To saturate or not to saturate

[pluginnow]

Hello,

I would like to introduce this topic. It would be good for veteran and new users to contribute with their opinions, because it appears to be there different beliefs and ideas.

So, in my opinion, saturation brings us three different benefits.

- Cohesion. If done in a full mix, all instruments and voices will share the same character, so they blend a little better.
- Spectrum filling. It will populate some unused areas of the spectrum, giving the illusion of more instruments and sounds.
- If the listener is a non audio professional, it will sound lighter for him. This might be important to increase overall sales.

All at the expense of distortion. It will also be harder to pinpoint each instrument in the mix, given the confusion present on the recording. And if the listener is critically listening, he will recognize this distortion.
Other things to account for this, is the effort some users make to have low distortion systems (hi-fi, headphones, etc.), and end up not using it at full extent.

More ideas are welcome.

[whassup]

Saturation is a spice. Use it like that. Too much of such good spices can ruin your music, your mix.
You might not like garlic, too much can be ... too much.
Learn your spices for certain dishes. Don't put sugar into all your dishes.
Not all saturation is the same. Learn your black pepper, cumin, garlic, etc. on various instruments.
Listen how it changes certain aspects of the sounds.
The generalized importance of things that changes sound and a mix in general:
1. Volume (duh!)
2. EQ
3. Compression
4. Saturation
Yes, saturation can do things that I can't achieve with compression and vice versa.
There are use cases where you will have different piorities 2-4.

[mixtur.se]

Saturation also means compression (compression/clipping is a type of wave shaping) and hence it often softens transients.

Full spectrum saturation can muddy up a mix quickly so multi band processing is a good feature to have. M/S processing is another option (ex saturate the sides)

Unless it’s an effect, saturation should be used just enough to not be noticed.

[glokraw]

I like some slowww flanger or phaser for quasi-saturation on some parts, usually just enough
to be barely noticable, or to taste on a solo or prominent instrument. There is a young lady grocery clerk who has a delightfully gravelly voice. Seems like a natural saturation at work,
and would be nice to replicate sometimes.

[billinder33]

You can also use saturation to boost specific frequencies, like a replacement for an EQ boost . See the Wavesfactory Spectre plugin or Cranborne Audio's Harmonic EQ in the analog gear world.

[Danilo Villanova]

Are you guys stacking saturations? Like synth to preamp emu, modulation FX, and then another saturation as a finisher at the end? Or even after delays and reverbs? If you think about an old school tracking-mixing chain there's going to be tons of 'subtle' saturation stages throughout.

Also, Phil's Cascade is on sale for $9.99 at PA if you ever wanted to get it!

[concealed identity]

Also, Phil's Cascade is on sale for $9.99 at PA if you ever wanted to get it!

This plugin is so good and I never hear anybody talk about it. Probably because it has a very unique way of working that encourages experimentation over quick results, and a lot of people use saturation as a tool more than as a creative effect.

[Dirk Diggler]

Saturation is a great way to remove dynamics.
Especially detrimental in bass instruments.

It does help with harmonics though.

[billinder33]

Are you guys stacking saturations? Like synth to preamp emu, modulation FX, and then another saturation as a finisher at the end? Or even after delays and reverbs? If you think about an old school tracking-mixing chain there's going to be tons of 'subtle' saturation stages throughout.

I typically stack. Wavesfactory Spectre at the instrument/track level for boosting specific frequencies with saturation. Light amounts of saturation at the summing buss level with True Iron. Typically don't use it at the mix buss level, only light clipping for random peaks, maybe some maybe light compression, and metering. Light amounts of True Iron or Kelvin in mastering. General rule of thumb - the further up the chain, the lighter the touch.

[billinder33]

Especially detrimental in bass instruments.

It does help with harmonics though.

Isn't this exactly why people use it? For me, almost always a bass instrument. If synth, either as an insert or directly in the synth patch. On a real bass, typically in parallel to add harmonics without killing the transients.

[Dirk Diggler]

I believe so. And if you really want to make bass dynamics disappear try distortion or fuzz. LOL

However take a look at your tracks, saturation absolutely kills transients.

But since you're running in parallel you still have the dynamics/transients preserved in the direct track, great option for sure.

[electro]

An analog tape machine's electronics saturate.
Then feeds into an analog Desk which adds additional harmonics

Those 2 stages should be enough. If you want to export the final mix after bus compressor to a 2" tape emulation like UAD ATR-102 that also makes sense

Are you guys stacking saturations? Like synth to preamp emu, modulation FX, and then another saturation as a finisher at the end? Or even after delays and reverbs? If you think about an old school tracking-mixing chain there's going to be tons of 'subtle' saturation stages throughout.

Also, Phil's Cascade is on sale for $9.99 at PA if you ever wanted to get it!

[whassup]

Are you guys stacking saturations? Like synth to preamp emu, modulation FX, and then another saturation as a finisher at the end? Or even after delays and reverbs? If you think about an old school tracking-mixing chain there's going to be tons of 'subtle' saturation stages throughout.

All yes. And as billinder33 said, it is important to do more of it with single sources and lesser with mixed folders/groups/busses. Listen yourself.

[whassup]

I believe so. And if you really want to make bass dynamics disappear try distortion or fuzz. LOL

However take a look at your tracks, saturation absolutely kills transients.

Yes, that's often what I want. Just know what you're doing and do it intentional. 'The Stewart Copeland snare transients or the slammed fuzzed whatever thingy.

[foosnark]

Saturation is fantastic to really bring depth or weight to some voices, but I don't like too much "crunchiness" in the mid-highs.

If I use it on polyphonic parts or a full mix, I'll go with a multiband saturator (Spectre or Saturn 2) and keep it reined in. I have no qualms about going wild with saturation on an individual part because I can always filter/EQ it or do other things to it. Also it might be worth playing with wet/dry when saturating, or using something like Bitwig Transient Split.