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Review: Nathan Daniel's One on One Mix Training

By
Bryan
-

 

The Internet has brought all new ways of honing mixing skills. Forums, video tutorials, and even sites like this one (everythingrecording.com) offer generic tips and tricks but do not necessarily address mix issues specific to the mix you’re working on.  On the other side of the spectrum are in-house studio workshops, which come with a hefty price tag as well as shortcomings of their own.  Although the classroom setting is much more personal, having other students can both take focus away from each person’s development as well as inhibit a trainee from asking basic questions out of embarrassment.  Mix Engineer, Nathan Daniel, has a new concept that addresses these issues in a unique way:  http://www.1on1mixing.com
Like I stated in the Guerilla Recording and Mixing with Nathan Daniel (http://www.everythingrecording.com/guerilla-recording-and-mixing-with-nathan-daniel-music/), I had hit a point where online training couldn’t offer much more help and was at the point of quitting.  Sure I could mix a decent version of the song used for the demonstration, but applying the concepts to my own tracks is a little tougher than just using an ideal mix the instructor chose.  I wanted to see real world concepts used in a familiar environment.  So I reached out to Nathan after listening to some of his previous work and his down-to-earth insight on the UBK Happy Funtime Podcast.  Luckily, he was in the process of beginning his One On One Mix Training service and happily obliged to help out.
Nathan’s approach serves multiple purposes.  First, Nathan will mix the song you provide.  He will mix the song using plugins you have in your collection.  Once the song is mixed, he will send his mix session back to you, so you can look at the session and make a list of questions to ask him.  Once you have thoroughly looked over the session, Nathan will go over the mix in detail, explaining his choices and approach to the song via a Skype session.  On top of explaining the mix, Nathan will send you a custom template and checklist of things he considers before even starting a mix. No punches are pulled or secrets withheld.  Everything is right out in the open.
The price is extremely reasonable too. Coming in at $499, it’s mutually beneficial on multiple levels.  On top of learning, you get a final mix of the song too.  The way I justified this was bundle my tracking time with a band and split the cost of mixing with them, thus saving the band 50% on a mix while I learn (just make sure you communicate what you’re doing with the band!). I personally tracked my session with my own equipment and techniques in order for Nathan to analyze if I was getting my tracks right at the source.  Doing this helped me spot areas where I could improve at the recording stage.  Once all of the recorded tracks were prepared, I sent the session over to Nathan where he mixed the song using the same plugins I owned.  After his mix was complete, I took the session, went over it for a few days, then we set up a Skype session where he would share his screen with me and we would go over all the questions I had for him as well as show me his mixing approach.
I have to be honest; this was the most I’ve learned in any training environment! Everything I had learned through video tutorials and articles immediately fell into place.  It was like a whole new world opened up with new approaches and a fresh perspective. Seeing your own session mixed from someone else’s viewpoint offers invaluable insight into your own habits, ideas, and workflow that you could improve on.  Nathan was extremely helpful and went above and beyond the scope of work to answer every question I had.  Believe me, I didn’t make it easy on him either.  I purposely chose a less than ideal song with a few pitfalls that I knew would show up when receiving other people’s mixes.  Nathan handled them with ease and even went as far as offering some production feedback.  The song actually came out far better than I even expected.
On top of the mixing training, the checklist and mix template have become indispensable to me, personally.  I took the template that was given to me and tweaked it to fit my mixing style.  The template speaks volumes to Nathan’s approach of shaving off valuable time to get to the important part… the music.  I cannot stress how helpful this method of training was to developing my mixing skills.  His method doesn’t teach you to blindly follow techniques either.  Nathan encourages figuring out what works best for you and trying new approaches, using his techniques as a building block instead of “the Gospel”.
After going through this One on One Mix Training myself, I believe it’s worth every penny.   I definitely made the right choice investing in my education instead purchasing another piece of gear.
As a bonus, Nathan’s service offers extended NFR licenses of Kush, Sly-Fi, Sound Radix, and McDSP plugins!  Nathan also offers 2 other service options.  For $99, he offers “Mix Consulting” which is great if you’ve already mixed a track but feel stuck or not sure how to finish the mix.  Nathan will take your mix session and tweak it to show you how to get it to the next level.  It’s like a Mix Critique but much better!   For $199, he also offers “Mastering Class”, which is the same concept as the $499 Mix Training, but intended for mastering only.
So if you’re looking for a more personalized approach that offers something more specific than mix tutorials and multi-student workshops do, this service is for you!  My mixes have never sounded better.   Book your session here: http://www.1on1mixing.com

