Tech Tues.: A Review Of UA Apollo 8 & 8P plus Storewide Sale.

Universal Audio is currently have a Storewide Holiday Sale (up to 60% off) on all their plugins until December 31st. You can also buy an Apollo Rack and get a UAD Satellite for FREE.

With that in mind I thought I should do a post showing how to get great sounding tracks with the UA Apollos and UAD Plugins.

Here's a video by our friends over at Protools Expert with James, Luis and Ben recording with the UA Apollo and UAD-2 Plugins in a real session. All the tracks are recorded with just the Apollos and plugins using the UA Software Console routed into Protools. I like how easy it is to combine multiple UA interfaces and that the headphone outputs are active on both units.:

Freebie Fri.: TDR Nova

The TDR Nova is another great free plugin from Tokyo Dawn Records. It is a multi-band dynamic equalizer that can be used as a de-esser; on  drums, guitars, vocals etc. or even on the master buss to enhance your mix (Warning! you can easily destroy your mix if you're not careful).

It is a more enhanced version of the Nova-67P. You can view a comparison of both plugins on vladgsound's blog. Make sure to check out the "Sticky" mode (Press Alt/Option then Threshold on the selected band to activate it). The selected band will no longer be affected by the plugin's wideband compression.

TDR Nova Features:

• Parametric equalization
• Dynamic equalization
• Frequency selective compression/expansion
• Multi-band compression/expansion
• Wideband compression

Download it here.

The 11 in 1 Vari Tube Compressor with Total Recall.

Tegeler Audio Manufaktur is a Berlin based audio manufacturer founded by developer Michael Krusch. They're known for making well built, hand constructed gear with impeccable sound.

Now they've announced their latest masterpiece "The Schwerkraftmaschine". It's a Vari-Mu style compressor with some unique features. 

The Schwerkraftmaschine provides 11 different compression modes and servo controlled pots. It also has a unique side chain filter feature where it can be used as a standard high-pass/low-cut filter at 20, 40, 60, 120 and 300 Hz or as a tilt eq to enhance the highs or lows.

This video by Tegeler Audio Manufaktur demonstrates the effect of the SC Filter:




But the feature that will probably grab the most attention is the servo controlled pots. They can be controlled by a DAW plugin or even by remote over a network! When changes are made from the unit itself the plugins will reflect the change. When you reopen your saved session the settings will be recalled on the Schwerkraftmaschine.




The inclusion of a Mix control pot is a nice addition to what already seems like a stellar unit. I like being able to vary the balance between the processed and un-processed sound when necessary.

FEATURES:

• Input and Output Level Controls
• Variable Attack and Release
• Stereo unit with Dry/Wet Mix Knob
• 3 Transformers and 3 Triodes per channel.
• 11 Compression modes
• Fully analog path with digital side-chain
• Side-Chain with flexible HPF/Tilt Eq

You can request a 14 day trial of The Schwerkraftmaschine.

Available Jan 2016. MSRP 3,499 €/3,778 USD

The T-RackS Mic Room

IK Multimedia has released their new Mic Room Mic Modeling software for their T-Racks plugin suite. Its an extensive take on what some might deem an "old idea" that provides so many colors and textures for your tracks. This will come in very handy on some of the projects I'm mixing. Don't be deterred by the fact that you don't own any of the suggested source microphones. There are countless combinations that work well dependent on the sound of the original recording. (You can also purchase the reasonably priced iRig Mic Studio as a source microphone for those "on the go" recordings with your phone/tablet/laptop etc. It's compatible with Mac/Win, Android and iOS).

"Mic Room is a microphone-modeling tool for T-RackS that puts a world-class collection of over 20 classic and contemporary microphones at your fingertips. It gives you the power to process and "re-mike" your physical microphones to sound and perform like some of the most coveted mic models of all time."

Watch IK's video of the Mic Room and then download the demo to try it for yourself:



At a cost of only $69 IK's Mic Room is sure to be added to the Xmas lists of many audio enthusiasts.

