Help me get started with mixing/mastering plugs

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GhostUnholy

Member
Aug 16, 2007
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Hey all,

I've just gotten started on recording and so on I'm still a total n00b. I'm looking to buy a plugin bundle or something for mixing/mastering applications, which i currently know very little (read, next to nothing) about.

I have a sonica labs hush qxr daw (4gb ram, quad core, i think 2.4ghz processor, 3 x 500gb hard drives, etc etc)
presonus firestudio
cubase 4
adam a7 monitors

I just have a couple questions

1) I have the full version of cubase 4 so what sorts of plugins do I need on top of those for mixing/mastering

2) recommend me some such plugins or a plugin bundle or something

3) can anyone recommend and sites i can read up on some basics of mixing and "mastering" (obviously i just mean running my stuff through some plugs and boosting the volume to releasable levels and so on), or a good book on the subject or something

my budget isn't terribly large maybe 4-500 tops... I've looked vaguely at waves gold and stuff, the only instance i could pay higher for that kind of thing would be if the functional difference is monumental, and also if upgrading is inconvenient/inexpensive and such a bundle would serve me well for a number of years.

thanks guys
 
+1 For Stillwell stuff, but for someone just beginning you can get 90% of the way there with free plugins unless you have the prowess to pull that last 10% out of the really good plugs.

My recommendations for free stuff I use all the time (most of what I use is free):

DigitalFishphones: Great De-esser and Compressors
Bootsy: TesslaSE goes on nearly every track and my Master Bus
Vieris/Module Plugs: Brilliant EQ's
AIX EQ: The best Graphic EQ I have found
Kjaerhus: Classic Compressor (my go-to for Snare/Kick and Toms), Great Delay and Chorus plugs too
TLS/TbT Audio: Levelling Amps/Limiters/Comps, amazing on the Drum Bus
SIR: Best Reverb IR (Noisevault/Echochamber for Impulses)
Voxengo Plugs are good too

All of those can be found via KVRAudio.
 
Alright thanks guys, I'll check out all this free stuff.
To learn basics about using compression and so on, should i get some books on mixing and stuff or is it better to just learn by experimentation?
 
TOTALLY get books (or ask here); I find it totally useless to "learn by experimentation" if I have no fucking clue what effect the virtual knobs I'm playing with have; thus, I don't know what to listen for in terms of change. Speaking of which, I'm still not certain on how to determine compressor attack and especially release times; I know a few basics, like how you wanna make a slow attack for an instrument with fast transients (like drums), but when it comes to release times I'm pretty mystified...

Apparently part of the "Golden Ears" program involves learning to recognize the effects of different attack/release times on a compressor; maybe I should use that rather than just letting it collect dust on my desk for the past few months :lol:
 
Metaltastic said:
TOTALLY get books (or ask here); I find it totally useless to "learn by experimentation" if I have no fucking clue what effect the virtual knobs I'm playing with have; thus, I don't know what to listen for in terms of change. Speaking of which, I'm still not certain on how to determine compressor attack and especially release times; I know a few basics, like how you wanna make a slow attack for an instrument with fast transients (like drums), but when it comes to release times I'm pretty mystified...

Apparently part of the "Golden Ears" program involves learning to recognize the effects of different attack/release times on a compressor; maybe I should use that rather than just letting it collect dust on my desk for the past few months :lol:
Click to expand...

Yeah i've been messing around today and have been completely dumbfounded so time to look into some books lol
You can bet I'll be bothering you guys with lots of questions in the future :saint:
 
gorath23 said:
+1 For Stillwell stuff, but for someone just beginning you can get 90% of the way there with free plugins unless you have the prowess to pull that last 10% out of the really good plugs.

My recommendations for free stuff I use all the time (most of what I use is free):

DigitalFishphones: Great De-esser and Compressors
Bootsy: TesslaSE goes on nearly every track and my Master Bus
Vieris/Module Plugs: Brilliant EQ's
AIX EQ: The best Graphic EQ I have found
Kjaerhus: Classic Compressor (my go-to for Snare/Kick and Toms), Great Delay and Chorus plugs too
TLS/TbT Audio: Levelling Amps/Limiters/Comps, amazing on the Drum Bus
SIR: Best Reverb IR (Noisevault/Echochamber for Impulses)
Voxengo Plugs are good too

All of those can be found via KVRAudio.
Click to expand...
I haven't used Voxengo, but I'm pretty sure those are pay plugs.

Metaltastic,
For fast transients like drums, I actually use a fast attack. This is because I use compression to even out the hits, and using a quick attack (like 1 - 5 ms) allows some of the initial pop through. You get a nice attack, yet a more even sound.
 
I just tried the stillwell plugs.......the major tom and the event horizon, they are really good......I think the eventhorizon roks!!
 
Some voxengos are pay and some are free, stuff like curve EQ and pristine space are pay i think.

I have another question though
a lot of you guys seem to use waves c4 a lot, can i get close to the results you guys are getting with cubase 4's multiband compressor?
 
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