Mix Monday: Alysha Brilla - "No More Violence"

   

   I recently mixed the album "HUMAN" for the super talented Singer/Songwriter/Producer and Activist Alysha Brilla. All the songs were recorded in Logic Pro X so I decided to mix them in the same DAW for simplicity and to save time transferring files back and forth between different DAWs. In this post I will feature some of the plugins I used to mix the single "No More Violence".


   
   
   I love the message and vibe of this song. Alysha wanted to keep the raw organic feel of the song but make it a little more "radio friendly".

   The tracks were well recorded and consisted of a combination of virtual sounds and live instrumentation. I used mainly busses to process the tracks and used balancing/riding the faders for consistent levels.

DRUMS

On the drum buss I used the UAD API Vision Strip:

BASS

For bass a combination of the Waves RCompressor, UAD Ampeg SVT3Pro and Apple's Graphic EQ. The plugins were used in the order in which they appear below:

GUITARS

On Guitars I used the UAD Neve 88RS, CS-1 and Precision ChannelStrips. The CS-1 was used on the insert for the rhythm guitars. The 88RS on the picking guitar  and the Precision on the overall buss:

Brass

The Softube Summit Audio Grand Channel on the channels inserts and UAD CS-1 on the Buss:

VOCALS

The vocals were processed with Metric Halo ChannelStrips, the free TDR Nova Dynamic Eq and additional distortion provided by NI's Guitar Rig via an aux send:

EFFECTS

Here are some of the effects that were used on the mix. They're labeled to show what they were used for.:

To hear more of Alysha's music and pre-order her CD visit http://www.alyshabrilla.com

For more info, download or purchase of the plugins mentioned in this post visit the following links:

UAD plugins

Metric Halo Channelstrip

Waves Renaissance Compressor

Softube - Summit Audio Grand Channel

TDR Nova (free)

Acon Digital Multiply (free)

Native Instruments Gutar Rig Player (free)

Tech Tues: Have you tried the LEVELS plugin yet?

 
   A couple weeks ago mastering engineer Tom Frampton of  masteringthemix,com asked me to try his new plugin LEVELS. I've been using it on every mix ever since.

   LEVELS is a new metering/analysis plugin Tom designed with software developers 29 Palms to help analyze and correct technical issues when mixing and mastering.
   I can check mono compatibility, phase issues, low end issues, stereo balance, dynamic range and headroom all in one plugin.

   From the website:

"LEVELS allows you to easily and instantly see any technical issues with your mix, without the confusing visuals of existing metering solutions. It only draws your attention to aspects of your mix that need fixing. Meaning you spend less time figuring out why your mix isn’t working and more time being creative."

   The 1st pic shown above is the start screen of LEVELS. It allows you to easily place your mix in mono if needed. There are 4 more sections to this plugin. Actually 5 if you count the customization screen that is accessed by clicking on the settings icon in the top right hand corner of the plugin.

   Here are snapshots of the different sections of the plugin:

 HEADROOM

DYNAMIC RANGE

BASS SPACE

STEREO FIELD

   Here is a short video explanation of LEVELS:

   For a more in depth explanation of LEVELS check out Mike Thorton's excellent article on Protools Expert.

   LEVELS is available for £69/$92 on the website. There is also a 2 week free trial available.

Scan Pro Audio Show 002 : Presonus & Studio One Expert "Migrating to Studio One" / Novation Circuit.

   Scan Pro Audio had a seminar yesterday with the infamous Russ Hughes of Studio One Expert and Lee Boylan of Presonus featuring Studio One software and Novation Circuit.

   The Novation Circuit seems like an interesting unit with some unique features.

   If you're even mildly interested in Presonus Studio One you should watch this seminar. It covers a lot of ground on the many features and workflow of S1. If you're considering purchasing Studio One take note of the code word that's displayed on screen for special offers from Scan Pro Audio.



   You can download a 30 day demo of Studio One at Presonus.com.

Tech Tues.: Why I use Audified's MixChecker on my mixes.

