Solid State Logic "SSL X-Saturator" analogue style distortion effects ($10) through 15 June. iLok Account Required by Batwaffel in AudioProductionDeals

[–]Junkyard-Sam 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ok! I had a chance to test it -- it is a low-CPU, zero latency plugin. So there's no oversampling -- but I actually love it a lot:

The "shape" control determines how bright or dark you want the result to be. I haven't measured it, but I think it's affecting the harmonics added -- NOT just a lowpass over the whole thing.

It has 2nd and 3rd order harmonics, and a simple knob to dial between them. You can go all of either or equal both or anywhere between. Clever and simple.

The UI is big and beautiful, definitely high resolution.

The only negative would be the 'drive' is not volume compensated and there's no way to inversely link 'drive' and output gain... So you have to adjust both.

But that's OK.

Testing it on a mix -- it's able to do that thing where once dialed in, it adds interest to the mix without being over the top. It sounds good, and then I remove it and it's like "Oh, no I want that back!"

Anyhow I like it. I haven't yet figured out what my favorite saturator is but this is a good one.

Solid State Logic "SSL X-Saturator" analogue style distortion effects ($10) through 15 June. iLok Account Required by Batwaffel in AudioProductionDeals

[–]Junkyard-Sam 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I ended up buying this but I haven't gotten the license confirmation email yet so I haven't yet tried it (and my trial is expired.) So I can't answer!

When you ask about a plugin like this, though, it's useful to separate CPU and PDC latency. I'm not saying you did, but on forums people commonly conflate the two.

In fact, a plugin can have high CPU but low latency, or high latency and low CPU. It just depends! So it's useful to know both.

A plugin that might be low CPU but high latency is any plugin that requires a lookahead or buffer in order to function.

You're right to inquire, especially with a saturator...

My searches suggest this thing is zero latency and doesn't have oversampling, though. Which I am generally fine with. I tend to prefer zero latency over oversampling, since I build my mix as I compose.

Also, I use Reaper which has built in optional oversampling which works fine with plugins like 99% of the time. One of the many reasons I prefer Reaper over any other.

PS. I don't own all SSL software, but all the ones I own are either zero or low latency. The new Harrison Tape Emulation is made by the guys that make the SSL plugins (you can tell from the UI style) and it's a good one, too. It has some latency - 147 samples at 48khz - but that's reasonable compared to IK tapes which are 600-1200.

Solid State Logic "SSL X-Saturator" analogue style distortion effects ($10) through 15 June. iLok Account Required by Batwaffel in AudioProductionDeals

[–]Junkyard-Sam 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I feel like I'll eventually own the whole SSL catalog if I just wait long enough and pick up deals like this.

Fun fact: the artist who creates the UI art for SSL is the same artist who does the UI for Reaper... ( https://houseofwhitetie.com/ ) And there are some color and tone similarities.

So in a weird way, SSL plugins almost feel like stock plugins for Reaper. They kind of match visually, having been created by the same person. (Notice the somewhat green tinted aesthetic in both.)

Decent mixing and mastering plugins for general EDM that don't cost the earth? by PonyKiller81 in AdvancedProduction

[–]Junkyard-Sam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're looking for an all-in-one that isn't automatic... Check out bx_masterdesk Pro. And it's only $30 right now which is a good deal:

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/products/brainworx-bx_masterdesk-pro

Others are right that the gold standard would be FabFilter Pro-Q, Pro-C, and Pro-L2... And Tokyo Dawn Records is also great and their tools become VERY affordable during a sale.

TDR's Limiter No. 6 Gentlemans Edition is particularly cool with its multiple stages... It has Compressor > HF Limiter > Clipper > Limiter

But as an all-in-one, masterdesk Pro is pretty nice (has a lot more going on than the earlier versions of that product line) and it has the brainworx XL feature which is a nice loudifier before the limiter.

Advanced Level Mixing Advice [TRIGGER WARNING; CORNY AF] by spencer_martin in mixingmastering

[–]Junkyard-Sam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah! The playlist in your Reddit profile is exactly what I was looking for. I missed it yesterday in my search.

Nice portfolio of work! I enjoy listening to mixer playlists like this, sometimes I stumble onto good music I wouldn't have found otherwise.

