If You Could ONLY Have 5 Plugins?

[lxm]

Inspired by the too many plug-ins thread. If you could ONLY make music/mix with 5 plugs what would they be? Instrument or effect.

Soundtoys - Echoboy

Waves - API Comp

Waves - API EQ

Kontakt

Reaktor



Honourable mention Nexus 2 and Altiverb .

[dub3000]

The Glue, Vintagewarmer, reaeq, floaty, synth1

I reckon 90% of my plugins are just those.

[G-Sun]

ReaComp, ReaEq, Sonitus Delay, ReaVerb and Waves L1
(Would be different if I had more cpu..)

[Banned]

u-he Diva, AudioRealism Bassline 2, AudioRealism Drum Machine, UAD Moog Multimode Filter.

The entire classic techno rig, right there. Done for life.

BIRDIE! :P

Now, if you force me into a crap sounding room, I'd also pick an UAD Lexicon 224 at -30dB or so. you'd hardly hear it's there though. Is that cheating?

NO DYNAMICS OR EQ NEEDED IF YOU ALREADY HAVE BEST-IN-CLASS SATURATION AND FILTERS *AND GET YOUR FREAKING PATCHES AND ARRANGEMENTS RIGHT.*

(otherwise, you suck at recording, programming synths, composing, arranging, mixing, or any combination of them)

If you give me a great sounding natural room / space, I might occasionally break away from the classic rig and throw in a Sonic Charge µTonic, just for the freaking fun of it.

[Reno.thestraws]

Originally Posted by Banned

NO DYNAMICS OR EQ NEEDED IF YOU ALREADY HAVE BEST-IN-CLASS SATURATION AND FILTERS *AND GET YOUR FREAKING PATCHES AND ARRANGEMENTS RIGHT.*

FOR electronic music perhaps...

I don't think it's the same reality with Rock, METAL or other complex music ;-)

just for example... listen to this track "panem & circences" and explain me how to mix it without eq or dynamics http://www.hyphen8.be/fr_home.html

[Banned]

Originally Posted by Reno.thestraws

FOR electronic music perhaps...

Well, it wasn't part of the question, that I should be able to make *your* favorite music with them.

Originally Posted by Reno.thestraws

I don't think it's the same reality with Rock, METAL or other complex music ;-)

just for example... listen to this track "panem & circences" and explain me how to mix it without eq or dynamics http://www.hyphen8.be/fr_home.html

Sorry, I prefer not to run any Flash in my browser. I'm gonna look it up though, so thanks for the tip - I still have a sweet spot for good metal but haven't been following the scene at all.

But to return to the question, which I'll just try to answer more generally: half the answer is to use (more powerful types of) filters to modify the frequency (than the ones we generally call 'EQ' - there isn't much any EQ can do that I can't do with a series of Moog filters), and doing the same with overdrive/saturation instead of compression to create harmonics.

The other half is that corrective use of eq/dynamics is treating the symptom, not the cause: the frequencies overlap too much / the input levels are too loud or soft. Adjust the timbres of the instruments and arrange the parts better so they don't clash, and make better use of dynamics while playing (play some notes louder, some softer, i.e. play it better). Mind you, recording engineers owe much of their place in the food chain to poor musicians and poor composers/arrangers.

I remember from the days when I played metal that most poorly sounding recordings were just poor performances of poor arrangements on poorly sounding instruments (everybody turning 'their' volumes up to the max). When the music is right, I don't even hear how bad it's recorded (early Sly Stone? *Awesome*. Imagine it being fucked up with corrective EQ and dynamics processing... the horror!)

[brainwreck]

I could get by with none. That's right. Zero. Beat that. I would copy and nudge waves around as to create my audio effects by hand. I would be a man and ride faders instead of relying on compressors - there's your glue, baby. All of my sound sources would come from nature and banging on household objects, and instead of using a sampler, I would chop up my sound sources and arrange them in such ways to make any sampler blush. What, no flanger? I would swing my microphones around in circles above my sound sources. All ambiences would be from distant miking only. We're really getting carried away with all of this plugin stuff.