   Audified's latest plugin is a must have for all audio mixers. Whether you are a veteran pro mixing for clients or mixing your own tracks the MixChecker will definitely help in getting your mixes  done faster and sounding great on consumer devices. This is all achieved without leaving your favorite DAW. The MixChecker is available in all major plugin formats on both Mac and PC.

   Here's an excerpt from an email I sent Audified:

"As a mixing engineer I find your MixChecker plugin a great asset. I currently use multiple speaker combinations, headphones, listen in the car and also on my smartphone to check mixes. This plugin makes it so much more convenient. It makes it easy to check your mix on multiple systems when working away from your studio or even while commuting. It would definitely come in handy on long flights."

   I often check my mixes on the IK Multimedia iLoud, a pair of old JBL Pro computer speakers, the Avantone MixCube and a portable "boom box" radio. I also check mixes on my smartphone, laptop, headphones/earbuds and a car stereo whenever I can. When I travel to other studios/locations to work it's very impractical to take them all with me.

   The MixChecker plugin gives me access to multiple references no matter where I happen to be. It's very simple to use and is placed on your Main /Master output of your session.

   The pic below explains what each section does:

 Take a look at Audified's introductory video of The MixChecker:

 

   I've been using the MixChecker for a few days now and find it indispensable. There's a few features I would like to see implemented that I will mention to the Audified team.

   The MixChecker costs $149.

   There's a 30 day demo available on Audified's website.

Presonus Studio One v3.2.2 and the new Presence XT Editor.

   I've recently switched to Presonus Studio One as my main DAW and the recent update has convinced me even more that I made the right choice. I really like Studio One's layout, their Console Shaper plugin and how easy it is to route FX and Busses. Not to mention it sounds great.

  The new Presence XT Editor add-on is also a definite plus. 

From the website:

"Presence XT Editor unlocks the Edit Page of Presence XT, the built-in sample player instrument of Studio One. This add-on turns a great-sounding instrument into a powerful sound design tool for musicians, producers, and sound-designers. With direct support for all major sampler formats, it's the perfect host for any custom sampler sound library.

 Import samples via drag & drop, supporting popular formats such as WAV, Kontakt (unprotected}, Giga, SoundFont and EXS24. Edit mappings, layers, and various trigger options. The assign articulations to key switches with just a few clicks. Then add additional realism to sounds with manual or automated sound shaping and sample playback variations using the powerful JavaScript based script editor and create effects like fret noise, key-clicks, or legato via scripts. In addition 8 assignable knobs and buttons are available as custom script controls.

Finished sounds can be saved as Presence XT presets or exported in a compact sampler file containing all samples, mappings, scripts, and settings for convenient file sharing and exchange."

   
   If you haven't tried Studio One yet head over to the Presonus website and download the demo.

   Here's a great video by my good friend Marcus Huyskens over at Studio One Expert where he demonstrates the new features in the Studio One v3.2.2 update:




  As can be seen from the video Studio One is easy to use and has many features that can enhance your workflow. I was able to mix a project in Studio One only 3 days after I installed it. I watched the videos that Protools and Studio One Expert websites founder Russ Hughes posted for Protools users switching to Studio One:



   I also accessed the built-in reference manual a few times and had some questions answered by Marcus (Thanks Marcus!) and I was up and running in no time.

   Below is a list of all the new features and fixes in the Studio One v3.2..2 update:

New features and improvements:

• New command to open Event FX window (Alt+F)
• ALT modifier for fades now suspends crossfade editing
• New option to enable/disable auto-expand layers after recording takes
• Monitoring button and metering reflect correct status in tape-style record mode
• Bus channel metering shown on automation tracks (track height “normal” or higher)
• [Project Page] MD5 checksum for DDP export
• View all channel types in inspector
• Use ALT modifier to add FX plug-in as bus channel when dragging to console
• Improved import of Cubase/Nuendo Track Archives (now supporting level, mute, automation data, VCAs)

The following issues have been fixed:

• Mix Engine FX have no latency compensation
• Crash on quit with multiple open songs
• Controller data not visible while recording on Instrument Track
• [Music Editor] CMD modifier behavior for temporary Paint tool should be inversed
• Crash after drag and drop of audio to the browser
• Alternate range tool doesn’t work on automation lanes
• Paste at original position doesn't work for arranger parts
• Dragging multiple events to empty space doesn't create multiple tracks
• Layer name not set on first take
• Legato command misinterprets last event
• Bus connection lost after adding VCA in track controls
• Automation track to lane area not properly transferred on drag
• Wrong channel order after adding VCA from track controls
• [OSX] UAD plugins leave white boxes on the screen
• [Presence XT] articulation key switches not applied for notes on same time-position
• Impossible to set cursor to bar 1 beat 1 in Scratch Pad
• Vertical zoom state not reset on double-click when all notes have the same pitch
• élastique Pro 3 time-stretching out of sync in stereo files
• "Solo follows selection" doesn't work for shared instrument tracks
• Crash after undo audio quantize of grouped tracks
• Play Start Marker placed in negative time
• Delay Compensation broken for Pipeline on Main Out
• High sample rates not represented correctly in OpenTL 

   
   Check out this other video by Studio One Expert where they go over all the features of Studio One v3.2:




As a new user I've only scratched the surface of Presonus Studio One but with each project I'm getting more adept at finding ways to achieve the results I need.

#TBT: The Return Of The Beast!

  
   My good friend and fellow audio enthusiast Dustin who is the proud owner of a Moog SUB 37 and Voyager (pictured below) told me that Moog has re-issued their classic analog synth, The MiniMoog Model D (pic above). 

     It was originally made in 1970-1981 and is still highly sought after to this day). The re-issue will make its formal appearance today in a pilot production run at Moogfest 2016 (May 19-22) in Durham, North Carolina.

"After more than 30 years, the Minimoog Model D returns with a pilot-production run at Moogfest 2016 in Durham, NC. Handcrafted in the Moog Pop-Up Factory, the pilot-production units built during the festival will only be available for purchase on-site in the Moog Store by Guitar Center."

   I remember many a recording sessions early in my career with this "Beast". it sounded amazing going through some vintage compressors and Eqs then recording it hot to tape. Sometimes they would run it through different effects. It was a favorite for bass lines, melodic synth lines and otherworldly sounds.

   Moog synthesizers are used by many musicians and artists such as Sun Ra, Emerson Lake and Palmer, The Beatles, Rick Wakeman, Kashif, Kraftwerk, Daft Punk, David Bowie, Wendy Carlos, Chick Corea, John Fogerty, The Beastie Boys, The Beach Boys, The BeeGees, Michael and Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, The Neptunes, Alicia Keys, Dr. Dre, Dj Quik, Fatboy Slim and so on.

   A more complete list of " Moogers" can be found on wikipedia here.


   Here's an introductory video for for the MiniMoog Model D re-issue:


 

   The following video by Perfect Circuit Audio showcases some of the sounds and textures of the Model D:





   And here's another video by Youtube user synthi62 where he runs the Model D through distortion and delay effects:



 
    Minimoog Model D re-issue price $3499.

   You can read more about the original Model D at Vintage Synth Explorer.

Freebie Fri: iZotope Pro Audio Essentials

  Today' s Freebie is a little different. I got an email from iZotope about their new free course called Pro Audio Essentials.

"Pro Audio Essentials is a game-based course for music producers to practice and improve their audio skills. This unique learning experience uses audio games, ear training, and videos to build the production skills that music makers use every day when recording, mixing, and mastering."

   Here's the intro video with Jonathan Wyner, iZotope’s Director of Education and GRAMMY nominated mastering engineer explaining what it's all about:



   So visit the website and have fun challenging yourself and your audio skills
with the iZotope pro Audio Essentials course. Quality headphones or speakers are necessary for the best experience.

   Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of the course.

   Have a great weekend everyone.

Tech Tues: The Big Plate Reverb Trick

   Paul Drew from Studio One Expert posted this video featuring one of my favorite reverbs the UAD EMT 140 Plate. It shows how a huge Plate reverb sound can fit in a mix by using filters and or Eq. This is a technique I've used often, even when I'm mixing with an SSL analog console. I would use the SSL's channel Low and High pass filters, Equalizer and compressor to tailor the reverb sound to suit the song.

   It's a great way to create space in a song without having your mix swimming in reverb and/or getting muddy.