Tech Tues.: Using The 1176

Bobby Owsinski who is a well known Producer/Engineer and author/blogger has a 101 Mixing Tricks  coaching program where he shares tons of studio tips and tricks. In this post I'm featuring the 1176. I've used the hardware on many mixes in the past and now use the plugin often.

Here are two videos by Mr. Owsinski featuring the UAD 1176 Plug-in. The first is called the Dr. Pepper Trick and the second shows some of the favorite settings from legendary producer and engineer Bones Howe.

(Try the settings with all 3 versions of the 1176 plugin and let me know which you prefer).

My new favorite Limiter.

I recently obtained a copy of IK Multimedia's Stealth Limiter from their rep Derrick Floyd. It has now become one of my favorites. I like it because it's very transparent and easy to use. I especially like the unity gain monitor which allows you to hear what the limiters processing is doing to the audio without a big jump in audio level. We often interpret louder as better but sometimes that is not the case. The four modes (tight, balanced, harmonics 1, harmonics 2) and "inter-sample peak limiting algorithm" plus available 16 and 24bit dither makes it easy to get a great sounding master. The Stealth Limiter is part of IK Multimedia's T-Racks Custom Shop Mixing and Mastering Collection. It runs on both Mac and PC as an AU, VST and AAX/RTAS plugin. 

Features:

• Ultra-transparent mastering peak limiter 
• Advanced inter-sample peak limiting algorithm
• 4 operating modes that offer different tonal shades that vary from super clean to warmly analog
• Easy-to-use interface
• Unity gain monitoring function
• Infrasonic filter

Check out this video Protools Expert just posted showing the Stealth Limiter in action:

Price $124.99. Download the demo at IK Multimedia's website and hear for yourself on your own material what the Stealth Limiter is capable of.

Freebie Fri.: Voxengo OldSkoolVerb

Voxengo's OldSkoolVerb is a freeware reverb that runs as an AU or VST plugin on both Mac and Windows. It's described as ....a “classic” stereo reverb algorithm which is technically simple yet optimal. It also produces a very clear spatial image that blends well with the mix.

OldSkoolVerb offers Plate, Room and Hall settings with the ability to tweak the parameters to your liking. The above pic is an actual setting that I used on the background vocals for a  Hip-Hop/R&B song I mixed.

Features:

• Plate, room and hall reverbs
• Stereo processing
• A/B comparisons
• Zero processing latency 
• 5 reverb modes
• Preset manager
• Contextual hint messages
• Reverb mode editor
• Undo/redo history
• All sample rates support

Download OldSkoolVerb at Voxengo.com

What do you think of the new EXHALE software by OUTPUT?

OUTPUT the makers of REV and SIGNAL announced their latest software instrument called EXHALE which is described as a "Modern Vocal Engine". It requires Kontakt (full version or free player) to operate. 

Ask.Audio did a great review on EXHALE. 

Here's an excerpt:

"What Output has done here is very decidedly not try to give you a soul diva vocal for your DAW. Instead, a combination of sampling, synthesis and effects are used to create a completely new kind of instrument. “Vocal Engine” is an accurate description, with real sampled voices providing the building blocks of sound, and a huge amount of other tools transforming the samples into new and often unrecognizable end products. It’s hyper-modern, experimental and is more about using voices as instruments than anything else. It is quite possible to strip patches back to a more natural choral or vocal sound, but that’s not the real focus of what’s going on here. It was born of feedback from musicians who complained that there was no way to get the kinds of vocal sounds and effects required by modern scores, EDM and sound design, in software form."

Watch the walkthrough video of EXHALE:

Features:

• 500 Unique Presets
• 3 Modes: Notes, Loops & Slices
• 10 GB raw material
• Custom FX Presets
• Custom Macros Per Preset
• Snapshots for Maschine
• Macro Editing
• Main and Engine Pages
• Automatable Insert and Mod FX

I think many producers and composers/sound designers will find EXHALE a useful addition to their creative arsenal. What do you think?

