A great free plugin for improving the fullness / low-mids of your sounds
Added 2021-07-16 10:29:30 +0000 UTC(the pic is actually of the plugin that the plug I'll write about emulates)
In my mixing work, I'm always very picky about getting the low-mids right.
I want to achieve that certain fullness for drumsounds, an "analog" tone, a cure for "digitalitis".
I've used Massey Tape Head a lot over the years, but it hasn't been officially available in any format other than Pro Tools for some time.
Luckily, I found this free DrumSlam plugin by Airwindows that emulates TapeHead.
Get it for free here (AU/VST).
It only has three controls: Drive, Output, and Dry/Wet (the latter can be useful when you roast it a lot but want to keep some of the dry signal there, as going wild with it will destroy the punch, just like any saturator).
You raise the drive, and you start to hear this mid and low-mid fullness come in.
I've been using this on slightly too thin hihats, snares, claps etc.
I also did a VST-based Ableton Live 11 rack that has knobs for Drive, output gain, and Wet/Dry. Get it here.
I think this works best on drumsounds – I'm always chasing full-sounding claps, hihats, etc. and that's what I've been using this on the most!
Any Qs? Hit me up!
PS: What's everyone gonna do this weekend?
Me, will be looking into this LoopCloud sample service (this is def NOT an ad as I haven't tried it yet, but saw a friend demo it to me, and wanna try it out myself).
Will also need to do a minimix of 5 tracks of my next EP (out late July - will link all tiers except the lowest to the release!)
PPS: New video next week!
Enjoy your weekend ya'll :-)
Comments
I was just checking out that Mackity video. Going to check this one out on my current snare this weekend. I've been using Sample Genie as a monthly sample service for the last 3-4 months. It's great. New season just started and the line up is mental :)
Neal Schlatter aka VariableOp
2021-07-16 18:52:28 +0000 UTCDuuude yes! Glad it's working for ya :)
Janne Hatula
2021-07-16 18:23:11 +0000 UTCHad a little play with DrumSlam and it’s working a treat on one of my snares that was a little too lightweight. It also subtly rounded off the highs which were sounding a bit pokey to me - lovely stuff!
Jonny Pearson
2021-07-16 18:22:11 +0000 UTCGots to be thicc u know! Me, I don't want to buy entire collections; I guess I at least partially (just) got it to get some vocal samples, as good ones are hard to find just by roaming whatever random sample sources. So far the browser appears nice, and I love it that I can browse sounds I havent even bought!
Janne Hatula
2021-07-16 17:53:22 +0000 UTCI did get the Mackity one recently but haven't got super deep with it; I think it offers distortion that'll invigorate the highs more, I'd say, while this one "rounds" the sound a lot.
Janne Hatula
2021-07-16 17:52:19 +0000 UTCThankyou for sharing the rack. This is nice. I'm learning and getting inspired by your work and posts. Getting the thick drums is something I tend to carelessly overdo too often. Its really an art. Yours always end up sounding so good with just enough snap and crunch on top of the body. Also LoopCloud. I think its cool but it screwed with me mentally. As someone who grew up collecting sample CD and spending all that time chopping up the tracks and organizing libraries, i find myself wanting the complete collections even if I only use a few samples. One thing I have been finding really nice about it though is picking vocal samples.
Shane Newville
2021-07-16 17:12:10 +0000 UTCSame here - can’t wait to try this one out! My Mackie 1212 has been in storage since using Mackity. Still feeling a touch guilty about that.
Jonny Pearson
2021-07-16 12:47:39 +0000 UTCAh nice one! Working on old stuff can be fun! I have these old tracker projects I should polish and then release…isn't it crazy hearing the old stuff right? I'll see if i can tune in!
Janne Hatula
2021-07-16 10:50:49 +0000 UTCHope ya dig! Airwindows have SO many plugins, and I need to test more!
Janne Hatula
2021-07-16 10:47:46 +0000 UTClooking forward to the video! Over the weekend I want to record some old ideas from a minidisc from about 20 years ago and see if I can work on them. Sunday, I have a show on www.sub.fm from 11:00-15:00 uk time! So come and listen if you're free! Big up
Rawtrachs
2021-07-16 10:43:01 +0000 UTCOn it - thanks!
Jonny Pearson
2021-07-16 10:36:33 +0000 UTC
