AGF MEMBERS GEAR LIST, TUTORIAL VIDEOS, PODCASTS, & COMPREHENSIVE BEGINNERS GUIDE

[jim1960]

SPECIALTY PLUGINS continued

Softube Weiss Deess $199
The Weiss Deess has two completely independent bands. Most de-essers have one, but almost no sibilant has a single-frequency focus, especially when you’re dealing with complex material or mastering applications. The variety of filter shapes and excellent band-width control, allows you to home in on precisely what you need to deal with, without collateral damage.


Sonarworks Sound ID Reference for Headphones $99
SoundID Reference sets the frequency response target to be completely flat across all audible frequencies. The headphone frequency response target is designed to emulate neutral-sounding speakers. With calibrated headphones you can seamlessly switch between speakers, headphones, projects, and mix with full confidence in sound.


Sound Radix Auto-Align $149
Auto-Align is an automatic microphone alignment and phase correction plug-in.
When recording an instrument with more than one mic, sound tends to reach each microphone at a slightly different time, causing some frequencies to cancel each other out and other frequencies to build up unnaturally. This phenomenon is known as the comb-filter effect.
Auto-Align will analyze your multi-mic recording and will automatically detect and compensate for the delay between the microphones sample-accurately, significantly reducing the comb-filter effect and dramatically improving the resulting sound.
Note: While most reviews focus on drum tracks, this plugin is quite excellent for acoustic guitar tracks too.


SPL Vitalizer $199
By applying psychoacoustic and audiometric principles, the Vitalizer achieves a verifiable enhancement in sonic quality. The Vitalizer processes only the original signal and generates no artifacts.
Patented filtering techniques highlight the richness of the audio signal in all its detail, while the interactive parameters make it possible to alter the sound in a musical and effective way.
One of the Vitalizer’s main features is the un-masking of overlapping sounds. The way it works is, in principle, opposite to the way compression formats (MP3, etc.) do: instead of deleting allegedly unnecessary information, it enhances it. In order to do that, the Vitalizer takes into account the perception of a frequency in relation to its volume.
The hidden gem in this EQ is the Stereo Widening circuit, which sounds amazing on stereo guitars, drums, keys, and any other stem buss.


UAD Little Labs Voice of God (requires the use of UA DSP hardware) $149
This unique 500 series module allows you to intuitively shape the all-important low frequencies of your mix, as well as add depth and “oomph” to vocals and other sources.

• Easily add size and weight to any source
• Craft bass frequencies on drums, bass, and more, far beyond simple EQing
• Make your mixes’ low-end leaner, tighter, and punchier
• Add chest resonance and “heft” to vocals

Voxengo MSED free
MSED is a professional audio encoder-decoder AAX, AudioUnit and VST plugin for mid-side processing which is able to encode (split) the incoming stereo signal into two components: mid-side pair, and vice versa: decode mid-side signal pair into stereo signal.
MSED is also able to work in the “inline” mode with the ability to adjust mid and side channels’ gain and panning without the need of using two plugin instances in sequence.
MSED can be used to flip the phase of the mid and side channels by 180 degrees, and swap the stereo channels, and to extract the mid or side channel.
MSED features the “plasma” vector scope, stereo correlation and balance meters which make it easier to monitor the stereo information present in the audio signal.


Waves Bass Rider $30
Bass Rider is an innovative, easy-to-use plugin that rides bass levels automatically. A companion to our popular Vocal Rider plugin, Bass Rider delivers perfect bass levels, without changing the natural sound of your bass. Optimized especially for the frequency range and envelope characteristics of bass instruments, Bass Rider covers all the basses: DI, amplified, acoustic, synth, upright—you name it.
A real timesaver with dedicated studio and live components, Bass Rider keeps bass levels in check and solid throughout your mix. Unlike a compressor, Bass Rider works note by note, without disturbing their inner dynamics, so they sustain and decay naturally. Best of all, since Bass Rider keeps your levels steady with automatic gain adjustment, now you can focus on the feel and flow of your bass—and use compression to add color and character.