Price: $199 with a 14 day money back guarantee.

The AES show is not only about gear via Plectrum|NYC

Most discussions of the annual AES convention tend to be about all the amazing gear that is displayed on the exhibit floor. But there are also all the seminars/presentations that feature some of the talented producers and engineers that use the gear to create the iconic music for our favorite artists/bands. The feedback I've received over the last few days says that last weekend's 139th AES 2015 in NYC did not disappoint in this aspect.

My friend Andy from Plectrum|NYC (a boutique audio equipment rental service based in NYC)
summed it up quite nicely in his 4 part blog post on his site.

Some of the insightful gems mentioned include:

Meeting the designers behind some of the great gear that we use daily.

The "Platinum Producers-Bad Vibrations" panel which focused more on the emotional instead of the technical side of the music making process. How sometimes unorthodox methods are used to achieve the creative goals of the artist and producer.

The creative process of many iconic producers and engineers. 

"Joe Chiccarelli pointed out on several occasions that he felt he failed in his artistic vision if he hadn’t captured 90% of the desired sound by the time tracking was done!"

"John Congleton repeatedly emphasized creativity over gear, experimenting with all kinds of available gear including inexpensive guitar pedals and exploring any possible crazy combination including running his Boss pedals through his Fairchild!"

"John admitted that it took him a very long time ((6 or 7 years!) without anyone taking any notice of his artistic work! and stressed that unless there is true creative fire underneath, music may not be worth pursuing, at least not if one is in it to make a living."

"Val Garay generously shared a wealth of details about the production techniques for James Taylor’s “JT” album and Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” single, including the exact types of microphones used for drums and vocals and their placement. To note: he loves a pair of elam251s as drum overheads and u67 for vocal, tracked through an early API console."

Many shared personal stories of artists and historic sessions such as Jack Douglas telling

the personal stories revolving around John & Yoko, such as John explaining how to write a hit song: “Speak the truth and make it rhyme!” were first-rate.

Or Jack’s stories about John’s later day habits of recording while he was in bed: ”Surrounding John’s bed were guitars and tape machines to all sides. Recording him meant I literally had to jump in bed with him!” 

(In the past I've heard that Stevie Wonder used to keep tape recorders in every room in his house so he could lay down a song idea whenever and wherever his creative muse kicked in).

Read the entire post at http://plectrumnyc.com/blog/

Freebie Fri.: MH Thump

The free MH Thump from Metric Halo is not your typical subharmonic enhancer. It can be used to enhance the low end on kicks, 808s and bass but it's capable of doing much more. Previously only available in AAX format for Protools, metric Halo has now made it available for AU and VST formats too. It runs on both Mac and Windows. All that is required is an email address.

From the website:

"Thump is a unique audio processor that allows you to synthesize low frequency audio to add low end to a track or generate another sound entirely. Thump looks at the pitch and dynamics of its audio input and uses this information to control its oscillators. You can add low end to drums, augment a bass or even create synthetic drones. Thump is ideal for beefing up a kick drum, add low end to percussive tracks, re-create classic drum synth sounds, and more."

Features:

• Two independent envelope driven oscillators
• Complete control over both pitch and amplitude envelopes
• Wet/Dry control for mixing synthesized sound with the source
• Detailed metering
• A dozen presets included to get you started
• Adjustable UI size / Disclosable Graphs
• MH Preset Manager - Provides cross-platform presets
• Cross Platform - Mac AU, Mac/Win VST & Mac/Win Pro Tools AAX (Native + DSP)
• Free!

Watch this video of the MH Thump: 






You can sign up and download Metric Halo's MH Thump here.

Also take a look at the Metric Halo Production Bundle which is a great set of plugins that I use often. It's currently on sale for $299 (regularly $699).