Kush Audio Updates the Electra to use 75% Less CPU

By
Bryan
-

We actually own a pair of Electra 500’s (two EVL “evil evaluation” units) and love how no matter how you turn the knobs, everything sounds great. Unfortunately I don’t have enough space or money to have a rack full of 32 of them (I can dream) so I use the plugin version a lot (review HERE). The problem is they used to bog a system down if you used a lot. Due to some retooling, the Electra has just updated to use less CPU. Im going to go throw 6 on the mix bus right now in honor of this momentous occasion! Go buy it. It’s on sale too. Now lets do the same to the Sly-Fi Axis too because I can’t live without its distortion knob.
 

The latest Electra DSP update uses around 75% fewer CPU cycles than the previous version, while preserving the smooth, punchy tone modeled in-house after Kush’s best-selling EQ.

If you don’t already own Electra DSP, now’s the time: it’s on sale for only $99 for one week only! Head to www.thehouseofkush.com/store and spank every last corner of your mix with this incredible eq today!

Audified Studio Plugin Bundle of Joy

By
Bryan
-

We reviewed the Audified Mix Checker (Review HERE) and found it to be a unique and useful plugin which has even been updated since its release. Audified have created a bundle using some of their most popular plugins for an attractive price.

BOSKOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC: host application and audio effects developer Audified is proud to announce availability of Studio Bundle — an attractively-priced plug-in bundle of its latest and greatest (TNT Voice Executor, second-generation U73b Compressor, U78 Saturator, and MixChecker) hit releases, rendered as appealing to the eye as they are to the ear for a wide range of production purposes — as of April 18…
Recently released to widespread critical acclaim, TNT Voice Executor is a unique utilitarian plug-in offering no-nonsense processing of vocal and spoken word tracks to sophisticatedly solve any issues instantaneously. It does what it says on the tin, so shaping superb-sounding voices couldn’t be simpler. Simply select a preset then use the three knobs to set the INPUT and OUTPUT volumes (using the I/O meters), tweak the DRIVE (effect) amount, and you’re good to go! Gathered into four groups, each preset contains several variants for both male and female voices. The right-side of the plug-in’s crystal-clear GUI (Graphical User Interface) simply shows which effects (EQ, DRIVE, and DELAY) are engaged and how much gain is being reduced. Really, anyone with a microphone who records vocals and/or spoken word will find it invaluable. Applications? Audio book editing, v-log posts, YouTube videos, podcasts, advertisement voiceovers, television trailers, newscasts… wherever the human voice sounds, TNT Voice Executor makes it sound better in next to no time with a no-nonsense approach to processing par excellence.
Excellence also shines forth from Audified’s all-new U73b Compressor, strikingly standing out from its predecessor from the get-go courtesy of a gorgeous GUI that not only makes its improved second-generation status clearer still by blazoning Nr. 2.0.1 below its name but literally leaps out of Retina-supporting screens… well, almost! As such, the GUI itself is effectively a game of two halves, comprising of an almost photo-realistic rendering of the unique-sounding Sixties-vintage German broadcast compressor/limiter hardware (with which the plug-in shares its name and upon on which it is modelled) alongside an area to display numerically editable parameters or menu functions and settings that are not available via the ‘modelled module’… making anything sound like it has been processed by an original U73b is the name of the game. Game-changing is the result, though its improvements are more than simply skin deep. Digging deeper, Audified’s all- new U73b Compressor now features true side-chaining to control compression via an independent signal; improved processing with added adjustable Oversampling; an automatic gain control option; and -9dB default Kalib. (calibration) setting with an added value mechanism — modelling which works with real voltages that are the same as those found in the original hardware circuitry (related to the dBu scale), but the DSP (Digital Signal Processing) in DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) works with dBFS (Decibels relative to full scale) so users can (carefully) set the calibration to work within the correct operational range of the compressor effect.
Exploiting meticulous models of the amazing-sounding analogue circuitry central to the U73b — that treasured broadcast compressor/ limiter that found favour in European mastering circles well into the Eighties and beyond — further still, supplementing the tube saturation circuitry with high-pass and lowpass filters and a unique tone filter for some seriously satisfying saturation is fundamental to the U78 Saturator modus operandi. Only this time, removing the U73b Compressor’s compression function, favouring filtering for flexibility while keeping the heart and soul of the machine to deliver an amazingly musical tube sound. Studio Bundle brings with it the best of both by including U73b Compressor and U78 Saturator to appease both purists and audio adventurists alike.
And when it comes to making meaningful mix decisions with all that wide-ranging processing par excellence, what better way to round out Studio Bundle than with MixChecker, a must-have mixing assistant plug-in that transforms studio monitors into classic reference monitors or one of several consumer devices to instantly improve mixes. Make-do-and mend-mentality-mixing is a thing of the past with MixChecker, meaning no more time wasted exporting mixes to smartphones or burning CDs to listen in a car before going back into the studio to tweak the mix only to have to repeat the tiresome process time and again. As an altogether more convenient and clever software solution, MixChecker can perform a quick round of tests in only a matter of seconds, allowing users to get on with the task in hand — making mixing corrections at a (key)stroke, still fresh from knowing what the problem in the mix actually was!
Why not treat yourself and your productions, then, to the joys of Studio Bundle? Bet your bottom dollar you’ll soon be jumping with joy when it comes to using these really remarkable plug-ins for a really remarkable price!

