Questions for Experienced Pro Tools Users

[mbox2issue]

Hello,

I am new to Pro Tools 8, and I am thinking to get a complete set of good (professional) plug-ins (RTAS) for the following

1) Compressor/Limiter
2) Reverb, Delay, Chorus
3) Distortion
4) Any effect that helps my song sound more clear
5) EQ
6) Drum patterns (high quality drums sound)
7) Guitar patterns (progressions controllable & high quality sound needed)
8) Bass

I have EZdrummers, Virtual Guitarist (VST converted to RTAS), Smack! LE, Izotope Ozone 4, Hypersonic 2 (converted to RTAS), Drummer Superior 2.

Is there anything that is better than on my list? Thanks a lot for your information and help.

[albee1952]

I think you are pretty much there. The only thing you really need above what you have is a good reverb package. 2 I like are IK MUltimedia Classik Reverbs and Overloud's BreverB.
1) Compressor/Limiter-I like BF76 and SMACK
2) Reverb, Delay, Chorus-see above, use the Digirack stuff included in PT8
3) Distortion-not anything that I would go for
4) Any effect that helps my song sound more clear-good mics, better preamps and good technique
5) EQ-the included Digirack stuff works well but I'd be lost without a Pultec
6) Drum patterns (high quality drums sound)-ezdrummer should be fine
7) Guitar patterns (progressions controllable & high quality sound needed)-hard to fake this stuff. Since I play my own, I don't know of any
8) Bass-once again, I just play my own

[promixr]

I would highly recommend AmliTube Fender by IK Multimedia for guitar distortion and effects: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/fender/features/

I've gotten some good results out of Rob Papen's RG for guitar patterns : http://www.robpapen.com/rg.html

This is a great sample library of hard rock samples and loops, including bass, guitar and drums: http://www.soundsonline.com/Quantum-...pr-EW-173.html

Real Guitar from Music Lab might help you- but I have no experience with it: http://www.musiclab.com/products/realgtr_info.htm

As far as EZ Drummer, don't forget some of the expansions like the latest New York Studio Drums: http://imsproav.com/main/TOONTRTT122.html

As far as effects that may make your songs sound more 'clear' - you may want to elaborate, or link us up to some song examples so we can better advise you... sometimes its not buying more gear- sometimes it's about getting to know the gear you have... what monitors do you have? It could be that you need to think about your studio monitors...

[EGS]

Originally Posted by promixr

... sometimes its not buying more gear- sometimes it's about getting to know the gear you have...

+1

[mbox2issue]

I have an Event brand monitor speakers which cost me around $500 a pair. I'm thinking to add my sub-woofer to the system, but I don't know the good and cheap way to do it. Right now, I only have my monitor speakers hooked up to the Mbox2. Any idea how to hook up my sub-woofer? When I say Bass, I meant the Bass plug-in that sounds good and high quality. Thanks again for your guys.

[O.G. Killa]

Originally Posted by mbox2issue

I have an Event brand monitor speakers which cost me around $500 a pair. I'm thinking to add my sub-woofer to the system, but I don't know the good and cheap way to do it. Right now, I only have my monitor speakers hooked up to the Mbox2. Any idea how to hook up my sub-woofer? When I say Bass, I meant the Bass plug-in that sounds good and high quality. Thanks again for your guys.

The way most subwoofers work is that they have a L/R in and L/R out. you take your stereo out from your MBox and run it into the subwoofer. The sub then splits the signal above and below a certain frequency (usually there is a knob on it to set this from 80Hz up to 120Hz). Everything above that frequency gets sent out the L/R out of the subwoofer to your speakers and everything below that frequency gets sent to the subwoofer's speaker. Depending on your speakers, you move that freq. knob on the subwoofer to find the "sweet spot".

If the subwoofer you are looking at doesn't have this ability, move on and find one that does. It will make it much easier for you in the long run.

As for a great sounding bass sample library/plugin, you can't go wrong with Trilogy (now Trillian) from Spectrasonics.

[mbox2issue]

Cool, does it lose my sound quality when I connect it from Mbox2 to sub-woofer, then from sub-woofer to my monitor speakers compared to direct connection from Mbox2 to my monitor speakers? Because I am using the TRS cable to hook up atm, and I heard that it sounds better with this cable, but the sub-woofer won't have this kind of input.

[albee1952]

You will be okay if you pick a decent sub(which leaves out any home hifi sub). Check out the KRK RP10 which has balanced ins and outs(and gets pretty loud too). All the home hifi stuff is RCA ins and outs which are about useless for us Pro Toolers. I just started using one(the KRK) and so far, I am happy with it over the Wharfedale Pro sub I had(I am still using a Behringer digital crossover and feeding the sub separately from the "C" output of a Presonus Central Station so I can listen with or without the sub). SOmething else to think about, I have my sub sitting on an Auralex Gramma to isolate it from the floor. Since the Mopads works, I figured this would too(or am I deluding myself?)...

[O.G. Killa]

Originally Posted by mbox2issue

Cool, does it lose my sound quality when I connect it from Mbox2 to sub-woofer, then from sub-woofer to my monitor speakers compared to direct connection from Mbox2 to my monitor speakers? Because I am using the TRS cable to hook up atm, and I heard that it sounds better with this cable, but the sub-woofer won't have this kind of input.

Albee pretty much said it all. I was just going to point out that there are a lot of subwoofers with XLR inputs. XLR inputs and outputs are balanced just like your TRS 1/4" cable. It's just a different connector for the same type of signal. If you get a 1/4" TRS to XLR into your sub (or if you find a sub with TRS ins/outs) you won't have any problems.

[mbox2issue]

Cool, I will just get KRK sub-woofer for the setup. Thanks a lot for the awesome help guys.