 Visit Studio One Expert for more tips, techniques, plus deals and info on Presonus' Studio One. I think it's a great DAW with outstanding features and sound. I did some mixes in Studio One recently and was very happy with the results.

I like the PSP B-Scanner.

   I downloaded and installed the PSP B-Scanner because as a long time user of PSPAudioware's plugins I'm sure I would not be disappointed and I was right. This plugin is capable of emulating the vibrato and Chorus effect of the Hammond B3 organ and so much more. I used it on a Pop/Electronic track I was working on and it made the main synth feel larger than life giving it height, width and movement in the mix. The pic above is the setting I used.

   From the website:

"PSP B-Scanner is an emulation of the analog scanner-based effect available in the most sought-after models of vintage Hammond® tonewheel organs (such as B-3, C-3, A-100 and others). Although the PSP B-Scanner has been meticulously designed to recreate the classic sound of the Hammond® B-3 Vibrato and Chorus, it offers a wide range of options allowing you to maximize the potential of this unique effect."

    
   Take a look at the introductory video of the PSP B-Scanner:



Download the 14 day demo and give the PSP B-Scanner a try. 

Leave me a comment once you've tried it.

Price $39 until April 30th/$69 starting May 1st.

Tech Tues.: UAD Reverb tips from the Pros.

   No one will argue that reverb is one of the most important effects in a mix. The illusion of space is very important to our enjoyment of music. Whether you like huge lush reverb tails or small intimate spaces it's good to know what your favorite reverbs are capable of.

   Here are some 5 minute tips videos featuring 4 of the UAD reverbs. I've used the hardware versions of the first 3 reverbs and I think UA did a fantastic job on the plug-in emulations:

1. The EMT 140 Classic Plate Reverberator Plug-In is one of my favorites:





2. I also like the AMS RMX-16 Digital Reverb Plug:





3. The AKG BX 20 Spring Reverb Plug-In is another favorite:





4. The Ocean Way Studios Plug-In is great for easily creating unique spaces for your tracks:




   Also take a look at this great article UA posted featuring 4 top engineers sharing some of their reverb secrets:

RAC, Eric “ET” Thorngren, Kevin Killen, and Tucker Martine Share Their Reverb Secrets

   Even though these tips are geared towards UAD reverbs I think you will find them helpful no matter which reverb you use.

UA is currently having a sale on many of their plugins till April 30th.

http://www.uaudio.com/store.html

Mix Mondays: Ini Kamoze - Here Comes The Hotstepper

   I recorded and mixed Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes The Hotstepper" produced by Salaam Remi. It was recorded with a Trident 65B console onto a Tascam MTR-80 24 Track 2" Tape machine. We used Ampex 456 2" analog tape. Salaam and I then mixed it on a 48 channel SSL SL 6000E with tons of outboard at Soundworks Studios on 54th St. NYC. Sadly the studio fell victim to urban development and no longer exists. It was located beneath the infamous nightclub Studio 54. Many great artists such as Prince (RIP - still can't believe he passed away), Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Teddy Riley and Guy just to name a few, recorded/mixed projects there.

The pics below are not the actual gear that was used on the mix but I wanted you to have a visual.

   The  SL 6000E with 3 stereo busses in the master section was originally designed for the TV/film mixing market. However it ended up in quite a few music studios. The channel meter displays of the console also served as a RTA. The console at Soundworks is said to have been used to record, edit and mix music and sounds for the original Star Wars movie. I believe this to be true because I've seen the actual custom 'droid' edit desks they used on the project at the studio.

  The speakers used for nearfields were the ubiquitous Yamaha NS-10s,

and Auratones. I actually used just one in mono:

and the mains were the club ready Urei 813A: 

We would also check the mix on the built in monitor of the Studer A820 1/2 inch 2 track machine which was used to print the final passes of the mixes. 