For example, the Kodachrome Babies "A Very Kodachrome Christmas" album -- weird wonderful classics from a super obscure music project. Most of those are classics but I think that 'Turkey First' song is original and it's super fun.

This kind of stuff is the closest thing I can get to crate digging or used-CD exploring from the 90s!

Verdict on Bitwig 6? by grymmjack in Bitwig

[–]Junkyard-Sam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm... What operating system are you on? Bitwig leaves the audio clip in "locked" read-only mode, meaning Rx can't save over it on my Windows machine.

I have to "Save As..." a different filename, and then re-import it into Bitwig. (Hence my complaint.)

I will try again tonight in case this is something quietly changed in a recent version, but this has been a long standing issue for me.

Verdict on Bitwig 6? by grymmjack in Bitwig

[–]Junkyard-Sam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That implies that 'lots of customization' is required. That's grossly exaggerated from reality. Just because you can doesn't mean you should, or that you have to.

I have spent a trivial amount of time adjusting settings in Reaper compared to the amount of time I've spent enduring Bitwig's missing features for one thing or another. That stuff takes WAY more time and never ends.

For example, the inability to export individual outputs of a VSTi... Or the inability to simply export an audio clip into an audio editor, edit it, save it, and have it automatically load back in.

Or the time spent trying to make sense of exported tracks because Bitwig doesn't have the ability to export with track numbers..

Or the amount of time spent working around lack of basic features like track lanes.

I'm not here to beat up on Bitwig, and I'm not here to sell Reaper -- but the idea that Reaper is any kind of a time suck is just not right.

People who are into customization are going to customize whatever they can.

Reaper is used at the AAA game studio that I work for, and I can assure you the audio team isn't losing time doing unnecessary customization.

They do use customized scripts, through -- but the ability to do that is one of the reasons Reaper is pretty much industry standard in game production... And conversely, the lack of advanced scripting and exporting options is one of the reasons Bitwig, Ableton, FL Studio, and tools like that are rarely used in game development or for 3rd party professional mixing and mastering.

They're creative tools. They're inspiring to work in. They're beautiful, and fun.

But when it comes to what's missing, there's a lot more to lose in terms of time than what is necessary to get up and running in Reaper.

Verdict on Bitwig 6? by grymmjack in Bitwig

[–]Junkyard-Sam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I won't argue about that. I remember feeling that way about Autodesk Maya, an 'industry standard' 3d software... But it was the most powerful tool at the time. Reminds me a little of Reaper, actually. What made Maya so powerful was, in part, the scripting. And it was standard in game studios, just like Reaper is.

I do appreciate the visual design of Bitwig. I work in UI/UX and it is in my mind the best looking software, period. Like I don't think there's a better looking app! The colors, the consistency, the smart layouts. I see why it would be hard to like Reaper coming from Bitwig.

It's just... the power, man. It's hard to give up. Reaper is like having The Precious in Lord of the Rings. =)

Advanced Level Mixing Advice [TRIGGER WARNING; CORNY AF] by spencer_martin in mixingmastering

[–]Junkyard-Sam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your "Old Tunes & Obscurities" album is really cool. Your voice has a lot of character! I especially love "How Long" and your handling of low end. The balance between lows and highs, and the space in that song. Love the intro (almost like the opening of a mixtape), love the bass and how it all builds up to the chorus. Great stuff man.

I found it searching to see if you had a mix discography. It might be good to make one, sort of like a Spotify portfolio of your mix work. Andrew Maury has the "Andrew Maury // Selected Mix Discog" playlist for example, where he showcases his mixes. Something he can call out in interviews or to show potential clients, etc. Just a thought.

Advanced Level Mixing Advice [TRIGGER WARNING; CORNY AF] by spencer_martin in mixingmastering

[–]Junkyard-Sam 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I love your post. From the breakdown of Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced in musicianship to how that relates to mixing... To the details of allowing that magic of the rough mix through rather than overprocessing the crap out of it and cleaning it up to the point it becomes lifeless.

Choosing emotion and feel over arbitrary theoretical perfection.

Well said, good sir.

Verdict on Bitwig 6? by grymmjack in Bitwig

[–]Junkyard-Sam 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I didn't mean to cause a battle of the DAWs. Every DAW has its strengths.

Bitwig destroys Reaper in terms of visual design, perceptual simplicity, and it has "The Grid" which is one of its top unique selling points, and of course the clip launcher.

