Best UAD plugins for your Vocal Chain

[@pamelak.4794]

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents.” {Ludwig van Beethoven} Another great video! I look forward to your upcoming music and projects.

[@KeenanCrow]

That drink on your desk is making me so nervous

[@pozzthanapat]

Some suggestion: Make the plugin screen bigger ! We dont have to see you all the time while you talking about plugins.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Lol you mean you DON’T wanna see my ugly mug the whole time?

[@pozzthanapat]

@@TheSteveKinney LOL! no no no man, I mean the content is more important!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@pozzthanapat lol I’ll tell my editor! This has been one big learning process for all of us. Thanks so much for the support and the feedback. Means the world! Stay tuned - will certainly be making a lot more content this year!

[@vibecastle5434]

Bloody nice boat race tbf

[@vibecastle5434]

@@TheSteveKinney wait, you make music but dont know how to make a video like this yourself and pay an editor? lol

[@CED.Dweller]

Your tutorials are laying out a clearer path to good recording for me. I've been largely self-taught for several years, and I am unlearning bad advice and concept errors lately.

[@v3zMedia]

The Manley Vox Box gets me 80% there every time. It's a must have UAD Plugin.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ha ha 😭 haven’t seen this one yet. Great riff. Love it.

[@xpolidorox]

beast of a plugin Love it

[@v3zMedia]

@@xpolidorox yes sir!

[@johnnyboyd7514]

Just to confirm your five: 1) API Vision strip 2) Tele La-2A 3) Sonnox Supresser DS 4) Galaxy Tape Echo and 5) Lexicon 224. UA has a pick 6 sale. Any recommendation for a 6th? Just starting with Luna. Would be nice to have some preprogrammed drum.

[@TheSteveKinney]

yup!.. those are all classics, but don't just take my word for it mate, UAD gives you demo periods and after y ou make a purchase - they reset the periods - so you can demo again later.. Also - the Sonnox, unless you NEED it to be DSP accelerated, is also offered as a native version from Sonnox themselves, that way you may be able to save a spot on the bundle for something creative or another preamp emulation. Hope this helps, cheers!

[@johnnyboyd1706]

@@TheSteveKinney Thanks steve. Some of these seem to be included with Luna. I just want to improve my scratch tapes. Nothing elaborate. The basic voice, guitar and click track is not bad, but think I would like to improve somewhat. We can always demo if we think a song warrants, but for draft work just something to improve the guitar, voice and perhaps adding a basic drum. I did note one can manipulate the drum in Shape, but that may be a little over my head for now.

[@bobbysbackingtracks]

Great stuff Steve, I purchased the Heritage bundle last night. Excited. Will be dropping in a lot here.🎯💯

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers mate - happy to help!

[@MrJambo2000]

I could not agree more with all your choices, the API, tape echo and Lexicon especially!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@MrJambo2000 heeellls yeah brotha! If you like the api you should REALLY test drive kit plugins A5. Easily one of the best sounding api plugins.

[@demodeiowa]

the best thing in this video is that nice cup of coffee on the desk

[@TheSteveKinney]

How are you so sure it’s a coffee.. and not a White Russian? 👀

[@demodeiowa]

@@TheSteveKinney good question haha

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@demodeiowa In truth. It was my cold brew I used to batch make. White Russians & other drinks mess with your bass perception, fun fact. Ha ha cheers dude!

[@demodeiowa]

@@TheSteveKinney hahah that's good to know! cheers

[@michaelshields6585]

Have used the 610 and 1176 forever. Largely because I have the hardware unit. The API plugin looks great. Will definitely feel at home with that. Also recently have started using the Glow reverb, again have the hardware version and have always loved it having grown up with it.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Glow looks sweet. I LOVE the UAD version, but I’ve not had a chance to rock the real one.

[@Bigbadbosman]

Question? If you had to do it all over again, while having UA LUNA and some decent plugins, What essential plugins would you get and what Hardware would you run with if you had say 100k budget to work with. Thnax Thom Rym. I use NEVE & MANLEY PRE's p.s. congrats on your new album!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Damn. LOL 100k budget would have been legit. I mean - you could build a pretty insane studio for that kind of funding. I’d be sticking to used gear non stop. You can find great prices and pieces in good condition. So it’s a win win. How much I/o do you need? Etc Is this completely from scratch? Assuming you have literally nothing? Fun test.

[@Bigbadbosman]

Well...I have literally nothing aside from my Apollo x4 and 22 random plugins a few low to mid end mics. Aside from that my dance card is empty. So interested in creating a studio from scratch...yes 100k budget is real I would like to stay within that...if possible. What would you sudgest I start with? And where to get it so it's the real thing?

[@jeffagoddard]

Very timely for me. I just bought an UA Apollo Twin X Thunderbolt Heritage Edition and I’m working through the delivery plugins. Thanks!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Good choice! These Heritage editions are fantastic, and really IMO bring the best value to Apollo and the whole point of their emulations. If you're new to the Apollo Series, check out my new Heritage Classics Pack at my website, I'll be uploading a video explaining it in detail shortly, but I just released them the other day. It's a collection of awesome sounds and starting point signal chains for tracking with the Apollo. A lot of new Apollo users also really appreciate my Console Deep Dive video! Thanks for watching Jeff!

[@trentonbennettVO]

I'm working on building a VO chain for Audiobooks, so not all of this applies, but much of it does. I'm looking forward to playing with the DEPTH feature of the Plate plug-in to see what that will do for spoken word. Maybe I'll even do some singing (I'm a tenor) to see the difference in how these effects process my voice. Thanks very much for this video!

[@morganwellsmusic]

Great video! A bit hard to see what's happening on screen so I'm submitting my vote for "more screen, less MAN" but really helpful stuff. I'm gonna use that UA 610 B on my next recording. Didn't know I had it XD

[@TheSteveKinney]

😭😂 all good. I’ve fixed the screen size problem in my newer videos. You should check out the follow up video to see my step by step on how to get a great vocal. Listen with headphones though. Definitely check out the 610-b. Good stuff! Thanks so much for the support, the feedback and for watching! 🙏🏻

[@morganwellsmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney Sweet! I'll definitely check out that video and I subscribed earlier after watching this one. Tried out the 610-b today setup today with an LA2A and an 1176 after it for some metal vocals...pretty stoked on the results, so definitely interested in a more in depth-vocal recording vid. Thanks for mentioning it :-)

[@tabitharasaproject]

Yes, it's hard to see the plugins you're showing :)

[@sergiopauloworships1704]

There’s a gate on the Neve 88RS & its features are what make it my #1

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@sergiopauloworships1704 that’s a pretty great one!