   As for outboard we had a good selection of gear to play with including: 

Pultec EQP-1A (4) Equalizer:

Neve 1077(8) Mic Pre/Equalizer. This is not the actual rack but its very similar:

API 550A (2) Parametric Equalizer:

API 550B (2) Parametric Equalizer:

API 560 (2) Graphic Eq:

Neve Prism EQs and Dynamics channelstrips (10) (like those from a Neve VR series console):

Urei 1176(2) Compressor/Limiter:

Urei LA2A(2) Compressor/Limiter:

Neve 33609Stereo Compressor/Limiter:

DBX 160(4) Compressor -(the 1/2 rack space units):

DBX 160x(2) Compressor:

DBX 902(4) De-esser:

Lexicon 480L  and Lexicon 224 Reverbs:

Lexicon PCM 70, 90 Reverbs:

Lexicon PCM 42 delays (3):

Eventide H3000 Harmonizer:

AMS RMX-16 Digital Reverb:

AMS DMX 15-80S Digital Delay/Pitch Shifter:

ADR Panscan:

Roland Dimension D Chorus:

TC Electronic TC1210 stereo flanger/chorus:

Fulltone Tri-Chorus:

EMT plate 140 - 3 (set to short, medium and long decay). The setup was very similar to the pic below. The EMTs were mounted on a thick concrete slab in the middle of a fully isolated room. The room also had thick concrete walls and thick doors and was located in the very back of the studio. Away from all noise sources as the plates are very sensitive to vibrations:

Quantec QRS Room Simulator:

DBX 500 Sub Harmonic Synthesizer:

   The tracks consisted of samples combined with programmed drums, bass etc. and we had to give it a cohesive sound plus have the sonic vibe we felt was necessary to support the vocals and make the song a hit.
   The mix actually started in the recording stage. Each sound was compressed and eq'd then printed to tape with Salaam's sonic vision as the ultimate goal. Then during the actual mix I started by getting a rough balance then adding compression and eq with the onboard SSL Dynamics and Eq sections then adding outboard processing wherever necessary.

Here's a video of the song: (See the original video at https://youtu.be/w0N4twV28Mw.)





   We misplaced the recall sheets some years ago so I'm going by memory on some of the things we did on the mix.

   On the bassline which supplemented the main loop the DBX 500 was used to augment the low end. The output of the subharmonic was enhanced with the SSL's onboard dynamics and Eq. to ensure that the low end didn't get out of control and eat up all the headroom in the mix.

   A DBX 160x was used on the guitar loop to make it sit properly in the mix.(Salaam's Dad actually played the guitar part on the original "Heartbeat" record that was used for Hotstepper.)
   I used the SSL's channel filters to roll off the both the low and high end. Then used the channel Dynamics and Eq to emphasize the frequencies we felt the guitar needed but it still was missing something. So Salaam asked me to patch in a DBX 160 on the SSL channel insert and proceeded to drastically squash the dynamics of the guitar. When it was soloed the sound wasn't all that great but when placed in the mix it worked perfectly. If I remember correctly the ratio was 6 to 1 with a very low threshold. The output gain was turned up so that the guitar's volume level was equal whether the DBX160x was active or in bypass. This way I could tell exactly what the compressor was doing without being fooled by a change in volume. 

   (Note: Even when mixing in the box I still try to practice proper gain structure. I feel its the only way to avoid clipping issues, unnecessary distortion and most importantly to make objective decisions and adjustments when tweaking the settings on your favorite plugins.)

   If my memory serves me correctly, for reverb we used a combination of the Lexicon 224 (Rich Plate), Lexicon 480 (A Plate & Large Hall) and the EMT 140. The internal settings of the Lexicon reverbs were tweaked to better suit the song. The faders on the channels that the Efx returns were patched into were turned down between 6 to 10db and further tweaked with the onboard dynamics and equalizers to improve the signal to noise ratio and enhance the reverb/delay tails. By hitting the inputs of the units with a hotter level and then turning down the outputs we were able to get a better, more consistent and definitely less noisy sound on all our effects. This method worked especially well with the Eventide Harmonizer and AMS DMX/RMX which although great sounding units they tended to be a little noisy.
   The delays used were the PCM 42s. The delay on the strike in the intro was done by feeding one PCM42 set to one repeat to create an offset delay which was then fed into another delay. The output of the second delay was fed into the Panscan to have it move from left to right in the stereo field.

   I will do future posts with more details on the gear that was used on the Hotstepper  remix.