How Many EQ Plugins Do You Need

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[danielpicard]

Limitations can be good. Having too many options is often counterproductive. At least, in my experience. I must admit that I use only 10% of all the plugins I bought over the years.

[atreyfall]

You don't need that many plugins. I'm starting on this, professionally and since the begining I'm living in the digital world. The biggest problem that I had was the access to that many plugins. It was hard to finish a mix. So I did limit myself to use just a couple of plugins, for most of the things just the ssl channel strip. My mixing got improved because now I focus on what's really important.

[ZozillaThaGreat]

Serious question, great video, people to answer this need to know their job, the process each phase asks for, and their skills ...

[gavmurray]

i have already done what you talking about. i got the uc1 on the day it was released. no regrets at my end. i dont think its for everyone but its exactly what i want.

[RadioRickie]

Thanks Barry, for the videos! This video hits home with me-I'm starting with the SSl-UC1, and limiting so many plugins. I went threw my plugins and selected my favorites. It's crazy how many I own, time for more outboard gear.!

[MartinJamesOfficial]

I've been thinking the exact same thing recently. I have so many versions of the same emulations, it's unreal! I'm considering selling some of my licences and sticking to the same console. It's almost like an addiction to collecting all the plugins 😂

[Officialfilter]

So I bought the solid-state logic UC1 and use only the native channel strip 2 on all my mixes and holy fuck is not only fun but sounds great. I’m never going back!!

[flqkxsp]

Yes it better to scale it down.. and get adapted to one channel strip, I support you I am also buying it.

[brentbusby]

I just bought one to integrate into my workflow and so far, I love it. I've ben mixing professionally for 22 years, but I've been ITB the whole time, so all of my mix decisions have been consciously or subconsciously influenced by screens. With this system, its delightful EQ-ing and compressing solely by ear, as odd as that seems. I've used the SSL V2 plugins for a few weeks and already realized how far above and beyond they are to other channel strip plugs (I have all of them). To me, its not even close. So the decision to buy the UC1 and go all out was easy.

I work in TV post production, so I'm actually integrating this into my post workflow and am finding it refreshing as well for mixing. Instead of choosing from 1 of a thousand EQs or compressors, I have the strip on every channel and try to get as finished a mix as I can with just that. From there, of course, I'll pepper with anything needed....digital EQ/s (Q3), saturation, effects, deessers, etc. But for a foundation, I'm going to roll with this for a while. I work in Nuendo and thought I would be annoyed that it doesn't follow the track, like my Steinberg CC121. However, the scroll wheel is so fast and intuitive, that its actually better, I think. I can click on other tracks and work on them while being able to separately focus the UC1 wherever I want. I had no idea I would like that, but I do.

To your point, we all can suffer from having too many choices. More and more, I'm narrowing down my choices and am much happier with the workflow and the results.

[TwstedTV]

I like the Plugin Alliance channel strips, they are officially authorized to do SSL.

[HenryC]

I may be an outsider, I'm a musician/Singer/Songwriter that was hurled into the recording/mixing chair a couple of years ago. At first I bought 3rd party plugins because I thought I would get better results than the stock "Reaper" plugins for my demos. As many know, It's challenging to wear all the hats required to make sounds into songs. Not only the recording/mixing aspect but doing it all with a guitar/Bass/drumsticks/Cables or a boom stand that droops in your hands. Not to mention the Go Go Gadget arm needed to set levels while playing a drum kit without bumping into a well placed microphone...I was looking for short cuts and honestly, I didn't even know where to start. I learned a lot from the presets.

I bought everything that looked like a channel strip, which I'm still a big fan of but now I'm a bit more selective. The "Boutique" or "Hi-End" plugins do make a difference, how much is up to the listener I guess. I have found that while my record/mix skills have improved, a few of these plugins do most of the work now. To close it out, here's my thought process...Wal-Mart plugins, Home Depot plugins, Cabinet shop plugins and Custom cabinet shop plugins. I hope that makes sense!

Now I have a rack of pre-amps and compressors (mostly budget) that helped me get what I was hearing in my head. I take every measure possible to effect or not effect the signal on the front end. That was a huge leap forward for me. ~Carry on my friends~

[greg]

Barry thanks for your contribution on the Gearspace thread. I’ve been following for several weeks and I have appreciated your comments

[jroc]

I had this none of clarity as well recently and decided to go with the console 1 by Softube. I’ve really enjoyed just working with what I have in that software, I feel like it’s sharpened my ear. Having too much selection seemingly made my workflow slower and gave more room for error.

