GO-TO-GEAR: Plugin Edition

Here are some of my favorite tools in the plugin world for mixing music.  I am probably listing them by how frequently I use these.

BATTER’S BOX

In true “Pensado’s Place” style, below, I have compiled a list of my most used plugins for certain situations.  Of course, the nature of the track determines what I use, but these are my preferred tools.

  • Surgical EQ: Without hesitation, Fab-Filter Pro-Q3
  • Musical EQ: Spectre, UAD Neve 1073, UAD Helios, UAD Maag, UAD Pultec, Slate SSL
  • Surgical Compression: Fab-Filter Pro-C2, SplitEQ, UAD Distressor EL8, SPL Transient Designer, Cytomic The Glue, SmartComp
  • Musical Compression: Fab-Filter Pro-MB, UAD Fairchild, Scheps Parallel Particles, Slate VBC, Slate VMR Red, Fab-Filter Pro-Q3 (dynamic)
  • Cut Harshness: Soothe, Spiff, Trackspacer, Fab-Filter Pro-DS, Waves RDesser, Eiosis E2, Lo-Fi
  • 2Buss: UAD 2500, Slate VBC, Ozone, Cytomic The Glue, Black Box HG-2
  • Secret Sauce (saturation or good flavor): Spectre, UnfilteredAudio Indent, Fab-Filter Saturn, UAD Oxford Inflator, Crane Song Phoenix II, Kush Clariphonic MKII, Black Box HG-2, Slate VMR Revival & Air, Zynaptiq Intensity, Gullfoss, Kazrog True Iron, UAD ATR-102
  • Multitool: Fab-Filter Pro-Q3, Neutron, Ozone, RX, Scheps OmniChannel
  • Wild Card: Goodhertz Wow Control & Trem Control, Tremolator, Decapitator, DevilLoc, Little Alterboy, UAD Galaxy Echo, SketchCassette, Baby Audio Super VHS
  • When you need it, it’s the only thing: Kush Novatron, Butch Vig Vocals, Gullfoss, God Particle, UAD Little Labs VOG, Valhalla Shimmer, Brauer Motion, and many from the Secret Sauce list
  • Effects: Altiverb, Valhalla Vintage Verb, Eventide SP2016, Echoboy, LiquidSonics
  • Samples (Trigger 2): Usually only to support the existing tracks… Anything That Sound, mostly the Paul Mabury, Darrin King, Organic, Ben Phillips, and Dustin Burnett packs.  I’ve also built some samples over time and love using drums from 1975, Dave Grohl / Foo Fighters, Drew Holcumb, Muse, and a few custom-made combinations.  For horns and strings, nothing beats the LSO at Abbey Road.

MANUFACTURERS


UAD

Compressors: 1176 Bundle (Rev A for Vocals, LN Rev E or Black & Blue AE for Bass), LA2A, Fairchild, EL8

EQ: Helios (makes guitars cut), Neve 1073 & 1081, Pultec

Master Buss: API-2500 (most used buss compressor), SSL G & 4k, Shadow Hills, Chandler Zen, Manley Massive Passive, Manley Variable Mu, UAD Precision Eq, Mellennia NSEQ-2, BAX

Character: Fatso, Oxford EQ, ATR-102, Little Labs VOG, UA-610 B, Culture Vulture

Channel Strips: SSL, Neve, and API channel strips are great, but I don’t use these as often

Effects: Lexicon 224, EMT 140, Eventide H910


WAVES

Compressors: CLA Compressors, Scheps Parallel Particles, R-Comp

Channel Strips: The artist Signature plugins have some great stuff (CLA Signature, JJP, Kramer, Greg Wells, Maserati), SSL,

Stereo Field: Center, S1 Imager, Brauer Motion

Winners: CLA Bundle, Rennaissance Bundle, Clarity VX


SLATE DIGITAL

VMR: I love building these channel strips and I use them a lot.  There are lots of combinations I use, but I love using the Hollywood/NY/London harmonics, Revival, Air, Neve Eq, FG-401 Red.

VBC: I sometimes use the Grey and Red every once and a while to add a little more snap to mix.

Verb Classics has some good stuff that I’ll use every once and a while for Drums or Vocals.


SOUND TOYS

No doubt, my go-to plugins for effects and character.  Echoboy is my go-to delay.  Little Microshift and Alterboy are great for manipulating vocals.  Decapitator is my go-to harmonic character plugin.


FAB FILTER

Hands down, my most used plugins.  Pro-Q3 is my go-to eq and is super surgical.  Pro-MB is my go-to multi-band compressor because it has so many options for control.  Same with the Pro-C2, the sidechain options are super surgical.  Pro-L2 is my go-to limiter.


iZOTOPE

Such versatile tools.  From their module building, to near bottomless options, and ability to reference other plugin information, these guys are killer.  I use the Ozone on the buss a ton.  The Ozone Imager is my go-to stereo field manipulator.  The Neutron is one on the most insane plugins, especially for it’s ability to listen to other plugins and for the Dynamic EQ.  Nectar on the vocal easily brings it to life.


VALHALLA

For sure, these are my go-to reverbs.  The Vintage Verb, Room, and Shimmer all have amazing qualities that I use over and over on so many tracks.


AUDIO EASE

Effects that are SO specific… I love it.  For that perfect room sound, the best representation of spaces, and classic gear, I reach for Altiverb all the time.  The Dark Horse room is a favorite for drums (probably because I used to work there).  I also love the Allaire room, the Dome Chapel, all the churches really, and some of the spring and nonlinear gear models.


GOODHERTZ

Really creative plugins.  the Trem Control is my go-to for Tremolo and cool stereo fx.  Vulf Comp is just super vibey.  Wow Control is straight out of an insane asylum.


PLUGIN ALLIANCE

Love using the Blackbox on the buss.  The SPL Transient Designer and the SPL De-Verb are great tools to have.


McDSP

I don’t use these as much, more so have them for recalling session data.  But on my mix buss, I do use the MC404 quite a bit and the ML4000 occasionally.

Boutique

These guys may be small niche, super specific, one off plugs, but for how I use them, they can’t be replaced.

Oake Soothe is a winner, hands down

Oake Soothe is an amazing auto-multi-band compressor that can be broad or surgical to smooth out harsh audio.  I use this on vocals all the time, on cymbals, guitars, synths, so many things.

Cytomic Glue is my go-to SSL compressor

Kush Clariphonic MKII is the fairy dust sparkle and sizzle that can bring a mix to life

Massey L2007 is a super clean limiter

BOZ: The Wall is a great modern limiter, Bark of Dog is similar to the Little Labs VOG

Cranesong Phoenix II is a hard plugin to describe… it just does things!  Brings out the harmonics and adds character much like the oxford limiter

WavesFactory Trackspacer is an amazing multi-band sidechain compressor to create space

TAL Chorus and Reverb are specific but they bring something unique

Tools: I love the Nugen Audio AB Assist to monitor references, Track Control, the Boz Panipulator and Flux Stereo Tool to check stereo issues, the Waves WLM Plus to check levels

Zynaptiq Intensity, Gullfoss, Kazrog True Iron, are all unique tools that I rely on to give things more power, clarity, umphf, etc.

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