Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

If you are looking for advice on how to use Har-Bal best, or you have some tips of your own, post them here!
har-bal
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Re: Hardware vs. Softward

Post by har-bal »

Mister wrote:Earle

In your opinion, are there any software (plug-in) compressors that come close to hardware units - for example, your Avalon 747?

In my work at present I'm only able to work in the digital domain.

I would really value your insight on this as you're one of the few ME's I've come across that doesn't automatically bash software plug-ins!

I ask this with the realization, of course, that different tools will work better on certain tracks than others. I'm looking at this from an overall quality & functioning standpoint.

And thanks to you & Paavo for putting out such a great program. Everything, service & support, are first rate!!

Continued Success

Karl


Karl

I am always after different sounds based on the project I am working on. The first thing I do before I do any real processing is make sure the spectrum is balanced inside of Har-Bal. This makes using any of the plugins or hardware after this correction has been made a real snap.

Folks try to use these plugins to totaly reshape the sound. Somehow in the process the plugin loses its character. Get your sound balanced first and then you will be able to hear what these tools can really do.

I am more interested in the sound I get from these units or plugins.

I will run a track through a plugin without making any adjustments and press the bypass switch in and out just to get a feel of the sonic character and then file its sound away in my mind..

I absolutely never know whether I will use hardware or plugins on a project until I have sat down and listened to the track a number of times. Usually the client tells me beforehand what type of sound they prefer and it gives me some direction. I let the music take me where I need to go.

Its just a matter of taste, kind of similar to seasoning food. How much salt is enough? It may depend on the person actually eating the food.

For instance:
T-Racks has a harder punch and is much more harsh than Ozone 3

Classical Music and Ballards using Ozone 3 are a match made in heaven

For that big pop sound the SSL 4000 set is ideal

LMB - L3 are a great set.

Waves L3 -16 Can almost do the job completely

These are just a few options. I never want to get into the flame wars trying to determine what tool sounds the best.....what exactly are they comparing it to anyway, and what exactly is the best?

The whole object is to pick the right (not best) tool that gets the track where it needs to be.

Sometimes I will process using hardware because the song has rough edges and I want that analog tube warmth to round it out. On the other hand some clients can't stand the analog sound and just want raw digital.

Hey, do you want your car hand washed or machine washed. It really does matter.

Some songs need to be slightly massaged to finish them off and some need major attention.

I think a tremendous amount of marketing is responsible for the sudden interest in having plugins that sound exactly like hardware units. It sells plugins.

When someone asks me what Har-Bal sounds like, my reply is simply "its up to you what it sounds like". It is simply a tool and no more just as any hardware unit or plugin is.

The real questions is this. Do you know how to use these tools. This is why Paavo and I are always informing our customers regarding fundmental knowledge so they can make use of any tool available.

Cheers

Earle
Darren01274
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by Darren01274 »

On the Waves SSL Compressor where should the threshould be the needle starts moving slightly at about +15 also there is no 0 on atack it starts at .1ms

Cheers
Darren
har-bal
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by har-bal »

Darren01274 wrote:On the Waves SSL Compressor where should the threshould be the needle starts moving slightly at about +15 also there is no 0 on atack it starts at .1ms

Cheers
Darren


Darren

If the needle doesn't start moving until +15 it may mean that the volume is way too low on the input. Normally you should start moving the threshold counter clockwise until the needle starts moving in time the the heavier portions of the tracks. Don't lower the threshold too low or else you will be removing the life from the track.

Cheers

Earle
Darren01274
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by Darren01274 »

No I meant it even moves at +15 so I got confused whether I should leave it there or move it anti clockwise
har-bal
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by har-bal »

Darren01274 wrote:No I meant it even moves at +15 so I got confused whether I should leave it there or move it anti clockwise


Darren

If it moves at +15, what is the RMS level of your track going in? Is this the same Darren I am also emailing with?

Earle
tcatzere
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Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by tcatzere »

har-bal wrote:Turned the ratio to 2. I rarely use more than two.

Just to confirm my understanding, when it comes to compression ratios, isn't it true that the smaller the ratio (e.g., 2:1 vs 4:1), the bigger and fuller the effect (more compression)?
DuncJF
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Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:26 am

Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by DuncJF »

@ tcatzere

If I read your post right, I think you have your understanding of compression the wrong way round.

As an example of compression settings, here is how they work in relation to ratios:

If we have an input signal above the Threshold setting, say 4dB over the Threshold setting for example and a ratio setting of 2:1, then the output after the Threshold will be 2dB above your Threshold setting. If you then set the ratio to 4:1, keep the Threshold to the same setting and the input signal is the same 4dB above the Threshold, then the output after the Threshold would be 1dB above your Threshold setting.


So as the ratio increases and the Threshold setting stays the same, there is more signal compression applied when the signal goes above the Threshold.


Have a look at this for more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_level_compression

Hope this helps... :)
tcatzere
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by tcatzere »

DuncJF wrote:@ tcatzere

If I read your post right, I think you have your understanding of compression the wrong way round.


Thanks for the input. And, you're right . . . I did have it turned around -- not what I meant to say. Sorry about that.
tcatzere
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Re: Lol! Gosh Earle what did you do?

Post by tcatzere »

har-bal wrote:I started increasing the release knob until the meter on the compressor was moving in time to the tempo of the song.

Which meter are you watching -- the input meter or the gain meter?
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