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STRATEGY FOR THE DAY: say goodnight, Gracie

I'm getting ready to buy myself a couple of Christmas presents, the kind songwriters need and other people don't buy for you.

I did some remixes recently and used a package of audio effects plug-ins called Renaissance Maxx made by WAVES (www.waves.com). One of the major complaints that everyone has about digital audio is that it sounds brittle on the high end and lacks warmth - that hallmark of analogue sound - on the bottom end. Everyone is right. And by the time you record, then mix, then burn a CD, you've re-recorded a single audio sample up to three or four times, each time adding harshness to the high end and losing depth, transparency, and warmth on the bottom. Digital effects plug-ins like compressors and reverbs just magnify the problem by adding more digital processing to your audio samples.

I have a friend, Mike Sims, who did a great mix for me on my song "Water Falls Down." (You can hear an mp3 in the Listening Room at my web site.) It has all the warmth and 'bounce' of analogue. I have been trying to match this mix ever since he did it for me a couple of years ago and I have never come close. I asked him at the time what effects plug-ins he was using and he told me it was the Native Gold Bundle from WAVES. They didn't have a downloadable demo at that time but they do now. I downloaded the Renaissance Maxx Bundle recently and used it for a very generous two weeks. The difference in my mixes was night and day. The Renaissance EQ and compressors were completely different from the ones that come with Digital Performer (MAS). The compressor had the 'bounce' of analogue compression. It sounds lively and warm and it gives digitally recorded vocals a chance to breathe. The EQ was excellent, too. The high end was not harsh sounding or cold, the low end was clear and warm. Analogue tape is still better at adding low end warmth but, short of that, this is by far the best thing I've found. I bought the Renaissance Maxx bundle this morning and am looking forward to continuing my remixes.

But Santa isn't stoppping there. Because I am now fully committed to recording and mixing on computer, I don't need my big Mackie 24X8 mixing board or the rack of outboard gear that's been hanging around not working very hard for the last couple years. Because so many people are doing just what I am, Mackie now makes a series of small boards (VLZ-Pro series) that have all the things you need and none of the things you don't. With software synths like REASON, we don't need inputs for all those keyborads, samplers, and synth modules. And forget all those AUX sends and returns. A good mic preamp is the big essential, along with an input or two for a favorite keyboard, plus sends and returns to the A/D converter. I took a close look at the smallest of the VLZ-Pro series, the 1202, and it has everything that's needed. The EQ is minimal because the plug-ins do that, AUX sends and returns are at a minimum because, again, the plug-ins are doing it all. The mic preamp is the top-of-the-line Mackie mic pre which I already like. It's footprint is about 12X12 inches which is great 'cause I need the room! Cost is under $400 at sweetwater.com.

I haven't forgotten everybody else. I went Christmas shopping on Wednesday and bought lots of fun stuff for the family and friends. Can't tell you what it is because they read my journal. Got a few goodies at Amazon.com, too.

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Read A Brief History Of Love Songs by Robin Frederick at the Sound Experience Music web site.

Copyright 2004 Robin Frederick. All rights reserved.