Waves released a plugin called IDX over the holidays. It was free, meaning there will probably be a more comprehensive version of it coming out soon. Nonetheless, it's worth downloading the freebie version ,because it's good, and so easy to use that it's almost foolish not to have it in the toolbox.
Did I mention it's free....?
This isn't my first 'Intelligent Plugin' rodeo. I have iZotope's Neutron, RX, unmasking reverb, and Ozone and keep them up to date. I don't use intelligent plugins to do my basic work; I use them to pinpoint problems I sometimes find difficult to fix. Most of them come with analyzers, so it's not hard to see where the problems lie. Then I have the choice of turning to more specialized plugins that I like the sound of, or going with the fix the intelligent plugin suggests.
If, after all my subsequent tweaking of my usual tools I still prefer what the intelligent plugin does - that's unusual in my case - I'll run with the suggested fix.
Basically, the plugin suggests a starting point for frequency-dependent dynamic processing. You're compressing only the busy frequencies, and the compressor isn't making things worse.
So if your usual compressor is bringing up the mud in a mix, or exaggerating another part of the frequency curve, the plugin figures out where cuts or peaks can be made. There's a graphic representation of what it's doing, so you can control it with a few simple controls.
Point is, the tool is effective, especially for buses (i.e., the drum bus, the guitars bus, etc).
So I started by putting the plugin on the drum bus - worked a treat. Very good, and its tilt frequency control made focusing on a part of the frequency band I wanted to bring up very simple.
Next I put it on the mix bus. I also loaded up Ozone and my own curated master bus chain.
Then I compared the track with different processors.
I thought my compressor settings were as good as IDX -- but definitely not better! I got a little more punch, but IDX got a tiny bit more clarity.
Ozone sounded more 'radio ready' than either IDX or my own, tweaked, master bus. But remember that Ozone is much more complex to use than IDX. I, on the other hand, have no excuse if my mix isn't radio friendly.
Listening to IDX's and Ozone's take on it forced me to reconsider my own settings for the project, and I decided it needs tweaking.
I won't let pride get in the way of good audio! I'll probably run with the Ozone mix if I can't better it with my own working methods.
Did I mention it's free....?
This isn't my first 'Intelligent Plugin' rodeo. I have iZotope's Neutron, RX, unmasking reverb, and Ozone and keep them up to date. I don't use intelligent plugins to do my basic work; I use them to pinpoint problems I sometimes find difficult to fix. Most of them come with analyzers, so it's not hard to see where the problems lie. Then I have the choice of turning to more specialized plugins that I like the sound of, or going with the fix the intelligent plugin suggests.
If, after all my subsequent tweaking of my usual tools I still prefer what the intelligent plugin does - that's unusual in my case - I'll run with the suggested fix.
Basically, the plugin suggests a starting point for frequency-dependent dynamic processing. You're compressing only the busy frequencies, and the compressor isn't making things worse.
So if your usual compressor is bringing up the mud in a mix, or exaggerating another part of the frequency curve, the plugin figures out where cuts or peaks can be made. There's a graphic representation of what it's doing, so you can control it with a few simple controls.
Point is, the tool is effective, especially for buses (i.e., the drum bus, the guitars bus, etc).
So I started by putting the plugin on the drum bus - worked a treat. Very good, and its tilt frequency control made focusing on a part of the frequency band I wanted to bring up very simple.
Next I put it on the mix bus. I also loaded up Ozone and my own curated master bus chain.
Then I compared the track with different processors.
I thought my compressor settings were as good as IDX -- but definitely not better! I got a little more punch, but IDX got a tiny bit more clarity.
Ozone sounded more 'radio ready' than either IDX or my own, tweaked, master bus. But remember that Ozone is much more complex to use than IDX. I, on the other hand, have no excuse if my mix isn't radio friendly.
Listening to IDX's and Ozone's take on it forced me to reconsider my own settings for the project, and I decided it needs tweaking.
I won't let pride get in the way of good audio! I'll probably run with the Ozone mix if I can't better it with my own working methods.