 

Purchase Studio Bundle as four iLok-protected plug-ins — available as AAX, VST3, and VST2 on Mac (OS X 10.9 – 10.12) and PC (Windows 7, 8, and 10) and AU on Mac — at an introductory price of $399.00 USD until April 30, 2017 (rising thereafter to $449.00 USD) from Audified’s online shop here: https://shop.audified.com/products/studio-bundle
Studio Bundle is available to download directly from Audified from here: http://services.audified.com/download/StudioBundle

Waves Nx Virtual Mix Room Plugin Now Compatible with Multiple Head Trackers

By
Bryan
-

The Waves NX plugin gives a unique viewpoint as a tracking and mixing tool. With the Head Trackers, mixers and performers can move their head within the stereo field. This can enhance performance and mix choices. Now multiple Head Trackers can be used with Nx.

KNOXVILLE, TN, April 19, 2017 — Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies, introduces two Nx combos with multiple Nx Head Trackers: the Nx Virtual Mix Room plugin + 6 Nx Head Trackers, and the Nx Head Tracker 5-Pack. These combos enable improved headphone monitoring during recording and mixing sessions with multiple participants. 
Powered by Waves’ groundbreaking Nx technology, Waves Nx Virtual Mix Room is a virtual monitoring plugin that simulates the ideal acoustics of a high-end mix room inside any set of headphones. Nx lets you hear the same natural depth, natural reflections and panoramic stereo image you would be hearing from speakers in an actual room, turning your headphones into a more reliable mixing and monitoring tool by letting you hear everything with real-world dimension, rather than flat in your head.  
The Nx plugin has now been updated to work with up to six Nx Head Trackers at the same time. This allows as many as six musicians (or five musicians and one engineer) to hear Nx simultaneously in their headphones while recording. Alternatively, two (or more) mixing engineers can now use Nx to mix together on headphones.  
Having the right headphone monitor mix is often what separates an average recording session from a great one. With Nx, recording engineers can provide the musicians with clearer, more open headphone mixes that spread across the full three-dimensional audio spectrum, as if you were listening to monitors in a real room. This provides a better recording experience, as the musicians enjoy a more open, uncongested mix, with greater detail and clarity, and can deliver great performances more easily. 
When recording vocals in particular, Nx helps the vocalist perform better by reducing the effect of hearing their inner voice, in that it moves the sound from inside the head to the outside – thus staying true to how the singer is used to hearing and perceiving his or her voice in playback. This contributes to an overall more natural vocal performance while also reducing the potential for out-of-tune singing. Also, since vocalists are often not accustomed to hearing themselves through headphones, Nx makes them feel comfortable and helps them to stay in tune. 
Producer/engineer Russ Long (Dolly Parton, Sixpence None the Richer, Wilco, Chris Tomlin) comments on his experience recording with Waves Nx: “In many instances, headphones are the only element in a tracking session that impede the creative process rather than improve it. Nx changes that completely. It sounds too good to be true. Waves Nx virtually removes the constraints of headphones, allowing musicians and vocalists to reach their full creative and technical potential. It creates a more musical recording experience by allowing the musicians to interact with their instruments and with each other, without feeling any restrictions from headphones. Every musician I’ve used Nx with, without exception, commented on hearing more detail in regards to their own instrument as well as the other instruments in comparison to other tracking scenarios. In my experience of tracking with Nx, vocalists are able to hear pitch better, bass players are able to hear the air of the bass tone, even when recording direct, and drummers are able to lock with the other musicians better. It’s quite amazing.” 
Russ adds, “I used the Nx plugin and Nx Head Tracker with vocalists recording in my studio without telling them what it was. They said it was like taking the headphones off – like they were part of the mix rather than listening to a previously recorded mix – which made it easier for them to sing in tune. In addition, I used Nx in the control room during my tracking session so I could have the same monitoring experience as the musicians. I was surprised that Nx monitoring with headphones was as accurate and sonically pleasing as tracking with a $5000 pair of monitors.” 
Price: $375.00
With more detail and depth than ever on headphones, the Nx combos provide the optimal solution for musicians and engineers looking to improve their recording process. 
For more information, please visit:
www.waves.com/hardware/nx-virtual-mix-room-6-nx-head-trackers
www.waves.com/hardware/nx-head-tracker-5-pack

