The answer to this question is simply NOTHING! Just because they come packaged with your DAW of choice doesn’t make them inferior to the 3rd party ones some folks swear are better, which is always subjective. In today’s post I’ll show you there’s nothing wrong with using stock plugins for your mixes. A few years ago I purchased a new desktop and the latest update to Pro Tools [version 11 at the time.] One of my good buddies, Craig Tillman gave me a record to mix and we agreed to take a listen to the mix in a few days.
Little did I know that Pro Tools 11 switched to AAX as their new plugin format which meant I wouldn’t be able to use my cracked Waves bundle. [That’s a story for another day.] I pulled the mix up, took a listen to the rough and knew exactly what tools I needed to get the job done. I was brought back to earth quickly once I realized I wouldn’t be able to use what I was used to. Which got me to thinking... There was no way you could get a great professional sounding mix without using some type of 3-party plugin, be it from Waves, FabFilter or SoundToys, etc. Boy was I wrong! And here I was opening up the EQ3 7 Band to work on Craig’s vocals, getting the same results I would if I were to use the REQ 6 from Waves. After a rough round of mixing I made the decision to use stock plugins on this mix. I wanted to prove to myself that I could achieve it. Of course I had a huge selection to choose from, but that was the easier way out. I needed to debunk this myth once and for all. With the mix complete, I called Tillman over so we could take a listen. I snuck a few nervous looks at him while the song played. As the song faded he said, “Bro it just needs a few volume adjustments and it’ll be good to go.” Tillman didn’t believe I used stock plugins on the track until I showed him each one. He just shook his head in disbelief while saying “I didn’t even know you could do that.” Long story short, I had a great mix under my belt and a new found joy of using what I had. To this day I’m using stock plugins on every mix. Of course I’m mixing with my favorite 3rd party ones as well, but it doesn’t sway my thinking that a stock version of an EQ will sound worse than one that costs $300. On your next mix, why don’t you use all stock plugins and comment below how it went? I’m looking forward to hearing how it went for you. Until next month, stay creative.
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instrumentoolI have a passion for teaching and writing. Some of my many thoughts are here. Archives
November 2020
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