Tip: Using an existing VST as a ProChannel module

[msmcleod]

I'm sure most of the power users here know about this, but for those who don't, here's a way of using any VST as if it was a ProChannel module.

Here's how I put my Scheps-73 in the ProChannel:

An here's a demo on how quick it is to do it:

Obviously it's got it's limitations:

• You're limited to 6 buttons & 6 knobs
• You only see percentages on the knob display as you turn it, not the actual value.

But it's a convenient way to put your VST anywhere in your ProChannel chain, whilst being able to tweak the most used settings.

[Tim Flannagin]

This is one of the things I was aware of, but to lazy to use. I think I'll revisit it. Thanks for taking the time to do the examples!

 

[sven450]

This is awesome.  I knew it was possible, but never bothered.  Now I will!

[arlen2133]

Love the example.  Thanks for doing that.

[Sidney Earl Goodroe]

The vst plugin still responds to controller automation for any assigned in the Prochannel just as in the fx bin. So you still have as much control as ever. You can assign the most used controllers to the six buttons for convenience. I prefer to use automation lanes.

[Starship Krupa]

Thanks, Mark, this is fab.

Is the ProChannel the greatest thing to happen to mixing since the invention of the pan pot or what? No, of course it isn't, but it's still pretty fab.

6 months ago I had a friend come over to track some demos, one of my first new projects started fresh in CbB. We were in a hurry and neglected to rig the proper pop screen and wound up with a few plosives on his vocal tracks. Big Godzilla stomps.

Since I was so enamoured of the ProChannel and the QuadCurve, I rolled up my sleeves to see what I could come up with and found out just how many of its parameters could be automated, which was basically ALL of them, like if you decide you want to turn the "Gloss" off for one phrase, you can automate that.

I wound up killing the plosives rather handily by automating the frequency of the HP to jump up right when they occurred.

When I selected my "Erik's Mix View" lens to get my mix on and hit Play, I was delighted to notice the tiny curve display on the collapsed channel strip swoop up and down along with my automation. How cool.

I've been thinking about challenging myself to mix a song using no effects but ProChannel modules, maybe even just the ones that ship with CbB (I have CA-2A from the 2016 giveaway and Bark of Dog I from Boz). There is a gate amongst the much-maligned Style Dials.

[whattarush]

Another little used feature that slips by me. I'm going to revisit this one!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Esteban Villanova]

So awesome  

Edited March 14, 2019 by Esteban Villanova

[martsave martin s]

is pro-channel pre or post volume?

[msmcleod]

4 minutes ago, martins said:

is pro-channel pre or post volume?

It's pre volume, but post gain.

[martsave martin s]

1 minute ago, msmcleod said:

It's pre volume, but post gain. 

thanks!!!

[S.L.I.P.]

On 1/15/2019 at 9:48 AM, msmcleod said:

here's a way of using any VST as if it was a ProChannel module.

Absolutely awesome tip. Many many many thanks to you! This should be put in the tutorial section.

Edited March 14, 2019 by S.L.I.P.

[InstrEd]

Thanks msmcleod for taking the time to show how to do this.

[S.L.I.P.]

My first ProChannel module. Thanks again, msmcleod!

 

[marcL]

I really like this feature, because I like ProChannel.

But nevertheless I almost never use it. IMO the drawback that only percentages are displayed (as Mark has mentioned above) makes it useless in many cases. I have proposed once that it would be great if the user could define the display range (e.g. 0% = 10 and 100% = 7000 or whatever).

[msmcleod]

The biggest advantage for me is being able to put VSTs anywhere in the signal chain.

Having dials to tweak is the icing on the cake.

[S.L.I.P.]

1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

The biggest advantage for me is being able to put VSTs anywhere in the signal chain.

Having dials to tweak is the icing on the cake.

Exactly!