The Eventide H910 Harmonizer, Oxide Tape Recorder and Marshall Legends Bundle_UAD v8.4

Got an email from UAD announcing the UAD v8.4 software with 3 new plugins. I was      excited to see that they had finally released the Eventide H910 Harmonizer plugin and couldn't wait to hear the Oxide Tape Recorder and Marshall Amp plugins.

The Eventide H910 Harmonizer was one of the first effects boxes that I was introduced to early in my career and I instantly took a liking to it. The H910 was widely used for vocal and guitar doubling plus the infamous "robot voice" and "sci-fi'" glitch effects. The combination of pitch change with delay and variable feedback allowed the user to come up with some pretty "crazy" effects. You can also do standard delays, reverb, flanging etc. It works well on all types of sounds. if you like to tweak your gear/plugins in real time then the H910 definitely deserves a look.

I tried the H910 demo on a vocal track of a song I was mixing last night and it brought a smile to my lips. UAD has nailed it again.

Here's UA's intro video of the Eventide H910 Harmonizer plugin:

The Oxide Tape Recorder plugin is also included in the UAD v8.4 update. I use the Studer 800 and ATR-102 plugins regularly so I was curious to see what UAD was offering with the Oxide Tape and it has some serious mojo going on. I found it very easy to get textures that worked well with different sounds. If you're not sure where to start there are presets that make great starting points. I like the Oxide Tape plugin a lot.

Here's a great video from UA showing how the Oxide Tape Recorder plugin can be used on drums:

Last but definitely not least we have the Marshall Legends Bundle which consists of the 
Plexi Super Lead 1959 and the new Bluesbreaker 1962 and Silver Jubilee 2555. The plugins work with UA's Unison Technology when used with the Apollo interfaces.

Protools Expert posted a video review of the Bluesbreaker 1962:

Ocean Way Audio HR4 Studio Monitors

Ocean Way Audio introduced 2 new monitors at AES 2015 but the one that caught my attention is the HR4 Studio Monitor. I've heard their bigger brother the HR2 at Noisematch Studios in Miami and they sound amazing. 

They have a very wide sweet spot, excellent imaging and exceptional transient response.


From the press release:

"Based on the legendary sonic performance of the Ocean Way HR2 speaker, the HR4 is a two-way, self-powered monitor that is at home on a consoles meter bridge or free-standing speaker stands. “We’ve captured the sonic performance of our large horn-based wave guide design, which delivers 100 degree dispersion, and have released this unique speaker in a 24-inch mixing-board-friendly design!” states Allen Sides, OWA Founder and CEO." 

Here's a video by Sound on Sound at AES 2015 with Allen Sides himself explaining the design features and sound of the HR4:



For more details visit Ocean Way Audio.

AES NY 2015 starts today!

The 139th International Audio Engineering Society Convention starts today Thursday, October 29th and runs through Sunday, November 1st. There are sure to be many new products announced at the AES show plus all the great seminars and presentations regarding all aspects of the audio industry. For this post I'm only posting the links and pics. I will do a more in-depth post next week with more info and products.

A few of the items already mentioned are:

1. NEVE BCM10/2 MK2 - 10 Channel Recording Console (also available in 16,24 & 32 channels) via Vintage King.

2. BarefootSound MicroMain26

3. New products from Little Labs. A company that makes great sounding unique gear:

4. SSL βeta 500 format module Hardware Development Kit

5. SSL's Sigma Delta:

6. Focusrite RedNet AM2 via GearJunkies

7. NTP Technology's DAD AX32 with new MADI and AES3 cards with enhanced Cue and Mix Monitoring:

8. PSI Audio A14-M Studio Monitors:

The Brainworx bx_console plugin featuring Tolerance Modeling Technology

Plugin Alliance's newest plugin is The Brainworx bx_console which is modeled after Brainworx' own Neve VXS console. I did some mixes in the 90's on the Neve VR in Studio A of Soundtracks Studios NYC, ( I think they've since sold the console) but was only vaguely familiar with the Neve VXS so I was very curious to hear what Brainworx did with the bx_control channelstrip.