Plugin Alliance Releases 354E Multiband Limiter

By
Bryan
-

Plugin Alliance keeps cranking out the hits partnering with Lindell to create their multi-band model of the Neve 2254ETM Compressor.

SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA: Plugin Alliance, a new ‘Über-standard’ supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best-known international audio companies under one virtual roof, is proud to announce availability of 354E — Plugin Alliance partner Lindell Audio’s multiband model of the venerable vintage Neve® 2254ETM diode bridge compressor, carefully replicating its distinctive behavior and rich, creamy character as an appealing AAX Native-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible three-band M/S (Mid-Side) mastering compressor plugin with vintage vibe — as of April 17…
The original 2254 mono compressor/limiter design dates back to 1969, becoming a standard module in the company’s classic 80 Series hard-wired analogue consoles. Its input stage is based around an input transformer followed by a diode bridge relying on the dynamic resistance of the diodes changing with current provided by control voltage to act as a level control element — hence its distinctive behavior and rich, creamy character. Compression attack time is fixed, though the third major revision, the long-loved 2254E, allows for faster attack times. Today, though, thanks to Plugin Alliance partner Lindell Audio’s tenacity, the 354E plugin pairs that vintage vibe with modern utility as a must-have multiband marvel — modelling that famous vintage diode bridge compressor across each of its three (LOW, MID, HIGH) independent frequency bands with adjustable crossover frequency bands (for honing in on where compression is needed most).
Many more notable features abound and include: independent five-step RATIO — ranges from 1.5:1 (for mastering and master-bus compression) through to 6:1 (for shaping individual tracks); switchable NUKE mode (for over-compressing tracks to dramatic effect); LINK (Mid-Side) mode (for focusing compression on mid or side channel — or in stereo — for surgical precision); SIDECHAIN/HPF (to lend greater punch to compressed drums, bass guitar, and other bass-heavy instruments); switchable NIVEAU filter (for tilting SIDECHAIN/HPF frequency response towards bass energy preservation — perfect for achieving an awesome API® ‘thrust’ compression effect); MIX control (to promptly provide parallel processing — perfect for blending radically compressed signal with pristine dry input when working with drums, adding density to rock guitars, and more); M/S (link) and SOLO for each frequency band; adjustable, wide-ranging ATTACK and RECOVERY (release) controls ranging from a blazing-fast 2 μS (two-millionths of a second) attack time (for radical compression) to AUTO release (for artefact-free processing); optional AUTO makeup GAIN for each band; two-way dB meter (displays I/O and gain reduction levels in turn — internal operating levels can be calibrated in nine 1dB steps for precise mastering applications); and resizable user interface and up to 16x oversampling for digital precision in any environment. All add up to a creative compressor/limiter experience quite unlike any other… one of the fastest compressors, capable of shaping sounds in extreme ways with which most contemporaries cannot compete.
Creatively speaking, 354E is, in practical terms, two compressors in one — a colorful, vintage-sounding paintbrush-like plugin, perfectly suited to both mastering and mixing applications alike. As such, turning on NUKE mode makes radically reshaping individual tracks a joy to behold; but, conversely, turning it off allows for lighter, more nuanced compression when mastering or when more surgical mixing is needed. Needless to say, both ways of working yield the same lush coloration and smooth presence that made the 2254E one of the most revered and highly-sought-after compressors in the world. Which is why the 354E is so suited to compressing drums, electric guitars, and rock vocals as one of the premier plugins for the task at hand.
Hitting that NUKE button is akin to throwing TNT on drum room mics! Make room ambience explode and drums pump like a jackhammer! Use the built- in filters to shield bass frequencies from compression, inflating the kick drum in the room mics to a heavy monster sound, then adjust the three bands’ RATIO and GAIN controls to balance hi-hat and cymbal levels with that of the trap drums for the perfect blend. Better still, the NIVEAU filter and NUKE mode are also tickets to making thin-sounding floor and rack toms thunder with deep, long sustain, and rock vocals hyperventilate with urgency. As a go-to guitar-track-shaper, 354E’s multiband controls and filters can compress the bottom and top strings’ output to different degrees to boost chunky, palm-muted bass notes or blazing, high chords to the front of the mix. Major compression adds intensely colorful character, though the MIX control can dial some pristine dry signal back into 354E’s output for beautifully balanced mayhem and detail.
Digging deeper, 354E takes on the highly-nuanced behavior befitting master-bus compression and mastering when waving goodbye to NUKE mode. Milder by its very nature, the 1.5:1 RATIO setting solidifies mixes with a glue-like quality, while switching in the NIVEAU filter brings punch, fullness, and weight to the bottom end of the thinnest of mixes. More musically satisfying, maybe, M/S mode can compress hard-panned guitars without affecting the kick drum, bass, and lead vocals, while with A > B workspaces users can compare alternative control setups in pursuit of production perfection.
Put it this way: whether using it to super-size individual tracks, add density to full mixes, or apply subtle surgical compression to correct imbalanced masters, 354E has what it takes to paint a picture-perfect colorful vintage sound. So is it any wonder, then, that Tom Holkenberg (a.k.a. Junkie XL) — one of Hollywood’s top and most unique composers with an expansive and expensive studio setup that lives up to the stage name with which he originally made a name for himself in the burgeoning US rave scene — was blown away by it?
Legal Disclaimer: Neve and 2254E are registered trademarks of AMS/Neve Inc. 354E was developed by Lindell Audio based on its own modelling techniques. AMS/Neve has not endorsed or sponsored 354E in any manner, or licensed any intellectual property for use in this product.