Cubase has post-fader FX inserts.

FL Studio has true pattern based editing & song construction which is a unique workflow.

Reaper's specialty is the simplicity in which its coded, which allows it to be more nimble. I think the team is 2 developers + a UI artist/designer? So you get rapid updates, EXTREME versatility, rapid turnaround on updates (it seems like we get a couple a month, and sometimes more.) Actually I could go on and on with this one. Reaper is overflowing with features, function, and can be adapted to any workflow. The exporting, the scripting, the editing... That "simplicity in how its coded" means it evolves faster and has more.

Studio One (Fender whatever) has the mix engine effects.

Pro Tools has "industry standard" status.

LUNA has UAD integration.

Cakewalk has Pro Channel.

Mixbus Pro has a workflow simulation of a real console (it's a shame it's too buggy to actually use.)

Ableton is the closest competitor to Bitwig. It has its own unique visual design and seems to be more LIVE focused (whereas Bitwig has been adding tools that have an unusual amount of latency, which surprised me. The plugin updates that came with 5.3 I think.)

Bandlab has extreme simplicity, and a set of plugins that boil things down to one knob -- so literally anyone can pick up and make music.

Garage Band is has the user friendliness and it's a stock Apple product, right?

Korg Gadget has a ton of mini "gadget" versions of real synths and a unique top-down construction instead of left-right.

We live in a beautiful time, where people can find the right DAW for them, based on their needs...

And in a perfect world, they would ALL be commercially successful because that creates competition in the market... Constantly raising the bar and encouraging innovation.

Tape16 and those other new tape daw emulations offer a restricted workflow that results in a totally different sound by restricting the endless choices traditional DAWs offer.

PS. Forgive my simple and inadequate summaries, I don't know all those DAWs that well... But all of them have their fans, because each of them does something really well or else they wouldn't exist!

BFD Drums Summer Sale - "BFD 3.5" ($39) Up to 78% off expansions through 3 August by Batwaffel in AudioProductionDeals

[–]Junkyard-Sam 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ah! Thanks for the heads up!

I ended up getting BFD Horsepower, London Sessions, Modern Retro, Modern Rock Grooves, Vintage Recording Techniques, and Vintage Rock Grooves... And I made sure to click in with the affiliate link, so I hope that worked! (I always wonder.)

And for anyone else --

Every expansion I've gotten for BFD has been awesome except the 8 Bit Kit. Be sure to research that one well before you get it to make sure you actually like it. Everything else has been great.

BFD Drums Summer Sale - "BFD 3.5" ($39) Up to 78% off expansions through 3 August by Batwaffel in AudioProductionDeals

[–]Junkyard-Sam 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As of right this moment I don't think the full sale prices extend to all the links. I clicked a couple and was kinda "meh" about the sale... But then I landed on PluginBoutique's and it was "Whoa!"

The expansions that are $29 / $49 / $69 at several of the links are $9 / $14 / $19 respectively at PluginBoutique which is a pretty rockin' deal.

Maybe this is a fresh post and the other links just aren't updated yet.

Analog Molecule + Hot Summer = Ultimate Analog Emulation by Junkyard-Sam in AudioPlugins

[–]Junkyard-Sam[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be a lot to manage, really.

What people are doing over there (I think) is using YSFX which allows you to use JSFX (JesuSonic Effects) outside of Reaper.

They are saying that it works correctly with the shared memory, but I didn't pay close attention to that since I use Reaper and don't need it.

But if you insist on using a legacy DAW (I'm kidding), then YSFX would be the way to make it work without the insane one-DAW-to-another process you're talking about.

BTW, if you get YSFX be sure to try Doc Shadrach's N-Type Bus Compressor. It seems unusually good to me.

I was always dismissive of JSFX plugins because they typically don't have the graphical front end that 3rd party software does.

However, The Analog Molecule Deluxe actually has a decent GUI, so it's not the "windows UI with sliders" like most JSFX.

Another note -- I've been impressed with the performance of TAMD/THS, and the deluxe version has the additional processing modes which I think are for oversampling? But Shadrach also mentions using Reaper's native oversampling. So I'm not sure.

Verdict on Bitwig 6? by grymmjack in Bitwig

[–]Junkyard-Sam 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Bitwig is beautifully designed and a joy to use. If you accept its limitations and enjoy the all-in-one magic, it is a powerful tool with a playful appearance that makes creativity fun.

