Do You Use Channel Strip Plugins?

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Do You Use Channel Strip Plugins?

No
37
55%
Yes
30
45%
 
Total votes: 67
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Dante
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06 Jul 2019

To try to work with classic sound on lead / backing vocals. At the moment I'm trying to learn the UAD2 Neve 88RS. Based on reputation of classic gear, theres probably a lot to learn and gain sonically from trying those strips, other than just be restricted to the Reason SSL.

Id pose the opposite question : Is there anyone who specifically restricts themselves to just using the Reason SLL and why ? Or do you just use it and nothing else coz its there already.

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reasonsuser88
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06 Jul 2019

Dante wrote:
06 Jul 2019
Id pose the opposite question : Is there anyone who specifically restricts themselves to just using the Reason SLL and why ? Or do you just use it and nothing else coz its there already.
I use the Reason SSL for supplemental EQ and filtering. The workflow of having that in the rack is a gift from the gods. ProQ3 is my main EQ though while also using Kuassa MP5 and Maag EQ4 as needed. That's an honest assessment of my standard EQ kit and not even considering the other RE's/VST's I have collecting dust. SSL EQ is like final shaping for me if I feel the need. If you're asking if somebody is using only the SSL, now that's a tough one to comprehend considering the restriction as you say, and I would be interested in hearing why. :cat: I won't bother getting into other channel aspects like saturation and compression because I use individual RE's/VST's for that.
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miscend
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06 Jul 2019

I was tempted to get an SSL channel strip plugin. But ultimately I decided I could get quite close with the built in channel strip. Don’t sleep on Reason’s built in per-track SSL channel strip.

reggie1979
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06 Jul 2019

It doesn't suck, but it's difficult to control w/o glasses.

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Boombastix
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07 Jul 2019

esselfortium wrote:
06 Jul 2019
I've been using Neutron a lot lately, if that counts as a channel strip. Instances of Neutron on different channels can talk to each other and share information, which is a great help for tracking down masking issues and dealing with them.
I don't have the full Neutron/Nectar, but from watching an iZotope demo video it looks like the masking is a permanent EQ adjustment and not an active/dynamic EQ ducking when the vocals are heard. Is that right?
If, so it doesn't do what something like Wavesfactory TrackSpacer does (or the RE Carver). And just to EQ down the vocal frequencies statically is, hrmmm, very basic. That would be quite underwhelming for that price.

The tracking EQ in Nectar looked nice though and how it follows pitch, so I made my own Combinator with GQ-7 and Neptune that tracks fundamental + three harmonics. Works really well.
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reasonsuser88
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07 Jul 2019

Boombastix wrote:
07 Jul 2019
The tracking EQ in Nectar looked nice though and how it follows pitch, so I made my own Combinator with GQ-7 and Neptune that tracks fundamental + three harmonics. Works really well.
Can this be done with Selig's EQ? I have it but I need to sit down and figure it out soon.
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reasonsuser88
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07 Jul 2019

Boombastix wrote:
07 Jul 2019
I don't have the full Neutron/Nectar, but from watching an iZotope demo video it looks like the masking is a permanent EQ adjustment and not an active/dynamic EQ ducking when the vocals are heard. Is that right?
If, so it doesn't do what something like Wavesfactory TrackSpacer does (or the RE Carver). And just to EQ down the vocal frequencies statically is, hrmmm, very basic. That would be quite underwhelming for that price.
I remember somebody here saying that Neutron can behave like Oeksound Soothe. I didn't want to bother getting into it at the time. Maybe I was too busy or intoxicated. Of course Soothe is a totally different beast. I think it's time to get down to the bottom of what Neutron actually does! I have iZotope Ozone 8 Advanced but I haven't been intrigued enough to get Neutron.
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esselfortium
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07 Jul 2019

Boombastix wrote:
07 Jul 2019
esselfortium wrote:
06 Jul 2019
I've been using Neutron a lot lately, if that counts as a channel strip. Instances of Neutron on different channels can talk to each other and share information, which is a great help for tracking down masking issues and dealing with them.
I don't have the full Neutron/Nectar, but from watching an iZotope demo video it looks like the masking is a permanent EQ adjustment and not an active/dynamic EQ ducking when the vocals are heard. Is that right?
If, so it doesn't do what something like Wavesfactory TrackSpacer does (or the RE Carver). And just to EQ down the vocal frequencies statically is, hrmmm, very basic. That would be quite underwhelming for that price.

The tracking EQ in Nectar looked nice though and how it follows pitch, so I made my own Combinator with GQ-7 and Neptune that tracks fundamental + three harmonics. Works really well.
Neutron can do dynamic EQ using a sidechain input, bringing a frequency range up or down when it or a different selected range meets a threshold in the sidechain input.

