PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

I've been exploring different ways to put the final touch on my mixes lately -mainly with compression, inspired by Bob Katz' °Mastering audio° -a highly recommended reading for everyone involved in studio work. I thought that multiband compression was always applied in the mastering stage but I was wrong. Mr Katz usually works with stereo compressors and uses multiband processors only in specific situations. After reading reviews and many positive user feed-back I tried the sonalksis stereo comp to increase loudness and presence on my mixes. According to many it's supposed to be one of the best in its class, especially for compressing whole mixes. I don't squash the dynamics out of my music, I apply it lightly, just to have a pleasing effect without harshness.

Well, tonight I strapped a vinco on the stereo bus, left the default settings (only changed it to rms mode), softclip on, and that was it! The result is probably the best mix I ever did, WAY better than anything native I've tried. It has this slightly in your face polished sound without ANY harshness. I've worked very much on the mix mind you, like weeks, so it's not all vinco's fault, but still, it sounds like a finished product! I'm surprised and happy at this discovery!

Just wanted to share my enthusiasm...

Hi eliam,

I'm a big reader of what Mr Katz has to say. He posts regularly and constructively on gearslutz. He has some interesting things to say about using buss devices in this thread (see bottom of post.)

There's so much talk these days of analogue multi track summing modules to run digital mixes through. Here he is basically saying a stereo unit across the extire mix is just the same as using a multi track summing device.

"but the point is that all analog circuits add some distortion which increases the sense of separation. The key is, just enough distortion. Not too little or there's no audible effect or minimal effect, and not too much either. You can do controlled tests on the precept that DISTORTION INCREASES DEPTH AND SEPARATION by using a digital simulator, the HEDD-192. The Pentode (and the tape), in very small amounts, increases the depth with a small change in tonality. The more you push it, then you start to get significant color as well (which may also be desirable). - Katz"

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end ... nnels.html

ns

Vinco is great. The De-Vice' Level Devil is great also for this task.

You could also check out the free Tube Taper device available in the Device-forum.

Funny, there was a subject on tv 5 minutes ago, about medical consequences of loudly compresed and limited mixes and how it affects the ears, with comparison of recordings of the 80ies and now. Some people seem to be re-discovering tracks with less level but higher dynamics are better for your health, doctors mainly
if i may . Group compressing is really what gives the best results in terms of roundness, body - and distribution of dynamics between various elements - and opens some gates, for example when you have to decide what to compress together....

spacef wrote:if i may

Mehdi,

You may

Engage FAT button and turn knob UP!!

ns

I like to use the Vinco in RMS mode on my final master with just a touch of compression (1-3 dB gain reduction) just because it seems to add a nice cohesion to the mix. Then I run it trough Digitalfishphones' Endorphin multiband to get some extra density/loudness before finishing off with Psy-Q for just making it sound nice

digital phisfones plugins are simply amazing! i love the endorphin plugin on a drumbus! ill try it on the master bus though!

digitalphishphones sux

wow
well that goes to show that poeple have different taste in what is good

sorry, the dude sux - not sure about the plugs - but if the dude sux so do the plux
ts, ts, tsss, scratch, ts, ts...
the deko elements of his site are from (let's say extremely inspired by) the cover of the first Moloko record

he works as a developer himself and has nothing better to do than to release a fake Transient Designer for free after someone else had explained the differential envelope technology. It's obviously not as good as hyped, but in caught quite some attention in Germany.

sorry for rant, Tom

well I never really used that transient designer plug of his but the endorphin is a great plugin, as well as the "fish fillets" (compressor, gate, de-esser). Esp since they're free.

I think he works for Magix now though.

I don't see the issue with the TD clone anyway... I mean we've had plenty of attempts at it for Scope & in general it seems like everyone & their granny have tried to emulate it, whether they know how it actually works or not, so no big deal.

in fact it's not a big deal at all - it's entirely my personal estimation.
his attitude sux (he's pretending it's his own work, kind of) and he's decorating his location with artwork by one of my favourite groups
it just p*sses me off, Tom

btw, there's a fair amount of info on how the SPL TD envelope technology works published on their own website. They're even kind enough to provide some nice diagrams.

SPL TD was awesome in hardware, Does it work as well in the Scope version?

I watched an engineer work for hours setting up an acoustic drum kit with all of the best gear one could buy, then do a bass and drum track which sounded good, but once guitars and keys were added the drums were clashing at all volumes. The guy patched in the TD2 to the kick and snare channels and dropped the db down low, then brought the channels back in the mix. Claimed it was his magic box. I never really asked how or why as I wasn't really interested aty the time. But it altered the whole mix w/o affecting the big sound of the drums. It's amazing to think that so many hours went into making the rhythm tracks then.

We have a Scope version of this, but it seems as though those tricks were needed where many different mic's were being used.

Any examples on how it would be used for tracks that are all virtual to begin with?

Thanks,

the Scope version is practically impossible to distinguish from the analog hardware box - only on the most extreme settings the hardware is said to have a very very small advantage.
TD does it's job with absolute precision and without any colouring of the sound.
You might add a tiny bit of attack to bring things more upfront, decrease the attack to to smoothen ambience before a reverb.
Add a good portion of attack to a clavinett, or fake a Roland 'Dance Piano'
a bit more attack to give a voice a more 'tough' expression, emphasize pizzicato etc

cheers, Tom

I have always had a tough time with D6 tracks on the real thing. I usually am a one take guy, and don't even have to monitor what I play. But on a Clavinet it's almost like trying to play ahead of the groove, just so you can groove !! On top of that, to get that sound one's fingers must attack very fast and release with similar velocities to sound groovy. But it is a great BP type of sound that sits perfectly in a mix with a great slapper bass style.

My sample libraries are pretty accurate, and sadly enough mimic the shitty action that was on the real thing.

I think I must fetch this little puppy.

This is a much better approach if faced with quantinization of a track. SPL sounds like a more human technique. Attacks on dynamics might have a better way of adding a slight delay while maintaining the groove, imperfect as it may be.


Thanks Astro.