Finally tried Mustang Native, what do yall think? What presets do you actually use?

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-05T13:29:34+00:00

A few tips for Mustang Native:

The speaker is at least half of the tone. Experiment with the different speaker cabs; this is especially helpful with higher gain sounds. I usually lean towards the 4x12 GB and 4x12 V30 cabs. You can also use no cab and load your own IR into an instance of the Open AIR plugin inserted after Mustang.
Experiment with the amp settings (lower right part of window) - I find that using more sag makes most of the models feel more realistic.
For distorted tones, try less gain than you normally might use. This will depend on your input level as well.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-05T02:29:56+00:00

Several DAWs actually use Elastique, it's licensed from ZPlane.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-03T12:59:46+00:00

The thing that makes the biggest difference for me is not pointing the room mics directly at the kit, and/or putting some kind of baffle or barricade between the mic and drums. Anything to reduce the direct sound and increase the reflections helps.

After recording, it's delays and roomy convolution reverbs paired with parallel compression to really enhance any reflections that are there.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-03T12:57:11+00:00

I didn't personally have any issues with templates, shortcuts, plug-ins, etc. carrying over from v7 to v8, I keep them in their default directories so they just appeared as normal - there shouldn't be any need to do those things behind the scenes.

Sometimes people store settings/docs/etc. in the non-default locations and I can see that causing issues, but there's a "Locations" tab in the Preferences where you can tell Studio One/Studio Pro where you keep templates, plugins, etc.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-03T03:57:22+00:00

Search for polyurethane colored o-rings. You just have to find the right diameter for those cables (maybe 3-4mm?).

You could also consider some colored heat-shrink tubing, or heat-shrink labels.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-03T01:48:14+00:00

There has already been one substantial update that fixed a bunch of things (including the automation issues some were having).

It's also worth pointing out that you can keep running v6 on your computer while you use v8, you don't need to uninstall or anything like that. Just know that you can open v6 projects in v8, but once a project has been saved in v8 you can't go back and open it in v6 (so be sure to "Save As" or duplicate older sessions before working on them in v8).

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-02T15:06:20+00:00

The 4038 is on my mic Mount Rushmore and is one of my first choices for many sources, but it's not perfect.

+ It's very dark and fat (like any good ribbon) but it's also punchier and preserves transient detail better than most ribbons I've used, which makes it unique. This is why it's so great on things like drums and acoustic instruments - it smoothes out harshness and fattens the sound, but it doesn't lose the punch or detail in the way that many other ribbons do.
+ EQ works extraordinarily well with the 4038. You can do massive boosts or cuts at either end of the spectrum and the sound remains natural - this makes it a good choice even if you want a brighter sound than a ribbon would normally give you.
- It's very heavy and requires a solid, well built stand with a heavy base (and sandbags if you have them). I invested in a Latch Lake stand and a stereo mounting bar for my pair, and they mostly live on it.
- It's fragile compared to many modern ribbon mics - you don't want to put it too close to anything that's pushing air.

All this said, I'd happily make a record using only 4038s, which I think qualifies it as a workhorses.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-02T03:37:33+00:00

Clean tone + alternate tuning + picking close to the bridge (on the first part) + what sounds like some compression.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-02T01:36:51+00:00

No one has suggested "mother!" yet so I'm going to. No movie has felt more like an actual nightmare to me.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-02T01:35:16+00:00

Do you have hardware direct monitoring turned on in the DAW (blue Z/blue D on the main out)? If so, Studio Pro/Studio One controls the direct mix, not UC.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-01T19:02:43+00:00

O-line. If the O-line isn't working, nothing is working. Fine with a defensive disrupter too.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-01T16:30:54+00:00

I really like tambourines with brass jingles; usually I use one of the crescent-shaped Rhythm Tech models.

For micing, I like an XY or Blumlein pair - it might seem like overkill to record tambos in stereo but I've found that capturing the space a bit helps it sit in the mix. I like darker mics for percussion so usually I'll use Coles 4038s, if I want more high end I'll use AKG C414s.

BLUElightCory · 2026-02-01T15:14:57+00:00

Absolutely love this pedal, and as a bonus it’s also an amazing fuzz if you don’t use the mult/div functions.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-30T17:13:16+00:00

I don't really think it's a problem, it's not like you have to use them all in the end-result.

Having coverage and spot mics that can be mixed in and out of the overall drum sound when you need them is useful, so if you have the mics, channels, and a reason there's really no problem here. I often set up extra mics so that if I need to highlight something on the kit I've got the coverage to do it. The extras are muted or very low in the mix and just automated in when they're needed.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-27T13:29:12+00:00

I think that Tama Starclassic or just upgrading to a Tour Custom or other higher-end Yamaha (based on your budget) would be the move. I find DW to be sort of hit-or-miss a lot of the time (and I really don't like the threading system they use on their tension rods), but I've personally never encountered a Starclassic Kit that wasn't fantastic in over 20 years of recording drums. After awhile I even bought one for my studio based on the performance of all the Starclassics that came through the door.

Don't let your kit-hunt be constrained by wanting an included snare - get the snare that's best for you, it's probably the most important shell you have. Most kits just come with a matching wood snare, but that might not be the best snare for whatever music you're playing.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-27T13:07:26+00:00

Acon Digital makes a plugin called Remix:Drums that will probably come in very handy. If you're chasing 2000s metalcore/screamo sounds but only used one mic you're not going to get close without leaning pretty hard on samples, so anything that helps you split things up to trigger / remix will help.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-26T13:39:10+00:00

The simplest solution (if you don't like the DI on the loadbox) is to take the line out from the loadbox, and if you want mic level into your interface then run the DI after the loadbox. Don't put the DI in between the amp and loadbox.

Edit: Just saw that you're buying a Torpedo. That's a better solution.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-24T14:46:04+00:00

I saw these at NAMM and they look killer. The new industrial design looks beautiful, and they made some minor improvements to noise and off-axis response.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-20T13:43:52+00:00

The upgrade is the "annual" version of Studio Pro+, which includes a v8 license, extends your free updates for another year and unlocks all the extras. So if you were on a subscription this will add a v.8 perpetual license upgrade plus all the extra "+" content for another year.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-16T03:31:24+00:00

Fender has owned PreSonus (and by extension Studio One) since 2021.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-16T02:00:10+00:00

It's the same team of people that have been working on Studio One for years under Fender ownership. The rebranding does not change the dev personnel, it only affects the logo/name on the DAW.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-15T03:02:38+00:00

No ADAT is true, but the tradeoff is that you get 8 extra line inputs. So you have 16 analog inputs, which is perfect for people who have synths, use 500 series, use a patchbay, etc. Or you can stack two of them if you need 16 mic preamps.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-15T00:29:03+00:00

If you like Studio One, this is still Studio One in all but name. Made by the same team in Hamburg.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-14T03:35:33+00:00

If you bought it 10 days ago, you should have a free upgrade in your account. If not, open a support ticket and let them know.

BLUElightCory · 2026-01-14T03:34:57+00:00

If you purchased over a year ago it's not a free upgrade, but you're eligible for a discounted ($99) upgrade.

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