In Summary
Most engineers know that nearly all stock audio plugins are more than up to the task in hand. That said, many of us still find ourselves duplicating folders packed full of highly capable tools, but why? We discuss…
Going Deeper
Once upon a time there was studio gear that offered a clear choice: Use it or don’t. From an era when gear was typically made by companies for their employees to use, the last quarter of the 20th century then saw choices emerge that went far beyond the old ways of getting things done. By the 1970’s, gear could be seen advertised in magazines just like any other commodity. Choice had arrived.
Fast forward to the present, and the DAW with whole ecosystems of audio plugins have delivered the reality of seemingly infinite choice. With competing companies offering similar products all promising the same final result, engineers need to be pretty savvy with what they use. Potentially ending up with a lot of froth on their system that barely gets used is the flipside of endless choice. This is especially true in music mixing.
Sitting in plain sight is a whole raft audio marvels that land built into whichever DAW you choose, yet there are still huge entities selling us a tonne of bolt-on replication. This is a thriving industry that we all buy into to varying degrees, despite the biggest open secret out there: it’s the music that really matters.
If we are supposed to be in driving seat, why do we so often feel like our tools must be letting us down? We know that the DAW’s own audio plugins can get the job done well, so why do we splash the cash on more of the same regardless? Here we consider a few reasons…
The Look Of Love
Let’s be honest, the way things look can influence most people’s choices. I say “can”, because at our analytical best, we’ll opt for the right tool, but most of us can still be seduced by associating one thing with another. Some stock tools are very much starting to look their age with things like un-resizable windows actually hindering us (I’m looking at you EQ III). That said, they still do the job well. Some DAWs largely do away completely with the idea of gear-like rotary controls altogether such as REAPER’s stock tools’ sliders. Logic Pro makes more of an effort in the looks department, with Studio One a close second. Many of these tools are not trying to be anything but themselves, just like very early hardware, giving rise to a utilitarian look that turns some people off.
Some of the most desirable third party audio plugins (for music at least) tap into our desire to get hands-on with the real thing, or to simply reconnect with desirable objects that we used to work with. Yes, most of these are meticulously crafted to sound just like their hardware doppelgangers. That said, just as potent is their visual appeal that is guaranteed to unite them with their muse in your own mind before you’ve even heard them.
Buying The Midas Touch
Most of us are influenced by others. Be it in music or audio engineering, the opinions of people we respect go a long way to inform what we make ourselves and how we make it.
Is it any surprise that influential mixing engineers are approached to give third party audio plugins a boost in sales? Probably not, and no less surprising is the willingness by them to be associated with great tools that have been produced by specialist houses that focus on specific needs. The brands with the deepest pockets have the luxury of being associated with the best of everything. Younger engineers, or anyone who understands the need to grow will rightly look to those they trust to see what they’re using.
Association is a highly formidable condition for any company to make the best of, and associating a person or lifestyle with a thing as a way to sell that thing is one of the cornerstones of consumer culture itself. No matter how seductive the image of that warmly-lit studio packed full of exotic gear might be, or how well-respected the endorser, engineers can still use their ears and vote with their wallet. The only problem is we often choose not to without even knowing it!
FOMU - Fear Of Messing Up
Nobody wants to get it wrong. Although no-one would suggest that the right stock audio plugin or freebie is going to fail in its job, high stakes can make insecurity creep in. Will the client have greater trust in my work if they see me using SuperPressor and Stellar-Q? What if the choice of tool does make an audible difference? What if the client actually does prefer the sound of Stellar-Q without even knowing it?
For some, rightly or wrongly there is also the cool factor to consider. Many reading this will have decided to concentrate on their mixes over and above their clothes or haircut, but could it be that your faithful wireframe compressor is cramping your style? Is getting SuperPressor from Third-Party Developments going to impress the client peeking over your shoulder? Going with the herd gives us an insurance policy and reassurance that we’re using the right thing in the right way. The perception of being yourself costing you money is potent.
Chasing Instant Inspiration
Production means nothing without an idea. Be it music or film, without a narrative or a hook, no number of toys are going to make that title connect with the audience. Many reading this will know about the problem of ‘chasing the demo’. Often magic happens in spite of the toys, and not because of them. There are a few exceptions, like when someone said to Cher “why don’t we try this on your vocal, it’ll be really cool”, but these are few. Having a great idea and feeling that insatiable need to get it down is what makes sounds that people can’t get enough of. What engineers can do is add that extra zing that does great things justice.
Songs and stories still need artistry that simply cannot be bought. If the song isn’t doing it for you, no amount of retail therapy is going to fix that. In fact, there’s only one thing worse than un-inspiration, and that’s a massive credit card bill to go with it! Truth is, most of us know this already, yet we can still be seduced even with our eyes wide open…
Getting What You Pay For
Third party audio plugins do exist for a reason, and it’s not just about selling things to people.
Through all of the justifications we can give ourselves for getting Just One More Of Those, we still shouldn’t forget those actual reasons for making a meaningful upgrade. Technology is constantly changing and improving our tools. When something comes along that is objectively better (opposed to just a bit different) than Stock who wouldn’t want to grab that with both hands?
Features such as EQs that match the spectra of two sources, or channel strips that go further than their hardware inspiration ever could have done help things along, undoubtedly. It turns out that turbo-charging your DAW with third party treats can have its merits, and many great stock tools will have been left behind for an actual reason.
If something special happens in ‘the lab’, devs understandably aren’t going to give that thing away for free. Perhaps the best third-party additions are those that properly augment what’s already there.
Promises, Promises
Anyone using a stock audio plugin or that trusted freebie can relax, because even these tools are the ultimate refinement of what went before. Without actual meaning to the work nothing else matters, and no amount of third-party audio mastery is going to make the magic happen.
We think the client knows the difference between Comp X and Comp Y, especially when some brands’ names find their way into the common lexicon used by clients and engineers.
Keeping the client happy is good, but not to the point where we hand over responsibility for making the mix work with our own decisions. Many mixes can absolutely be achieved with the tools that come as standard with the DAW. In fact, client confidence really grows in people who do the job right, and that involves knowing our own mind and using only what is necessary. No-one wants to pay for sub standard work from anyone even if they do have all the toys.
If someone wants to buy something because it reminds them of their favourite tool that they used to use day-in-day-out, who’s to say that that isn’t as good a reason as any to take the plunge. Finding a plugin homage that doesn’t sound pretty close to the original is going to be quite a task, plus, surely the whole business of mixing is supposed to be fun whenever conditions allow.
Any audio plugin is only as good as its operator, but hey, we all deserve a bit of luxury from time to time.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. We are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.