 

354E is available for purchase — as an AAX Native-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-supporting plugin for Mac OS X (10.8 through 10.12), Windows (7 through 10), and Pro Tools 10.3.10 (or higher) — from Plugin Alliance and select VSSD (Virtual Stock Software Distribution) retailers for a time-limited introductory promo price of $129.00 USD, rising to $199.00 USD thereafter. (Note that owners of 254E qualify for a special introductory price of $79.00 USD via an email voucher valid throughout April 2017.)
Note that the proprietary Plugin Alliance Installation Manager means users can select, download, and install only the products and formats needed for their system.
For more in-depth information, including several superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated 354E webpage here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/lindell_354e.html
Watch Plugin Alliance EU Product Manager Mo Volans’ video walkthrough of 354E here: https://youtu.be/vgqhV3PSAVU

Arturia Releases the Step Range Black

By
Bryan
-

Arturia has ventured far beyond the Virtual Instrument landscape and has made some great looking MIDI controllers. Now they’re releasing a Black Edition in limited quantities.

Arturia are set to release a limited number of “Black Edition” KeyStep, BeatStep, and BeatStep Pro sequencer-controllers. 
Known and loved throughout the industry, Arturia’s trio of DAW controlling, step-sequencing hybrids are now available in a sleek black finish. Offering something for every musician, the Step range synchronizes the analog and digital worlds, letting musicians control hardware instruments, outboard modules, virtual instruments, and recording software simultaneously.
Each of the new Black Edition models comes complete with CV cables, giving you immediate access to the sequencer’s hardware control functionality.
Arturia KeyStep Black Edition – 149 US$ / 119 € 
This small format keyboard sequencer features a 32-note slim-key keybed with aftertouch, and lets you sync with & control any software or hardware instrument through its comprehensive connectivity, including USB, MIDI in & out, CV gate, and Sync in & out. Create evolving, polyphonic sequences up to 64 steps long, with real-time recording and rewriting.
Arturia BeatStep Pro Black Edition – 299 US$ / 249 € 
Arturia’s cutting edge, 3-part step sequencer now has a sleek new look. Featuring two separate melodic sequencers and a dedicated 16-track drum sequencer, BeatStep Pro gives the adventurous musician a powerful palette of tools to create dynamic, exciting tracks without the need for a computer screen.
Arturia BeatStep Black Edition – 129 US$ / 99 €
Packing 16 pressure and velocity sensitive pads and 16 rotary knobs into a neat package, BeatStep is an affordable way for musicians to get creative with simple monophonic step-sequences. Able to control outboard synths and virtual instruments alike, BeatStep’s versatility also makes it a great DAW controller.

