FabFilter Mixing & Mastering Plug-Ins Explained
FabFilter makes the best possible tools for music production and audio processing, and Groove3 makes the best videos for FabFilter plug-ins! Follow along as studio guru Mark Struthers takes you through the FabFilter Mixing and Mastering plug-in suite, step by step, with excellent audio examples so you hear what they all can do.
Videos
• Introduction (03:30) - We start with an introduction to FabFilter plug-ins and provide an overview of of all the fabFilter plug-ins.
• Pro-DS Overview (10:47) - Here, you'll gain information about Pro-DS such as how oversampling helps improve the sonic quality of plug-ins. Additionally, we look at the UI and where things are and how the various parameters work to reduce sibilance; in particular how to focus in on problematic areas.
• Pro-DS with Vocal Track (09:34) - We continue by looking at Pro-DS on a vocal track. We look at the 'audition' and 'monitor' buttons to help isolate sibilance. By using the Hi-Pass and Low-Pass filters, sibilance can be isolated more easily.
• Pro-DS with Backing Vocals (10:20) - Using Pro-DS on the master output, we look at de-essing sibilance using the stereo link dial to attenuate either the main stereo image or, alternatively, the MID/SIDE areas. Also, we look at the mode options.
• Pro-DS External Sidechaining (06:47) - We now look at using external sidechaining to trigger Pro-DS to get an external audio source to trigger the de-essing process. We also consider using the 'Lookahead' option.
• Pro-C User Interface (07:55) - To get familiar with Pro-C, here, we will take a tour of the UI. We also discuss compression rules and how the plug-in provides all the tools required to compress in different ways.
• Pro-C in Action (06:31) - We put Pro-C into action inserted on a snare track so that we can see how the metering and animated visual display provide essential information to help determine how much compression occurs. We try out different parameter settings too to audition different compression types on the audio.
• Pro-C Parallel Compression (04:35) - We now blend the original signal with the compressed version to create parallel compression to achieve a more dynamic and energetic compression.
• Pro-C Expert Mode (08:22) - By revealing the 'Expert Mode' panel, we now focus in on specific frequency ranges and the various dial parameters available. We also look at processing one side more than the other of a stereo image.
• Pro-C Mid/Side Introduction (03:03) - We conclude by looking at mid/side processing as a drum group channel is sent to the main output buss.
• Pro-G Gating Overview (09:45) - We look at the Pro-G UI to determine where the many parameters are and how they work to gate audio.
• Pro-G In Action (03:46) - We start by gating as much of the mic spill from a snare track as possible whilst still retaining 'life'.
• Pro-G Vocal Gating (03:40) - We take Pro-G to a more extreme setting now to gate unnecessary sound from a vocal track. We won't remove all the 'dead air’; instead we reduce it so it still sounds natural.
• Pro-L Limiting Introduction (04:50) - Pro-L is introduced here as we tour the UI to establish where things are and how the parameters operate in conjunction to 'limit' the audio sent through it.
• Pro-L on SubMix (04:12) - By running a sub-mix through Pro-L, we can understand better how the animated visual display provides clear information about what the processing is doing to the output sound. We also look at choosing different styles to maximize the audio.
• More Pro-L Details (08:23) - We conclude by looking at further parameter functions such as Channel Linking, ISP, Lookahead, Oversampling, Meter Options and Dither.
• Pro-Q First Look (06:23) - A tour of the UI is taken here to introduce Pro-Q and where things are. We look at adding multiple frequency points and ranges to adapt an audio file.
• Pro-Q - Finding Sweet Spots (08:02) - We look at using multiple instances of Pro-Q to ascertain where overlapping frequency ranges occur on different audio tracks. From this point, we then cut or boost to help the individual tracks sit in a mix better.
• Pro-Q Mid Side (06:06) - By looking at the mid/side options, we process audio here to sculpt the sonics so that frequency areas are tightened up. We look at using different slope settings with various EQ cut settings.
• Pro-MB User Interface (08:07) - Pro-MB is introduced here as we look around the UI to establish where things are and how the parameters are used to compress multiple bands of audio.
• Pro-MB In Action (07:44) - Audio is run through Pro-MB to see how further sculpt the sonic qualities of the track. The different ways in which the distinct bands are processed are examined. We also discuss the Compress and Expand options too to achieve different results from the same audio.
• Pro-MB - More Functions (03:45) - To conclude our look at Pro-MB, we look here at various shortcuts and parameter settings not seen so far.