WaveRider or Vocal Rider from Waves?

[TiPo]

Which one do you prefer?

[midnightrambler]

I couldn't get either of them to work satisfactorily, but it's probably just me. For instance, both would turn up a "th" which they deemed too quiet, and down an "aaah" which was too loud, and the result sounded foolish. I think (just my humble opinion) that some sort of intelligence is needed when doing sensitive rides. A plug-in that is only reacting to signal level just isn't good enough to produce a natural sounding vocal in a track.


Also, I dispute both companies' claims to "lack of colouration". If a vocal is being ramped down 4dB or so, that is changing the envelope of the sound, which arguably is colouration.

[ABrooks]

I've not used either of these, and honestly the only place I'd be interested in using them would be with a Voice over. I would much rather ride manually getting the best sound making it sound the most natural.

[Ian Palmer]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

Also, I dispute both companies' claims to "lack of colouration". If a vocal is being ramped down 4dB or so, that is changing the envelope of the sound, which arguably is colouration.

I agree with this. My comments on this thread give all my views, but I agree that it does colour the sound, that's why I didn't like it. I think I'll be sticking with some gentle compression.

[jeremyroberts]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

If a vocal is being ramped down 4dB or so, that is changing the envelope of the sound, which arguably is colouration.

You're kidding, right?

Are we going to argue semantics?

If I grab a fader and pull it down -4.0db, are you saying that colors the sound?

I do not own WaveRider, but I have checked out its specs and read the docs. Same for vocal rider from waves... and there is a VERY big difference between the two products -- specifically, WaveRider is "simply" writing volume automation. The audio path is preserved. This is not how the vocalrider product works, which does play with the gain.

IF you have no confidence in the sound of the protools mixer, you shouldn't be mixing in protools to start with, and neither plug should be on your radar.

If you claim pulling down a volume fader by -4.0db (or even -10.0db) will "colour" the sound, it sounds like you are simply looking for an argument, and not discussing the merits of either product.

[midnightrambler]

Originally Posted by jeremyroberts

You're kidding, right?

Are we going to argue semantics?

If I grab a fader and pull it down -4.0db, are you saying that colors the sound?

I do not own WaveRider, but I have checked out its specs and read the docs. Same for vocal rider from waves... and there is a VERY big difference between the two products -- specifically, WaveRider is "simply" writing volume automation. The audio path is preserved. This is not how the vocalrider product works, which does play with the gain.

IF you have no confidence in the sound of the protools mixer, you shouldn't be mixing in protools to start with, and neither plug should be on your radar.

If you claim pulling down a volume fader by -4.0db (or even -10.0db) will "colour" the sound, it sounds like you are simply looking for an argument, and not discussing the merits of either product.

Why don't you try USING the products instead of just guessing what you THINK they sound like just by reading about them?

[elicious]

hey guys, don't forget the wave rider is for much more than just vox.

for ex, smoothing out a bass part before hitting it with an amp
evening out gtr harmonics
any kind of a clean gtr part where you need consistency
bck vox you want to stick at a level
riding (writing) the gain on a tambourine part.

and none of this will change (color) the sound the way a compressor would.

another way to save .5 sec.
e

[Ian Palmer]

Jeremy,

I think that the colouring of the sound might be that the plugin is making numerous adjustments to the volume of the audio in a very short space of time. If you apply that to a short sentence then making a +/-4B changes would make it sound very different.

[JFreak]

I prefer automation, thank you very much. These automatic vocal riders are nonsesnse, rubbish, unusable and whatnot. Would you really trust one of the most important tracks to the "hands" of these plugins? I wouldn't.