Waves X-Click $30
Ideal for restoring vintage vinyl and shellac records, X-Click removes strong transient noise like clicks, spikes, switching noise, and digital crosstalk while preserving the sonic integrity of your source material.


Waves CLA Bass $30
Chris Lord-Alge on CLA Bass: “From sub-shaking smooth sounds to Mr. Buzzsaw, CLA Bass is just what the doctor ordered. The plugin was designed to help you lay down a solid foundation for any song. It gives you six essential effects: bass, treble, compression, sub, distortion, and chorus/flange. Whether you want it to rip, roar, growl, bark, or cut, CLA Bass delivers.”

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

My current headphones are good. I have the Drop 6xx (company is formerly MassDrop) version of the Sennheiser HD 650. I like them very much for checking details during mixing and mastering. For tracking, I have the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro. Those are excellent also.

They scuttlebutt/hype on the Focals is that they are supposed to let you hear a level of detail you cannot hear with most other headphones. The other headphones that are talked about in the same breath are the Audeze LCD-X. From what I've ascertained by reading and watching reviews is that the Audeze are better for hearing low end detail and the Focal for hearing high end detail. The Focals would appear to be better suited for what I do.

Hopefully they will do that for you . I do know that as far as monitor speakers, when I switched from my KRK V 8's ,,,to Amphion One 18's , they offered a definite noticeable step up in clarity, detail, and sound field imaging .

[jim1960]

VIDEO TUTORIALS
For those just getting started, the videos below offer invaluable information that can help you achieve your goals a little faster. Many of these creators are worth subscribing to as they offer other valuable videos.
Special thanks to AGF members Doug Young, Frank Guidry, and Eric Skye for their excellent videos included in this section.
Note: Some of the videos are from companies selling products. Posting those videos is not a product endorsement but the information the videos contained is valuable enough to warrant inclusion.

Note: There are a plethora of excellent third-party plugins on the market but users are also encouraged to explore and learn the stock plugins that come with their DAW. Some bundled plugins are not only helpful for learning but sound quite good as well.

ROOM TREATMENT
This group is listed first because it’s the easiest and simplest way to improve your results. If you’re not getting good results with your recordings, this should be the first thing you address.
The most popular option for room treatment is GIK Acoustics.
Other companies making similar products, are Acoustimac, ATS, Primacoustic, & RealTraps
Some of these companies will assist you in creating a basic design for treating your specific space.
Companies that make only foam products are not listed because the efficacy of foam is so much less than that of rockwool or fiberglass insulating materials, that it is next to worthless in small studios.



Note: The blue reflection traps are not precisely placed in the diagram. There is a video included in this section to help you place those correctly.


RECORDING ACOUSTIC GUITARS
"One of the challenges of recording acoustic guitar is "what is accurate?". We're used to hearing the guitar from behind, the mics hear it from the front. All mics hear different than our ears. Every mic is subtly different, not just LD vs SD. Every inch you move the mics will create a somewhat different sound. Every room you play in, the guitar will sound different. And then there's the playback issues. Your speakers will sound different than mine and so on. Fletcher Munson means you will hear the sound differently as you turn the volume up or down. It gets to be a bit complicated, and the more you think about it, the less you know what's 'real.'"
-Doug Young



MONITOR PLACEMENT
Go to the 11:30 mark on this video.



EQUALIZATION
Some of the more popular companies creating equalizers are:
Acon, Brainworx, FabFilter, Kush, Oeksound, Plugin-Alliance, Sonnox, SSL, Universal Audio, Waves



COMPRESSION
Some of the more popular companies creating compressors are:
Brainworx, FabFilter, Klanghelm, Kush, MeldaProduction, Plugin-Alliance, Softube, Sonible, SSL, Tokyo Dawn, Universal Audio, Waves



REVERB AND DELAY
Companies making popular reverbs and delays:
Audio Ease, Eventide, FabFilter, LiquidSonics, Relab, Sound Toys, Universal Audio, Valhalla, Waves



NOISE REDUCTION
Some of the more popular noise reduction software is created by:
Acon, Antares, iZotope



CABLES
For about the same price as you’d pay for the inexpensive cables sold by the larger pro audio stores, you can order high quality custom length Mogami cables with Neutrik connectors from a company in Connecticut called Redco. You'll wait a little longer but you'll get a higher quality cable that will last for a very long time.



HEADPHONES



PODCASTS
Listen, learn, rinse, repeat...

• Master Your Mix
• The Mastering Show with Ian Shepherd and Jon Tidey
• My Take On Music Recording with Doug Fearn
• Production Expert
• Somewhere Studios
• Sound On Sound
• Tape Op Podcast
• The Truth about Recording and Mixing
• Ways of Hearing
• Working Class Audio

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by jim1960

...So that's heading into one-off territory, yes?...

As far as I know, it's still an available mod from Sank who is Cloud Electronics. It certainly improved my B&O but whether it's worth doing to a current Royer is another matter.

[Willie_D]

My rig is super basic.

I have an old GuitarPort with PodFarm for electric guitar and bass.
I use a Blue Yeti for acoustic instruments and vocals.
It all goes into Mixcraft 9.
It's not the fanciest or best setup, but it works for me.

[phcorrigan]

Thanks for posting this.

A couple of comments:

Have you considered breaking this up into three lists, i.e., DAWs, Interfaces, and Microphones?

BTW, PreSonus Studio One Artist is now a full-featured DAW, and is in wide usage. It sells for $100 and is also bundled with some PreSonus products.

Also, could you add these to the list:

LDC mics:

ADK Hamburg Mk8 (vocals)
ADK Vienna Mk8 (acoustic guitar)

Dynamic mic:

Behringer B906 (electric guitar cab)

[Wrighty]

Great job - thanks for putting this together Jim.

[jim1960]

MIXING AUDIO

Mixing is the process whereby multiple tracks are combines into one or more channels. During this stage, levels are set proportionate with individual tracks, frequency content is adjusted, dynamics are adjusted, and tracks are panned in order to create a product that is both pleasant and interesting for the listener.

The videos on this page will help you understand and apply the techniques important to creating a good mix.




This section of videos are from the iZotope "Are You Listening?" series and provide in depth information on the art of mixing.
Season 4


Season 5

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm up against a hard character limit so I cannot make anymore additions.

In hind sight and not suggesting you need more work BUT (given the extensive numbers of replies you received) it appears as if the only solution would have been to make a second post reply right along with the OP and just a few words, to act as the second page if necessary .
But again thanks for your effort


And speaking of users of interfaces here are some that guys at the Pro Tools Expert blog use (with reviews for some posted in your list)

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/hom...eid=3af5b4ba3b

[jim1960]

MASTERING AUDIO

Many mistakenly believe that mastering is simply a process to make music louder but mastering is much more involved than that, as these videos will demonstrate.
If you’re looking for a quick primer on mastering, these videos go through the basic steps.




If you want to dive deeper into the subject, iZotope released a fantastic series of mastering videos. The series is divided into four seasons of six episodes. If you’re serious about learning the craft of mastering audio, these are worth the time investment.

Season 1


Season 2


Season 3


Season 6

[KevWind]

Great I think it warrants it. Will be especially useful IMO those new to recording and anybody looking to maybe upgrade seeking options in a price range I give it

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I think you have provided a great source of info and should be thanked for all the work . So

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Thank you for aggregating all this info for the community!

I was happy to do it and I'm glad others see it as a useful resource.

Originally Posted by KevWind

Should you decide to continue , possibilities could occupy your time well through the holidays

Off hand I can think of a few

Computers

Monitoring systems.
A. speakers
B. headphones

Outboard processing units.
A. analog
B. digital

I thought about it but let's see if people make use of what I've already done.
Speaking of headphones, I've been going back and forth in my head for months about what might very well be a really stupid purchase. Yesterday I convinced myself to go for it and tomorrow a pair of Focal Clear Professional headphones will be showing up at my door. I'm really hoping all I keep hearing about these isn't just hype.

Originally Posted by KevWind

I find the lists interesting and keep being surprised by gear I have not heard of

The thing that surprised me most was the diversity is the DAW and interface categories. I had no idea there was so many DAWs out there, and I assumed many people here were using the same interfaces but the reality is that very few are.

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Oh, I'd say that we are a pretty bad bet. Our campus has its own police force, believe it or not.

That's good info to know. If you have anymore information to help me plan this heist, please pass it along. You have no idea how badly I've wanted my own vintage 47. And if I come across a 67, that's going in the loot bag too. I'll look for your reply after I do some research on countries without extradition agreements with the US.

Originally Posted by KevWind

I have read about the Focal's but don't know anybody using them. Will be interested to see what you think.

For mixing I use Senn. HD 600 open back

My current headphones are good. I have the Drop 6xx (company is formerly MassDrop) version of the Sennheiser HD 650. I like them very much for checking details during mixing and mastering. For tracking, I have the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro. Those are excellent also.

They scuttlebutt/hype on the Focals is that they are supposed to let you hear a level of detail you cannot hear with most other headphones. The other headphones that are talked about in the same breath are the Audeze LCD-X. From what I've ascertained by reading and watching reviews is that the Audeze are better for hearing low end detail and the Focal for hearing high end detail. The Focals would appear to be better suited for what I do.

Originally Posted by KevWind

Hopefully they will do that for you . I do know that as far as monitor speakers, when I switched from my KRK V 8's ,,,to Amphion One 18's , they offered a definite noticeable step up in clarity, detail, and sound field imaging .

A set of midfields is definitely in my future but they'd be useless in my current situation. I was hoping to have relocated by now but the virus thing has me standing pat for now. I'm taking on what very few mastering jobs come my way but there's not much recording going on in the area... at least not with the studios who have been sending the mastering work my way.

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

Thanks for posting this.
A couple of comments:
Have you considered breaking this up into three lists, i.e., DAWs, Interfaces, and Microphones?

I was trying to create a single place to point folks to when they asked for the most common gear recommendations. Having separate lists might make this more comprehensive but I'm not even sure I'll be able to get this one post pinned let alone get multiple posts pinned. Without getting pinned, the only alternative is to bookmark it and I think people will be less likely to use this if it's anything but very simple.

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

Also, could you add these to the list:
LDC mics:
ADK Hamburg Mk8 (vocals)
ADK Vienna Mk8 (acoustic guitar)

Dynamic mic:
Behringer B906 (electric guitar cab)

I'm up against a hard character limit so I cannot make anymore additions.

Originally Posted by Wrighty

Great job - thanks for putting this together Jim.

I appreciate the kind words.

________

FYI... I've updated the list and it now spans the first two posts. To accommodate additions to the original list, I had to move the section on ribbon mics into the #2 post where I added the info about pres, comps, and eqs.

I'll add new information as it comes in.

[DukeX]

Where am I?

Lol

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DukeX

Where am I?

Up to your neck in SDCs and preamps.

But the reality is we had too much information to fit into a single post given the 10K character limit so I had to stretch it out across the first two posts in this thread.

[alohachris]

Aloha,

I missed the LDC list. I have two more high-quality LDC's to add, Jim, if that's possible & ok?

- Mojave MA-200 Cardioid Tube LDC ($1200 new). Great value, wonderful on many types of voices, excellent on acoustic guitar. I still have one & loan it out to local studio's occasionally. Very versatile LDC on many sources.

- Microtech-Gefell UM 900 Tube LDC ($4200 new). My baritone voice's All-Time Best LDC. Variable, 5-polar patterns, M7 capsule, only studio LDC to run on phantom power. Try this deco beauty. You'll be amazed! Even vintage U-47's couldn't match the UM900 on my voice.

Thanks again for all the work, Jim. Great threads!

alohachris