 
The Black Edition KeyStep, BeatStep, and BeatStep Pro will begin shipping worldwide at the end of April 2017.
For more information on features, specifications and dimensions of the Step Black Edition visit https://www.arturia.com/support/step-black-edition

Tracktion WaveRazor

By
Bryan
-

The Tracktion DAW is slowly sneaking up on the big boys with its unique interface and features. Now they have ventured out in the Virtual Instrument field with WaveRazor

Unleash your dark side with Waverazor — a futuristic synth that gives you the power to splice waveforms into aggressive new sounds. The patent-pending oscillator design utilizes a new form of synthesis to produce biting leads, glitched-out basses, cinematic pads and everything in between.
Twist and torture every parameter of sound using a central oscilloscope for precise waveform creation. Morph multiple parameters at once using an array of performance controllers. The collection of included presets provides a launchpad into endless sonic exploration.

Tracktion’s newest contemporary music production software has landed! To try or buy your copy of Waveform, or to review the various Waveform bundles, go to Tracktion’s MARKETPLACE.

Avid Pro Tools 12 Review Part 2 – Visual and Editing Features

By
Bryan
-

Welcome to Part 2 of Everything Recording’s 5 part review of Pro Tools 12. For Part 1, click HERE. This part explains all of the visual and editing features in Pro Tools 12.
 
Part 2: The Visual and Editing Features:

Pro Tools 12 comes packed with a ton of new visual and editing enhancements. Ever pondered why the “Session Notes” even existed with what little info it displayed? This popup window that displays changes since the session was last used has been expanded to explain I/O changes between systems, and has even added a quick button at the bottom to Pro Tools’ I/O section, allowing for automatic remapping when playback engines change. The Notes section has become more expanded with a better overview of changes as well.
 
Once the session is open, a few visual changes can be recognized right off the bat. The Edit window has been expanded to show background tasks that at times, users would have no clue were being performed until attempting to close the session. Just below the “Start, End, and Length” display at the top of the edit window rests five icons. These icons give an instant picture of vital tasks running in the background like relinking audio files, Track Freeze, Solo, and Mute status. On the very left of this window is an icon resembling an audio clip. This icon is the Session Data Online Status Indicator. This icon will turn red if any files are offline or unavailable. A great quick check to see if all files in huge sessions are linked.
 
Gain reduction metering has also been updated. Metering has been extended to include more options for gain reduction. The choice is yours on what information shows up with the Gain Reduction meter. By right clicking the meter, scrolling to the bottom and selecting “Gain Reduction Meter Type”, priority can be given to either compressors / limiters, Gates / Expanders, or a “Summed” feature will display a combination. These settings are global and cannot be customized per track.
 
Editing functions have received a huge makeover. When manually dragging fades on clips, the Waveform instantly responds to fading and the shape of the audio changes in real time depending on the fade. The Fade menu has also been updated to include presets for types of fades. Batch fades now have a window that gives the user more control over crossfades, fade ins, and fade outs all at once. These updates, though small, offer convenience and time savings in the long run.
 
Speaking of editing clips, Clip Transparency is one of the most useful new features to the Edit Window. In the past when moving clips, a simple yellow bar would show the final resting place of the audio or midi clip. Now with Clip Transparency, the initial state of the clip stays in place while a new transparent version indicates where the audio will move. This makes lining up overdubs or small clips a cinch by giving an instant picture of where the clip will end up. A bonus to this comes in the “Slip Clutch” feature. Instead of having to constantly click the “~” key a million times to find Slip Mode, audio can be left in Grid Mode and by holding the command (ctrl Windows), audio can be temporarily dragged in Slip. My overstretched pinky finger thanks you Avid.
 
On top of Clip Transparency, clip boundaries have an option for a more prominent look with Overlap Shadows. In previous versions, overlapping clips did look slightly different but by selecting View>Clip>Overlap Shadows, audio has a more distinct look. Overlap Shadows now have a more 3D appearance and can be seen more clearly even when zoomed out.
 