Ok, I'll play:

Any decent sampler (it doesn't really matter, as long as it doesn't sound like a clown)
NastyDLA, or any other decent delay
Any decent reverb (I don't care, you pick)
Reaeq, or any other decent eq
Reacomp, or any other versatile compressor....I suck at compression any way.

[stratman]

1) Amplitube 3 to cover the bass and guitar amplification

2) IK CSR reverb suite to cover the reverb
I'm cheating there because, strictly, the hall, plate and room are separate VSTs

3) ReaEq for the EQ

4) Probably Addictive Drums for the drums. Although I like Drumasonic (in Kontakt), but I'd need a few more VSTs to process it.

5) Voxengo Elephant as the master limiter

Which means I've got no keyboards

If I could choose a few more, it would be True Pianos (Piano), VB3 (organ) and Reaktor (synths). I choose Reaktor for the range of synths, but my general go to analog synth is Ultra Analog and my general go to FM synth is FM8.

Pete

[Reno.thestraws]

fabfilter saturn

Fabfilter Pro C

FAbfilter PRO Q

SUperior drummer

Guitar rig (make almost everything - delay, eq, comp, lim, reverb, split, LFO, disortion)

[chrisharbin]

Speaking of that, I really wish VB3 would go x64, I'd probably buy it tonight. I HATE "vintage organs" in kontakt But, I'm x64 to stay........

[Tonehenge]

Originally Posted by chrisharbin

Speaking of that, I really wish VB3 would go x64, I'd probably buy it tonight. I HATE "vintage organs" in kontakt But, I'm x64 to stay........

Doesn't the vst bridge cut it there?

[chrisharbin]

True that the bridge in reap is awesome and has served me well, but I've made my decision that it's time to be x64, or be left behind. My bad? Maybe, but this is 2012.......I think considering it's most certainly not a "fad" it's time to catch up

[Tonehenge]

Originally Posted by chrisharbin

True that the bridge in reap is awesome and has served me well, but I've made my decision that it's time to be x64, or be left behind. My bad? Maybe, but this is 2012.......I think considering it's most certainly not a "fad" it's time to catch up

That rationale is personal, so I won't quarrel. I do not see the sense in denying yourself access to a plugin that thanks to technology provisioned in Reaper 64, can be used transparently. Cutting off your B3 to spite your face, so to speak...

[chrisharbin]

Would it be fair to say then that I don't feel like dealing with the extra window stuff with the x86 bridge??

Again, x64.......all of my other plugs have gone x64 and I don't own it yet. I'm not cutting anything off because I don't own it. Was just saying that it's something that could come in handy IF is was x64.

At least we agree it sound very nice

[kindafishy]

Had to put a lot of thought into this...

Rayzoon Jamstix
AcmeBarGig HeadCase
Variety of Sound ThrillseekerLA
Sonimus Satson
TSE B.O.D.

[EvilDragon]

I cannot confine to just 5 plugins, sorry.

But those that I find the absolute staples of my workflow, and from which I simply cannot part, are (in no special order):


Pianoteq
Kontakt
Zebra 2
VAZ Modular
Reaktor
OLGA
Elektrostudio pack
Synth1
SQ8L
VB3
Korg Legacy Collections
Addictive Drums
TAL and Bootsy effects


But hey, I'm upgrading to Komplete 8 now (spring deal, $299, simply cannot pass that up!) so even that will become a staple then.

[kindafishy]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

I cannot confine to just 5 plugins, sorry.

I think ya kinda missed the point, there, ED

I could happily make an album with my 5.

Now, choose!

[richie43]

Originally Posted by kindafishy

I think ya kinda missed the point, there, ED

I could happily make an album with my 5.

Now, choose!

Bah, humbug!

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=99502

[lxm]

Originally Posted by kindafishy

I think ya kinda missed the point, there, ED

I could happily make an album with my 5.

Now, choose!

this! WTF ED!!!!

[mixer]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

But hey, I'm upgrading to Komplete 8 now (spring deal, $299, simply cannot pass that up!) so even that will become a staple then.

$199

http://www.audiomidi.com/results.asp...hText=komplete 8&seoctl00_main_dvProducts=page2

[Swamp Ape]

ReaEQ, Blockfish compressor, Voxengo Tube Amp, Ferric TDS, Lepou Hybrit + LeCab(cheating, I know). Still searching for that perfect reverb....