Tracking EQ is indeed a really neat concept. I don’t have Nectar (and hooray for confusingly similar product names) so I’ve just used Coloring EQ for it when I’ve needed it.
Sarah Mancuso
My music: Future Human

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Boombastix
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07 Jul 2019

reasonsuser88 wrote:
07 Jul 2019
Boombastix wrote:
07 Jul 2019
The tracking EQ in Nectar looked nice though and how it follows pitch, so I made my own Combinator with GQ-7 and Neptune that tracks fundamental + three harmonics. Works really well.
Can this be done with Selig's EQ? I have it but I need to sit down and figure it out soon.
The GQ-7 was designed for fast modulation. I don't know about Seligs EQ, I don't have it. Anything else designed for fast modulation and CV input for the band frequencies should be possible to. Just adjust the CV out from Neptune so it tracks the EQ correctly over a few octaves.
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Boombastix
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07 Jul 2019

esselfortium wrote:
07 Jul 2019
Neutron can do dynamic EQ using a sidechain input, bringing a frequency range up or down when it or a different selected range meets a threshold in the sidechain input.

Tracking EQ is indeed a really neat concept. I don’t have Nectar (and hooray for confusingly similar product names) so I’ve just used Coloring EQ for it when I’ve needed it.
I found another guy demoing the iZotope masking feature showing it is just making a permanent change to the track. So if you have a guitar or synth it will cut out the mid range, permanently for the whole track, not just when the vocals are heard. LFMAO that is so trash. Unless half a dozen people use it wrong, it seems to be what it does. Yikes. Doesn't Coloring EQ require midi input for tracking, it does not do pitch detection itself, correct?

That's how is used Neptune so it tracks a monophonic pitch and you route it so the EQ follows pitch (and you can also offset to 3rd harmony, somewhere in between or whatever).
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dvdrtldg
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07 Jul 2019

Waves have some excellent ones that I like to use occasionally - Scheps Omni Channel, TG 12345 and Abbey Rd TG Mastering Chain all have their own character and are packed with features. If I'm working fast I'll often reach for one of them, rather than futzing around with individual plugins

Should also mention Softube's Summit Audio Grand Channel which mistakenly (and very briefly) went on sale for $20 during last year's Black Friday sales. That's a nice one
Last edited by dvdrtldg on 09 Jul 2019, edited 1 time in total.

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esselfortium
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07 Jul 2019

Boombastix wrote:
07 Jul 2019
esselfortium wrote:
07 Jul 2019
Neutron can do dynamic EQ using a sidechain input, bringing a frequency range up or down when it or a different selected range meets a threshold in the sidechain input.

Tracking EQ is indeed a really neat concept. I don’t have Nectar (and hooray for confusingly similar product names) so I’ve just used Coloring EQ for it when I’ve needed it.
I found another guy demoing the iZotope masking feature showing it is just making a permanent change to the track. So if you have a guitar or synth it will cut out the mid range, permanently for the whole track, not just when the vocals are heard. LFMAO that is so trash. Unless half a dozen people use it wrong, it seems to be what it does. Yikes.
???
I'm not sure what part of what I've said has been misunderstood so badly you find it hilarious.

As I said above, Neptune does dynamic EQ if you set it to do dynamic EQ. Otherwise, it will behave like any other equalizer, just with more useful visualization tools. There are uses for both, and static EQ adjustments are preferable in a lot of cases.
Sarah Mancuso
My music: Future Human

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Boombastix
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08 Jul 2019

esselfortium wrote:
07 Jul 2019
I'm not sure what part of what I've said has been misunderstood so badly you find it hilarious.
I'm referring to the masking feature (using Relay), not the dynamic EQ. The dynamic EQ seems very functional and has a nice implementation it seems. Follow pitch is absolutely very useful and their EQs are nice overall I think. But the masking feature seems to be a failure.
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Marco Raaphorst
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08 Jul 2019

I love to be able to choose the effects I need per channel.

antic604

08 Jul 2019

Since the poll is in VST section and question isn't Reason-specific I replied/voted - YES.

I don't use channel strip plugins in Reason, because - obviously - it already has a native "SSL" which is good enough for me, for 90% of my needs either per track or on bus(es).

However, in other DAWs I think they're super convenient because they group several functions - gain, panning, phase, filters, eq, compressor, gate, etc. - in one place, usually in single window, so it's typically much easier to shape the sound quickly. Added benefit is that typically channel strip VSTs have limited visual feedback (compared to say FabFilter's plugins), which means you have to rely on your ears to get the desired effect. While using e.g. Pro-Q3 I might hesitate to make deeper / sharper cut or boost, because subconsciously I *think* it doesn't look right. Also, there are infinite possibilities with regards to number of nodes, their shape and type so decision paralysis easily creeps in. That's not the case with channel strip plugins, that typically have a very limited set of options, sometimes the knobs aren't marked or have just few pre-defined values available, so you just make few tweaks until it's good enough and that's it - you move forward.

So yes, I like & use them!

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esselfortium
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08 Jul 2019

Boombastix wrote:
08 Jul 2019
esselfortium wrote:
07 Jul 2019
I'm not sure what part of what I've said has been misunderstood so badly you find it hilarious.
I'm referring to the masking feature (using Relay), not the dynamic EQ. The dynamic EQ seems very functional and has a nice implementation it seems. Follow pitch is absolutely very useful and their EQs are nice overall I think. But the masking feature seems to be a failure.
The Masking feature is just a visual aid. What you choose to do with it is up to you.

