As in being so familiar with it you know exactly what every knob / feature does.
One Knob stuff doesn't count.

 

I wouldn't consider knowing what the knob does mastering a plugin.

there is a big difference and knowing what it does and mastering how to use it.
its not only about the plugin but is also about your ears, and ear training takes time.

if you've ever in doubt of what a feature does in a plugin, i recommend you to open its manual, you'll learn much better and faster how to use it. you don't have to read the whole thing, just the feature you're not sure how it works.

i'm not gonna list the plugins i consider myself a master because i don't believe there are many, just the simple ones, i use most often...

 

maybe more than a thousand Idk, I tested the ones I like thoroughly but I don't really give too much attention about trying to remember it. I learn all of them and made side notes, which I use for quick reference. It's easier that way, using the technology as my spare brain memory. Lol. It's like a simplified version of manual with important notes, workflow, sometimes nice presets, or cool stuff I found out while using them. So whenever I forgot what a knob does, (or the plugin) I just take a look the those notes again, they are all opened by the time I'm working, all has nice shortcut and everything for easy access. I update them regularly, been doing it for a really long time now. It helps, especially playing around k'd plugin that I like but needed some different approach/workaround to keep them stable. Some plugin I note "Render After!" meaning it's not really stable to let it inside the project and using too much CPU. It's impossible to remember them all if I don't have this side notes.

Something like this example below, for the Diamond EQ3, I note the workflow because it has a way to get the best out of it, how the Mid band has different type of curve, so I added graphic for reference, tested optimal OS rate etc. All those info I got back when I first test them on the first week, note them and never try too hard too remember them all.

Sometimes I even share this on the sister's site.

 

All Meldaproduction plugins.
Yes, I'm a masochist. I had to leave my studies, job, wife, friends, lovers, drug dealers, hobbies and dog to have time to pull it off.

 

I know almost everything there is to know about the volume fader. Up goes louder and down goes less loud. All the way down is no loud.

 

You don't master "XXX" number of plugins you master the sound.

But, what I prefer to master, are the default included DAW plugins.

 

The real question is... does it matter?

I think the point of plugins has less to do with "mastering" them and more about incorporating the best parts of a plugin into your workflow. You dont get a medal in the plugin Olympics.

 

That's interesting and certainly a lot of work. At some point I wanted to take side notes of useful presets for some plugins.

 

hahah
whats next? acustica plugins? waves?

 

Most people do not even "master" every plugin in their own DAW. Even only the major Fabfilter plugins would be more than most. Waves would probably be easier than Melda. At least most of the names are different enough. Maybe if someone actually had all the Acustica plugins "mastered" like this, their tech support threads might even reflect that.

This is a silly question.

 

Some people just preset-surf and don't care for mastering their plugins. The results aren't necessarily (much) worse, because those people also tend to have tons of plugins with tons of presets installed. Instead of learning the ins and outs of plugins, they learn the presets. Not how I'd want to work, but whatever works.

 

Fuck knows, a lot. I've gone through all of Ableton's and Logic plugins and use the ones that I use. Most of NI's stuff though can one really know Reaktor or Kontakt?

I think it's more important to know what to use and when, and what works for me (or not), instead of knowing all the internals of every control.

 

There's no such thing as next company with Melda. I've long crossed the no-return line.

 

As long as they are tweaked in context with the material, it's nothing more than a fast starting point that most parameters are already in the ballpark. Set the ratio to infinity on a compressor you don't know how to use at all, and everything after that is wrong no matter what you do. I think one of the worst plugins you can do this with though, is Kick2. A fundamental understanding of the basics will get you way further than knowing every nuance of some plugins. That's when it starts to not matter what you have to use.

 

ARX ONE (indispensable for L & R balance and phase issues)
GULLFOSS
MIXCHECKER PRO

Everything else is hacking about and tweaking presets.

 

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2024

Hell, my girlfriend, friends, lovers, and drug dealers, hobbies, dog (AND cat) left ME for even mentioning that I was thinking about it.

I came to me senses, and realized life was too short, or rather mine was, but it was too late. The only one who came back was my bengal cat...

 

very good one

 

figures.