[@MicheleRanauro]

Very good choice Steve . I needed that gate option , from API Channel Strip. Spark let me combine those elements . And, i bought Korg SDD 3000 five years ago . I was using Korg , in a peculiar setting, in my piano solo concerts . The engineer would follow my gestures , my timing , and when silence appears . blending in , spacing , and , and . I'll figure out your chain in my weekly song ! thank you , MR

[@TheSteveKinney]

The korg rocks so much. I’ve been wanting to track down an original unit for a minute! Cheers!

[@johnerodz7]

Hi Brother Happy new year. Do you know how to transfer from a ADAT to Luna Via Optical ? please let me know Thnx

[@vektacular]

Ah, the 610 pre happens to be my worst….i find the Avalon or the ssl for my vocals (me personally) to be the best for me….i don’t know why I can’t get a good sound with the 610….ive tried everything but I get this weird bleed coming in no matter what I do….i can get decent sound on the API….the NEVE 88RS or the SSL E have a gate

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@vektacular it happens! That’s why it’s a good idea to try them out on your sources. Sometimes, a pre or a box just interacts weirdly with other sources ya know?

[@Bigbadbosman]

Your a very cool dude to share all this free information with us, When I started I knew nothing about recording. Now I still know nothing however if I have a question or a problem with my mix (which is daily) I have an Oasis of indispensable information to draw from. Thank you so much for being there for us Musicians. Sadly nowadays its not enough to just be a good musician. If you wanna get noticed you have to know this stuff or at least have a decent grasp of it. Thanx Thom Rym.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Right on mate! It always helps to network in your local area too. There are studios and people all over that have gone setups. A lot of people want to do it professionally but never had taken the time and effort to build it into a business. Why is that important? Well it might be a way of working with someone who could help you track or help you mix while you get up to speed. Networking is important! Keep up the hard work and it will pay off mate!

[@ThomasNorthener]

This is a pretty old video and another reverb has seen the light since , I think. The hitsville reverbchambers. Would you use that now, instead of the digital , you mentioned? Thanks for an enlightening video 👍

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ehhhhh. Truthfully, I would call on that if I want that particular sound. Whereas the lexicon 224 & 480 are on damn near everything from the last 40 years. So it’s so much more flexible. Same thing goes for the RMX16. But yeah - I mean it’s all sonic choices and flavor choices. No right or wrongs. You’ll definitely get more varied use outta the lexicon, but the hitsville is super lush and sounds great too.

[@ThomasNorthener]

@@TheSteveKinney Thanks a lot fore sharing you opinion. I'm just getting started mixing some dry vocal stems and it's the first time working with vocals since 2015 and first time using UA Spark plugins for vocals, and hadn't even considered the digital...so this video was an eye-opener 👀😅 already had the API, galaxy, LA2, Fairchild and a Studio One de-esser in the chain. The galaxy is super awesome 👍 Is it important to set the plugins in the order you mention in the video? Thanks a bunch

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@ThomasNorthener NP. And the order typically depends on the problem you’re trying to solve. Typically, you want to make your corrective moves before compression, and then your “tone” moves after So. You’re looking at. Mic pre (hi passing at the pre) > and sort of resonance eq’ing > deess > compress > de-Ess again (if needed) > compress again if needed.. pretty common > tonal eq or final de-ess if needed Sounds like a lot .. Basically - as you compress - it’s amplifying problematic spots, so while you control dynamics - you have to battle the problems that come with that.

[@ThomasNorthener]

@@TheSteveKinney That makes a lot of sense 👍 I'd only placed just one de-esser after EQ and compression and then galaxy and reverb. Thanks for the advise 😊 greatly appreciated!

[@neal_laugman]

UAD API Vision rules! The gate/expander is top shelf. The Manley Voxbox is great too.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Yeah! I like the vox box plugin. That is one of those plugins that I think is probably better as hardware

[@neal_laugman]

So glad so see you are down with the API Vision strip - at least for this. It's my strip of choice. Honestly I'm just not there with any SSL strip I've ever tried and for the life of me the Neve RS plugin just does not cut it, including the UI. Guess I just don't get it. Also the Voxbox is as clean and tidy as anything you good run a decent mic into. I would love to have Manley hardware gear. Finally, the Plugin-Alliance Lindell 50, which is suppose to be a (I think) earlier API strip is not even close to the UAD API Vision strip. All of this of course is IMHO. Thanks for the video!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Dude, right on! Thanks so much for commenting. I generally agree with you in every way lol The RS is cool, generally I find it's magic is with crushing drums through it, or if you run it on literally almost every track to simulate making it a console. I know a lot of people swear by using UAD plugs like this. Although - I will say the SSL is damn cool with bass and Electric guitars, especially electric guitars when you get it to where the peaks of the track start to redline the output fader, or input stage works too... (I know this will get scoffed by most) Listen to Nickelback's Dark horse album. Sonic masterpiece by Mutt Lange. If you listen with your headphones on that you're used to .. you can hear the tone of the electric guitars start to crush the console, and sounds juuuust like the SSL Plug, obviously a real one here ha ha.. the song next go round is probably the easiest to hear this on since there are so many spots where the e guitar peaks out on it's own. fantastic sound. From everything I've found with the Lindell stuff - I'd agree. From so many angles, the UAD stuff just really seems to be the most authentic sounding for sure. Great thoughts, cheers!

[@2020videography]

Quick question. You said you throw an la2a inform of the preamp? Surely you meant after the preamp? No? Or the vocals would be going through the compressor before any pre?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Correct - throw the comp after the pre.

[@2020videography]

@@TheSteveKinney yeah and then adding a desser on the way in is weird aswel? Why would anyone do that? It seems like he’s talking about post vocal chain rather than a tracking chain?

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@2020videography using an Apollo, you can process in real time without committing.

[@ChrisAnsonPhotography]

If you could have another 1 or 2 union channel strips in addition t the API Vision you mention in the video, which would you choose from SSL 4000 E, Manley Voxbox, Neve 1084 options or would you choose something else?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Voxbox for sure. I smack myself in the head for not getting that in my last bundle purchase. The SSL out of those options would be next personally. I love the Neve but I don’t get that much flexibility out of it for my personal use. The SSL gets an edgy sound. Great for rock and modern stuff. You’ve heard it on many hit songs. Same with the Neve. But yeah lol get what suites the sounds you’re going for brotha! Always helps researching the history of how your favorite songs were made and recorded. Everyone of those sound amazing though. Cheers!