I own and use Neutron and am speaking from personal experience with its feature set. I'm telling you what it actually does. Please stop assuming that I don't know what I'm talking about.
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My music: Future Human

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guitfnky
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08 Jul 2019

like esselfortium says, the masking feature is a tool to *identify* frequencies that are being masked across multiple tracks. it does nothing to fix that masking for you (nor should it). as such, Neutron assumes you’ll want to address that yourself—it’s not a “fix the mix” button. Neutron gives you plenty of very well-implemented options to do that yourself. you keep complete control of your mix.
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Marco Raaphorst
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08 Jul 2019

also keep in mind that Reason has a lovely channel strip build into the SSL. with it's unique eq (rms!).

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selig
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08 Jul 2019

Marco Raaphorst wrote:
08 Jul 2019
also keep in mind that Reason has a lovely channel strip build into the SSL. with it's unique eq (rms!).
What is an RMS EQ?

I totally agree there is already a great channel strip built into Reason. One motivation to use channel strips in other DAWs in the past was the limited/fixed number of inserts. In Reason, there is no limit to the number of devices you can use as inserts (or anywhere, for that matter), so I've never really needed such a thing.

The only motivation for having multiple processes in a single device in Reason would be to either take advantage of processing at the voice level, or to avoid batch delays when using multiple devices.

If Reason allowed poly (voice) audio between devices with no delays, most of that would be moot!
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Marco Raaphorst
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08 Jul 2019

selig wrote:
08 Jul 2019
Marco Raaphorst wrote:
08 Jul 2019
also keep in mind that Reason has a lovely channel strip build into the SSL. with it's unique eq (rms!).
What is an RMS EQ?

I totally agree there is already a great channel strip built into Reason. One motivation to use channel strips in other DAWs in the past was the limited/fixed number of inserts. In Reason, there is no limit to the number of devices you can use as inserts (or anywhere, for that matter), so I've never really needed such a thing.

The only motivation for having multiple processes in a single device in Reason would be to either take advantage of processing at the voice level, or to avoid batch delays when using multiple devices.

If Reason allowed poly (voice) audio between devices with no delays, most of that would be moot!
sorry the compressor I meant. which can do RMS and peak.

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jetpilot00
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08 Jul 2019

I do.

I use Console One in Reason and Studio One. Why? I like options. There isn't anything "wrong" with Reason's mixer by any means other than its lack of visual, modular, limitations.

Since it isn't modular visually, meaning I can't put an API channel strip to vertically replace the SSL visual emulation, i have to bypass / close / not use those features in Reason and add the VST on each channel I want to use the API on. No big deal but I have to use Reason differently than I would if they end up giving us, visually, different channel strips to use in the main mixer.

I would be elated if we could simply change the entire mixer from SSL to API or Neve as a whole as well. I don't NEED modular options with every channel but how awesome would this program become if it could, visually, give us an entire mixer that was modual?

-JP
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DrGOA®
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08 Jul 2019

No!

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Ahornberg
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08 Jul 2019

jetpilot00 wrote:
08 Jul 2019
I do.

I use Console One in Reason and Studio One. Why? I like options. There isn't anything "wrong" with Reason's mixer by any means other than its lack of visual, modular, limitations.

Since it isn't modular visually, meaning I can't put an API channel strip to vertically replace the SSL visual emulation, i have to bypass / close / not use those features in Reason and add the VST on each channel I want to use the API on. No big deal but I have to use Reason differently than I would if they end up giving us, visually, different channel strips to use in the main mixer.

I would be elated if we could simply change the entire mixer from SSL to API or Neve as a whole as well. I don't NEED modular options with every channel but how awesome would this program become if it could, visually, give us an entire mixer that was modual?

-JP
I use the Console 1 hardware to control the Reason-mixer channel strip.

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Boombastix
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08 Jul 2019

esselfortium wrote:
08 Jul 2019
The Masking feature is just a visual aid. What you choose to do with it is up to you.

I own and use Neutron and am speaking from personal experience with its feature set. I'm telling you what it actually does. Please stop assuming that I don't know what I'm talking about.
Just to let you know: ALL my comments above were directed to iZotope and their plugins. NONE of my above comments were directed to you. Not sure how you could read it that way. And I mainly stayed focused on the unmasking feature (using the Relay add-on plugin).
And referring to this guy:

Look at the video and the comments below the video - masking feature using the Relay. The masking feature is just a visual aid? No.
He shows it is cutting out a frequency band on the channel with the Relay plugin. I see what I see, and it does not do it dynamically like the Tracker plugin. So when I call it "trash", it is obviously a comment about the plugin feature, has nothing to do what you said.
Again my "LMAO" was clearly directed to iZotopes feature implementation, so please stop assuming I was directing my comments to you and/or what you say, when my comments are meant for iZotopes functionality.
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esselfortium
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08 Jul 2019

Tired: Brickwall limiting
Inspired: Talking to a brick wall until I reach the limits of my patience
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