Software effects

[jmorrisonbc]

Another newbie question: Aside from a decent pre-amp and compressor prior to the soundcard, are most people using software (plug-in) effects on their recordings?

Also, really dumb question, imagine an acoustic guitar being recorded. For argument's sake, say you have only 1 mic. If you run this into the soundcard, and add chorus (for example), do you add chorus as the track is laid, or is it added after? Is there a "master copy" of the track without the effect?

 

[Bass Master "K"]

I think most of us with DAW's use a combination of both hardware, and software effects. If I have a plug-in that sounds as good as an external unit, then I use the plugin to avoid A/D conversion and any gain in the noise level from that process. However, the noise gain is very negligable when comparing a crappy plug in vs. a quality harware effect....in that case I will always use the quality effect.

Recording an effect to an audio track, vs. adding it later in the mix: there is more flexability to adding effects but not recording them to the track, that way when you find out later that you had too much, or not enough it is correctable. However, there are certain things like vocal and snare compression where I know exactly what I am looking for and I have my settings already mapped out so I will just apply the effect to the track while recording since I know I won't need to mess with it later.

 

[Seanmorse79]

However, the noise gain is very negligable when comparing a crappy plug in vs. a quality harware effect....in that case I will always use the quality effect.

...so very true. A quality plugin will sound better than a crappy outboard and vice versa.

That being said, I do (pretty much) exactly what you're describing. I use a mixer for pre's, low EQ cut only if needed, compressor, and all the rest are software plugins (most of them, the ones that come with Nuendo). I track mostly dry, with the exception of dirty guitar - then I like to mic the tone I'm getting out of the amp without coloring it too much - what you hear is what you get type thing (although I've been experimenting with vintage ...er.. old mics quite a bit lately )