[@curtisstrong5253]

Hi, Do you like the UA Sonnox Oxford SuprEsser DS better than the UA Precision De-Esser? Equally easy to use and effective or is one of them better, easier? I record single track voice over, need a simple but effective de-esser. My UA interface in the Apollo Twin X. Thanks.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Love the sonnox. It’s great, another recommendation that I REALLY loved is the new ssl de-ess

[@cyrusnanavati]

HHi Steve - awesome video - really love the clarity with which you have explained things - what do you think of the Capitol Chambers as a Reverb? should I normally put the "Effects" such as reverb and delay in the DAW as opposed to the console? I really love your channel and have also purchased your console classics sessions pack to get the presets for vocals.

[@tomguarente]

great picks! thoughts on 1176 into 2A for transient taming?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Depending on what it is. If the material falls under the release threshold for the 2a, the 2a could actually make the transient more pronounced.

[@MELOPSMUSIC]

Nice !!! Please can someone tell me, including you , what about Fab filter deesser vs this sonnox supresser ? Thx !

[@TheSteveKinney]

Two birds of a feather. It's going to work great, sometimes one will beat out the other.. it's why it's helpful to have a number of different plugin options. Cheers!

[@RONNYMORRISMUSIC]

Just got my new quads card so I will be in contact soon. Always a informative video.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Right on brotha!

[@katrina_burgoyne]

ooooh I love this. Thank you for explaining the chain order these must go in.

[@billesposito2112]

The UA 610B and the API . I noticed it says Unison at the top . We want the tone we get from them baked in to our sound correct? I didn't think those were considered normal plug-ins . I see with LUNA those are located in the Unison section of the channel. Do non LUNA users get these exact same Mic Pre's and just run them like any typical plug-in . Jesus listen to me I didn't even receive my MAC M1 yet and I'm already starting to get cocky and pity PC people . (made sure I got the highest rated thunderbolt cables. I hear a lot of people say quite pissed how they can't get they're Apollo and LUNA up and running. I don't any compatibility problems . I'm jonesin to get into LUNA.)

[@TheSteveKinney]

Short answer. Yup! The unison stuff is what gets baked into every recording. And it’s kind of “the point” of the Apollo’s. If you don’t use Luna, your Apollo can still do this for logic, pt, etc. you just access it differently, via UAD console. Console looks very similarly to LUNA’s mixer. This is because console was kind of the pre cursor to Luna. The layout in Luna kind of guides you into doing this. Essentially, if it’s a preamp for a mic’d signal, you’d wanna use the unison slot to load your preamp plugin - because then your apollos analogue gain stage, and impedance matches and emulates how the real device would interact in the real world. The difference is for non Luna users, is that they could very well likely - not use unison, and not realize they are missing out, simply because the workflow of PT, logic - kind of by design makes people think - “ lets not “commit” to a sound” and then they add stuff in post. Basically - you have to know to manually go into console and choose your unison pre, rather than choose the preamp plugin inside of pro tools or logic. Hopefully I explained that correctly! Cheers bill!

[@drydenmitchell3488]

Cool Tips 😊 I sing for a band called Alien Ant Farm and moved from Slate with protools over to Apollo 8xp with Luna, I enjoy your videos, appreciate the content

[@TheSteveKinney]

Like .. THE alien ant farm? The song movies was my entire summer for about 3 summers growing up haha love all that AAF stuff!

[@jacquesgoudreau7594]

An other great one! Thanks for all the info Steve! :)

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers mate!

[@kenvance1992]

Hey Steve, you've mentioned a CD you're working on. I'm enjoying the video's you've put out on LUNA so I'd like to support you by picking up one. Can you update me on your progress? If it's completed, how can I pick one up? I've checked your store but don't see it there. Thanks. And thanks for the hours of work you've put in to making these videos.

[@TheSteveKinney]

You can check out “Katrina Burgoyne” on Spotify or Apple Music.

[@DatAnydex]

I'm a late comer to this vid, but I want to say what a great job you've done here. It's not just the recommended plugins, but you shared freely the WAY you think and approach the chain. Thanks! (and subscribed)

[@TheSteveKinney]

Right on, thanks Elias! Hope you're well mate!

[@konstantinepope]

Amazing video, bang on the money! The only thing that I think was a shame it was not mentioned is the incredible colour the API EQ has between 3 and 10kHz which for me is quite singular both for vocals but also for strings and drums bus and also mastering

[@TheSteveKinney]

Great point! I don’t like to talk about specific frequencies with EQ’s solely because there are a lot of people who think there are “right” and “wrong” settings - so I don’t wanna confuse them. But I agree. 😎👍🏻

[@konstantinepope]

@@TheSteveKinney Only mentioned it cause for years I had the Waves (not a huge fan) Api Eq and was only using the top band and then got the UAD strip and was like holy sh*t...but yeah these are all colouring EQs so it comes down to the genre and the taste of the engineer/producer...very happy to hear you agree tho 🙂

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@konstantinepope you should check out the kit plugins a5 … especially if you like the API eq. I think it’s the best sounding API eq out there. The UAD has got the unison mic pre thing plus the other parts of the channel strip going.

[@konstantinepope]

@@TheSteveKinney Wow I will defo do so! Dbh not used much of the pre-amp or the gate and prefer the Avalon Strip Comp than the Api (completely different beasts, I know) so yeah if there is an even better version of the EQ I am going for it, thanks so much!!!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@konstantinepope I took a look at it on my channel. But it’s always hard to really understand the depth of the sounds of these things without testing it yourself. Give it a go, all the kit stuff is great. Especially the A5, n73, & core comp

[@kromuh]

Great recommendations! Really enjoyed the straightforward presentation. Subbed and looking forward to watching your channel grow!

[@QLFProductions]

Bro!!!! Excellent video and teaching!!!!! I was nervous you'd spill your drink but you didn't. Definite subscribe from me!

[@TheSteveKinney]

😅😅 the amount of comments I get about my coffee ha ha cheers mate!

[@QLFProductions]

@@TheSteveKinney This really helps me because my Apollo Twin arrives in 2 days and all I do is track vocals. I’m coming from Audient ID-14 and I need to get setup and tracking in a hurry.

