Recording - April 2017 - 17

of venerable recording consoles
been made without at least some
like the Neve 1083 and 1071. I'm
compression somewhere.
very fond of API 500 Series EQs.
No two compressors sound
All are available in plug-in format.
the same, which isn't surprising.
I also have several channel strip
Many different circuit types have
plug-ins that include EQ. These
been employed over time to
come in a lot of different flavors;
control audio dynamics, and
my current favorite is the Waves
they all have unique characteristics.
REDD channel plug-in that models
There's even a lot of variability
two different vintage consoles from
between units manufactured by
Abbey Road. There are also a lot
different companies which employ
of quirky EQ plugins that reflect
the same types of circuit. It can
their designers' unique vision.
be tough to figure out what to
Some of those are relatively
use and when. (I'll be writing an
inexpensive or even freeware,
article about this in an upcoming
PreSonus Studio One on the laptop, with the mixer window
and well worth checking out.
issue of Recording.)
on a separate display to the right. The little "laptop" next to
the Zoom R16 interface/control surface is actually an iPad
And then there's reverb... over
For me, once again it comes
with an external keyboard/stand, running touchthe years, I've used virtually all
down to having a variety of flavors
sensitive remote control software for Studio One.
of the classic reverb hardware
to choose from. I have an arsenal
devices. EMT plates, AKG BX spring
recording and others during mixdown
of compressor plug-ins that have been
reverbs, AMS, Lexicon, TC Electronic,
with whatever you had handy.
modeled after each of the main circuit
and Eventide digital processors... the
I occasionally use certain hardware
types: VCA (Voltage Controlled
list goes on. I've even worked with actual
compressors while tracking because of
Amplifier), FET (Field-Effect Transistor),
reverb chambers (sealed rooms with
the sonic imprint they add to the recording.
Optoelectronic, and Variable-Mu. Many
mics and speakers in them). Those great
They add something I can't quite replicate
of them are modeled on specific classic
sounds evoke the great recordings made
with a plug-in. I get that sound with three
units. There are a ton of options, and I
with them. Plates, chambers, rooms, and
optoelectronic compressors-one vintage
tried demo versions of many plug-ins
spring reverbs have a more vintage
unit and two as part of the British channel
before I settled on my current compression
sound, while the AMS, Lexicon, Evenstrips I mentioned above. They all have
suite. I'm always looking for more to add
tide, and TC units have been dominant
unique sounds and they need to be used
to my collection.
on recordings from the 1980s to the
artfully and with great care. That said,
Some compressors work best on vocals,
present day.
under the right circumstances, they can
others on guitar or bass. Some are
I choose my reverbs based on my
produce audio magic. In these cases I'm
particularly suited for strapping across
likes. In the plug-in world, it's theoretusing compression as an effect as much
a stereo bus of summed audio tracks,
ically possible to have one reverb that
as to manage gain.
to "glue" the various elements together.
models everything ever made, but in
EQ is also very important, and again,
I love being able to choose which type
practice, the best plug-ins specialize at
there are a wide variety of circuit designs
works best for any particular source;
least a bit.
that plug-in makers have modeled and
it never fails to amaze me how subtle
My personal favorite is the plate reverb,
recreated virtually. I usually use EQs that
differences in compression type and
used on most classic jazz and rock
sound similar to the classic EQ components
amount can make such an enormous
music from the 1950s through the
impact on my mixes.
1970s-the music I grew up on
I often compress tracks as they
and still love. They are still in use
are being recorded. Usually this
today in studios around the world,
is done very gently, for protection
and fetch ridiculous amounts of
reasons rather than sonic enmoney in the vintage audio marhancement. I use a pair of VCAket. I have several reverb plug-ins that
based hardware compressors
do a very good job of replicating
for this purpose, as they are
that plate sound. Some of them are
quite transparent.
directly modeled on specific plates;
It's also somewhat a matter
some are relatively costly, some are
of habit. In the pre-plug-in era,
affordable, and a few are even
there were never enough hardfreeware. One of the latter (TALware compressors to go around
Reverb III, from tal-software.com) is
come mix time. You had to do
in my plug-in folder and I use it all
your gain management in stages,
The amp collection, all miked up and ready to roll.
the time.
compressing some sources during
RECORDING April 2017

http://www.tal-software.com

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