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I have really been looking around trying to find some "settings" not theory on what you would do in these instances.

My music is mainly acoustic based (think dave mathews with a little distorted electric, although i have a female vocalist)

Here is what i have and what i do, please bear with me. what i am wondering is effects you would "insert" or send/return on the actual tracks (all audio) for this session

I am bringing all these tracks over dry (for this example)

and here is my gear used

Triton Pro - here i program my basic drum track for the whole song
send it out stereo to Cubase SX 2 onto a stereo track, no EQ and no insert effects.

next is my bass - again from the triton and sync'd to the drums, i send this to a mono track in Cubase dry

then 2 rhythm acoustic's one on each track mono dry.

by the way i am using an M-AUDIO 410 for the inputs for the triotn/guitars/vocals etc then into cubase

then a vocal onto mono track

then a harmony vocal track

then maybe a lead (riffy) acoustic guitar onto a mono track, this should stand out over the rhythm tracks

then probably some strings

and then maybe a lightly distorted electric through a POD and into the 410 into cubase

and last but not least probably a doubled lead guitar (electric most likely)

this gives you a rough idea of my "demo" song

there are probably4-5 more vocal tracks to go

so with these instruments in mind i was wondering how you would effect/PAN/ etc these instruments?

I have the stock Cubase VST effects and a studio UAD-1 as well as some freeware.

but i am very interested in compression/reverb/delay/ pan settings etc for this?

I have read and read theory but i have only found 1 article that ever said something like

"Ok on a direct insert acoustic guitar do this

Thresh - (- 14db)
Ratio - 8:1
Attack - 4ms
Release - auto or shortest
Gain - bring up to compensate for volume needed

anway i thought it might be a fun excersise for someone with a ton more experience than me (not much)

I use an Audio-Technica 4050 mic for vocals
Paul reed smith electric guitar

taylor acoustic/electric for the electric

all else is on the trion (or maybe reason triggered from the triton)

thanks

Comments

anonymous Wed, 08/25/2004 - 03:37

Theory is right...because I can't recommend compression or any settings without hearing the tracks and being there to hear the response of the piece of gear your inserting on the track..

I can recommend things like just a spank of compression on vocals.....2-4 db reduction to keep things under control....but to give definitive settings would be illadvised and would only come from amateurs...

anonymous Wed, 08/25/2004 - 14:14

Just start twisting knobs...and see what happens...

Start with minimal compression...1-3 db....then gradually increase the settings untill you find the effect your looking for.

This is the best thing an unexperienced engineer can do....

Compressors are something you have to play with for a while before you grasp their full capabilities...they're crazy.