PSP MixPack 2
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From: Rick Paul on 29 Mar 2008 05:50 "Max Arwood" <marwoodNOSPAM(a)hnb.com> wrote in message news:sf%Gj.8700$Rq1.4591(a)nlpi068.nbdc.sbc.com... >I can't decide to update it???????? I mostly use the PSP VM 1.65 There >are very few songs I mix that don't have at least 1 copy of VM in them. >What do you mostly use the mix pack for? I think I have version 1.5, and >have not used them very much. Once I can remember slamming a track with >one of them. I've used all the plug-ins in MixPack, some more than others, but it just depends on the context. Some examples: MixPressor: Really this could be used most any time a "flavored" compressor is needed. I used to use it on vocals a lot, but I've been using Waves RVox more lately for the simple reason that it's simple (like 3 controls, and those do the job I want it to do and sound good doing it). But I like to mix up different compressors for different things to help tracks sound different from one another to vary the mix. This is an analog feel compressor, and I've used it on everything from vocals to drums to bass to guitars. (I've got a bunch of compressors, such as Waves RComp, the Sonalksis compressor, the TimeWorks CompressorX, the Sonitus:fx compressor, Wave Arts TrackPlug, and probably others I'm forgetting. They all have different characters, so it just depends on a combination of the functional need and my mood as to which one I use at any given time. I also often just experiment with different ones to see which sounds best in context, plugging them in in series, but then bypassing all but the one I'm trying at any given point.) MixTreble: This has a variety of applications related to high end processing. One I've used it most for is as an exciter (of the harmonic exciter variety), such as for vocals (especially background vocals where I want those to have a sheen -- I usually use the DSP/FX Aural Activator for my lead vocal), acoustic guitars, and piano (e.g. to make a good quality acoustic piano sample cut through a mix better in a pop/rock context). But it can also be used for things like hiss reduction, and you can mix and match the four (or however many it is) modes of operation to deal with the custom needs of any given application. MixBass: I've used this sometimes to beef up the bass, especially for synth bass,, and other times to help the bass cut through without having to turn it up louder in the mix (I guess that's more or less a bass exciter function, probably similar to Waves RBass). MixSaturator: At one point, I was using this on almost every track, more or less to simulate either having put something through a tube preamp or having recorded something to tape. I backed off quite a bit from that extreme, but still do use it for the same basic applications, and really any time I want to make something sound a bit "phatter". It's especially nice for relatively lame synth sounds that have the right character but feel too thin. Add it to TTS-1, for example, to get much beefier stuff. (Antares Tube is also an option for some of what MixSaturator does -- yet another flavor. I also use VintageWarmer for some similar things.) It can be used subtly or not so subtly, depending on what you're trying to accomplish. For me, the most important aspect of MixPack 2 is that, if you're using these in a bus context, they are now 64-bit, so won't ratchet things down to 32-bit like the older versions would have. One thing I have been doing as much as possible lately is trying to keep my bus-level plug-ins of the 64-bit variety wherever possible. That was tough to do a short while back, because there weren't a lot of plug-ins supporting 64-bit, mostly just the stuff Cakewalk supplied like the Sonitus:fx line and PerfectSpace. However, now the PSP MasterPack stuff (e.g. VintageWarmer 2, MasterComp, Neon/Neon HR, Xenon, MasterQ), PSP MixPack 2, and Sonalksis stuff are all 64-bit, and Cakewalk's also added the new phase coherent EQ and multiband compressor, so it's a lot easier these days. Rick -- ======================================= Rick Paul Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP) Web: www.RickPaul.info MySpace: www.myspace.com/rickpaulmusic =======================================
From: Max Arwood on 29 Mar 2008 16:04 Did they fix that large latency in the Vintage Warmer 2 yet? Or is it just inherent to the look ahead needed for VW2? Max Arwood "Rick Paul" <rickpaul(a)earthlink.net> wrote in message news:13us43rk1t9tg2a(a)corp.supernews.com... > "Max Arwood" <marwoodNOSPAM(a)hnb.com> wrote in message > news:sf%Gj.8700$Rq1.4591(a)nlpi068.nbdc.sbc.com... >>I can't decide to update it???????? I mostly use the PSP VM 1.65 There >>are very few songs I mix that don't have at least 1 copy of VM in them. >>What do you mostly use the mix pack for? I think I have version 1.5, and >>have not used them very much. Once I can remember slamming a track with >>one of them. > > I've used all the plug-ins in MixPack, some more than others, but it just > depends on the context. Some examples: > > MixPressor: Really this could be used most any time a "flavored" > compressor is needed. I used to use it on vocals a lot, but I've been > using Waves RVox more lately for the simple reason that it's simple (like > 3 controls, and those do the job I want it to do and sound good doing it). > But I like to mix up different compressors for different things to help > tracks sound different from one another to vary the mix. This is an > analog feel compressor, and I've used it on everything from vocals to > drums to bass to guitars. (I've got a bunch of compressors, such as Waves > RComp, the Sonalksis compressor, the TimeWorks CompressorX, the Sonitus:fx > compressor, Wave Arts TrackPlug, and probably others I'm forgetting. They > all have different characters, so it just depends on a combination of the > functional need and my mood as to which one I use at any given time. I > also often just experiment with different ones to see which sounds best in > context, plugging them in in series, but then bypassing all but the one > I'm trying at any given point.) > > MixTreble: This has a variety of applications related to high end > processing. One I've used it most for is as an exciter (of the harmonic > exciter variety), such as for vocals (especially background vocals where I > want those to have a sheen -- I usually use the DSP/FX Aural Activator for > my lead vocal), acoustic guitars, and piano (e.g. to make a good quality > acoustic piano sample cut through a mix better in a pop/rock context). > But