PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

generally I like creamware stuff, love the synths & like most of the effects, but to date I am disappointed with psyq, I don't know if it is no good, or I just dont like the sound, or if I am using it wrongly

I find that it if I use it on settings which are noticable it makes the highs too sharp or brittle, & doesnt do much to the bass that I like

I should add music I make is made all with synths, & sometimes drum loops & occasionally vocals, I usually like both drums & bass to stand out in whatever type music I am making

I have been trying to get better at mastering recently & have finally got to grips with multiband compression, which can improve my tracks no end, I also bought har-bal recently which I also like (I should add neither har-bal or multiband are "magic bullets" which you always kind of hope for, but both improve my sound)..but I have not yet found a use for psyq, which made me wonder if I am using it wrongly. I have
A/B'ed tracks using psyq (in a haphazard way, trying to get levels the same)& almost always prefer the non psyq track. The only use I have found to date for psyq is on vocals (using just a touch) to make them stand out in a mix more, but even this is very easily overdone

...this is a long preamble to ask - What settings to do you all use for psyq? Does anyone have any examples they'd like to share of tracks improved with the use of psyq?

All I can say is that:


1)PsyQ is an exceptionally powerful tool.

2)It's made to fix some deficiencies, using it on well sounding stuff has to be done with minimal settings really, and only for special cases (lowrate mp3 reduction etc.)

3)Using it on single tracks (you said vocals, I could add dull sounding drum loops or crappy miked guitars) is really great, minimal settings anyway. There can be a lot of stuff around or in your same pc (past experiments...) that has a killer feel but wasn't properly recorded, or some environmental recordings made on portable minidisks and such, that can gain great sound dignity through PsyQ and find a place in your mix.

4)On my productions, when I start from scratch and have everything well recorded and properly mixed, it's not necessary, my mastering project loads it by default but I never switch it on.

Conclusion: if you have the sensation that any setting is too much, that's a good thing, it means that your mix has got what it needs, but there are some specifical cases in wich PsyQ is unbeatable.

I think that any Scope studio should have it as secret weapon.

Recently I was asked by a guy if I could make something for his dull mixes of his pop-rock homemade songs and I told him to give me one mix and i would treat it a bit to make them sound better...well I found a job...I'll be mastering his stuff for lifetime...hehe. Thanks to PsyQ.

Alfonso says it right - you don't need it, unless you need it, and then it's amazing...I love it

Indeed an extraordinary plugin, this PsyQ, but use with very moderate settings/amounts! Perfect for adding a bit of air and crisp to synthesic hihats, or that track that sounds a bit dull...
I don't know any other way/plugin to do that, PsyQ seems quite unique in that area! But as alfonso say, use with most moderate settings - it's very easy to overdo, especially on the highs.