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[toiletbag]

I understand a few folk on here are either recording, or interested in recording, so it'd be nice to get an exchange of ideas going. Here's a few plug-ins that I probably wouldn't be able to work without:

UAD Pultec and Pultec Pro - pretty much the best VST EQ plug-in that I've ever used. It's capable of both cutting and boosting bass without sounding totally shicht, which is a welcome surprise. I've never heard an original Pultec, but this is so damn impressive on its own that it doesn't actually matter how well it compares. There's loads of other UAD stuff that I'd like to get, but it's a serious financial investment.

UAD 1176 - sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. It's funny how accustomed you become to this; your first impression is how squashy it is, but it also seems to impart a little bit of girth in the lower mids. As a result, I sometimes run guitars through this if they need thickening up. Sounds great on clean guitars. It's also incredible for parallel compressing drum mixes.

SIR Impulse Reverb - it's FREE and, providing you can find decent impulses, can sound incredibly realistic.

Ampeg SVX - surprisingly good bass amp simulator. So good, in fact, that mic'ing a cab can sometimes seem superfluous. Basically, this can make a flat DI track sound incredible, especially if your DI is a little lifeless (like mine). I often find myself re-amping bass, but still end up using the DI track most prominently in the mix. Avoid the 'ambience' slider though, it's well cheesy.

URS 1975 Compressor - my 'go to' compressor for bass. It's incredibly fiddly, but the sweet spot is very sweet indeed.

[Huw]

Ampeg SVX - surprisingly good bass amp simulator. So good, in fact, that mic'ing a cab can sometimes seem superfluous. Basically, this can make a flat DI track sound incredible, especially if your DI is a little lifeless (like mine). I often find myself re-amping bass, but still end up using the DI track most prominently in the mix. Avoid the 'ambience' slider though, it's well cheesy.

I've only ever used this and Guitar Rig 2 as VST plugins so I'm a total noob on the subject, but I totally agree. Makes the sansamp DI sound totally brill. I bet if I knew how to EQ a bass track properly it'd sound even better.

I know what you mean about the ambience but I found that without any it sounded SO DRY, so I just put the tiniest amount on to make it sound like it wasn't recorded in a vacuum chamber! I suppose if you reamped it that would solve that though.

my tuppence.

[toiletbag]

Originally Posted by Huw

I know what you mean about the ambience but I found that without any it sounded SO DRY, so I just put the tiniest amount on to make it sound like it wasn't recorded in a vacuum chamber! I suppose if you reamped it that would solve that though.

my tuppence.

You're absolutely correct Huw. Most of my 'live' tracks have quite a lot of room (including the guitars), so I have to add artificial ambience to get any DI tracks sitting right in terms of depth; but I'd recommend getting something like SIR to replicate a room sound rather than the ambience slider in SVX. Ambience from what exactly? The local swimming pool?

[Huw]

Originally Posted by toiletbag

You're absolutely correct Huw. Most of my 'live' tracks have quite a lot of room (including the guitars), so I have to add artificial ambience to get any DI tracks sitting right in terms of depth; but I'd recommend getting something like SIR to replicate a room sound rather than the ambience slider in SVX. Ambience from what exactly? The local swimming pool?

It sounds identical to the behringer digital delay. Rotten. I'll check out SIR, i8s it cheap/free?

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

Nomad Factory Blue Tubes, particularly the Oil Can Echo, and Rock Amp Legends.
TC Native Filtrator

[toiletbag]

Originally Posted by Huw

It sounds identical to the behringer digital delay. Rotten. I'll check out SIR, i8s it cheap/free?

There's two versions of it, one is free (which is the one I use), and the other one costs...something, I can't really remember. You need to get impulses for it, the SIR web-site links directly to places where you can get impulses; some of them are shite though.

[Pint_paul]

Originally Posted by toiletbag

Ampeg SVX - surprisingly good bass amp simulator. So good, in fact, that mic'ing a cab can sometimes seem superfluous. Basically, this can make a flat DI track sound incredible, especially if your DI is a little lifeless (like mine). I often find myself re-amping bass, but still end up using the DI track most prominently in the mix. Avoid the 'ambience' slider though, it's well cheesy.

iv been looking for something like this, so based on you and huws recommendation i have got ahold of a copy and cant wait til it gets here so i can start using it.

anything else you would like to recommend?

[Jeid]

Audio Ease Speakerphone was awesome.
PSP Vintage Warmer was great.
IzoTope Ozone is a must for ghetto mastering.
URS EQ's and Compressors are great.

VST is great, there's so many good free VST's out there as well. You don't get nearly as many with RTAS

Sucks ass...

[Huw]

Originally Posted by Pint_paul

iv been looking for something like this, so based on you and huws recommendation i have got ahold of a copy and cant wait til it gets here so i can start using it.

anything else you would like to recommend?

I assume you've gotten hold of this by now... what seettings are you using with this?

I always use the SVT Classic. has the best all round sound I think. Thickens up the low end nicely.

I thought the scrambler pedal might sound good... it does not!

[toiletbag]

Originally Posted by Huw

I thought the scrambler pedal might sound good... it does not!

That thing's hilarious!

I think it's the first piece of amp modelling software that I've used that hasn't sounded utter baws.

Pretty much always use the SVT classic as well. I often find the 'mic' choice can make a significant difference, it's pretty much always a contest between the U87 rip-off and the 'dynamic 20'.