 "The VXS was something of a bridge between vintage consoles like the 80 and VR series and the modern 88RS. Loaded with features like a comprehensive EQ and dynamics section, it still delivers that classic English punch and vibe."

Brainworx modeled the Neve VXS channelstrips with their new TMT technology.

"The bx_console is the first plugin from Brainworx to utilize its revolutionary new Tolerance Modeling Technology, which sets a new standard for analog realism inside the box. While all other current analog modeling systems concentrate on emulating a specific “golden” unit, Tolerance Modeling Technology, or TMT, meticulously models the variation of individual components used in an analog circuit to capture the natural unit to unit variations found in prized analog gear."

The bx_console plugin is cpu friendly and allows you to easily apply multiple instances in your DAW. Then by assigning different channel numbers in the plugin (it offers up to 72) Brainworx says you are able to replicate the sound of an actual Neve VXS console and the subtle variations that occur from channel to channel.

"All analog components have manufacturing tolerances that state an acceptable range of differences between them. These tolerances vary from 1% on some parts up to 20% in many standard electronic components.These changes absolutely do make an audible difference in how one console channel sounds compared to another.
This variation, when taken across many channels in a mix, is part of what makes an analog console sound the way it does. Especially the tolerances between each of two channels in multiple stereo setups (stereo-signals, busses and sub-groups) of a bigger mix session introduce small phase differences, unbalanced center frequencies and center-offsets."

I downloaded and installed the 14 day demo. I was able to open and audition the bx_control in Logic Pro X, Protools 10 and Studio One v2.6 without any issues. The sound is more like the Neve 88R than the older Neve consoles and could be described as transparent but warm and punchy. It's very similar to the UAD Neve 88r channelstrip but I'll have to do some more in-depth mixing to tell. I think Brainworx is on to something with the TMT technology because I can hear subtle differences as I change the channel numbers. You can also bypass this feature by changing the stereo mode from analog to digital.

Take a look at this video by Plugin Alliance on their new bx_control Plugin:




and here's a review of the bx_control by our good friend Russ at Protools Expert:

Tech Tues.: ITB Re-Amping Tips with UAD Plugins

Softube Bass Amp Room

If you don't have access to real amp stacks in a great sounding studio then ITB re-amping is an alternative way to enhance and liven tracks. I use this method often when mixing if I feel it's necessary for the mix to reach its full potential. The video below shows 3 excellent UAD plugins that can be used to re-amp bass tracks. This method works great with samples and VSTis too. In addition you can setup a microphone in front of your monitors and record to a new track. Make sure to mute the return of the new track to avoid feedback and hit record while playing the track in solo through your monitors at a reasonably loud level. The combination of the amp plugins combined with the speakers moving air in your room can really bring a track to life.

Ampeg SVT-VR

Ampeg SVT-3 PRO

Here's the re-amping video tutorial by Michael ( Thanks Michael) of Studio One Expert showing how to use the Universal Audio’s Ampeg SVT-VR, Ampeg SVT-3 PRO and Softube Bass Amp Room on a bass track in PreSonus Studio One 3.

I usually use the Softube Bass Amp Room but have started experimenting with the others. The combination of all 3 offers so many sonic possibilities. I like to use busses instead of copying the tracks and send them all to the same aux master then mix and match to taste. 

The UAD Pultec Passive Eq Collection that's currently on sale for $99 works great to further enhance the sound of the tracks. 

UAD Pultec Passive Eq Collection

This method is not just for bass and works really well on all types of sounds using any plugins you choose. For example I used The Chandler Limited GAV19T Amplifier Plug-In to add grit and presence to a live organ track that was well recorded but wasn't sitting properly in the mix. Worked like a charm.

The Chandler Limited GAV19T Amplifier Plug-In