Sometimes during tracking or even mixing, good takes get buried in quick overwrites. Of course the audio is still there as long as non-destructive recording is being used, but the file was impossible to get to or even be reminded it existed. Pro Tools 12 now gives an option in Preferences to automatically move both recorded or edited files that have been paved over to a new playlist in the track. By selecting Preferences>Edit, and checking the box for “Send Fully Overlapped Clips to Available Playlist” either recorded, edited, or both types of tracks will be moved into another playlist for safe keeping if covered up. In conjunction, the “View” menu offers several visual aids to display when this feature is being used. Additionally, when playlists are created, Pro Tools indicates tracks with playlists by highlighting the playlist drop down arrow blue.
 
For visual status, enabling the “Clip Overwrite Indicator” in the “View” menu will display a blue highlight letting you know that a smaller clip is getting fully overlapped and moved to a new playlist. If more feedback is needed, the “View” menu also offers Copy/Move indicators that briefly highlight the clip and display an arrow showing the clip is moving to another playlist. In previous versions, if clips were even partially overwritten, any audio under the current clip would not be left intact. The clip would simply cut off at the point the top layered track ended. Now with Layered Editing, if a clip is overlapped, the clip underneath will show back up if the overwriting clip is deleted. This is enabled via Options>Layered Editing, or by clicking the new button just to the right of the “Tab to Transients” button in the top of the Edit Window.
 
While we’re on the subject of layers, Avid have introduced several new enhancements to dragging audio clips. Ever had two adjacent clips lined up perfectly but needed to drag both at the same time? In the past, this would require dragging one side, then the other. Now Tandem Trimming handles this by grabbing both and dragging the extents together. This can be activated via Options>Tandem Trimming. When this feature is activated, hovering close to two overlapping clips will display “][“, and by hovering on either side of the two clips, both clips are locked together and can be dragged in either direction. This combined with Clip Transparency is extremely helpful but a keyboard modifier to turn Tandem Trimming on and off would help even more. It should be noted that Tandem Trimming does not work with TCE and Elastic audio. Trimming has also been updated to accommodate trimming multiple clips in multiple tracks without having to select tracks, hold down shift, then drag. If one clip is selected, simply hold down shift and start dragging another clip. Both will drag together.
Now we’re starting to see a trend here right? Avid is starting to catch up on all of the features users have wanted for years and adding unique ones exclusive to Pro Tools. Stay tuned for Part 3 when we go into the new operational features that have been added for both Pro Tools Standard and HD…

Joey Sturgis Tones Soar Analog Delay

By
Bryan
-

With so many delay plugins offering WAYYY too many options, it’s refreshing to see a plugin that takes us back to basics. Joey Sturgis Tones SOAR handles tape delay as it should, purely old school.

SOAR is a tape delay combining the lush, analog tones of tape with the power and flexibility of digital processing. With SOAR, you maintain complete creative control of your delays in a clean, feature-packed plugin.
Whether you’re looking for a straightforward ¼ note delay, or a multi-head tape delay journey, SOAR delivers a wide variety of tonal options.
In addition to the traditional controls of analog & digital delays, SOAR is the first plugin of its kind to offer tape degradation controls in-the-box. Use the “Health” and “Contour” knobs to dial in anything from vintage saturation to a full-on tape machine breakdown!

SOAR includes

  • True Analog Tape Modeled Processing

  • Tape Control Including: Repeats, Age & Flutter

  • Variable 15/30 ips Speed

  • Groundbreaking Tape “Health” & “Contour” Adjustments

  • Onboard Mono & Mix Controls

  • Built-in Tutorial Mode and Control Definition

  • and much more…

 
Price: $99.00 (regularly $129.00)
For more information, visit https://joeysturgistones.com/collections/everything/products/soar

Spitfire Audio BT Phobos

By
Bryan
-

Spitfire Audio have created a one stop shop for creating cinematic tracks using vintage synths, percussion, and things we’ve never even heard of! BT PHOBOS is Spitfires latest creation.

