Add plugin to multiple tracks at once

Have any feature requests? No promise they'll get to Reason Studios, but you can still discuss them here.
Post Reply
User avatar
tobypearce
Posts: 576
Joined: 28 Sep 2015
Contact:

14 Oct 2018

This would be a neat feature - not sure that any other DAWs do this currently so would give plus points for Reason!

There are increasing use cases where you need to add the same VST to multiple, or even every track in a project. Two examples:
a) Console emulations like Sominus Satson
b) Izotope's Mix Tap.

It would be fantastic to have an option to add an instance of the plugin to every (or selected) tracks on a project. What a time saver.

Implementation could look similar to the Bounce Mixer Channels file menu:
1. File Menu -> Create -> Insert effect on multiple channels
2. Select Plugin from list
3. Select mixer channels to insert
4. Insert effect:
*At beginning of plugin chain [ideal for console emulation], or
*At end of plugin chain [ideal for Mix tap, or a spectrum analyser].
https://onetrackperweek.com
One year - 52 tracks - Electronic Dance Music

User avatar
Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

14 Oct 2018

I dont have that use case. I would use a bus or a send fx.
Reason12, Win10

User avatar
selig
RE Developer
Posts: 11685
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

14 Oct 2018

Pro Tools has had this for years as a generic way to do things to single tracks, a selection of tracks, or all tracks by adding a key command - VERY handy.

From PT Experts:
Alt (Mac) Option (PC) - Applies the command to every track in items such as inputs and outputs. Or when applying a new insert or muting an insert. It also puts faders and pots back to their default position.

If you add “shift” it applies the command to the current selection, so you could for example add the same plugin or “record arm” all your drum tracks in a single command.

I’ve asked for Reason to add this simple yet flexible and useful feature for YEARS now because it addresses so many workflows without adding ANY additional buttons or menu items. Once you learn it you quickly use it intuitively for any command you need to apply to more than one channel, such as record arming or automating, muting, soloing (or unspoloing), resetting controls to their defaults, copy/paste settings etc, assigning inputs outputs (you can also add them incrementally for a selection or for all), and so much more.


Sent from some crappy device using Tapatalk
Selig Audio, LLC

User avatar
selig
RE Developer
Posts: 11685
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

14 Oct 2018

Loque wrote:I dont have that use case. I would use a bus or a send fx.
That’s a different use case, with a different result for different situations.

A bus or send FX would be would be POST channel, and would be applied to the bus/send “sum”.

For example, non-linear processing such as compression or saturation sounds very different when it’s applied to a bus as opposed to when it’s applied to every channel individually - consider the difference between the channel compressor vs the master compressor as one well known example. Multitrack tape saturation vs 2 track tape saturation is another.


Sent from some crappy device using Tapatalk
Selig Audio, LLC

User avatar
Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

14 Oct 2018

selig wrote:
14 Oct 2018
Loque wrote:I dont have that use case. I would use a bus or a send fx.
That’s a different use case, with a different result for different situations.

A bus or send FX would be would be POST channel, and would be applied to the bus/send “sum”.

For example, non-linear processing such as compression or saturation sounds very different when it’s applied to a bus as opposed to when it’s applied to every channel individually - consider the difference between the channel compressor vs the master compressor as one well known example. Multitrack tape saturation vs 2 track tape saturation is another.


Sent from some crappy device using Tapatalk
Thanks for reply. I know that the results may differe. I just dont have the use case to put the initialized same device on several tracks atonce. In the end, i need to copy the patches, the device if there is no patch, or adjust everyone on its own and also need to concentrate on exactly that chanel and that device. I just dont have a need to put a initialized device atonce on several tracks. If i want the same patch and fx on several tracks, i would find a different way, like combining, parallel, bus, send or whatever i need. Having 10 times the same device with the same settings is waste of CPU and waste of control to adjust them. I concentrate on one sound, try to get it finished to a certain point and move on. IMO.
Reason12, Win10

User avatar
guitfnky
Posts: 4408
Joined: 19 Jan 2015

14 Oct 2018

Loque wrote:
14 Oct 2018
Having 10 times the same device with the same settings is waste of CPU and waste of control to adjust them.
it’s not a waste of CPU whatsoever if it gets you the sound you’re looking for. 🤷🏻‍♂️

as Selig points out, applying an effect globally on a summed buss is a completely different thing than applying the same effect to multiple channels individually. you might not use something like this, but there are lots of us who would find it very beneficial.

