Looking to explore what else is out there.. I mainly use stock FL 12 plugins and I get ok results but I am looking for the best of the best to look at and see what makes them different.. If the VST needs to be in a chain please specify the order of the chain and why.

 

Depends of many things (mood/inspiration/moment...).

Right now, I'm playing a lot with Waves Codex and Arturia Wurlitzer-V but as I said, if you were asking this question three months ago, I would answer something else like Alchemy for example.

Anyway, you've got the idea.

 

I just recently tried out this plug and am so thoroughly impressed that I will bite and answer your query. It is amazing to me how I can sculpt a 3 dimensional sound canvas while having all the little bits live in their own spaces while tying everything together in a coherent and energetic distance/time=3D space. It us on sale today for only $75. To me, totally worth it for all that it offers, eq or eq with dynamics

Metric Halo Multiband Dynamics

 

I dont use FL. But I've seen SeamlessR doing amazing things with only stock plugins. FL has great stock plugins. You can add some saturation plugins or analog emulations to your list because everything else is present there.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 6, 2016

I'll name three, all time top notch AU's:
1 - Waves C4
2 - Waves Schepps
3 - Emagic's ES 1&2
again, there's too many to mention or choose from, but over the last decade or so these three have stood out hands down, and I've used them on most if not all my work and productions. Cheers!

 

for you, my friend, only the best, only the cream of the crop

 

The only VST I use in all my projects is FabFilter's Pro Q 2. Not because it sounds particularly good, but because it's intuitive and light on the CPU.

Honestly, the more you mix, the more you notice that the technique is way more important than the plugins themselves...So, I don't think there's something really game-changing in the VST world.

The truth is, each project is different from the next one and there's no such thing as secret fx chains or indispensable plugins. Any good mixer could produce great mixes using only stock plugins.

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2016

It's quite difficult to say without knowing what you're into, Like the majority of the stuff I work on and also create is metal and it's various offspring. So processors and a few effects + acoustic drum kit ROMplers and layering/replacement tools ala Drumagog. It'd be rather boring I would think for those creating electronic genres and dance/club designed stuff.

I'd happily rattle off what I like and get good results from though if genre and instrument/source material isn't the major factor as good processors and effects are universal/ought to work with all materials (bar the odd specialized stuff)

Dean

 

ok...

so i've seen quite a few of your posts now, but i've never responded before.

and this isn't to discourage you, or anything like that. maybe others have said this in other threads.

i've noticed kind of a common thread in your posts: you have a 'need' to know the exact processes/chains to use in certain mixing situations.

i don't think you realize this is one of many 'million-dollar questions' when it comes to processing audio.

because that's impossible to answer.

reason being, like mrpsanter said, "Depends of many things (mood/inspiration/moment...)."

two different people mixing the same track with the same stems will get different outcomes regardless of their level of knowledge in the art of mixing, simply because of one reason: they're two different people. it's human nature to do the same job differently because of individuality, even if the differences aren't obvious visually.

so asking a bunch of people that mix audio 'how to process' and 'what chain order' becomes pointless.

because everybody's gonna have a different answer for the same job, more likely than not.

there is no one-size-fits-all for ANY audio situation. ever. Neveruary 32nd. because physics.

you'd have to send your stems to someone & let them do the work, then they send the session back to you just to see what they used and in what order because trying to get answers when you're the only one with the material isn't gonna work; it becomes a guessing game. and even then, there may be some instances of effects, or aux setups that might make you question why the person did it that way. and deeper still, you may not be able to use that exact chain for the next job because you won't be working with the same raw audio signals.

the only way to know is to try & see how it FEELS to you. every time. if you're thinking it, try it, adjust, and if it works, go on, if not, try something else. that's really all u can do.

i think the only common technique among audio engineers is the gain-staging process. generally, if you know the rules, you know the process. and even then, your trim numbers will likely be different between two audio signals.

that and rendering/printing mixes and masters.

i'm sorry, but i'm just being real with you. i've seen some people say you're a troll, and i don't even feel that way; i think you genuinely want to know, but you're asking impossible questions for the most part. i used to ask these same questions when i started, but i figured out eventually that i had to do what works for me & my setup, and what DAW, and what plugins, and what level of determination i had, to learn how to use them in a given situation.

watch youtube videos & tutorials & listen to A LOT of music, different genres & styles. while listening, try to recognize compression, gating, reverb, delay, etc in the songs & then go try that shit!

personally, i think your mixes are cool! i've heard some of your stuff. you're more in the ballpark than not.