[@mrmelodyo1792]

My brother. Great video. Sorry for the dumb question. How did you change the view of the send to rotary knobs ? Thanks

[@TheSteveKinney]

I’m in the “overview” GUI mode. And when scaling the Console window, it will automatically resize for whatever is appropriate.

[@mrmelodyo1792]

@@TheSteveKinney AHHHH. I got it. YOU ARE A LEGEND. Thanks my brother

[@mrmelodyo1792]

BTW. 2 Things. Cause I like to support talented people, I just bought 2 of your packages. Cool thing. Second. Little note on the side. The Korg Delay. DOES HAVE AN STEREO MODE. all you have to do is go to the top left corner, the red number where it reads MODE, and change it to number 5 and voila..... Stereo In Stereo Out. I used to work with the hardware Unit and know it inside out. Thank for the help my brother. Stay Safe

[@brandonvogt4146]

Hey Steve, thanks for all the content.. I just recently purchased the Apollo solo and love it. Been messing around with all the plugins. I have my eye on the Digital Slate M1 microphone and my question is.. how could I use both the mic emulations and UAD plug-ins together? Probably not good to run the apollo mic pre’s and compression before the emulators? I guess I could just put the UAD plug-ins on the insert strip and print it then get rid of them for DSP.. let me know, thanks

[@TheSteveKinney]

The emulator mics throw a massive wrench into the chain tbh. But in reality - if that’s the way you plan on running everything - you basically will have a post production only workflow. And all of “UAD console” will just be in “UAD Mon” mode for monitoring in real-time. I wouldn’t use unison pres before running into the slate plugin in post. And as anything proprietary - the slate mic will sound it’s best with the slate pre. Nature of the beast! Hope this helps and makes sense. Cheers mate!

[@bigbizzle2734]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks for the quick reply.. kinda changes my plans for the Slate. Do you have any experience with the Neumann Tlm 107? I’ve sang in the 49 and loved it but it’s not as versatile as the 107

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@bigbizzle2734 I mean. I think a lot of it should be put into perspective - I did a big a/b comparison on unison plugs. And turns out, that while it does do a little something something, it’s not enough to completely write off the modeling tech mics but it certainly makes those mics kind of a pain in the ass to work with because you kind of HAVE to do everything in post. And the biggest point of the Apollo is the workflow of being able to commit mic pre emulations and other plugins on the way in, working just like you would with real hardware. So. Ya. Kind of a tricky spot. I have used the tlm’s. Great stuff. I like what telefunken is doing at the moment too. The new “alchemy” series is on my collection list. And the warm audio stuff is great too. A lot of great mics in that range. And if you mic live acoustic guitars or amps, or other sources, don’t be afraid to pick up used random mics. You’d be surprised how much better mixes can sound when you don’t use the same mic on all sources! Cheers mate!

[@bigbizzle2734]

@@TheSteveKinney don’t know why KZbin swapped profiles but same guy

[@brandonvogt4146]

Hey Steve, one last question.. before grabbing another mic I’ve been messing around with my SM7b since I’m in an untreated room.. I have a cloud lifter with 2 Mogami cables into my apollo solo. I’ve been putting inserts on my console so far but just found out the unisom feature for pre. I’m using the UA 610b now and the sound is awesome but I’m getting a good hiss when I turn it up loud enough to sing and I’m right on top of the mic.. any suggestions? Thanks

[@KenshoBeats]

I use the ua sphere collection and labs22, which is awesome, should I pit the 1073 prior or after the sphere plugin?

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@KenshoBeats after for sure.

[@KenshoBeats]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks man 👍🏼 up until now i used it in de Console for unison recording but want to experiment more after having recorded the vocals.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@KenshoBeats yup! In that case, you’d just put it in one of the insert slots. And you’d leave unison empty

[@m.i.stapes]

Enjoyed the Gate usage example! I've been trying to teach myself from the internet and there seem to be few videos discussing Gate/Expanders.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks mate! Those gates are super handy - especially when you use them musically, rather than hard gating.... check out C-Suite Vox too, it's especially useful for cleaning up some vocals tracked in not so bueno rooms. In so many words, kind of does a gate type thing. Cheers mate!

[@swagonmax]

Great video! Would love a in-depth guide on the Api and the Supressor😇

[@generichuman_]

I'm a fan of the v76 preamp. Adds a nice bite.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Same man. I do love the vibe.

[@homechannel9071]

Well done. Appreciate the plugin overview, I really appreciate you sharing your hard earned experience "mixed" in. (A bonus in the video).

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers mate!

[@dav]

Hey, thanks for the recommendation, got a quad with no plugins. I can’t seem to find the “suppressor” in the Black Friday list, is it called something else there? I found everything else

[@TheSteveKinney]

It’s spelled differently. Just look up the manufacturer sonnox. Also, you may find the native version of the plugin on sale too if you don’t need the DSP based version for real-time tracking.

[@aloofproduction]

i enjoyed and respect the content, but how are you going to have all this great gear.. and have it coming out of KRK's?!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Appreciate ya! Watch my newer videos. Or go to my channel and browse a few recent videos. That was in my temporary setup, and then I brought out my old event 2020’s And now I rock LP-8’s with the sub. In reality, if understand how your speakers and your room color your sound, almost doesn’t matter what you listen back on or mix with.

[@athuairush235]

just to share, ssl e series does have a gate/expander section as well as some gate stuff involved w/the dynamite plugin, but i do like the api vision the best, i think...thanks for the great video!!! peace...

[@TheSteveKinney]

You’re right! Totally slipped my mind. Definitely forgot about the gate on that one! Thanks for watching and support! Cheers, Steve

[@athuairush235]

Right on, Brother! Look forward to the Mastering in LUNA one as you get it across!!! Peace...

[@powlobo.m.b.]

I found as well that for voice the 610B is also better than neve (which I use for instruments etc)

[@TheSteveKinney]

Just seems like you reallyyyy need to have the right voice/mic or know exactly the kind of sound for vocals that you’re going for with the Neve. It’s interesting. I’ll figure it out eventually. Maybe I’m over thinking it. Pretty cool though! I love the api, ssl, v76, 610 It’s good stuff. I need to try the Avalon and the voxbox

[@thankfulpiper]

I agree, these are all awesome plug-ins, most of which I own and probably need to use more of. I recently got the Manley VoxBox for mic pre and really love it’s character. I also use theEmpirical Labs Distressor for compressor/saturation.

