In recent years, most of my work is performed at seated shows rather than at large outdoor or indoor events with festival seating. At seated events, promoters want to sell as many unobstructed view floor seats as possible to maximize the dollar return from each show. And with live performance becoming the most popular (and lucrative) sector of the music business, the motivation for optimum financial return has reduced the amount of space allotted to FOH mix positions. It’s also driven productions to mandate lower shipping costs and fuel expenses. This has resulted in the ascendancy of smaller, lighter digital mixing systems over the larger and heavier analog consoles (and outboard racks) on a majority of tours.
This transition has left some pangs of regret for leaving proven technology behind and sonic reminders that prompt fond memories of the sweet sound produced by a well-tempered analog desk. One particular area in which the difference between analog and digital circuitry has been clearly defined is the performance and sound of summing networks. The circuit design and component choices used for the channel amplifier stages and summing networks in analog boards has often clearly defined the characteristic sound of each manufacturer’s products — where 1 + 1 = 2+. Digital summing is less unique and a more standardized and sterile process, in which 1 + 1 = 10 (Base 2).
» Enter the Non-Linear Summer
Waves (waves.com) now offers an intriguing digital solution to this sonic issue with its groundbreaking NLS (Non-Linear Summer) plug-in. The software (TDM, $209; Native, $249) models the non-linear behavior of both input modules and summing buses from three of the world’s most revered consoles. These include the SSL 4000G belonging to Mark “Spike” Stent (Radiohead, Björk, Muse, Maroon 5, Madonna); the EMI TG12345 Mk 4 desk owned by Mike Hedges (The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dido, Faithless, Manic Street Preachers, U2), heard on such timeless recordings as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon; and the Neve 5116 console custom-made for Yoad Nevo (Bryan Adams, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes, Goldfrapp, Air).
I have been using Waves’ SSL Buss Compressors since they were introduced to warm up the individual outputs of my Avid VENUE desk. I was therefore excited to see if utilizing more modeled 4000 series SSL console sounds would benefit my live mixes in the same positive manner. I gave some thought to which specific inputs might benefit most from analog summing behavior. My immediate conclusion was to experiment with the three mono cornerstones of any live mix: kick drum, bass guitar and lead vocal.
A property that I have missed in the digital world is the way mono signals are spread evenly and richly across the stereo image created by a top-performing analog console. “Center” in digital technology always seems rather narrow and confined to my ears — a small line down the middle, while I would rather hear a statement with a broad stroke. I always find myself looking for ways to enlarge a sound’s center presence without simply resorting to increasing volume. I decided that a good experimental candidate for the initial implementation of NLS plug-in would be on bass guitar.
» In the Real World
Following the instructions in the user guide, I placed an NLS Channel module (Fig. 1) on the first insert point of the bass input strip (the VENUE offers four insert points) to simulate the coloration of an analog preamp and a Buss module on the first insert of the stereo bus. In order to create a little acoustic space around a bass DI signal, I often add in a little amp/cabinet simulation using Avid’s Eleven plug-in. I also placed an NLS Channel module on the first insert point of that effects return channel as well.
I set both NLS Channel modules to bypass and first listened to the unmodified recorded bass signal coming into the console from the Virtual Soundcheck Pro Tools rig. I listened through the PFL solo bus and then routed it to the stereo outputs. I monitored the signal both in my headphones and through the Genelec 1031’s I’m using for nearfields at this particular rehearsal. Once I was familiar with the original sound, I toggled to the VCA page (Fig. 2) and assigned the bass DI and bass effects signals to VCA 1. This mixer section lets the user affect all inputs assigned to the VCA group from the various master VCA controls. I then switched the effect in on the input channels.
The first thing I noticed was that the sense of space occupied by the bass seemed to expand. I dialed up various settings on the Drive control adding increments of harmonic distortion to the signals. I decided that a Drive level of 4.0 for the DI signal and 3.0 for the amp simulation yielded the most satisfactory result when listening to the PFL’d signal. I was impressed by the incredible degree of positive change imparted to the sound of the bass by simply running through the individual Channel modules. The audio product was discernibly more complex and accessible to the ear.
My personal preference for the overall Studio setting on both the Channel and Buss NLS modules was the “Spike” SSL 4000 option. If I was impressed by the results from the properties the NLS Channel imparted to the input signal, then I was blown away when I experienced the overall effect by engaging the Buss module (Fig. 3). With the Drive levels remaining as set on the Channel modules, I adjusted the master Drive level on the Buss module across the stereo output. With a modest master Drive level setting of 2.5, the sound of the bass from input to output was transformed into a product that far more closely emulated the sense of space and dimension that I have experienced using an analog desk.
I repeated this process on the two kick drum inputs and assigned them to VCA 2 and the lead vocal to VCA 3. I retained the analog Noise feature on the bass and the kick, but I switched it off on the lead vocal VCA. All I can say is that my goal of increasing the apparent size, clarity and presence of the primary mono signals in the mix has been accomplished in a most satisfactory way without requiring an overall increase in volume.
I now have warmer and more aurally accessible bass, kick and lead vocal sounds that anchor the mix in a more consistent and far less isolated manner. The only factor that has kept me from experimenting with more applications for this magical plug-in is the fact that I have run out of available DSP on the VENUE I am currently using. Instead of the four DSP engines that have previously sufficed to accommodate my plug-in choices, I will now have to expand to five engines.
I want to experiment further with the various presets on individual inputs and bus channels as well as with the interaction of the Drive and noise levels within the various VCA groups. The next sound sources to which I plan to apply the NLS plug-in will be snare, toms and background vocals. Somehow, I think there will soon be a day when I close my eyes and realize that pleasing analog sound isn’t really a thing of the past. But right now, I’m flying off to Russia again and working for an exciting young artist named Alexander Kogan.
