7 PLUGINS THAT I USE ON EVERY MIX.
Long-gone are the days of a mix being confined to an analog desk, some 19 inch racks and a tape machine or two. Modern computing has both democratised and revolutionised the way that we produce and mix music.
DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) such as Ableton Live and Avid Pro Tools have integrated functions that were once performed by multiple outboard devices. This has drastically reduced operating costs, made collaboration easier, and removed the need for time-consuming recall sheets.
Never before have the entry barriers to producing records been so low!
All market-leading DAWs come with excellent built-in stock software to tidy your mix, stylise it with a broad palette of effects, and prepare a master file for release.
Whilst these stock devices are more than capable of producing a decent outcome, there are many exceptional third party softwares (generally referred to as plugins or VSTs) that can really take your mix to the next level.
Some of my favourites on this list are high-end emulations of classic hardware, adding flavour and character. Some are highly specialised designs in the fields of sound design, signal processing and analysis.
These 7 find themselves in all of my mixes as they all serve integral, unique purposes within my workflow.
Today we look at the 7 plugins that I use on every project, why I use them, and how they can improve your workflow!
*Some tips before we begin:
Almost all plugins offer a free trial period, I would strongly recommend that you try before you buy!
Learn your plugins thoroughly and look through your existing collection before investing in new plugins and VSTs.
Be wary that these plugins will generally be more CPU intensive that their stock counterparts!
1: Fab Filter - Pro-Q 3
Price: €169.00
An equaliser is used to sculpt a signal's spectral balance within a mix, shaping its sonic characteristics by boosting and attenuating (cutting) desired frequencies. As EQ’ing is such a commonplace task, having an in-depth, working understanding of a high-quality Equaliser is where I would recommend anyone to start their journey into collecting plugins.
I regularly use Fab Filter’s entire product line (and it is fantastic), but the Pro Q-3’s versatility and outstanding performance means it is the one that I use on every project.
Favourite features:
For such a powerful plugin, Pro Q3 uses very little CPU. It is the first plugin that I use on every signal-chain.
The Mid/Side EQ helps bring any stereo content to life, removing low-end rumble and resonance in the higher frequencies.
The Dynamic EQ and side chain functionality are excellent tools for sculpting tracks within in a mix, and for taming harsh frequencies.
Spectrum Grab creates visual prompts showing harmonic peaks, allowing the user to tame desired frequencies with a wide array of outstanding features.
Pro-Q 3 boasts Bell, Notch, High/Low Shelf, High/Low Cut, Band Pass, Tilt Shelf, Flat Tilt filter shapes, and slopes ranging from 6 dB/octave to 96 dB/octave. The brick wall settings are excellent for surgically precise (but natural sounding) filtering!
2: IK Multimedia - MixBox
Price: €199.99
MixBox is my favourite solution to creative mixing and sound design. Its usability, seamless design and sonic quality has displaced entire FX signal chains I have sworn to for years. Inspired by the analog modular processing format known as a ‘500-series’ - MixBox provides near-infinite number of possible signal flows and FX chains.
As far as creative mixing goes, IK Multimedia are the brand for me. Their vast product line is industry-standard throughout, from emulations of iconic hardware, to outstanding mastering software. MixBox is a wonderful showcase of this legacy - taking influence from the best of of T-RackS, AmpliTube and SampleTank.
To top it off, all this is self-contained in possibly the most user-friendly design I am yet to use.
Favourite features:
The user-friendly design is exceptional. You could produce an industry-standard record using MixBox alone within a few hours of using the software.
The 70+ modules sound incredible. The emulations of iconic amplifiers, EQs, compressors, modulation FX and even reverb units are fantastic across the board.
If you are as much of a stickler for immaculate gain structure as I am, then the reverse edit panel options will be of great use to you. It allows you to seamlessly maintain gain structure between modules.
Each module has a dry/wet control, granting even more control for your signal chain!
With up to eight modules per chain, you can seamlessly reposition your signal flow to achieve new sonic possibilities (but be sure to watch your gain structure if you are moving modules around).
3: Oeksound - Soothe 2
Price: €199.00
Having recently mixed a live performance to album format, I spent a lot of 2022 working out how best to carve space into my mix and tame resonant frequencies. I was chatting to my good friend Adrian (a.k.a Dragutesku) at DRG Mastering, and he suggested that I try Oeksound. I need more friends in my life like Adrian, as his plugin recommendations are always golden. Not only did the plugin achieve my desired sonic outcome, but significantly outperformed my expectations (Cheers, Adrian).