[@TheSteveKinney]

I’ll have to seriously consider that as my next one. Literally everyone talks about it lol

[@ModernCult]

What are your go-to settings on the Manley? I feel like there’s so much EQ running around in there that if I use it as a vocal chain instead of adding it after my vocals seem a little flat. I’m also not super knowledgeable on it but yeah that’s my personal experience.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@ModernCult I believe the Manley will be my next purchase - I don’t have it or have much experience with it - but everyone. And I do mean everyone talks about it. It’s all the rage. Personally - what I like to do is use pre amp EQ’s to season and flavor the signal. And then if I need to - I can fine tooth come and detail later with something like a fab filter or very precise eq. Cheers, Steve

[@MasterOneMusic]

Hey man Great channel Waiting the review for the Icon Nano

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers mate! Next video, filming and editing this week. -Steve

[@MasterOneMusic]

@@TheSteveKinney awesome man. New sub here. ❤️ Keep going 🔥

[@Conman208]

Love this channel. Just got Apollo 8xp and Luna....and I'm lost. Can't wait to get home and get recording.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Dude - amazing choice for interface. All 8pres being Unison. Unison is intensely accurate - especially the API vision strip. Thanks for checking out the channel! Cheers mate!

[@wadewilliams1892]

Hello - what arc your thoughts on the Ams Rmx 16?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Looove it. The non lin setting is absolutely awesome on snare. It finds its way into a lot of my mixes

[@refugioflores2226]

how many plugins u can load on the solo? before you max out the DSP ? pre amp , EQ, compressor, reverb and delay? maybe autotune too?

[@TheSteveKinney]

The tricky part here is what kind of plugins can you run - not the number. Some are really DSP heavy. Others aren’t. You can typically build a full signal chain for a source with no problems. The most useful tip I can give is if you’re using a reverb - print it on the way into your daw to save DSP. You can always add a different one later. Go to UADforum.com and at the top they have a spreadsheet that lists DSP usage percentage. Which will really help you with your question.

[@refugioflores2226]

​@@TheSteveKinney oh ok thank u

[@andymusic6943]

I just installed my new Apollo x8. It doesn’t make too much sense I don’t use logic for my main mixing so my question is this: is there a sonic difference using UAD plugins in Console v logic? I’m just trying to wok out my best workflow for production and best workflow for mixing.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey Andy! Congrats on picking up the new x8. Been loving mine since I got it! Great question though! Simply put - no sonic or quality difference. However, there would be a sonic difference with Mic pre plugins, like 1073’s, api, ssl, when they are loaded on your Unison slot in console - when mic’ing a source. This is because the pre’s now are changing the impedance to that of whichever plugin emulation you’re using. Which makes your mic change its response, similarly to if you were using the real hardware. Which is badass. So if you removed the plugin and added the plugin later - there would be a difference there. Outside of that situation - no other differences. Cheers Andy!

[@andymusic6943]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks Steve. I thought as much. So will likely setup a standard configuration for acoustic recording and use logic as main mixer. Blown away at the analogue sound though. Super nice. Might invest in some good pres but Ive just bought the Cambridge Sphere which I think also comes with other pres so will test that out.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@andymusic6943 It really is insane how good the stuff sounds. I felt the same way, and still do to this day.

[@HackGBX]

I was watching closely the DSP load. You are on Solo, Duo or Quad ? Nice video btw !

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey there! Thanks so much for the feedback on the video. Some of the videos I make are more practical, with audio examples, and others are strictly informative. So I'm glad you dug it. That said - during the making of this video - I was on my x8 rack unit. I had a session going on in the background. So the DSP load is a little skewed here, just FYI.. If you're curious what plugins take up what percentage of DSP, PGM, etc... go to UADForum.com and they have an excel spreadsheet. Simple way to think of it - the Solo's are great for single signal chains and tracking, and committing your audio signals. The Dou's are great for smaller sessions and mixes. The Rack's are great for large sessions. The trick is knowing how and when to commit. I have no problems with DSP on my solo all the way up to my rack unit. Cheers mate!

[@richardridings7511]

Couldn't agree more, and it all starts with the superb API. I'm lucky enough to have a Townsend Mic. That too is superb. Did I see a Doggie smooching around at one point?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ha yes you did! That would be Eli. He is my long coat pure bred German Shepherd. He is the best. I’m sure he will make his way into more videos in the future.

[@sebastienponsar5544]

Hi there. Thank's for your advices :) I recently bought a Manley Black Cardioid as mic. Witch vocal chain could be the best for this mic ? Thank's.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Answer: yes. A signal chain. 😭 Great mic and choice! My true answer - depends on the voice. Each mic pre interacts with your mic differently and as a result - you could have an awesome sound with one pre and then someone else jumps on it and you don’t like it as much. So give them a shot and try them out. For compression - you’d wanna generally have an idea of how you sing - I like the distressors as a Swiss Army knife. 1176’s and la2a is always a go to. Those all generally do the job but Sometimes you have a creative thing you’re going for. Eq - generally just kinda high pass and then season to taste. If I do anything it’s usually adding mid range. Delays and reverbs are gonna be choices. My go to reverb is usually a lexicon 224 or the galaxy tape echo and engaging the spring verb.

[@WarrenAttwell]

That sure is one handsome producer / mixing engineer.. I wish he was my friend..

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ha ha Warren! Broooooo

[@gurtana]

What's the difference between the Lexicon 224 and the 480? Also, I notice a lot of mic pre-amp presets on the Neve pre-amps have very low level mic volume as default, meaning you have to crank the gain - or is that supposed to be combined with a compressor (or other inserts in the signal pathway) which should crank it? Is it low to avoid loud noise connections or damage to speakers being plugged in? I had to make a cranked custom preset with the Neve 1084 but I find that all the pre-sets I browse are not as cranked and I only "hear" them when I use the Apollo knob to increase the unison mic gain. I'm also unsure on the difference between the gain, the fader slider and the output knob - when cranked they all effectively increase volume, but which ones are "supposed" to be higher and which ones lower? E.g. why crank the mic preamp red knob instead of the fader, or instead of the output? Is there a logic to which one you should use apart from "what sounds good"?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey there! A lot to unpack and respond to here. Firstly, the 224 is the earlier model of the Lexicons. The 480 would be a new "enhanced" model that came out some years later back in the day. Both are modeled astoundingly well. The 480 has a TON of other sounds. To me it becomes overwhelming - having to choose between all the different options. However, this might be a great choice for some people. Personally - I like being boxed in with my choices - helps me think more creatively and deliberately. Either option is gonna sound awesome - the 224 is a lot simpler. With regards to the Neve - from everything I have read and understood - both the fader knob and the red gain knob are effecting the tone - color - and saturation. The bottom output knob is a clean simple volume changer after your signal has been modified. This is simply to level match going into your DAW so that your signal still retains the character yet isn't completely slamming and clipping in your daw. In other words, the red knob and the fader are the ones you wanna "crank". The output knob does nothing other than bring the level up or down. With regards to the other question - I think this answer is a stab in the dark - but I think most of the gains are likely lower only because it's unknown where millions of people signals are gonna sit in terms of gain structure. So they probably just kinda sit in the middle. So truthfully - I don't that one. What I do know is that sometimes - I get nasty brittle clipping on certain sounds from the Neve. Sounds cool on drums and bass. but when it gets the saturations on vocals ehh.. guitars ehhh.... If I use a Neve on those I try to avoid the heavy clipped sounds in those situations. Great pre's! 1084 is awesome. Hope that clears it up! Best, Steve

[@gurtana]

@@TheSteveKinney Thank you for taking the time to write a very thorough answer to multiple questions! I think setting the mic levels has been the most confusing and experimental part I've encountered so far in audio recording, complicated by the subtle nuances of mic pres. The fact that a Neve 1084 (for example) has what could be considered 3 volume or amplitude type knobs - and understanding what they are doing subtly to the sound when cranked is being a challenge to understand (and I am reading the UAD manuals) - It's a challenge not just with the Neve but with all mic pre plug-ins - as someone who isn't an audio engineer or producer. I was really searching for advise on not just what the best plug-in or signal chains are, but essentially what kind of volume levels and which volume knobs are "supposed" to be engaged for what kind of scenario - and in particular, when it comes to recording the mic, what dB level should we ideally be recording at? I think going in below clipping is obvious, but is there more to it? Some say low volume dB (and then crank it in post, but that takes away from the mic pre character?) other says until it hits yellow/below red (depending on the singing aggression), but what I wanted to achieve was to HEAR a good level in the headphones/DAW monitoring while also simultaneously recording at the volume I was monitoring from (rather than hear it louder and record it quiet and then post crank it). It's these kind of subtleties which effect tone, texture and quality of the recorded vocal. Far be it from me to suggest a schedule for you 🙂 but I would really appreciate a future video tackling the levels at which mics should be recording into a DAW - and how to mess around with mic pre UAD plug-ins to achieve ideal volume to quality ratio! Many thanks, subscribed for the content and the time taken to reply! Appreciate ya.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@gurtana right on man! Thanks so much for sub. You’ll really enjoy the next round of content I put out. I’ll have a video on mix and mastering a song in Luna. I think eventually I’ll do a second song in Luna and make it more in depth. That said - to kinda touch on it briefly. The world of digital audio is a very confusing one. In the old days - you could crank shit on tape and it would sound cool. In the digital world - there is a mathematical calculation that is converting your “signal” to audio. Because of this - you almost have to calibrate your mind a bit. 1. The whole “rule” around having your signal just at the yellow and below the red - or some magical number is rather nonsense. It does, however, have some history behind it. See. In the old days - floor noise was a problem with tape his and such. And so to deal with the decreased dynamic range - people would try to get get their signal as loud as it could often to the point of clipping. They also used VU meters. And their 0db VU was roughly -18 or so in the digital realm. Yet digital is clean all the way through. So it doesn’t matter really where your signal is hitting truly. However, the guideline is that 1. It obviously doesn’t clip. It’s not like analogue clipping. So it’s bad. Very bad. 2. Try to have your final signal hitting around the 0db VU mark. Which is that -18db to -15db. The confusing part here that they all leave out is that realistically - your signals are all gonna be different once you start mixing. Because ... well ... you want some sources louder than others in certain parts. So they kinda comveniently leave that out. Your song would sound so wonky if all the signals stayed at around -15. So while it’s not a bad place to start. Just know that your giving your track some headroom for the mix. So that is ultimately a decent guideline. As long as you understand the nuance behind it. Now as far as getting a signal - what I love to do is have a Unison pre - and take the loudest part of my source and push the pre until it’s JUUUST starting to sound crunchy and clipped at the loudest point. That likely means that it’s actually gonna be above true 0db and you’ll be digitally clipping. So then I adjust via the clean “output” knob to bring the level down to that average area or wherever it should be relative to the other instruments. As a player on and tracking engineer - I kinda build the mix as I go. So it’s cool to set levels that way too. Less work later on. (Sometimes more work too. Long story) Hopefully that helps clear it up. Best, Steve

[@gurtana]

@@TheSteveKinney Excellent advise, thank you! I’m make sure I follow these tips to be in and around the sweet spot on the volume levels. I don’t want to clip but I also want to be able to drive pre-amps so that I hear their distinct texture and colouration. I’ll also be sure check to out your other video you recommended, thanks!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@gurtana totally dude. Just remember the clean output knob is your best friend. Turn that down and crank the pre and play with the fader. Cheers.

[@Enleryofficial]

UAD is the only company in the market who still runs a DSP based solution for users. It would be great if they can finally change this. PA plugins, Waves, Soundtoys, etc don't rely on DSP for instance. If you use 8 API channel strips, you've basically maxed out your DSP, and you won't be able to use more plugins. UAD is smart to have the 'Satellite' option, where you buy a separate unit, to assist you to run more plugins. However, the price vs quantity doesn't really add up IMO. You pay around $900,- ,to run an additional 7 to 8 plugins... I mean I bought the 'UAD Ultimate' bundle and then found out about this inconvenience... So for now just being smart about it and creating bussess to maximize the usage. The quality is simply amazing ngl. So it's a bittersweet situation...

[@TheSteveKinney]

Well in reality - there is a real reason to have DSP acceleration. No matter how you slice it - when you’re sessions start ballooning - having DSP acceleration is the only way to keep your latency reasonable. And also - keeps your session smooth on playback. For most home studio kind of stuff - the latency and sessions aren’t as big at all. So - I get the argument. But ya - it’s a tricky situation.

