Useful Links

FREEWARE TOP TEN -- AFFORDABLE CROSS-PLATFORM SOFTWARE -- GLOSSARIES -- FORUMS -- PRODUCER INTERVIEWS

MIXING SECRETS FREEWARE TOP TEN

I've made more than 200 software recommendations in these resource pages, but if you're short on time then here's a shortlist of my own favourite freeware sources:

• Antress
  The large Antress Modern bundle includes many plug-ins designed to emulate classic analogue hardware.
  
  
• Betabugs
  Here you can download the excellent PhaseBug, as well as the Betabugs version of George Yohng's W1 Limiter.
  
  
• Christian Knufinke
  The SIR plug-in is a great basic convolution engine. Here are some good all-purpose reverb impulse responses to use with it: ambiences (2MB ZIP), chambers (5MB ZIP), halls (12MB ZIP), plates (5MB ZIP), and rooms (3MB ZIP), all care of the Echochamber site.
  
  
• Cockos
  The flexible ReaPlugs bundle includes ReaEQ, ReaGate, ReaComp, ReaXcomp, ReaDelay, ReaFIR, and the ReaJS Jesusonic effects host.
  
  
• Flux
  The home of Stereo Tool and Bitter Sweet.
  
  
• GVST
  A great range of little workhorses, including GGain, GFader, GHi, GClip, GSnap, GRect, GStereo, GTune, and GDuckDly.
  
  
• MeldaProduction
  A powerful plug-in suite including MAnalyzer, MEqualizer, MCompressor, MLimiter, MPhaser, MFlanger, MVibrato, MTremolo, and MAutopan.
  
  
• Platinumears
  The home of the powerful IQ4 dynamic EQ plug-in.
  
  
• Variety Of Sound
  Here you can find Bootsy's great range of plug-ins, including BootEQ, PreFIX, Density, FerricTDS, Nasty VCS, TesslaSE/PRO, Nasty DLA and EpicVerb.
  
  
• Voxengo
  Lots of excellent freeware here, including MSED, Marvel GEQ, SPAN, TubeAmp, Boogex, and OldSkoolVerb.
  
  

AFFORDABLE CROSS-PLATFORM SOFTWARE

I've tried to mention appropriate cross-platform software options in every chapter page, but here are some of my overall top tips -- they're not all freeware, but they are all excellent value:

• Brainworx
  Check out the freeware Bx_cleansweep v2 and Bx_solo plug-ins.
  
  
• Cockos
  Their Reaper DAW is now my go-to DAW mixing platform. It's extremely powerful and ridiculously affordable. The built-in plug-ins are good enough to create professional-level mixes without any third-party assistance, and the editing and workflow-customisation facilities are phenomenal. If you try nothing else, try this.
  
  
• DDMF
  A range of decent low-price plug-ins, including LP10, Metaplugin, and NYCompressor.
  
  
• Flux
  As featured in my Freeware Top Ten.
  
  
• Liquid Sonics
  The Reverberate plug-in is a decent cross-platform convolution engine. Here are some good all-purpose reverb impulse responses to use with it: ambiences (2MB ZIP), chambers (5MB ZIP), halls (12MB ZIP), plates (5MB ZIP), and rooms (3MB ZIP), all care of the Echochamber site.
  
  
• MeldaProduction
  As featured in my Freeware Top Ten.
  
  
• Sonalksis
  The freeware FreeG plug-in is good for metering and gain-management.
  
  
• Stillwell Audio & Schwa
  I like these reasonably priced plug-ins a lot, my personal favourites being Schope, The Rocket, Transient Monster, Vibe EQ, CMX, and Bad Buss Mojo.
  
  
• ToneBoosters
  The low-price TrackEssentials bundle from well-respected software developer Jeroen Breebaart is a steal, and includes TBFerox, an updated version of his original classic Ferox tape-emulation plug-in.
  
  
• Voxengo
  As featured in my Freeware Top Ten.
  
  

JARGON-BUSTING GLOSSARIES

• Sound On Sound Technical Glossary
  Masses of useful info here, especially if you're just starting out.
  
  
• Recording Institute Of Detroit Glossary
  Another general-purpose music technology glossary.
  
  
• Rane Pro Audio Reference
  A slightly more specialist glossary which complements the others quite well.
  
  

FORUMS & NEWSGROUPS

• Gearslutz
  A good deal of pro-level chat and some great Q&A forums with high-profile producers. Plus, there's now a dedicated newbies area.
  
  
• Home Recording
  Another active forum, with a dedicated newbie zone.
  
  
• Pro Sound Web
  A popular forum aimed more at high end practitioners and techies.
  
  
• Rec.Audio.Pro
  Masses of archive material here, much of it deeply techy.
  
  
• Recording.Org
  
  
• Sound On Sound
  A very active forum which includes regular contributions from Sound On Sound magazine's staff and contributors.
  
  

INTERVIEWS WITH PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS

• Sound On Sound Magazine Article Archive
  Includes all the magazine's articles since about 1996, although you have to be a subscriber to view any articles published within the last six months. (If you can't wait to read something that recent, bear in mind that a three-month e-subscription costs very little.)
  
  
• Mix Magazine Article Archive
  Another good collection of on-line articles, including the only interview I've found with Andy Wallace.
  
  
• Gearslutz Expert Q&A Archive
  Preserved for posterity here are Q&A sessions Gearslutz carried out on their forum with a couple of dozen big names. Although these aren't as focused as published interviews, they're nonetheless very revealing, and provide insights into the working methods of some engineers it's difficult to find out about from elsewhere (such as Mike Shipley and Russ Elevado).
  
  

• RecordProduction.com Video Archive
  A fabulous collection of more than 300 interview videos with dozens of world-famous names. (Make sure not to miss out page two!)
  
  
• Waves Video Archive
  Despite the ostensible focus on Waves products, these interviews are also of general interest, and feature leading lights such as Manny Marroquin, Tony Maserati, Dave Pensado, JJ Puig, and Chris Lord-Alge.
  
  
• Art & Science Of Sound Recording
  There are a few free video interviews available here, and the payware video downloads also feature some good interview footage too, amidst the general tutorial content.
  
  
• Gearslutz Video Links Page
  There are some reasonable interviews with producers here, but they're scattered amongst links to many other more general-purpose studio-related videos, so you have to sift a little.
  
  
• Pensado's Place
  A cable TV show presented by world-renowned mix engineer Dave 'Hard Drive' Pensado, featuring candid interviews with many current A-list engineers.
  
  

• Howard Massey's Behind The Glass Volume 1 & Volume 2
  Probably the best books of collected technical interviews out there, in my opinion. What's particularly good is that Massey often asks the same questions of several different producers, and the differences in their responses is fascinating.
  
  
• Maureen Droney's Mix Masters
  Although some of this material is also available from the Mix Magazine Article Archive, it's nevertheless a great collection of interviews.
  
  
• Bobby Owsinski's Mixing Engineer's Handbook
  The mix-engineer interviews in the second half of the book are worth the entry fee on their own.
  
  

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