Getting the best sound

[GHP]

I've been making music for awhile now on the computer and my question is do you need to have external hardware in your setup to get that big professional sound or will plug ins on the computer work just the same?

It just seems that you can never spend enough money on gear to get the right sound, at least thats how alot of people make it seem

you spent all this money on an interface but your tracks are still thin so you get a real nice preamp, still not what it sould be you buy top of the line cable, better but still not perfect so you buy a 2 thousand dollar converter and so on and so fourth with the plug ins and this and that and etc

when does it end?

 

[BOOBOO619]

I make beats and I'm always trying to make my $hit sound "better." I guess I still haven't found any special formula or combination of plugins to get that perfect sound. I don't have no expensive studio monitors or anything so that limits me of course, just some standard 2.1 Cyber Acoustic desktop speakers and Sony Headphones. But as far as buying Hardware, I doubt you really need to. There's a lot of good software plugins out there.

Some plugins I got and that I really like are (in no particuliar order):

-WaveArts "Power Suite 5" ( wavearts.com/products.html )

-URS "Everything EQ Bundle" ( ursplugins.com/ )

-PSP Audio "Master Comp" & "Vintage Warmer" ( pspaudioware.com/ )

-Izotope "Ozone 3" ( izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/ )

-Yamaha "Final Master" ( etcetera.co.uk/products/YAM074.shtml )

a few others also, so I don't see why getting that potential "pro-quality" sound ain't possible.

 

[GHP]

But if you are bringing any raw audio into your DAW you need a nice preamp and a nice converter to make it sound as good as it can though is what i'm saying or am I wrong about that, can you do the same with plugins? I know alot but then again there is so much more to know you know lol. I have no problems with doing shit on the computer but hate being limited to just what the computer has to offer.

 

[Doberman]

Computer music will always sound like computer music....real nice n clean. I think hardware processing and having that signal chain just right makes all the difference in the world. Just listen to some rap from the 80's/early 90's and compare it to what you hear nowadays and you'll see what I mean. Is it possible to get that same sound from software...I think so, with a lil effort.

 

[scandal]

As Far as beats go, your sound quality is really determined by your choice of sounds and your mixing skillz. but as always If you pick weak drums your drums are gonna sound weak. As far as Vocals, you are gonna have to spend a little more money to get a better sound, which is why sometimes its just better to cough up the money for studiotime at a real studio, cause you get all the gear and an engineer who knows how to use it. If you want to do things your self buy some good studio monitors and try and step your mixing game up, because that is the best way to give yourself a better sound without spending hella money.

 

[GHP]

I know how to use the gear thats not the problem. See my plan is to eventually have a lab decent enough that i can take in clients eventhough my main focus is music production. I'm looking far down the road though cuz I know to have it the way i want will cost a hell of alot more than what i have. I may want to use live instruments in pieces so I think I may need the external gear to warm the stuff up. Also if I'm sampling vinyl or whatever I want the stuf to sound unique which i suppose can be done with plugins but i know alot of people use a preamp or channel strip to give it a unique sound. I just want to be able to put out the best stuff i possibly can.

 

[HERESY]

I've been making music for awhile now on the computer and my question is do you need to have external hardware in your setup to get that big professional sound or will plug ins on the computer work just the same?

The words in bold are relative. During the past 10 years there have been many #1, top charting, gold and platinum records that were M.I.B

It just seems that you can never spend enough money on gear to get the right sound, at least thats how alot of people make it seem

They spend money on the wrong things.

you spent all this money on an interface but your tracks are still thin so you get a real nice preamp, still not what it sould be you buy top of the line cable, better but still not perfect so you buy a 2 thousand dollar converter and so on and so fourth with the plug ins and this and that and etc

when does it end?

When you purchase the right tools.

But if you are bringing any raw audio into your DAW you need a nice preamp and a nice converter to make it sound as good as it can though is what i'm saying or am I wrong about that, can you do the same with plugins?

All relative. Concentrate on THE ROOM. IMHO, the room plays the most important factor (besides your ears and knowledge) when determining how the material will sound. Your listening environment is extremely crucial, and I suggest you place more emphasis on that instead of gear.

 

[50cal]

On a side note my boy bought the ssl duende...so he could use the ssl plug ins in pro-tools on(24-32 tracks/) Big mistake....it sounds really good,but the shit dont work 99% the time,and ssl has no answers.Ive read on other sites people having same problems.

