KVR Audio

dune_rave · Post by **dune_rave** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 5:42 am

Why are many plugins?
I create two more precise question from this:

-Why are many plugin developers?
and
-Why create a plugin developer more than one plugin?

AnX · Post by **AnX** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 6:02 am

Unaspected · Post by **Unaspected** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:49 am

Grizzellda wrote:
Unaspected wrote:I don't see the point of having more than one effect plugin for each duty unless the plugin combines processes in a way that would take time to put together. Though you'll probably have to try many to reach a conclusion as to which you favour.

For basic mixing duties, the stock plugins in any DAW should be good enough.
Except that plug-ins from various manufacturers have differing features & levels of sound quality. And then there is the question of usability, and the GUI. So I like having a few flangers, a few phasers...

It took a long time for me to find a flanger I liked (having been a guitar player before learning digital audio production). Eventually, I settled on Audio Damage's "Liquid". That plugin can do amazing things.

Never been too fussy about phasers but with the ... I guess I can make an excuse for reverbs and distortion effects.

I try to keep things minimal these days. As the OP is starting out it might be best not to instill the "grass is always greener" situation - at least, IMO. Learning how to use the tools you have and how they interact is most important and probably easiest with a reduced selection.

mfb · Post by **mfb** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 1:04 pm

They do all sound different - reverbs all sound like reverb, but they all sound a little different. Some people only need to find the one they think sounds the best, others want a different reverb for different tracks (eg reverb x sounds good on drums, but reverb y sounds way better on vocals etc etc)

DJbrimLo · Post by **DJbrimLo** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:11 pm

phantamquyen wrote:what is UAD's platform? and someone also mention Waveshell Techonlogy previsously, what is all of this?

Very good questions. I will answer the best I can.
UAD.
Universal Audio has made audio hardware for years. So of their early designs were under different names. When they got into plugin development they branded that division UAD. UAD have designed their plugins to process on an external DSP (digital signal processing) chip. They are other companies who have coded their plugins to take advantage of UAD's external DSP for their plugins as well, such as Brainworx, Softube & Sonnox to name a few.

Waveshell.
WaveShell is a file that translate all of the Waves plugs into different formats such as AU (mac only), VST, AAX (pro tools 10 & up only) and so on. If the Waveshell didn't exist they would have to make their plugins for each format. Waveshell basically serves as a bridge or port. For a company that has over 200 plugins, the idea is genius... my opinion. but similar to how websites can look one way on your computer but than different, but still functional on your smartphone/tablet.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:35 pm

AnX wrote:

Prolly more like this:

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 8:44 pm

phantamquyen wrote:I know this is a common question, but I still haven't got a satisfied answer yet. can anyone help explain?

Different features and workflow.

Boone777 · Post by **Boone777** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:18 pm

There are so much good freebies it's a good idea to start there then you'll have a starter point to compare to paid plugins. I'm personnally aiming at 4 of everything: 4 EQs 4 Comps 4 BusComps 4 Delays 4 Reverbs...more than that you lose too much time navigating through them and slowing your workflow. So when they come on special I replace older ones by new ones that sound better or is more cpu efficient or more functionality. At the end it's all about the sound YOU like and if it fits on the material you work with. So trying a lot to compare your mixes is the way to go for me. Or you simplify your way of working and just use stock plugins coming with your DAW , wich are all usable these day. But has your ear develop you will probably come to appreciate the sonic qualities of 'better' sounding plugins.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:20 pm

In North Korea, there's only 1 plugin. And it sucks.

JJ_Jettflow · Post by **JJ_Jettflow** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:37 pm

chk071 wrote:In North Korea, there's only 1 plugin. And it sucks.

But it has great hair!

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:00 pm

Think we lost little perception due too many choices, perfectionism and GAS, also collective forum hype is strong too, make quite an damage to weaker ones.

It's a journey, gather tools that suits your workflow and needs, there's choice for everyone and some things are more covered than others, some aren't still there maybe and with some you are just stuck, just use the tools that suits you, make your life easier and outcome better, but be careful, getting job done should be priority, not demoing plugins all the time.

Having said that, you really don't need 5 surgical EQ's or you really should settle with Waves, how can you, when things like Equilibrium and ProQ exists, for every plugin there's few that are really to end most of them and in many cases, they aren't made by Waves, so yeah, watch out for that, not ending up preferring Waves for everything is unavoidable, they got few plugins that standout, rest is surpassed long time ago.

To get back to perception, instead of just using for example gut feeling compressor and moving on to big picture, typically some of us are spending way too much time auditioning different choices and slight nuances that other vendors offer and by the time we pick one, we loose so much time and perception, may even end up with wrong choice and overdoing the part, getting attached to it and trying to make wrong thing work in the big picture, happens a lot.

Also our ears and listening environment is way more advanced than aiming audience, so we really get lost in all of it disregarding that, focus on totally irrelevant things, like tail of reverb which 90% of people can't even hear in the mix or we can pull out to have much and stuff like that, so we get guided by some totally irrelevant decisions and that opens the door to plugin mania, everything is precious than and small nuances become huge.

koukouba · Post by **koukouba** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 1:02 pm

phantamquyen wrote:I think this is a newbie question, but what is UAD's platform? and someone also mention Waveshell Techonlogy previsously, what is all of this? Is it the same with VST plug-ins or AU plug-ins...

UAD Platform is basically a soundcard with dsp chips on board that can run certain plugins. UAD is famous for some really good fx plugin emulations and channelstrips. They cant run however without the UAD hardware

Waveshell Technology is just all Waves plugins in a single universal "VST" from which you then select the ones you want thru that VST (runs in any daw) , you can still use various programs to extract all the single plugins from the Waveshell and have them individually as vst plugins

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 11:51 am

phantamquyen wrote:
chk071 wrote:Piratebay is bad mmhkay.
Lolz, you're funny, but no, I didn't pirate it. The post-production I currently working for, they bought it for the last mixing engineer, I'm just lucky to have a chance to have so many plug-ins.

So you 'work' in the industry yet you're asking questions such as this..

ontol · Post by **ontol** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:07 am

emcee · Post by **emcee** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:33 am

This discussion is akin to the question, "why are there so many different types of cars?"

I drive an SUV because I need the space in the back for carting things around regularly.
The family across the road from me with six kids have a people mover.
A friend of mine has a $90k Mercedes SUV - mine cost me a quarter of that.

So why are there so many plugins?
Why does a dog lick itself? Because it CAN.

Why there are so many plug-ins?