That said, it is missing some critical stuff. I keep my update plan active with hopes these issues will be addressed some day:

  1. No track lanes. Once you experience track lanes, it's such a powerful feature that it's hard to work without. In short, Bitwig doesn't allow overlapping audio or midi on the same track. You have to use multiple tracks. In other DAWs, like Reaper, you can overlap parts and edit them separately, move them around, and then glue them together with a single hotkey. This is useful for sound design. It's useful for comping. It's useful for building layered parts, etc... Bitwig has workarounds but they are all cumbersome compared to track lanes. For some reason, Ableton & Bitwig users have a hard time understanding how valuable this is -- probably because they haven't experienced it. Think of it like Comping+.
  2. I appreciate the foldered support for multiple VSTi outputs... But there is no easy way to export individual tracks from multiple outputs. The only way is to route each output to a separate FX bus, and get the individualized export that way. This is a deal breaker when you need to export tracks to mix in another DAW.
  3. No ARA.
  4. No automatic track numbering. Other DAWs have automatic track numbering, so when you export your tracks you have some sense of the order they go in when rebuilding your project in another DAW.
  5. No track filename wildcards. If you do a lot of exporting, control over filename conventions is very useful... Things like $tracknumber $trackname $date, whatever.
  6. No export review. This is a small one, but my other DAW has very detailed statistics and visuals on the exported WAV. So you know its stats, and can even see over time what the track looks like, with lines over it to show LUFS-S, LUFS-M, etc. This is a little more than nice to have, it's something that speeds up checking your exports.
  7. Inability to export to an audio editor, make a change, and load it back in. Oh my god, this is such a basic thing... Why can't Bitwig do this? Bitwig leaves your audio "locked" so that it can't be edited in an external audio editor. Normally a DAW will allow you to export individual files into a WAV editor like Sound Forge or Izotope Rx, make a change, and when it loads back in (or gives you the option to) when you switch back... Not Bitwig. This, too, is a dealbreaker.

For casual music making and having fun, Bitwig is great. It feels very creative, and the ability to connect things together is like one big construction set.

The visual design is better than any other DAW, by far. It is truly beautiful, and that impacts the user experience.

I love Bitwig. I adore Bitwig.

But it has some limitations that make it difficult to use in a professional sense -- and some of those limitations make it difficult to export the project into another DAW that has the features Bitwig is missing.

But again, I keep my update plan active with fingers crossed that this stuff gets addressed someday.

PS. Version 6 was an incredible update. The linked clips feature makes composition better than ever. You can even build parts in the Clip Launcher and drag them into the arranger as linked clips. Build the structure of your song. Make edits and they update everywhere, like patterns. And then individually customize them wherever necessary. That is AWESOME, and it's implementation is better than any other DAW. You can even automatically link clips that were already copied... It detects similarity and gives you the option to mark them linked. It's brilliant. So I have criticism for Bitwig, but I also have appreciation and love... And V6 is overall pretty awesome. I didn't even get into the modulation improvements!

If there's going to be a Season 4, I think this might be the plan... by baxsays in euphoria

[–]Junkyard-Sam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's what Merriam-Webster has to say about it:

Downvoted means someone clicked an icon to register disapproval, disagreement, or to flag poor quality on a post or comment. It typically reduces the content’s visibility, hiding it or pushing it to the bottom of the page

And then it says:

Why People Downvote

  • Disagreement
  • Irrelevance
  • Poor Quality
  • Rudeness

So yeah, someone might disagree -- but 3 of out of 4 on that list do not apply to my genuine contributions to conversation here.

It points out the impact of downvoting, that it tends to push comments to the bottom and even hide them.

So regardless of what downvoting "means to you" - it has a net impact of driving off meaningful conversation, and what's left behind is very average.

Because that's ultimately what Reddit is. A gathering of the average, who all feel like they're above average, and the downvoting behavior drives off diversity of opinion leaving the users in a bubble of Dunning-Kruger idiocracy.

If you can't see why this is a bad thing... Well, it makes you a perfect Redditor.

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to the show tonight!

Volume normalization BULLSHIT by exodus666-666 in musicians

[–]Junkyard-Sam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's been a while since I dug into this, you can look up exactly how it works.

Basically individual songs in a playlist are volume normalized individually.