 

Few years ago, Richard Hammond wanted to drive a Formula One car in one of the Top Gear episodes. Along with the huge horse power, there is one significant particularity on F1 cars: they need to be driven at high speeds all the time, otherwise the rubber on the wheels gets cold and will get a permanent damage.
Hammond, which is a very experienced driver in day to day cars and rally cars, had to return 3 or 4 times to the pit stops to get the rubbers reheated because he was not able to maintain the high speed required by that F1 car and eventually managed to get a full lap in the end.

My point: Going 3rd party with the "best plug-ins" at a beginner level is pointless. You don't know how & what to achieve and will end up bashing the advice and the plugs. Better spend time learning each bundled plug-in with the daw, listen to what it does then decide what you want to improve, then purchase your next plug-in. During this period your ears will accustom to sense small differences (in both frequency and volume changes) in sound, which is a critical phase in growing up to be a producer.

 

This is a legend in my studio. And it is mono/stereo actually.


This one, too. No dBs and metre of any kind. You have to use ears but you can still see the curve. It's also auto-levelling. Still a great EQ. There's a 5-band version also.

 

Thanks, you see that I am actually trying to become better and I have passion for this. No one knows when our time will be up and I suggest to everyone to go after their dreams and never let the negativity stop you from achieving your goals no matter what that goal is!

 

http://sleepytimedsp.tumblr.com/downloads

http://magnus.smartelectronix.com/#NyquistEq

 

The sad thing about SF threads is that the valuable, correct answers are buried deep in crap of insults from the op.

"With higher quality things we can perform better"

I don't know if I should cry or laugh...I think I'll go with a compromise and just sigh.

The truth has been told: Experienced in mixing you will outrun every unexperienced and his parade of super-duper-higher-quality "thingies" with just stock tools. And if the music you're mixing sucks, it also sucks with super-duper-higher-quality "thingies".

 

Hey Faoki, whats up mate? Keep being like this man, always try to improve yourself...
But just to heads up, always focus on sound selection and sound design (Synthesis), it's the most important thing, spend as time as needed to have the right sounds, the right synths, with the right attack, decay and release times. Other than this, have a EQ, a Compressor, a reverb and a delay vsts that you know really well and you can create really nice tracks. If is there a secret it is know how to use your tools really well!

 

well, as a full time fl studio user I can tell you that the stock plugins (especially effects) just are not good enough.

 

Sorry mate...i´m only using AU plugssss

 

fabfilter pro q2 has mid-side eq option while parametric eq-2 has no option to do that. Don't suggest me to use patcher and multiple instances of parametric eq2. I love fl studio and all the stock plugins it has but just to name a difference :D

 

Dude, there's no way people can share their experience. It's not that they don't want to, it's because it's impossible.

What's the use for you to tell you to use Altiverb as long as you have no idea what an impulse response is, what is room reverb, how to thicken a sound with an insert reverb or how to use a mono reverb on the top of the kick with parallel processing to sound like any other EDM kick? You're going to use it as any stock reverb.

What's the user for you to tell you to use Soundtoys Echoboy when you have no idea about the difference between a delay line and an echo, parallel Haas effect or using delay to position a sound in your mix using the builtin EQ on taps? You'll use it as your stock delay, without delving into the settings or just random tweak the knobs.

 

Must have good basic plugins, you might be missing these other than stock plugins:

FabFilter Pro Q2: If you want mid/side option or else parametric eq2 is way more lighter on pc.

FXpansion Maul: Good plugin for saturation, if this seems complicated for you to use remember it's just like sausage fattener but way better.

Glue: Use this for compression (on eg: mixing two leads etc. sounds that don't sound good together), don't use this on individual tracks instead go for fruity compressor if you have to.

Fabfilter Saturn: good one, saturating with this is fun.

Valhalla Room: Good reverb plugin, use this if you don't like how fruity reverb sounds.

AND

Ozone for mastering.

SSL Compressors are good but they don't come alone, they have other plugins bundled with them like either with waves or duendo bundle, so ditch them.

Answer to your question: You should start with nothing but eq and cut the frequencies below 20hz (I do 30hz) and then take care of the highs (cut until you hear no difference).

I cannot discuss about every plugin (no secrets, seriously :D) just don't wanna waste your time and my time.

Sometimes by SeamlessR and Veela uses stock plugins, it sounds great! when he did you can do it with stock plugins, like many others don't be bad carpenter, don't balme your tool box. Stick to the Daw you use, as getting used to other daw takes sometime.

 

Last edited: Jun 9, 2016