As far as technical mixing goes, Soothe 2 is a God-send. In Oeksound’s own words, Soothe 2 is a “dynamic resonance suppressor. It identifies problematic resonances on the fly and applies matching reduction automatically.”
What this means is that with just a few adjustments to dial in preferences, Soothe can instantaneously tame your resonant frequencies that would otherwise require extensive spectral and dynamic processing.
The countless awards, and eternal praise from industry-leading engineers are no coincidence, Soothe 2 is the real deal.
Favourite features:
As this is such a unique plugin, the presets are an excellent starting point to familiarise yourself with Soothe 2, and how best it can work for your goals.
Soothe 2’s versatility is mind-blowing. It brings clarity, presence and balance to any source material you run through it. So far, I’ve used it on everything from my drum bus, bass, individual synths, bussed synth sub-mix and even master bus.
The Mid/Side mode allows you to focus on the desired stereo placement of the processing. This is fantastic when used in tandem with Pro-Q 3, allowing you complete control of stereo signals.
There are so many layers of control - allowing you to affect the mid/side balance, sharpness/selectivity, soft/hard processing, dry/wet on the output, side-chain input, processing depth, and attack/release.
The quality options allow you to set differing real-time and offline spectral oversampling and time resolution. This is an excellent workaround for Soothe’s more CPU intensive features, ensuring smooth performance during the mix-down, and optimised performance during the final bounce.
4: IK Multimedia - T-RackS 5 - Metering
Price: €99.99
If you are yet to try T-RackS, then I would strongly recommend that you trial at least a few of their iconic emulations. With the eternal - LA2A, 1176, Fairchild 670, Neve and SSL Bus Compressors & many more - there are some amazing on offer.
Whilst metering is not necessarily the most glamorous aspect of production, this plugin provides an exceptional array of analytical tools to streamline this necessary process.
Favourite features:
Broadcast-ready metering abilities for loudness, polarity & stereo-field analysis.
The GUI is fantastic, the spectrogram and real-time analyser provide top-quality visual feedback.
The VU / PPM / M/S Metering available is a great addition to the product’s analytical prowess.
5: Wavesfactory - Trackspacer
Price: €59.00
Trackspacer is unlike any other plugin I have used. Its ability to place each track within the broader mix is outstanding. It seamlessly adds swing and groove, and most valuably - interlocks the sonic elements of a mix. This is a must have for audio engineers and music producers alike!
By Wavesfactory’s words, it “ features an internal 32 band EQ that reacts to the incoming sidechain signal. It analyses the spectrum of the sidechain and applies a reversed EQ curve to another track.”
Favourite features:
The Mid/Side option allows for amazing creative versatility.
Set the plugin parameters, and then dial in the “Amount” rotary to desired effect. As you do this, you can literally hear as the plugin carves out a sweet spot in the mix. Simple as that.
The “advanced panel” enables a high degree of control, the attack and release options provide excellent sonic manipulation of source material, almost automatically improving its presence and clarity in the mix.
6: Sonnox - Oxford Inflator
Price: €136.00
This one was recommended during an amazing class on top-down mixing approaches by Charlie Thomas. I’ve used it on every project since. The Oxford Inflator brings natural presence and power to signals, without degrading dynamic range or audio quality. It’s so easy and effective in adding punch and clarity that it almost feels like cheating.
Favourite features:
The Oxford Inflator is of the most straightforward but effective plugins I have ever used. It can immediately benefit any workflow - from a bedroom producer to an industry-professional.
Band-Split mode splits the processing by three bands to reduce intermodulation distortion.
Excellent application for technical loudness enhancement as well as creative sound design.
7: Oeksound - Spiff
Price: €149.00
I love Oeksound. They only sell two plugins and they are both world-class. No nonsense, just audio engineering brilliance. Spiff has unmatched abilities to sculpt and enhance a track’s dynamics, remove clicks and pops, and bring your audio to life!
Favourite features:
Spiff was initially designed to remove mouth clicks, so this highly musical plugin has equal merit in your podcast or post-production workflows!
The enhancement options are fantastic - you can achieve some very interesting sonic outcomes with very little work required.
The options for softening transients are a serious game-changer for those who produce with outboard equipment. The lack of lookahead when tracking can be powerfully negated with complete control over your source material’s transient processing.
Much like Soothe 2, Spiff packs a vast array of control mechanisms and dry/wet blending into a straightforward user-design and GUI.
