Slick EQ GE, best for minimalist hardware

[jochicago]

I've been experimenting with this, and in honor of the current mega sale at Audio Deluxe, I wanted to share my hardware setup.

8 knob hardware
I wanted a controller that wasn't too complicated, because it can be tedious to memorize the pairings of the knobs when going from plugin to plugin. So I went with the Kontrol m32, with 8 eternal knobs. It has been great for configuring compressors (I've memorized the positions and use the same across plugins).

EQ with 8 knobs
EQ has been trickier because if you assign bandwidth, then there's not enough room for 3 nodes. So I decided I wanted something that defaulted to reliable curves so I could skip the bandwidth controls. And I also realized that when working minimalistic I get a lot out of a tilt option.

Tools for detailing
With 5 eq modes, I can pick a mode that I think best suits the material, which enables me to adjust the plugin to the track and stay minimalist while working.

But, while simple is great, there are many times that a track needs just a bit more. Slick EQ lets me do more pretty quickly with flexible pass filters, and the ability to bell the shelves. I use the mouse for that, but it's still all very fast.

So the workflow: I can start easy, switch modes quickly, and if the situation calls for more power, there's plenty I can do with a couple clicks without having to abandon the plugin and go for something heavier.

Slick also has the visual window, which is something I appreciate immensely as it lets me work with visual feedback as much as with tactile simplicity.

In short, Slick is as close to perfect as I think I can find because I wanted a tilt filter and also easy access to pass filters. Everything else about it is nicely thought-out and useful.

To have a wishlist: I would want 2 bands in the middle, with options for fully parametric. I'd still configure the hardware the same, but it would help me solve detailing issues when a track needs it without having to leave the screen.

Here is my hardware configuration:

slick-eq-hardware.jpg

[Lotuz2019]

It's a steal for $ 9.00. The SmartOps alone is worth that.

[robindrieghe]

great stuff, and also the last i bought full price.
i will never buy software at the full price again :s

[Vortifex]

Edited

[vitocorleone123]

I like this plugin a lot but I often find myself wishing it had one extra band.

This is the number one complaint. Legitimate one, I’ve always thought. It’d be pretty much perfect for what it is if it just had one more band.

[Obsolete462444]

It's a steal for $ 9.00. The SmartOps alone is worth that.

Are you using the Smart Ops regularly. I use them in Nova GE (mainly to auto-identify harsh resonances) but cannot think of any scenario for Slick GE to use Smart Ops.

Definitely a steal at 9 bucks, wouldn't mind a fourth band though.Yes, I understand it's supposed to be a super hands on channel EQ, but a fourth band would not defeat the purpose. Basically low mids and upper mids. Often you want to remove mud in the 180 - 250 range and add presence in the 2k range (roughly speaking). To some degree this can be done using the tilt as a substitute for high mids bell, but it's not ideal.

[Lotuz2019]

Are you using the Smart Ops regularly. I use them in Nova GE (mainly to auto-identify harsh resonances) but cannot think of any scenario for Slick GE to use Smart Ops.

EQ matching. For me it's a quick way to make one sample or instrument sound similar to another. Not always spot on, but often close enough.

[Obsolete462444]

Are you using the Smart Ops regularly. I use them in Nova GE (mainly to auto-identify harsh resonances) but cannot think of any scenario for Slick GE to use Smart Ops.

EQ matching. For me it's a quick way to make one sample or instrument sound similar to another. Not always spot on, but often close enough.

Yeah, this would maybe work if you edit an individual static sample and want it to resemble the sound of another one. In a mixing situation it wouldn't really work, because the sample plays at different notes, while EQ can only give you a static curve. So maybe the usability of this feature is limited to editing individual samples, but not for mixing scenarios? Don't get me wrong: still a cool feature to have! Just curious how to make best use of it.