as for controlling them, it’s really not that hard to right click and copy/paste the patch.
I write good music for good people

https://slowrobot.bandcamp.com/

User avatar
Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

14 Oct 2018

guitfnky wrote:
14 Oct 2018
Loque wrote:
14 Oct 2018
Having 10 times the same device with the same settings is waste of CPU and waste of control to adjust them.
it’s not a waste of CPU whatsoever if it gets you the sound you’re looking for. 🤷🏻‍♂️

as Selig points out, applying an effect globally on a summed buss is a completely different thing than applying the same effect to multiple channels individually. you might not use something like this, but there are lots of us who would find it very beneficial.

as for controlling them, it’s really not that hard to right click and copy/paste the patch.
Might be, maybe it depends on the fx. In my experience it gets pretty muddy, for example if you use several reverbs, or distortion like devices on different channels. Well, as i already said, i dont need it, especially i dont need to add the same device to several channels at once - that is my point. You need it. Each on its own.
Reason12, Win10

User avatar
xylyx
Posts: 232
Joined: 11 Feb 2015

14 Oct 2018

tobypearce wrote:
14 Oct 2018
This would be a neat feature - not sure that any other DAWs do this currently so would give plus points for Reason!
Studio One does this and has for quite some time. In that, you select multiple mix channels and then drop an effect on one channel and it is then applied to all highlighted mix channels.

User avatar
selig
RE Developer
Posts: 11685
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

14 Oct 2018

Loque wrote:
14 Oct 2018
Might be, maybe it depends on the fx. In my experience it gets pretty muddy, for example if you use several reverbs, or distortion like devices on different channels. Well, as i already said, i dont need it, especially i dont need to add the same device to several channels at once - that is my point. You need it. Each on its own.
For saturation FX, in my experience it gets extremely muddy if you only use one on a bus or send vs individual channels, partly due to intermodulation distortion and partly due to non-linearities of the effect. I've always preferred multitrack tape effects over two track tape effects, as one example.

For compression, it's totally two different things BOTH of which I happen to love and NEED for my work!

However, no one is trying to make you change your mind, so yes: to each their own. :)
Selig Audio, LLC

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

14 Oct 2018

I would like that. Adding mix taps one by one is tedious.

User avatar
tobypearce
Posts: 576
Joined: 28 Sep 2015
Contact:

15 Oct 2018

@Loque
Here's another potential use case:
A channel strip that you like to use on a number of different tracks. Izotope Alloy 2, for example, has a number of different, lightweight tools for mixing.

I agree that you don't want to be splashing the same reverb or delay across many different tracks - using a send for this is much more effective and efficient. But that's not the use case in this thread.
https://onetrackperweek.com
One year - 52 tracks - Electronic Dance Music

User avatar
Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

15 Oct 2018

tobypearce wrote:
15 Oct 2018
@Loque
Here's another potential use case:
A channel strip that you like to use on a number of different tracks. Izotope Alloy 2, for example, has a number of different, lightweight tools for mixing.

I agree that you don't want to be splashing the same reverb or delay across many different tracks - using a send for this is much more effective and efficient. But that's not the use case in this thread.
I try to be open here and i thought it left, i thought it right, tried to remember if i ever had that need, but i never had the wish to add a device to multiple tracks at once. It is just not my workflow. I work on one sound at a time. I am pretty sure, i would forget that i had added a device to 3 o4 other tracks and also would forget to adjust them.

Here is what i normally do if it becomes to mixing:
* I check which should sound together
* i bus them, add saturation and compressor as needed (maybe there are already some before due to sound sculpting and shaping)
* I finish this track/bus
* i go to the next, think of what it needs, add an eq, compressor, limiter whatever it "requires".
* Go to the next
* If i want the same compressor or whatever from the track before, i just copy-drag it
* and so on and so on
* Everything from a audio splitting, single tracks, insert, send, parallel, bus, ... might be possible, depending on the sounds need

I just never had the need to add one device to multiple tracks at once. Thats all.
Reason12, Win10

User avatar
C//AZM
Posts: 366
Joined: 20 Jan 2015

26 Nov 2018

Loque wrote:
15 Oct 2018
tobypearce wrote:
15 Oct 2018
@Loque
Here's another potential use case:
A channel strip that you like to use on a number of different tracks. Izotope Alloy 2, for example, has a number of different, lightweight tools for mixing.

I agree that you don't want to be splashing the same reverb or delay across many different tracks - using a send for this is much more effective and efficient. But that's not the use case in this thread.
I try to be open here and i thought it left, i thought it right, tried to remember if i ever had that need, but i never had the wish to add a device to multiple tracks at once. It is just not my workflow. I work on one sound at a time. I am pretty sure, i would forget that i had added a device to 3 o4 other tracks and also would forget to adjust them.

