Plugin bundles. Worth it?

[Brice_WoolardParticipant]

I'm just getting into using free plugins, but have gotten some mixed results with them. At what point do you start buying plugins, and are the bundles of them worth it? The first bundle I stumbled across is the Waves Gold Bundle.

[Arthur LabusModerator]

It depends 🙂

What DAW / computer / OS you are using ?
How excessive you are mixing ?
How much are able to pay ?
Do you get any money for your work ?

In fact, you need two handfull of plugins all the time. Better you know them very good 😉

I am personally using mostly stock and free plugins (Windows 10 / Reaper) and have just few cheap / LE versions and some giveaways.

[Tim MorrisParticipant]

Waves have continuous sales...keep an eye on costs and look out for deals, I find with bundles you only end up using a few. As Arthur says, better to get a few decent key plugs and get to know them well.

[Brice_WoolardParticipant]

I'm using Logic Pro x, Mac and whatever the latest OS. I'm getting to mix about an hour a day, but hopefully can up that after my house is done being built. I'm not opposed to spending a little coin for a good product. I'm mixing my bands tracks right now, and I want to make them sound as best I can. I'll watch for the deals/sales. Being very new to mixing, I haven't found where the stock plugins are a shortcoming versus me having tools, paid plugins, that I don't know how to use anyway. Thus my interest to dive into the plugin world. Thanks for the input.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Brice_Woolard.

[Arthur LabusModerator]

I am sure Logic plugins are very good.

I would suggest that you get really similar with stock plugins first. If there is something needed in particular - look for free plugins first. After all you can buy anything anyway 😉

Stock plugins may be more simple workhorses 🙂 Many commercial plugins are designed to match real hardware.
You may have not that plugin as stock plugin in your DAW or stock plugin may have not so may options (for example EQ in Cubase 7 LE was only 4 band EQ)

[KipParticipant]

i have to say DAWs these days have pretty much all you need

my cubase has 3 different saturation plugins built into every audio track tube tape magnito

a envelope shaper ..transient designer
3 compressors standard, 1176 style and a tubeish type
all sidechainable ...all on every single channel...using a lot of fake words here
other than things that save time say vocal rider,springs to mind ..most tool are already there...i know ive spent money i should have not have when i do blind comparison....

now im thinking of getting some mastering plugins ...and i ask myself ..do i really need ..god im such a hypocrite

slate every thing bundle is a god send

[Guido tum SudenKeymaster]

Hi,
if you've got Logic you really have everything you need.
The problem is, that some of the plugins are rather difficult to use, the distortion plugins that emulate tube or transistor distortions for instance.
What you don't have is a transient designer (the enveloper is used for that) and any kind of console or channel emulation.

I bought Waves Gold for $ 199 mainly because I liked the VEQ4. I used a lot of the plugins for some time, but now, two years later, I only use them occasionally. But they were a big help for me, not because of their sound, it's the many presets that helped me find out what you need to do with the plugins to use them effectively.

BTW, Logic's plugins are not shortcoming. You have a solid EQ which can even be set to M/S, just don't forget to turn on the spectrum analyzer which isn't on by default.
The compressor is really five compressors, a clean one and clones of LA2A, 1176, dbx160, SSL 2-Bus. The problem with Logic's compressor clones is, that you have much more possibilities than with the real ones.
The EQ, the Compressor and the Gain plugin is all you really need to start mixing.

As for effects: I've heard it said more than once that Logic's Space Designer alone is worth the price of Logic. But the other reverbs are good, too. There are lot's of delays, but again, you have to know how to use them. If you want a slap delay of a 15 ips tape you just dial in the preset on Waves H-Delay. You can make the same delay with Logic's Tape Delay but there's no preset for that, so you have to adjust the plugin yourself.

Guido

[Brice_WoolardParticipant]

Thanks Guido. Good info. I have seen the enveloper, but haven't used it yet. Sounds like I have some exploring ahead of me.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Brice_Woolard.

[Guido tum SudenKeymaster]

Hi Brice,

I just thought to set myself a challenge to help me get along without Waves presets and at the same time getting you started with mixing.
Challenge: I'll try to mix the February mix (if it's a rock/pop song) with Logic's stock plugins only and then upload the Logic File to the mix thread. Everyone can download it, see what I did (and if it makes sense) and also get the template I usually use mixing.
What do you think?

Guido

[Len BairdParticipant]

I got the Silver bundle on a black friday sale, and use a lot of them still. I add stuff here and there, always on sale, which waves run frequently. I would probably do the gold if I did it again for the V series, which has two cool eq's and a compressor. It might also have the l2 limiter which the silver doesn't have.
Silver has the de esser which i use a lot, the l1 limiter which I use a lot, ... hmm. The s1 stereo imager comes in handy for fixing a lopsided mix as well as widening.

[rhcpbrsParticipant]

I know this is an older post now but to anyone reading, I really recommend the Slate everything bundle. $25 dollars a month and can cancel anytime not really a big risk. I've found the majority to be useful.

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