What's your typical chain for... stuff?

[Christian Jones]

I want to know your chain. For guitar, bass, synth... all of it. I'm primarily a songwriter and have given myself over to this daw thing for real this time - not like last time - and I want your chain info! I mean, please..

What do you typically have on every track? Me, I've been using SSL E-Channel on every track cuz its easy and sounds cool, but I've got Soundtoys 5, Waves Gold, some Fielding DSP and a few other cool sh!t and planning to buy the three Valhalla reverbs and yeah, I'd like to get out of the all-in one plug sometimes- although I still love the SSL E-Channel and will  keep using it sometimes if even just for the eq, but what else can I be doing? I almost bought Kazrog's Synth Warmer recently and I may still, except I've got Decapitator and I'm *not* into collecting vsts like this one dude here, Bapu, who everyone here is always hittin' his case lol.

[martsave martin s]

im mixing at the buss-level,about all my tracks have EQ on some track i put a compressor(i place it on top of the chain)

if others do this but..

on vocal i put a [compressor]-[EQ-VX 64 channel-strip](wich i love it)and [reverb]-[delay]

(i sometime need to have two EQ to get the sound i want...)

 

thx

martin

Edited July 7, 2019 by martins

[msmcleod]

I tend to use the track FX bin only for sound design, and keep any plugins used for mixing in the Pro Channel (using FX Chains so I can stick them anywhere I like in the signal chain).

My chain is pretty much the CbB default, but with an extra N-type console emulator at the top and Kazrog's TrueIron either immediately before or after it.

I tend to stick to the standard Gloss EQ (set to either Hybrid or E-type) for most things, unless I'm doing some correctional EQ. The EQ is almost always on, as I pretty much high pass on every track, although in some instances I might put an EQ first in the chain if I want to remove low rumble on a mic'd track before it's processed any further.

I'll only use 3rd party channel strips when I'm not getting quite what I want, or I'm specifically looking for a different colour to the sound.

In saying that, my approach is always evolving. Lately I've been using external pre's & eq's during the tracking process (e.g. GA Pre 73,  TFPro P3, Alice 828), and I really like the results. 

[bitman]

Bass: VPre 73 -> PhaseRotator(Stardust) -> CA-2A -> EQ Cut some 300hz ->compress again.

EGuitars VPre 73 -> EQ (HiPass) - > Soothe -> RComp -> further eq if necessary.

AGuitars - Same as E guitars.

Guitars are cloned, nudged and sent hard right and left.

[Bapu]

There is no typical chain nowadays. Changes with the wind and the song.

[CJ Jacobson]

12 hours ago, Christian Jones said:

What do you typically have on every track

Forget what other people are using.  Your instrument tracks, mixes, and personnel preferences are different from theirs and in return, you will need different things done to each and every track.

It changes with every instrument track and every mix. Because i do not want the same sound for every single thing . Every guitar track, bass track, vocal track will need different things done to it in order for it to fit in every specific mix. Other instruments effect the sound of other instruments in the mix.  So i do not have a set plugin chain for every instrument track. I like to mix with my ears & personnel preferences and then let those tell me what needs to be done to each and every track.

I think over time you will know that this question has a million different answers and all answers are correct, as long as it gets you the sound you want.

[Jesse Screed]

18 hours ago, CJ Jacobson said:

Forget what other people are using.

I think over time you will know that this question has a million different answers and all answers are correct, as long as it gets you the sound you want. 

Lawdy lawdy, what a conundrum I find myself in.

 

[Alan Tubbs]

Record it well and the mix chain becomes less vital.  Cheap mxl ribbon or a 47 into an RND II Chanel strip is  sweet for guitar (as is just about anything going thru the Rupert Neve design unit), with the bass going into a tone beast di with a hint of saturation or just a nice round tone if that is called for.  That makes mixing easy, when you are mostly cutting out frequencies to make the song work, not the individual sounds “better.”  (The pc channel has an excellent eq).  And guitars thru a buss with the ssl buss comp strapped on - my favorite  use for virtual comp.  and another buss for “lead” instruments (vocal and guitar usually) so they sound like they occupy the same sonic space.

@

[Towi]

I got no chain. They change a lot. 

But there are some "tricks" or better technics I do.

For example (e)bass -  d.i. and amp.

Warren Huart from produce like a pro explains it pretty well. Great channel by the way. I do this split nearly always on bass. Even synth bass I often split.

 

 

 

[razor7music]

Hopefully this isn't taking the OP off track. You asked about chains for "stuff" and to me that includes mastering...

I really found Craig's article on the tools included in CW for mastering very helpful. I used them on a previous track, and it made my mastering (in Wavelab) so much easier and "cleaner". I wanted to share.

[RBH]

1 hour ago, razor7music said:

Hopefully this isn't taking the OP off track. You asked about chains for "stuff" and to me that includes mastering...

I really found Craig's article on the tools included in CW for mastering very helpful. I used them on a previous track, and it made my mastering (in Wavelab) so much easier and "cleaner". I wanted to share.

Nice article indeed  - thanks for sharing that SOS link.