Here is what i normally do if it becomes to mixing:
* I check which should sound together
* i bus them, add saturation and compressor as needed (maybe there are already some before due to sound sculpting and shaping)
* I finish this track/bus
* i go to the next, think of what it needs, add an eq, compressor, limiter whatever it "requires".
* Go to the next
* If i want the same compressor or whatever from the track before, i just copy-drag it
* and so on and so on
* Everything from a audio splitting, single tracks, insert, send, parallel, bus, ... might be possible, depending on the sounds need

I just never had the need to add one device to multiple tracks at once. Thats all.
I guess what you're saying is that you fix one track by itself, then copy/paste to the next one and so on.

I hear you and I feel you. But here's my example;
You've just recorded eight tracks of background vocal through that moofy mic that works well in some cases but is muddy in other cases. You know the fix, need to add eq on each track and since they're the same voice through the same mic with the same moofy sound, you need to quickly put EQ on all the tracks.
Then you need to add tape saturation to all eight. In this case you're working on eight tracks of BKG but it is actually one big stereo entity.
This shortcut would work well.
I know that's not your style, but can you see how this would help?

ETA,--- actually, that's a bad example because I would also tweak one eq till it's right, then copy/paste to the others in that specific case.

User avatar
Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

26 Nov 2018

C//AZM wrote:
26 Nov 2018
Loque wrote:
15 Oct 2018

I try to be open here and i thought it left, i thought it right, tried to remember if i ever had that need, but i never had the wish to add a device to multiple tracks at once. It is just not my workflow. I work on one sound at a time. I am pretty sure, i would forget that i had added a device to 3 o4 other tracks and also would forget to adjust them.

Here is what i normally do if it becomes to mixing:
* I check which should sound together
* i bus them, add saturation and compressor as needed (maybe there are already some before due to sound sculpting and shaping)
* I finish this track/bus
* i go to the next, think of what it needs, add an eq, compressor, limiter whatever it "requires".
* Go to the next
* If i want the same compressor or whatever from the track before, i just copy-drag it
* and so on and so on
* Everything from a audio splitting, single tracks, insert, send, parallel, bus, ... might be possible, depending on the sounds need

I just never had the need to add one device to multiple tracks at once. Thats all.
I guess what you're saying is that you fix one track by itself, then copy/paste to the next one and so on.

I hear you and I feel you. But here's my example;
You've just recorded eight tracks of background vocal through that moofy mic that works well in some cases but is muddy in other cases. You know the fix, need to add eq on each track and since they're the same voice through the same mic with the same moofy sound, you need to quickly put EQ on all the tracks.
Then you need to add tape saturation to all eight. In this case you're working on eight tracks of BKG but it is actually one big stereo entity.
This shortcut would work well.
I know that's not your style, but can you see how this would help?

ETA,--- actually, that's a bad example because I would also tweak one eq till it's right, then copy/paste to the others in that specific case.
I can understand that it may help if you need to add one device to a bunch of tracks. In your example I would use a bus and you said you would copy it. If you have that use case for adding one device to multiple tracks, OK...
Reason12, Win10

dankje
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Oct 2016

25 Aug 2020

Old topic, but I was looking for the same thing.

It's pretty tedious to add a relay to all my tracks one at a time
:reason: 11

kurtg
Posts: 49
Joined: 10 Apr 2018

02 Sep 2020

+1 for insert a plugin on multiple tracks.

itierney
Posts: 11
Joined: 05 Sep 2020

11 Nov 2020

- Create an audio track with all the insert FX you need.
- Any channel that you want to pass through the FX should go into the first effect in the chain.
- us the Spider audio to send multiple channels through the same FX chain.

So here we see the piano and the guitar on the left, going into the spider and both going through the FX chain on the right.
Screenshot 2020-11-11 at 21.30.50.jpg
Screenshot 2020-11-11 at 21.30.50.jpg (677.7 KiB) Viewed 3392 times
Last edited by itierney on 12 Nov 2020, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Boombastix
Competition Winner
Posts: 1929
Joined: 18 May 2018
Location: Bay Area, CA

11 Nov 2020

Well, drag in an FX on multi channels and now you have a default preset on, say, 20 channels that your need to adjust.

I find it useful to drag in, say, an EQ, do some settings and then use CTRL+Shift and drag it to the next channel and my settings comes with it. Very useful if you have a bunch of vocals that you want to EQ the same way.
10% off at Waves with link: https://www.waves.com/r/6gh2b0
Disclaimer - I get 10% as well.

Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests