Over the past two-and-a-half years, I have taken an in-depth look at many individual TDM plug-ins that I’ve employed while mixing various artists on the Avid VENUE platform. Different artists and productions may present a variety of audio challenges for which unique software solutions are required. However, this month’s column will be devoted to listing the Top-10 “must have” plug-ins I find myself using on every setup. Some have been in my virtual effects rack since I was first introduced to the VENUE platform in 2006. Others are more recent additions, but are no less valuable in the creation of an optimal live audio product.
Avid Smack!
Among the first plug-ins I auditioned when programming James Taylor’s One Man Band tour in 2006 was Smack!. To this day, this compressor remains my first choice for vocals and for the Olson acoustic guitars that Mr. Taylor plays in concert. It offers levels of versatility I have found in no other software compression tool. There are three compression modes, eight selectable ratios from 1:1 to brickwall, input gain (threshold), output gain, attack and release controls, three side chain modes and three choices for adding harmonic distortion. Smack! can be used to emulate vintage tube devices or modern solid-state products with multiple layers of subtle variation that make it unique among its peers.
Avid ReVibe
ReVibe is another plug-in included in the original package software I first employed on the VENUE console. It quickly became my first choice for a vocal reverb and remains so to this day. It has the sound and interface that most closely resembled the Lexicon 224/480/960 algorithms on which I had depended during my decades of mixing on analog desks. The various Hall programs always give me everything I need for a rich and complex lead vocal reverb. Avid has periodically refined both the algorithms and the user interface over the past seven years, and this plug-in has maintained its position of preeminence as my primary vocal reverb.
Avid Eleven
It may seem a bit unusual to include an instrument amplifier/speaker cabinet emulation on this list, but I find that adding a carefully crafted amp sound created in this plug-in to a bass guitar DI signal greatly enhances the perception of space and liveness. I use this plug-in in much the same way one would employ a microphone, but without the associated leakage and latency issues. I have become partial to using the ‘59 Tweed Bassman with a 4×10 cabinet and miked with a virtual U-89. In another lifetime, I owned one of these vintage Fender beauties, so using this plug-in becomes a great digital trip down memory lane as I dial up a sweet bass guitar sound.
TC Electronic VSS3
Another reverb system I used regularly and extensively during my analog console days was the TC 6000. By including the VSS3 algorithm in my plug-in library, I am able to utilize the Silky Gold Plate (acoustic guitars), Church Piano (acoustic piano), Warm Hall (Hammond/Leslie) and Bright Plate (percussion) programs that I have successfully employed for many years. I have been using T.C. digital reverbs since the introduction of the M5000, and I depend on these sounds to produce the instrumental enhancements that bring the sparkle, shimmer and nuance to the mix. The user interface for the plug-ins varies only slightly from the original screens on the 6000 hardware remote, so it was an easy transition to using the software versions.
TC Electronic DVR2
This reverb algorithm complements the VSS3 algorithms with a beautiful software emulation of the vintage EMT 250 digital reverb, known affectionately as “The Droid.” I often use this reverb plug-in for horns, backing vocals and snare drum. The reverb produced from the plate and hall programs is magnificently pristine with no discernable detuning throughout its decay. This is not a reverb algorithm for producing intense coloration or creating thick layers of additional harmonic content. It is all about redefining space, enhancing sustain and increasing one’s sense of depth in a mix. The single-page interface makes operation simple and fast. Unlike the vast number of factory presets one encounters with VSS3, the DVR2 plug-in only contains a few presets. My favorite preset name is “Nice Vocal.” And it really is.
Waves CLA-2A
This compressor plug-in has the best LA-2A TDM emulation I have found that runs on the VENUE computer platform. Modeled from equipment owned by Chris Lord-Alge, CLA-2A beautifully captures the smoothness and harmonic complexity present in the hardware version of this tube-driven electro-optical leveling amplifier. It has a fast, fixed attack time and program-dependent release time, making it a great choice as a vocal compressor. I also employ it on acoustic piano microphones and some piezo pickups. (Like the rest of the Waves plug-ins on this list, I devoted a complete column to reviewing the CLA-2A in an earlier issue of FOH.)
Waves Renaissance Compressor
Waves’ R Comp is a truly a workhorse in my plug-in stable. I use this compressor on kick drum, bass guitar and electric guitars. It can hold up to the strongest low-frequency content but doesn’t remove any of the grit and punch from these particular instruments. I generally use lower compression ratios, 2:1 to 3:1, but have the instrument sitting in a little compression all the time. R Comp does a fantastic job of controlling dynamics in the overall mix without removing the innate aggressiveness from these rough-edged sound sources. The simple interface includes three vertical sliders for Threshold, Ratio and Gain, plus two horizontal sliders for Attack and Release.
Waves C4/C6
I don’t often use a multiband compressor/dynamic equalizer, but when I do I use Waves’ C4 or C6. The C4 is my favorite choice for “de-boinking” a snare drum. Within the four compression bands, one uses a combination of threshold settings, compression ranges and output gain levels gain to shape the overall sound of the input source through a combination of compression and equalization. One can best understand these four interlinked modules as a multiband dynamic crossover matrix. The C6 adds two floating bands that operate independently of the four linked bands for performing tasks like pop reduction or de-essing. The plug-in presents fantastic dynamic graphics that give an accurate visual representation of the processes being applied. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of dynamic equalization, but the results are definitely worth the effort.
Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer
This plug-in is a true black box mystery tool. Waves has created a way to digitally add the characteristic sounds of mic preamps, summing amplifiers and output buses from three of the most revered vintage console designs to the existing format on the VENUE console. The sampled devices are from the SSL 4000G, the EMI TG12345 Mk 4 and the Neve 5116. The plug-in system has an Input device that emulates a mic pre or input summing amplifier, depending on the point at which it is inserted. The Bus device emulates output summing and drive characteristics. This is some very esoteric stuff, but the results are truly phenomenal. I recommend spending as much time as possible at rehearsal using a multi-track recording of the band and the user guide to fully explore the many variables contained within this plug-in complex. I have opted to use the SSL G4000 selections on both inputs and buses, but one is able to use any variation of the three console types.
Waves SSL Buss Compressor
This plug-in works hand in hand with the Waves NLS software. For me, it is a final touch in creating a rather convincing emulation of many audio characteristics heard in the SSL G4000 console. Lately, I’ve been inserting the Buss Compressor on all my outputs with the ratio set on 2:1 and the threshold adjusted for very light compression. For me, it is the final piece of the audio puzzle, the glue that neatly holds everything together. It’s a simple but subjective tool. Drop it in and listen to the sound with the threshold set at maximum just to see if you like what you hear before any compression is dialed in. If it’s something that pleases you, then add some compression and find the attack and release settings that work for your program material.
There’s my Top-10! Safe travels.
