GFader

Don't let the simplicity of this plugin distract you from its great utility.

When I first saw this, I was like, why the hell would I need a fader plugin when I can just use / automate my channel faders in my DAW? You might be wondering the same thing. If so, read on.

I'm a big fan of song templates. Every single track has an instance of G Fader loaded on it at -6 dB. All channel faders are set to -9 dB. Between these two things, I can add oodles and oodles of tracks before I even start to come close to clipping, and therefore I just don't have to worry about levels much at all until I get closer to mixdown. I just crank up the output on my interface if it's not loud enough. I'll write any needed individual track volume automation to the G Fader lanes (which are already set up in the template, which is a HUGE time/sanity saver). Like, say I know I want the hi hats to come down 3 dB in a certain section. Or I want a snare to fade out to nothing at the end of a section – stuff like that. Once the track is more developed, I'll start adjusting levels between instruments on the channel faders. Once that's roughly where I want it, then I might also write bus level automation To a GFader at this point as well, like in a section where I need the chords/keys to come down so a solo-type instrument can come up. I'll just drop the whole bus 2 dB or so. Etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, once it comes time for final mixdown, you can sit and tweak track and bus fader levels to get the right balance, but all of your RELATIVE volume changes are not affected. Those volume rides stay! I used to get really frustrated with volume automation because if you start writing it too soon, you could end up spending a ton of time later REwriting it after you have a better idea of the final track/bus levels. OR you get sick of dealing with that quagmire, so you put off writing volume automation until the very end, which means that you're trying to cram into 15-30 minutes what could / should have been many hours worth of detail work and small decisions.

You can even use multiple instances to great effect, which is not even a problem CPU-wise, as I've never had an instance of GFader go above a tiny tiny percentage of overall CPU. Like say you need a bunch of volume rides on a vocal part, either the main vocal, or the FX return level. Up and down 1-6 dB a few dozen times. But then you realize that you also want that same part/effect to get SLOWLY louder over the course of a few bars. Just throw on another instance of GFader to do that gradual fadeup, all while leaving your original rides intact. Perfect.

GVST's other free plugins are very worthwhile as well. GBand has great resonance.