[@Enleryofficial]

​@@TheSteveKinneyOh mos def', there is a real reason to have DSP acceleration, but the price is also very real. To me it's just a small flaw in the UAD business structure, that will potentially 'dry up'. When, and if it does, I'm sure they'll find a way to still have you pay a lot for it via a subscription model. There's obviously a work around, and as I mentioned to create A LOT of bussess. Even bounce group tracks if you have to, and create a new project to work in to do it all again lol... But hey ... it keeps us on our toes. 😀 #trickysituation

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@Enleryofficial indubitably. I don’t see acceleration going away.. it will just continue to mainly be for professional studios that have a high workload and it definitely won’t be UA. likely will stay avid etc. The UA stuff has always been about harnesssing that power for the home studio and small project studios. They crushed it. But with the rise of electronic music and sample based everything .. LOL ... most people only need a channel or two of input and then have a strong enough computer to be able to run a decent amount of plugins - NOT in real time.. being the key. Even more interesting - I myself continue to move further and further away from plugins and back towards hardware (again). So I’m an even different bird. That said - the subscription models kill me. They will ALWAYS cost way more than standalone purchases. Consider: 1. They always require the latest update, which means once your computer can’t update -or handle a system update - you’re forced to buy a new computer 2. The moment you stop paying for it - you don’t have it anymore. 3. You’ll never stop paying for it if you need it. Don’t get me wrong - I get the advantage of it in the short term - but i really don’t like the sub model.

[@arminverwest220]

Please make video about the antelope audio zen q. It's new audio interface with nice features. There is not much videos talk about it.

[@TheSteveKinney]

I’d have to personally buy one - and I don’t have that kind of support from the channel but yet, but I’ll certainly keep it in mind. I’ve seen a handful of people talk about zen q in the comments. I’ll kick it around for a bit and see if I can make something happen. Cheers armin!

[@brokerabbit94]

That fruit juice looks fantastic

[@TheSteveKinney]

Indeed it was.

[@mexps8093]

Please make another video with some examples and comparisons of these effects

[@TheSteveKinney]

Okay - can do! There will be a lot more videos soon about all of this stuff. Just kinda really deep in making an album right now. Best, Steve

[@MAMAvsGOD]

@@TheSteveKinney brother, I've had my Twin duo for over 2 years just understanding how to use my UAD console plugins as Audio source through OBS. Now I greatly need best signal chain for podcast voice like do I put Gain, Compression. EQ, then Compression?? Thank you so much. I know u killing the Album and going hard big bro, but please make this video like yesterday. Love u bruh please! [Video should do well, i can see alot of ppl needing vocal chain from pro]

[@WillMruzek]

Thanks for breaking these down, Steve! I love the vocal sound you have on Katrina Burgoyne's 25 Cents. I would be super interested in a video breaking down the vocal chain in that song. I'm still pretty new to music production, and it would be great to see a breakdown of a star example. Thanks again!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Will - that’s awesome! Glad you dug the sound. It helps that Kat has an awesome and unique voice. I’ll likely be doing more live mix Mondays after this week. I’d be happy to go over it. But it’s more of the same from me. From memory : Wa-47 > UA-610-b > corrective eq > 1176 rev a > la-2 > de-ess Then I buss the effects. Likely lexicon 224 & then a digital delay. Doubled the chorus parts and used studio d on the double to give depth and dimension. Automated the sends on the delays to create an effect. As far as specific settings - that’s something I could go over on a livestream. 😎 cheers mate!

[@WillMruzek]

@@TheSteveKinney Wow! Thank you. I'll definitely stop by the livestream probably after I've done some playing around. Cheers!

[@citysim7375]

thanks for sharing that - amazing sounding song.

[@OfficialFatLip]

@@TheSteveKinneyhad no idea Hunter Biden had another life

[@boweber9034]

just bought the apollo. Are all the plugins 14-day trial? I thought some of these would be included, and able to be used without an extra purchase

[@TheSteveKinney]

Did you buy used? Everyone gets “analogue classics” bundle for free used or new. There is a new edition of Apollo’s called heritage edition which come with a particular set of plugins once registered. Everything else is for purchase.

[@thegood9]

Gotta say, I love the 224 myself. I think it's on every production i ever have done...

[@TheSteveKinney]

No joke, it usually finds it's way into every one of my tracks lol

[@HuttyTheKid]

SSL 4000 E actually does have a gate

[@TheSteveKinney]

I made a mistake. Thanks for the correction. Cheers mate!

[@literaltrash2275]

I might have missed this- are you using an Apollo twin X quad?? I have an X6 but I kinda want to cross grade to the Quad yet use good plugins and not outdo my DSP.

[@TheSteveKinney]

I have an X8 that sits in my desk rack. A twin x that's at my other desk on the other side of the room. And Apollo solo that I take with me when I travel to track acoustics, or do remote sessions. Sometimes I'll bring my twin x - depending on the session. If I'm working with a vocalist - the talkback helps. Best, Steve

[@jayjay-gy7zu]

I use the golden age project pre-73 preamp with my avantone cv-12 mic and i want to make the sound better quality. If i get the avalon 737 preamp plugin will it make a difference in sound quality?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Those Golden age units have a cool thing going for it. Hardware clone-ish of a Neve 1073. Neve 1073 is a legendary pre-amp. It’s also often misunderstood. If you’re running Apollo and you plug your mic directly to the XLR input - then run the 737 in unison, you’ll get some super cool Avalon vibes. Great sounding pre. Difference in sound quality is kind of a weird way to phrase the question though. Because one way, you’re using the Mic Input from the Apollo - the other way you’re using the pre from the golden age and output stage into the line in of the Apollo. Which does have different signal characteristics. However, that said - it’s sooooo nuanced that you’d trick yourself a million times before you’d be able to tell a difference in quality. More than likely, you’d hear a major difference in tone and character. The 737 is vastly different in terms of coloration and tone. Which may or may not be something you prefer. Give it a go in demo mode. 😎 while you’re at it - try the API vision channel strip, SSL, & Manley. Cheers!

[@jayjay-gy7zu]

@@TheSteveKinney thank you so much for answering my question!! I don’t use the Apollo as my interface. I have a steinberg interface. That’s what is connected to my golden age pre amp. would that still be the same scenario? As in, using a digital mic preamp with my analog preamp would only change the color/characteristics of the vocals, not necessarily better the quality.

[@jayjay-gy7zu]

do i need to have an apollo in order to use these digital mic preamps?

