Hello! I was curious about how I can achieve the wideness i´ve heard in mixes using Matthew Lane´s DrMS, but with alternative tools. I am pretty new to the depth of stereo imaging, but I know know how much of a difference it can make. If anyone can tell me what the plugin is doing, and how it can be achieved through alternative plugins that would be great. DrMS is insane, at least from videos I´ve watched, but the iLok system that is required to access it is a deal breaker for me...

 

I tested it a while ago when I saw it in one of Pensado's vids but besides using the presets as a starting point it was a bit too difficult to use. For me at least. I still don't think you need this particular tool for widening. I'll stick with SoundToys EchoBoy (although most delays can do a similar trick at the end). The key is to keep your main sound to stand out in mono and add a short EQ'd delay on a bus mixed in for the widening effect. Adding reverbs and ping dong delays as effects will make it even bigger. Or something like Dimension Expander (which is free btw) or only the side information mixed in from Brainworx Stereomaker (you can use an utility to disable the mid information). M/S EQ'ing with boosting the sides or iZotope's Imager are also interesting ways. Now I think about it, there are plenty of alternatives!

Of course, you can also do the old trick of layering and panning. For example: 1 left, 1 middle, 1 right. But the left and right channel need some adjustments with sampledelay - or just use slightly different sounds in the first place - otherwise all channels will clash.

 

Th

Thank you! Do you think you could link me to some widening tutorials? It would mean a lot, because I am pretty new and dumbfounded when it comes to widening things with delay and how to use it in full context of the mix.

 

Bobby Owsinski has some great mixing tricks with this subject covered, although it's not my kind of music, his tricks are universal. Besides that, Google and Youtube are your friends

 

SPL Vitalizer!!, the Softube plugin is nice, but if you can get the original MKI hardware you might get the sound you're looking for.

It's a singular stereo knob (not as complex as DrMS) but if you pull up a Mid/Side EQ and a send you can create some real cool stuff in the stereo field without affecting the mono at all. Eg: Vocal ->(send) -> Small room verb/Slap -> Vitalizer

It won't affect mono signal but will widen anything remotely stereo in the best way i've ever heard,

Real underrated piece of gear. I use mine on either master bus to sweeten or on effects group to widen reverbs, delays etc..

Peace