it can also be used for things like hiss reduction, and you can mix > and match the four (or however many it is) modes of operation to deal with > the custom needs of any given application. > > MixBass: I've used this sometimes to beef up the bass, especially for > synth bass,, and other times to help the bass cut through without having > to turn it up louder in the mix (I guess that's more or less a bass > exciter function, probably similar to Waves RBass). > > MixSaturator: At one point, I was using this on almost every track, more > or less to simulate either having put something through a tube preamp or > having recorded something to tape. I backed off quite a bit from that > extreme, but still do use it for the same basic applications, and really > any time I want to make something sound a bit "phatter". It's especially > nice for relatively lame synth sounds that have the right character but > feel too thin. Add it to TTS-1, for example, to get much beefier stuff. > (Antares Tube is also an option for some of what MixSaturator does -- yet > another flavor. I also use VintageWarmer for some similar things.) It > can be used subtly or not so subtly, depending on what you're trying to > accomplish. > > For me, the most important aspect of MixPack 2 is that, if you're using > these in a bus context, they are now 64-bit, so won't ratchet things down > to 32-bit like the older versions would have. One thing I have been doing > as much as possible lately is trying to keep my bus-level plug-ins of the > 64-bit variety wherever possible. That was tough to do a short while > back, because there weren't a lot of plug-ins supporting 64-bit, mostly > just the stuff Cakewalk supplied like the Sonitus:fx line and > PerfectSpace. However, now the PSP MasterPack stuff (e.g. VintageWarmer > 2, MasterComp, Neon/Neon HR, Xenon, MasterQ), PSP MixPack 2, and Sonalksis > stuff are all 64-bit, and Cakewalk's also added the new phase coherent EQ > and multiband compressor, so it's a lot easier these days. > > Rick > -- > ======================================= > Rick Paul > Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP) > Web: www.RickPaul.info > MySpace: www.myspace.com/rickpaulmusic > ======================================= > > >
From: Rick Paul on 30 Mar 2008 04:05 "Max Arwood" <marwoodNOSPAM(a)hnb.com> wrote in message news:fhxHj.5598$qT6.5135(a)nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com... > Did they fix that large latency in the Vintage Warmer 2 yet? Or is it just > inherent to the look ahead needed for VW2? It is inherent to the FAT processing in the version of VW2 with FAT. However, they added a separate plug-in without FAT, which is basically like VW 1.5 (or whatever the previous version is), and which also loads when you had the old version of VW in your project. So, if you don't need FAT, you can just load "VW Lite" or however you want to think of it (I don't remember if they actually called it that). Since I prefer to keep FAT engaged, I simply bypass any FX bins with VW2 in it when doing tracking, and having the latency there for editing and mixing doesn't hurt anything anyway. Rick -- ======================================= Rick Paul Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP) Web: www.RickPaul.info MySpace: www.myspace.com/rickpaulmusic =======================================
From: Max Arwood on 31 Mar 2008 02:26 Thanks for the info. Is VW 2.0 any better than 1.65 without the fat? Or is the fat where it's at? Max Arwood "Rick Paul" <rickpaul(a)earthlink.net> wrote in message news:13uuib45sktrh93(a)corp.supernews.com... > "Max Arwood" <marwoodNOSPAM(a)hnb.com> wrote in message > news:fhxHj.5598$qT6.5135(a)nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com... >> Did they fix that large latency in the Vintage Warmer 2 yet? Or is it >> just inherent to the look ahead needed for VW2? > > It is inherent to the FAT processing in the version of VW2 with FAT. > However, they added a separate plug-in without FAT, which is basically > like VW 1.5 (or whatever the previous version is), and which also loads > when you had the old version of VW in your project. So, if you don't need > FAT, you can just load "VW Lite" or however you want to think of it (I > don't remember if they actually called it that). > > Since I prefer to keep FAT engaged, I simply bypass any FX bins with VW2 > in it when doing tracking, and having the latency there for editing and > mixing doesn't hurt anything anyway. > > Rick > -- > ======================================= > Rick Paul > Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP) > Web: www.RickPaul.info > MySpace: www.myspace.com/rickpaulmusic > ======================================= > >
From: Rick Paul on 1 Apr 2008 03:52 "Max Arwood" <marwoodNOSPAM(a)hnb.com> wrote in message news:Mu%Hj.26494$Ch6.5210(a)newssvr11.news.prodigy.net... > Thanks for the info. Is VW 2.0 any better than 1.65 without the fat? Or > is the fat where it's at? FAT is indeed a big part of where it's at. I occasionally try turning it off and back on to see what sort of difference it makes in the sound, and I've never once left it off after doing that. ;-) You're stretching my memory now, and my memory isn't doing so well after only 2 hours of sleep last night (getting a new recording together in time for submission to the American Idol songwriting contest, which had a deadline earlier today -- made it, even with a few hours to spare!). Anyway, the other thing I remember for sure is that it has 64-bit data paths (i.e. host/plug-in and vice versa), whereas the earlier version was only 32-bits. Since I've always strapped VW2 across my mix bus, more or less to simulate mixing to tape, that was very important to me. I don't recall what else, but you might check the PSP forum that has the new and upgraded product announcements. I have a full review of the PSP MasterPack (before Xenon was available, unfortunately) at www.cakewalknet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=573&Itemid=2, but I just quickly skimmed it, and I treated it as a new product review since we hadn't covered that series of plug-ins previously. While I did mention the FAT and 64-bit stuff, I suspect any other updates weren't all that relevant to a full product review. But those two were biggies in my book. Rick -- ======================================= Rick Paul Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP) Web: www.RickPaul.info MySpace: www.myspace.com/rickpaulmusic =======================================
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