I beleive you can get good recording on computers...but its not gonna be cheap

 

[HERESY]

He is using the plugins on 24 to 32 tracks or is he using the 24 or 32 track version of PT? If it is the first why the hell is he doing that?!?!?!?

He needs to hit the digi duc, he needs to contact waves about the problem (not SSL), and you are correct in stating many people have experienced problems with it. If he is running older versions of PT that this plugin was not written for he is going to have problems.

 

[50cal]

duende is a hardware plug in with its own dsp...like the UAD1...he had hd3..but was using hd1 with that.Im not ure exactly how many tracks you can use it on..I beleived that it can be used on 32 tracks.I just checked....its 32)
Duende is SSL,and originally it was working then a few days later it started acting up.I brought it up in case anyone gets enticed to buy it....again..when it works its great.....he has all the plug ins that came with hd3 and some more like the phoenix plug ins........he is gonna get the hd3 again...of course his mind change more then the weather.
here is a link for duende
http://www.solid-state-logic.com/music/duende_home.html

 

[HERESY]

I didn't even know that existed. According to the page it offers 32 channels of processing. Does this gadget only run the ssl plugins or can it run any plugins? I'd take thats hit back to the store asap.

 

[GHP]

so those waves SSL plugins don't run off your processor? That would be nice if they don't I can imagine them hogging up alot of your processor

good advice everyone BTW

 

[50cal]

I didn't even know that existed. According to the page it offers 32 channels of processing. Does this gadget only run the ssl plugins or can it run any plugins? I'd take thats hit back to the store asap.

It just runs the ssl plug ins....Its sounded nice but problematic.Yeah he took that shit back....he originally got the hd3 so he wouldnt have to worry about how many plug ins he can use...but when he got the duende he switched to hd1...so now..its back to hd3..

 

[GHP]

ok the duende, that shit looks like a nice item to have if it works. I thought you were talking about that Waves SSL package thats like 800 beans, I bet those plug ins hogg up your processor without no chip

 

[MindTherapyRec]

If you don't have a powerful computer then those ssl plug-ins are a bitch after you use a few...big drain on the computer.

 

[HERESY]

the recording can be done anywhere...
its all about the mixing to get that right sound.

you gotta think, stuff like WU-TANGS 36 CHAMBERS was done in a SHOWER!

its allllll on the mixing.

I disagree with this 89%.

 

[GHP]

alot of it is the tracking and getting the cleanest sound possible then you will have more flexability during the mixing stage. In order to do that your gonna need good equipment to get your signal into your recording source and a decent room so you can properly hear what your listining to and a decent place to record the artist so you have as little issues with reflections shit so your source don't come in all out of phase. No rig is perfect though, especially on your average joe engineers budget. You have to make due on some aspects

 

[aziaddict]

The right software and the right plug ins will make your sound professional and better if you know how to use it to it's full potential. You don't need hardware to get better sound, there are plug in's that are exactly like the hardware. Plug in's are expensive too tho. They are both the same, just gotta have the right equipment.

 

[BOOBOO619]

The right software and the right plug ins will make your sound professional and better if you know how to use it to it's full potential. You don't need hardware to get better sound, there are plug in's that are exactly like the hardware. Plug in's are expensive too tho. They are both the same, just gotta have the right equipment.

Not only the right equipment. You gotta know how to properly use that $hit also. Understand what everything means and what should be used for what,etc...


To try to acheive the best sound possible, I think the best thing to do is try to get it as best sounding as possible in the mixing stage like scandal said. If that means aquiring and using the best type of sounds possible, do it. I also think you shouldn't overdue anything in the mixing stage either unless your trying to acheive a specific kind of effect that stands out, use subtle amounts of whatever your trying to do. I think too many people go wild with EQ settings to try to "sweeten" up the sound when that might not even be a problem, you might just be thinning out your sound. Problems could be more with the dynamics and or how you place (pan) your sounds within the Stereo Image. I'm no pro at all, but I can personally hear how my own beats have gotten a lot better sounding. Don't only listen to your individual tracks SOLO and make adjustments to them while only SOLO, hear them how they sound combined with the rest of the tracks as well. For example, a track might not sound that good to you while SOLO, but when combined with the rest of the elements, it might sound perfectly fine. Use headphones as well, you can pick up on small detail.

 

[HERESY]

The right software and the right plug ins will make your sound professional and better if you know how to use it to it's full potential. You don't need hardware to get better sound, there are plug in's that are exactly like the hardware. Plug in's are expensive too tho. They are both the same, just gotta have the right equipment.

What plugins do you know of that are EXACTLY like their hardware counterparts?