each track, so no need for a plugin for general stuff.
However, I still don't use EQ on every track. I use it on a buss more often.
However, I still don't use EQ on every track. I use it on a buss more often.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Per track, usually 0 with exception of the occassional comression plug. On an entire multi-track (24+ tracks) up to 3 (bass, the odd guitar now and then and vocals).
Middleman
Professional Amateur
If its a poor recording that needs help, I might take the Charles Dye approach in "Mix It Like A Record" and have 2-4 on every track. Another approach, if there are a lot of ITB synths for various sounds, then some tape sat on softsynth tracks may be in order to keep things off the harsh side.
If its mainly OTB, generally a two buss compressor with EQ gets used. Also a few compressors here and there maybe to round things. From that point it depends on the gear that was used for tracking. If I have a decent set of preamps with adjustable high pass, then this may reduce the number of EQ plug ins required. Not many preamps have shelving and low pass so if this is required then that track could see an EQ plug in. It's really dependent on the tracking scenario and the sound source. So I could be all over the map from project to project.
Now, if I get to use a high end console, then the need for EQ plug ins are reduced. In general, the closer you can come to the right sound prior to hitting record, the less plug ins you end up with later.
I would say that many EQ plug ins introduce subtle high end hiss and a lot of digital hardness. So I only use them when absolutely required.
Wow, I'll bet that didn't help you at all.
If its mainly OTB, generally a two buss compressor with EQ gets used. Also a few compressors here and there maybe to round things. From that point it depends on the gear that was used for tracking. If I have a decent set of preamps with adjustable high pass, then this may reduce the number of EQ plug ins required. Not many preamps have shelving and low pass so if this is required then that track could see an EQ plug in. It's really dependent on the tracking scenario and the sound source. So I could be all over the map from project to project.
Now, if I get to use a high end console, then the need for EQ plug ins are reduced. In general, the closer you can come to the right sound prior to hitting record, the less plug ins you end up with later.
I would say that many EQ plug ins introduce subtle high end hiss and a lot of digital hardness. So I only use them when absolutely required.
Wow, I'll bet that didn't help you at all.
seismetr0n
New member
it depends on the project... usually 1 per every 2-3 tracks.. if i track it.. (comp and eq)
but i did a recent mix from someone elses adat tapes and needed 2 plugs minimum per track, but it was in real bad shape... pops, hiss, volume fades in and out (unintentionally), beats recorded from tv speakers, vocals added with speakers blaring in the background...
too frustrating to think about..
but i did a recent mix from someone elses adat tapes and needed 2 plugs minimum per track, but it was in real bad shape... pops, hiss, volume fades in and out (unintentionally), beats recorded from tv speakers, vocals added with speakers blaring in the background...
too frustrating to think about..
Halion
New member
Massive Master said:
Common now. A modest hi-pass and a touch of verb are good for almost every track in *some* projects. I'll agree that some songs just don't need much when tracked the right way, but I definately don't think I'm doing something wrong if I choose to process every track.