LONDON, UK: Spitfire Audio, purveyors of the finest virtual instruments from the finest musical samples in the world, is proud to announce availability of BT PHOBOS — conceived in close collaboration with notable namesake American composer (The Fast And The Furious, Monster, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) and electronica pioneer BT (Brian Transeau) as a must-have Polyconvolution Synthesizer for any AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-supporting DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), and lending itself to writing cinematic electronic, epic, and hybrid compositions, courtesy of its liquid, morphing, and transformational convolution capabilities — as of April 13…
All of which begs some serious questions: what, exactly, is BT PHOBOS? One of Mars’ moons, maybe? A synthesizer? A tool for creating colossal cinematic and electronic rhythms? An engine for endless spectral combinations of wide, lush pads and ambiences with propulsive rhythmic figures? Is it a sound library of an astronomical vintage synthesizer collection, bespoke beats, field recordings, live acoustic and orchestral treatments, micro-rhythms, percussion, and textures? Truth be told, that’s just scratching its stellar surface — inspiration-wise or otherwise!
On the face of it, at its core BT PHOBOS is, indeed, a synthesizer — albeit a soft synth based on the unexplored precept of polyconvolution as a synthesis engine. Extraordinarily adept American audio engineer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, and technologist BT came up with the idea many moons ago when working with sound design — polyconvolution… as a synthesizer. So what, exactly, does that mean? Well, what it means is: instead of using convolution — a piece of software (or algorithm) that creates a simulation of an audio environment — for reverb or modelling an amplifier’s distortion circuit, why not make a ‘reverb’ impulse response tonal? Why not, indeed. In fact, BT did just that, and, in doing so, found that combining something rhythmical with something tonal (as an impulse response) yielded some of the most modern, liquid, and percolating responses he had ever encountered — exactly the kind of sounds he had been searching for while scoring music for films and games… those elusive sounds suited to satisfying the most demanding directors’ wishes. Words like, “Movement and a feeling of drive, yet subtly…” need no longer prove problematic — thanks to BT PHOBOS!
BT brought a whole new musical meaning to the ‘Special Relationship’ between the United Kingdom and United States by working in close collaboration with Spitfire Audio to combine over 20 GB of his own personal bespoke libraries into a tonal engine, enabling BT PHOBOS users ultimately to filter, pulse, rhythmically cut, and sculpt impulse responses that are harmonic, melodic, and tonal. Then play them polyphonically.
Put it this way: one of the most significant solutions BT PHOBOS provides is giving composers an ability to engage their audiences for extended sequences and cues without sounding repetitive or ‘loopy’. Leaning on an all-new, realtime interface interaction allows BT PHOBOS users to evolve, transform, and warp their molecular musical patterns according to nuanced changes within a scene.
So since BT PHOBOS cleverly challenges the convention of loops, tones, and how they are used in a convolution, central to its operation is a beautiful bespoke GUI (Graphical User Interface) implemented to cultivate creativity through fostering familiarity. Which is why, when clicking on the name of any (sound) SOURCE or CONVOLVER, users are greeted by exactly the same browser. Better still, users can automate many of the powerful and unique controllers central to the BT PHOBOS vision. Which is why modulation MAPPINGS — the way in which functions are mapped and then ‘modulated’ (or changed) in realtime or automated via controllers — are key to many presets, and applied both to SOURCE/CONVOLVER. Cutting-edge sound source advanced controls (to further adapt each SOURCE, such as ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, and RELEASE; START OFFSET; FILTERS; and GATES) and convolution advanced controls (to further adapt each CONVOLVER and its impulse response — similar to SOURCE controls, providing the same functionality for each CONVOLVER) carry creative composers into an almost limitless inspirational musical well… well, there are actually 90 sextillion-plus combinations of sounds, so inspiration is guaranteed to never run dry!
If — like BT before you — you are on a musical mission to explore strange new sound worlds… to boldly go where no composer has gone before, be assured that BT PHOBOS pushes compositions into emotional, evocative, expressive, and truly new voyages of discovery like no other soft synth plug-in that has gone before it.

 

BT PHOBOS can be purchased and digitally downloaded (22.9 GB of uncompressed .WAV files, featuring 2,422 samples) as Spitfire Audio’s first plug-in for any AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-supporting Digital Audio Workstation (with more than 2,000 unique sounds created by BT that can be used both as a SOURCE or as an impulse response) for a time-limited introductory promo price of £209.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$229.00 USD/€239.00 EUR (inc. VAT) until 08:00 GMT on April 27, 2017 — rising thereafter to an RRP of £269.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$299.00 USD/€309.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/bt-phobos/
For more in-depth info, including several superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated BT PHOBOS webpage here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/bt-phobos/
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