effects placement
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- KVRist
- 166 posts since 23 Feb, 2006
In general, the great English producers were famous for tracking with hardware effects, and getting their "sound" before recording it. The idea of tracking dry sound, and adding effects at mix time, is more of an American engineering technique. But that's a wild generalisation, because even the Beatles used to apply effects after recording.
With digital plugins, the rule of thumb is NEVER track with effects. Always apply the effect later, because there is no advantage, and the very serious disadvantage of possibly screwing up and not having any options.
If we are talking about audio, from mic or DI box, then you need a quality mic preamp and/or DI box, into your A/D converter. Anything else is totally optional. Some people like to use EQ and compression before the A/D converter (analog - not digital), and if you happen to own some nice analog gear this is a good idea.
But if you are talking digital stuff that always comes AFTER the A/D - there is no reason to record with this at all. Capture a good clean, undamaged, signal. You can experiment afterwards, and always come back to the clean signal. If you tracked with - for example - a digital delay or reverb, you are stuck with it. Change the tempo, or balance of the mix, and you are screwed.
Even compression/eq/distortion - these are the obvious effects that might be worthwhile tracking with. But even these can be a problem if you change you mind after tracking. Tracking should be the time when you concentrate on capturing a performance and making good use of headroom. It shouldn't be time to worry about effects and how they might sit in the mix. But then again, some very famous english producers might disagree with me. Do what works for you.
With digital plugins, the rule of thumb is NEVER track with effects. Always apply the effect later, because there is no advantage, and the very serious disadvantage of possibly screwing up and not having any options.
If we are talking about audio, from mic or DI box, then you need a quality mic preamp and/or DI box, into your A/D converter. Anything else is totally optional. Some people like to use EQ and compression before the A/D converter (analog - not digital), and if you happen to own some nice analog gear this is a good idea.
But if you are talking digital stuff that always comes AFTER the A/D - there is no reason to record with this at all. Capture a good clean, undamaged, signal. You can experiment afterwards, and always come back to the clean signal. If you tracked with - for example - a digital delay or reverb, you are stuck with it. Change the tempo, or balance of the mix, and you are screwed.
Even compression/eq/distortion - these are the obvious effects that might be worthwhile tracking with. But even these can be a problem if you change you mind after tracking. Tracking should be the time when you concentrate on capturing a performance and making good use of headroom. It shouldn't be time to worry about effects and how they might sit in the mix. But then again, some very famous english producers might disagree with me. Do what works for you.
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- KVRAF
- 3846 posts since 5 Mar, 2004 from Millicent Australia
I think track clean unless it is the 'sound' that you need. Trying to recreate the sound of a 1932 double-twin semi-freeze dried cab in digital is a waste. Track that but do everything else after.
Benedict Roff-Marsh
http://www.benedictroffmarsh.com
http://www.benedictroffmarsh.com
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- KVRist
- 461 posts since 12 Jan, 2003 from Kyoto
If you have a certain sound in mind, while tracking you can record dry but monitor with the effects. Sometimes being able to hear the (tentative) final sound while you're playing will let you give a better performance. But you'll still have the ability to tweak afterwards.