[Normie]

Awesome question

Z3TA 2
Drummatix Metal
ReaSamplomatic5000
ReaEQ
Reaverb

Z2 gets me any synth sound I can want, Bass included. I really like the Jupiter 8 more but Z2 is damn close and far more versatile D also has lots of onboard FX that are quite useable.

Drummatix Metal is simple and VERY versatile Drum VST - Yes it will do electronica. Spend the $30 and be amazed.

ReaSamp covers that territory/Sample whatever I need from Z2/Drummatix

EQ/Verb pretty much staples.

Anything else is just gravy. (And I do like gravy...

[Blastrio]

NI Massive
Dynamic Spectrum Mapper
Addictive Drums
The Rocket
Valhalla Room
Stilwell 1973
Pianoteq

7. I cheated

[EvilDragon]

Well, I think this would be a LOT better and not as limiting thread if you were to name 5 instrument and 5 effect plugins...

[chrisharbin]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Well, I think this would be a LOT better and not as limiting thread if you were to name 5 instrument and 5 effect plugins...

Always looking for the angle!

[nottooloud]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Well, I think this would be a LOT better and not as limiting thread if you were to name 5 instrument and 5 effect plugins...

Totally agreed. I don't use instrument plugs, so I'm at a distinct advantage.

ReaEQ (i forget who makes this, but it's good)
Rough Rider (Audio Damage)
M30 EQ (TC)
Inspector (RNDigital)
Ozone 5 Maximizer (iZotope)

This would have been harder a few months ago, before I moved to a computer that can't use my ancient PCI-slot UAD cards. I have a bunch of good plugs for them. I still miss the de-essor.

[lowest form]

At the moment these are pretty core to my music making set up (plus a nord micro-modular):

Short circuit
Reaktor
Reverberate
Ohmicide
Bionic delay

And JS time-delay (to compensate for latency!)

[chrisharbin]

Reverberate is such a wonderful gem. It's gone up a bit though since I got mine (another x64 leader they are!)

[jlgrimes11]

Originally Posted by lxm

Inspired by the too many plug-ins thread. If you could ONLY make music/mix with 5 plugs what would they be? Instrument or effect.

Soundtoys - Echoboy

Waves - API Comp

Waves - API EQ

Kontakt

Reaktor



Honourable mention Nexus 2 and Altiverb .

1. Neve 88rs Channel Strip
2. Voxformer
3. Pristine Space Convolution Reverb
4. Izotope Trash (mainly for echo effects)
5. UAD Boss Chorus/Flanger effect

I would be very limited though but overall I think I could get a great mix using a combination of those plug-ins and I would have about every effect I needed since many of those are multi purpose.

[Guncho]

EZdrummer with vintage rock expansion pack
Guitar Rig
Reaverb
Reaeq
Blockfish Compressor

[jnorman34]

ReaFir - for noise reduction, this thing works wonders. try it if you havent.

SIR with a few very tasty IRs from lex 960 and 480 - finding the right IR is the key - i tested 1000s of sucky and mediocre IRs (including IRs from bricasti m7, TC6000, EMT plates, etc etc) before finding these. flux verb session is a close second, with valhalla in third

DMG EQuality - the only decent EQ i can afford. once in a while i will use the pushtec instead, if i only need to slightly touch the low mids.

TB EZ compressor - i ususally use volume envelopes, but ocassionally i apply a touch of this one-knob freebie. smooth and clean - i tried many many compressors, and this is the only one i have ever liked.

Nebula 3 - for a tad of vintage pre emu - pretty rare that i use it, but sometimes just the ticket.

[Argle]

Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, CamelPhat, CamelSpace, ValhallaRoom. I could get by very happily with those.

[ObiK]

1 - T-Racks
2 - SampleTank
3 - CSR
4 - Z3ta+
5 - Rez 3

[richie43]

Originally Posted by ObiK

1 - T-Racks
2 - SampleTank
3 - CSR
4 - Z3ta+
5 - Rez 3

Gee, why so much Ik stuff there ObiK??