[southkak]

I use console one for that exact reason. Although, I can still mix and match uad and softube plugins. great video

[PetrolMediaInc]

I’m just now getting to the SSL channel strip from my production and I realized that it’s so much better than what I was using before. Prior to this, I used a hodgepodge of Plugins for a long time and then about two years ago, I settled into using the cla mix hub, the one that emulates an API lunchbox. I loved it for a while because of its simplicity, and I thought that it sounds better than the waves version of the channel strips. But I always felt there was something lacking, and I couldn’t put my finger on it especially since I have use an actual SSL console in real life I just chalked it up to SOFTWARE being software not always being the same as hardware. But then I tried the SSL channel strip three days ago on two sessions and oh my God night and day difference. So I don’t think I’m going to use any other channel strips for a long time.

The main thing for me with this I never liked recording with the SSL console. What I like to doing, was using any other channel strip to process the audio first usually something Neve. Then after I processed it, I would mix it on the SSL. This is true for in the box mainly because the SSL is so much easier to mix on than anything else as long as you’ve done all the hard work before hand you made the tone sound as close to what you really want to sound like and now you’re just balancing everything. Being able to do that with one plugin with compression and not have to sit here stress about it because that is quite literally how nearly every classic record was ever made. Felt so much better.

[thepeladeauprojectband]

I use the softube surfaces and I am pretty happy with it. It gives me options regarding channel strips. That said I do have plug ins like the CLA mix hub that I currently do not see the need for because of my current set up.

[mythicalnoise]

Cool video Barry! Keep up the great tutorials! Your contact is definitely an inspiration for my channel as well!

[Macaroni]

I made a spreadsheet a few years ago with all my plugins listed by type and most used to least used within each type. It was a shocking eye opener when I saw it all together like that. A little embarrassing too. FYI, I now have just over 200 plugins total, and to be fair, at least a third were free, if not more.

Long story short, I sold over $7, 000 worth of plugins I wasn't using, including my entire UAD rig (so glad - never looked back) and have been carefully and judiciously investing in new plugins since then.

Before buying any new plugin type, I first rigorously compare it to what I have and in most cases, I not only find I've got that area well covered, but I often learn more about the plugins I already have.

I recently discovered Acustica's N4 and now I'm doing another purge and rebuilding my plugin tool kit with these new incredible tools.

[ELEVATETHESKY]

Cool video. I just bought the UC1 and love it! I think it can be a good thing to have more than one channel strip. However, I personally think you could get away with just having one, especially if you have a few other tools to create different character and color like a good saturation or tape plugin like Soundtoys Decapitator or Waves J37/Kramer Master Tape, or XLN RC 20 Retro. These plugins can change up the color and character that imho can get you the sound of other channel strips. 

The UC1 has a very smooth and clean sound to it. Select the E and get a tad bit more of a mid range color to the EQ section. But if you throw on the previously mentioned plugins on a bus or master bus, you will instantly turn the UC1 into a more dirty or colored channel strip similar to an SSL 4000E or G etc... In the end it is all about having fun and getting the results you desire. If that means having a lot of different channel strips? Then definitely do that. Or if you get the results you love with one? Then do that. 

On a side note, the UC1 has sped up my workflow ten fold! It is such a blessing to be able to have physical controls and close your eyes while turning two knobs at once. This is super helpful when trying to get a track to sit in the mix or find bad or good frequencies fast while listening to the track with all the music together.And to top it off the SSL Bus Compressor 2 and Channel Strip 2 sound amazing! To my ears they sound like hardware.That clarity you get from them. I find working in the box made me solo stuff more, which in the end I usually had to go back and remix. So I am definitely sticking with the UC1 for awhile.

[willieelliott]

Hey Barry great point, but let me say this I'm 1 of those guys that have all that different stuff vsts, plugins, etc. I find it to be just like a guitar & effects.... sometimes you want the front pu and other times the back pu. It"s a good thing to have options so that the sound doesn't become so redundant and the tonal differences are apparent