How to get Pro Tools mixes sounding phat

[666]

not shure that helps, but i find D2-D3 bad. I can get a little bit warmer sound with Filterbank, Renaissance Eq and MDT multichannel compressor.
Anyway i have the same problem, and i have to boost the lows and lows-mid and to cut the 4-6K f.

0.0025 cts

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somewhere in the planet

[Jules]

Waves
McDSp
Bomb Factory

Are the premier leauge for EQ and compression.

Do you know the trick of trying to keep the PT mixer fader at 0 and setting 'general & static levels within a high quality plug in? I am too poor a typist to explaine the reasoning behind it, perhaps some kind soul will do it...

http://duc.digidesign.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif


Jules

[Corey Shay]

I agree, the focusrite stuff sounds exactly like that especially when you end up boosting top end with it.

[Tone]

I have been using a mix Plus system for about 2 years now, initially just as a tracking/editing device. Over the past few months, I've taken the plunge and had a bash at mixing tracks totally in PT still patching in outboard for verbs etc.

The most recent album project I've done is sounding pretty good but I'm still feeling it has some way further to go before I can get really comfortable with doing everything in PT.

I have Avalon Pre's, Apogee A/D, fairly decent mics and outboard verbs, Lexicon, Roland, Sony etc but I find myself working hard to get to where I want as compared to other (even some digital) boards.

Once everything is in PTs, I hear a nice feeling of seperation and clarity in everything but coupled with that is a thinning out of the lows and a strange sense that the highs are a bit rough - it's hard to get any nice 'sizzle' without it sounding a bit cheap. I've been using mostly the D2/D3 and MH channelstrip.

Having said that, what you may lose in sonics you gain in funtionality, the automation rocks, it's so easy to get it spot on and very fast. Nice.

Has anyone gone through this stage and come out feeling like they've cracked it. Any ideas on how I can improve things would be very welcome.

[imi]

Theres a thread somewhere about the O db level thing Jules mentioned. If I remember it is a mystery as to how digi do the level math. Search for user "Disco Doctor" I know he was part of the discussion a couple of months ago.
Hope this helps

[Ask Otis]

Just my 2cents but...

I started out using FilterBank and compBank but I found them to be too smooth. I was actually missing the edgy eq that I came to use to my advantage when mixing. Most pop R+B records have that edgy bright sound that puts them over the edge on the radio. I found the D2/d3 had that. Although I don't like the red eq in the studio I do like the e series EQ on the SSL. I started using the d2 for the times when I needed the edge that analog eq gives me and the filterbank for the warm musical stuff. I find my mixes are coming closer to what I could get on the SSL.

Well, just a little info for ya.

Good luck.

[Tone]

Thanks for the replys guys. I'm interested to know the reasoning behind that Jules - can anyone explain this?

I've recently heard the BF plugs and yes I reckon they probably could well be nicer than the D2/D3. I never really got on very well with the Waves Ren EQ but I know others who love it.

[666]

Did you know that TDM has to create a sub mixer every 26 channels?
I believe that this has to do with the mixing problems in PT.
Anyway 5.1 sound to me better

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somewhere in the planet

[Peter Duemmler]

I just did a guitar job on a major German record in the producers´ studio. They´re using Logic with a PT Mix++, 888-16s(!) and two Mackie d8b. The mixes are what I´d call phat.
(And IMO my mixes with PT don´t suck either... ;-)
You might wanna check http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~palmann/medusa.mp3 for example.)

Peter