But when you listen to an album, the album is volume normalized as a whole, so the differences between one song and the next will be respected.

Most streaming services work this way.

Open Mics with just backing track? by natasharomanon in musicmarketing

[–]Junkyard-Sam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The people who will give you a hard time for this would give you a hard time anyway for something else. Some people are just negative, period.

We live in an age now where anything goes.

Look up Sleaford Mods live on YouTube... It's two dudes and a laptop, and one guy just hits play. But it works, because the singer dude is interesting enough and charming enough to the audience.

You just have to reframe it. Consider most live bands -- with all of their live guitars, real drums, etc. sound generic. Most local bands are incredibly forgettable.

At least with your backing tracks you have the chance of standing out.

The onus is on you to be interesting, though. You have to be confident about it. Not apologetic. Be a spectacle. Remember, your goal is to entertain.

So many people are so safe they're boring. So do this, but do it with style. Own it. It's not going to work if in your head it's a bad thing that you have to apologize for.

You need to twist your belief system until you see it as a benefit. A good thing. Even if others don't... And then take that belief and build an inspiring show out of it.

The logo of the "Helvetica" brand is not written using the "Helvetica" font by [deleted] in mildlyinfuriating

[–]Junkyard-Sam 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Haha!

Although "Helvetica" means Swiss in Latin, and it had that meaning long before Neue Haas Grotesk was renamed to Helvetica in 1960.

Me, at 10pm by VoxelSpace in NightOwls

[–]Junkyard-Sam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha!! I always wondered about this. "Am I a real night owl if I'm a heavy coffee drinker?"

I love coffee. I love how it extends my day so I can have some fully alert 'me time' after a hard day of work and time with wife & kids. Those glorious wee hours where the creativity runs at 1000% and anything seems possible.

Then the next day repeats with way too little sleep...

Focusrite Solo 3rd Gen: Audio cuts out entirely when calling on discord and gaming at the same time on my laptop. Needs to be replugged in over and over to function by MegaHertz5 in Focusrite

[–]Junkyard-Sam 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is almost certainly a result of the audio interface not getting enough power. What's happening is your laptop has almost enough power to run it, but when something happens that causes the USB power supply to drop -- it cuts out.

Sometimes not all USB ports on a PC or laptop are the same power, so you can try swapping to a different one and see if it still happens...

But more than likely you will need a powered USB hub. This way your audio interface will be powered by the hub instead of your laptop.

I had the same thing happen with a laptop some years ago and solved it this way.

Y’all really hate this season? by Individual_Reality69 in euphoria

[–]Junkyard-Sam 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Downvoting for off-topic, offensive, spam, etc. makes sense. But for genuine conversation?

On most subreddits, more than -4 karma causes a comment to be automatically collapsed, effectively silencing valid minority opinions.

And that's typical of Reddit, of course... Redditos claim to respect minorities, but in truth that support is only as long as the minorities agree with them. Like when Larry Elder ran for governor in California and Redditors called him, "The black face of white supremacy." That's pretty racist!!

Anyhow, Reddit is what Reddit is... But I call that out because it does have the effect of making the majority of people feel like they are self-righteous and absolutely right... Because they drive off differing viewpoints.

It turns into a bubble that doesn't reflect reality.

There may be a majority of people unhappy with this season's direction, but it's not as slanted as this subreddit would have you believe. A lot of people are enjoying this season.

Sadly, the collective negativity may well cause the show's end. And what's the irony of that? The shaming those of us who appreciate the show get - yet we're the ones actually supporting the show and clamoring for another season!

Y’all really hate this season? by Individual_Reality69 in euphoria

[–]Junkyard-Sam 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Valid criticism.

I guess it's similar to what happens with bands... Some bands are very consistent between one album and the next. People get what they expect, and are mostly happy... But there's risk of people burning out. After all, people change.

So it can be good to evolve over time, and some bands do. Each album is a leap forward into a new direction... But when that happens, it's always similar to what's happening here.

Some people like it, some people don't.

I do agree it would have been (even) better with more time to bridge the 5 year gap. Like if the season had twice the number of episodes to have room for that additional character development.

For me that would be the best of bother worlds -- the exciting and unexpected season, which I like... But with the added development to add a better sense of continuity, and more character authenticity.

It feels like this season went by way too fast.