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Old 01-01-2015, 08:10 AM   #1
111
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Default How to quickly compare several different plugins of the same type?

Hello! warning! silly question. The problem occurs when I try to decide which plugin to choose, I`m starting comparing some of them and when I bypass the previous plugin and turn on the next I can`t do this, because I` ve already forgotten how it sounded before (with previous plugin). Especially the problem occurs when I compare plugins with subtle effect, e.g. saturators or so... Hope that was understandable enough)
So, I`ve just thought, is there any solution to immediately compare plugins, so that I could use some kind of mode when I switch between different plugins and they are automatically muting/turning on during audio playback?
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Old 01-01-2015, 08:35 AM   #2
whiteaxxxe
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you can do the following:

1. delete the word "subtle" from your vocabulary
2. choose the next best (literally) plugin of the wanted kind: compressor, delay, eq, whatever ...
3. dial in a sound you like
4. forget about all other plugins of the same kind
5. do your work
6. do more of your work
7. after half a year go to your plugin-deirectory and delete all plugins of which you dont know anymore what the heck they were meant for
8. make music & do your work



seriously, I dont know what to do in such cases. I have managed to have the behaviour similar to described above. I dont try more than maximal 2 plugins. if I do, I know, there is something really wrong with me. or the plugins. or Reaper. or Cubase. or the political situation. or whatever.

so ... the real problem is, that we have gazillions of eqs, all claim to be different than the other. same foe delays, compressors, reverbs and so on and on ... its hopeless. this year we will be brought again 1000s of plugins. NONONO. I am not gonna take that any longer .. :-)))
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Old 01-01-2015, 08:49 AM   #3
nofish
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Check SWS snapshots

http://www.standingwaterstudios.com/snapshots.php

You could build snapshots with FX running / bypassed and toogle between with a mouse press (or action).

Needs the free SWS extensions installed.

http://sws.mj-s.com/index.php

edit:
Other method, you could off course also simply automate bypass / un-bypass of the plugins.

Last edited by nofish; 01-01-2015 at 08:55 AM.
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Old 01-01-2015, 10:56 AM   #4
111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteaxxxe View Post
you can do the following:

1. delete the word "subtle" from your vocabulary
2. choose the next best (literally) plugin of the wanted kind: compressor, delay, eq, whatever ...
3. dial in a sound you like
4. forget about all other plugins of the same kind
5. do your work
6. do more of your work
7. after half a year go to your plugin-deirectory and delete all plugins of which you dont know anymore what the heck they were meant for
8. make music & do your work



seriously, I dont know what to do in such cases. I have managed to have the behaviour similar to described above. I dont try more than maximal 2 plugins. if I do, I know, there is something really wrong with me. or the plugins. or Reaper. or Cubase. or the political situation. or whatever.

so ... the real problem is, that we have gazillions of eqs, all claim to be different than the other. same foe delays, compressors, reverbs and so on and on ... its hopeless. this year we will be brought again 1000s of plugins. NONONO. I am not gonna take that any longer .. :-)))
Well, you know how it can be, sometimes you need one eq, sometimes another. And what`s wrong with word "subtle"?) For those, whose native language is English this word appears pretty often, why can`t I use it, LOL
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Old 01-01-2015, 10:59 AM   #5
111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nofish View Post
Check SWS snapshots

http://www.standingwaterstudios.com/snapshots.php

You could build snapshots with FX running / bypassed and toogle between with a mouse press (or action).

Needs the free SWS extensions installed.

http://sws.mj-s.com/index.php

edit:
Other method, you could off course also simply automate bypass / un-bypass of the plugins.
thanx... those SWS are pretty intresting, though I didn`t get how to switch between different vst`s. for now I just select 2 plugins (one of them is turned on) and click ctrl B. Some kind of A/B comparison)
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Old 01-01-2015, 11:10 AM   #6
serr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 111 View Post
Hello! warning! silly question. The problem occurs when I try to decide which plugin to choose, I`m starting comparing some of them and when I bypass the previous plugin and turn on the next I can`t do this, because I` ve already forgotten how it sounded before (with previous plugin). Especially the problem occurs when I compare plugins with subtle effect, e.g. saturators or so... Hope that was understandable enough)
So, I`ve just thought, is there any solution to immediately compare plugins, so that I could use some kind of mode when I switch between different plugins and they are automatically muting/turning on during audio playback?
Quickest way to get an instant/seamless A/B would be to use a 2nd track.

Duplicate the track in question.
Replace the plugin on the duplicate with the new one to demo.
Now just exclusive solo (⌥⌘-click the solo) back and forth between the tracks to A/B. (Exclusive solo un-solos any previously solo'd tracks.)
Then just delete the track that lost.

*Apologies if the shortcut is wrong due to me changing my keyboard shortcuts and not remembering.
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Old 01-02-2015, 03:53 AM   #7
earforce
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I do this in this way:

I load the plugs in the effect chain, lets say 3 comps. I only activate one after the other and do my settings. To compare i do this in effect chain window:

Activate only comp1
Select entry 1 (comp1 activated) and 2 (comp2, not working) in the effect chain via CTRL + click.
With the shortcut CTRL + B you toggle the bypass status of the selected items.
Change the selection to comp1 and comp3 or comp2 and comp3, again one activated, one dis-activated. CTRL + B does the rest.

You can do this also with plugin sets like comp1 + eq1 (activ), comp2 +eq2 (not activ) and so on.

Last edited by earforce; 01-03-2015 at 03:35 AM.
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Old 01-02-2015, 05:20 AM   #8
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Thank you all, ctrl B and Exclusive solo work perfect!)
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Old 01-02-2015, 06:51 AM   #9
Giano
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I save fx chains, e.g.
4 eqs and 4 comps and load them into a bus track,
then I select one eq and comp sometimes two, that´s it.

For every instrument I ve also saved track templates with several tracks with either insert fx or aux fx bus tracks (e.g. reverb),
e.g. track template e-bass has 5 tracks (e.g.with amp sims, cabs, comps, Saturation, distortion) and in the end I will have three tracks for e-bass
dry DI Signal with sub bass low cut at 65 Hz and highpassed at 3.2 kHz, one track (with amp sim etc. with distortion or Saturation or DI Signal with heavy compression and saturation) with eq highpassed e.g. at 280 Hz and lowpassed at 3.2 kHz and one track (with amp sim etc. without distortion or saturation) lowpassed at 280 Hz.

And I have saved a lot of presets for every plugin I use regularly, of course every new project needs some tweaking, but it´s good to have some own presets, cuz you will save time and you know the application of your presets.

Last edited by Giano; 01-02-2015 at 07:10 AM.
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Old 01-02-2015, 11:42 AM   #10
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Oh no, too difficult) but thanx
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