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@jayjay-gy7zu ahhhh I see. yes! So what would be happening here is that you’d be using the plugin “on top” of the already recorded wav file. It wouldn’t change the sound quality. That’s baked into the wav file. It would change the tone, so you’re right on that. It wouldn’t necessarily get rid of the original tone, it would simply be the golden age pre through a 737. The next best thing you could do would be to run the mic through the interface itself which is usually the cleanest pre amp. Then have the 737. Experiment though because sometimes the stock interface preamps are brittle. Outside of that - getting some different hardware might not be a bad way to go. You can find some used 500 series chassis & modules pretty cheap these says. Or you could work to migrate to an Apollo too. Sounds like you may already have some sort of DSP accelerator or satellite if you’re running UAD plugs. So you could pick up an Apollo solo or arrow off reverb pretty reasonably these days. Depending on how big your sessions are might be useful. If you’re tracking drums - and having big sessions - solo obviously wouldn’t have enough I/O but if you’re mainly just tracking vocals or single sources - it’s a great interface! Cheers mate!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@jayjay-gy7zu you don’t need to - but the unison tech is what makes the mic pre emulations so spot on. The Apollo’s physically model the hardware it’s emulating. It does this through impedance, and from my understanding - also through the gain stage modeling. So it’s not simply your signal with some effects overtop of it. It’s physically changing how your mic is reacting. And it does it in the same way the real hardware would have if you had a real 737. Hope that makes sense. Cheers!

[@beau5296]

The gate on the Api is super necessary.

[@TheSteveKinney]

It’s a really smooth one too. Sounds fantastic.

[@benyaeast4741]

Thanks heaps for the video mate, helped a lot 🙏🏽

[@MixGod]

Sooooo when did SSL remove the gate? The version i have still has a gate.

[@TheSteveKinney]

😭 don’t hate me. It’s definitely still there. And in the 88rs. I misspoke. Cheers!

[@hannahbackward]

Very helpful! I have a UAD Arrow which came with the Legacy bundle and I was looking for a strategy for a basic vocal-chain with those included plugins and console. I'm looking for shortcuts, lol. Besides the UAD Legacy bundle I have Live 11, Komplete 13, Nectar 3 (includes Melodyne 5) and Autotune. I certainly don't want to try to use them all--at least at first. Looks like I should explore UAD first and leave the rest in the closet--at least for a bit.

[@TheSteveKinney]

UAD is legit. I have a few chains included in my preset packs. I mean - if it’s for tracking and monitoring, UAD is where it’s at. When you’re in mix down there are a ton of great sounding tools. But when tracking - you wanna have latency freee and that’s the biggest advantage of UAD. 😎 Cheers.

[@hannahbackward]

@@TheSteveKinney Right on! Steve! From what I gather, I could start with the-610-LA-2A and then the 1176. Do you have any suggestions to which preset pack of yours could be helpful? I’m looking for a starting point to get going. Sorry for all the beginning questions.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@hannahbackward The 610 is a great pre.. I'd experiment with all of the pre options.. I love the API preamp, sounds great, it saturates in a nice way when pushed, as does the 610..I also like the 1084, SSL for certain things.. it all depends on your mic, your source .. sometimes one just works better.. not a one size fits all... The chain that you are talking about, usually kind of wants the 1176 first.. the LA-2A is kind of used to shape the attack, so it would wanna come last in the chain.. but there are no rules. Experiment to get to where you are happy with what you hear. Now as far as my presets, I have a free one based off the API, you could start there and put the API in demo mode to see what you think if you don't have that plugin of course. Outside of that, console classics pack is based off the included plugins with all apollos and has a lot of "starting point" presets that kind of give a general idea of what you'd wanna do to a chain. The heritage desktop pack was designed to work with an Apollo solo/arrow, so as long as you have all the included plugins, it should all work with your set up. Hope this makes sense! Cheers mate!

[@hannahbackward]

@@TheSteveKinney Wow! Thank you very much! I appreciate all your help. I'm gonna mess around with the 610-1176 (They gave me two 1176)and the LA-2A today and see what I can learn by twisting some knobs and pushing some buttons. I'll sing some stuff and see what comes out. After that the next thing I will try is the API demo which I know from the video is your favorite UAD plugin! Thanks again!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@hannahbackward Pro tip.... when you set your 1176 - it's totally okay to see it compressing anywhere from 0db to 7-10db ... with the LA2a, you probably wanna keep it around 3-5db of reduction at your loudest bits maybe tapping -6-7db of reduction at most.

[@prayerXtantra]

Appreciate the insight❤

[@bielakbeats]

Question, why when I put the plugins on the inserts on the left they come in as mono, but the send come in as stereo ?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Console controls your Apollo. Your Apollo is hardware. Your channel is a physical connection, that is a singular source, aka a mic, guitar input etc. That source is physically mono. It can only be stereo if a second channel is linked or run at the same time and panned hard left and right. Aux channels are stereo busses. When you send to it, you can pan your mono track into that aux bus. The send itself is still mono, but the bus that audio is running through is stereo. Thus, you can now hear your stereo spatial effects like reverb and delay in stereo, vs mono collapsed.

[@bielakbeats]

@@TheSteveKinney that makes a little more sense ! still processing all of this. Guess im just used to putting an effect, EQ on the insert in my DAW and it just working like that stereo wise. Man, you should a do a tutorial about this! JS :) thank you again bro

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@bielakbeats yeaaahhhh… putting the effects like reverb and delay on the track itself, is kind of a bad habit. Eq and compression, and stuff like that is cool, but your fighting yourself if you add those effects like reverb and stuff to the track itself. It’s also worth mentioning, that a track in your daw, is different to a track in console, because again, console is representing your physical real world device.

[@bielakbeats]

@@TheSteveKinney yea I agree, how would you record the sends tho into your daw? It’s doesn’t seem to record the send effects now. Do you know if this is possible ?

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@bielakbeats yup! I do have it in a video, but I forget which one, might even be one of my earlier luna series videos. But. I’ll try to explain. Go to console I/O matrix in settings. Scroll down in your input side list, and look for the channel numbers associated with the aux channel your effects are on. Remember it. Go to your DAW, add a stereo track and use those input channel numbers as the input source for the track. Now you can record it.

[@zanechristophermusic]

Thanks Steve! where can I find your music?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey dude, sorry didn’t get back to you sooner on this one. check out Katrina Burgoyne on Spotify or on KZbin. Her latest releases, Tennessee, 25 cents, & it all falls down. The other artists I’ve worked with for commercial release haven’t released the tracks yet.

[@sbeattie7]

Hey Steve. Loving your channel so far and this video is really helpful. I would love to see you do a video about getting vocals to sit well in a mix.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey Scott! Hope you are well, thanks for supporting and watching the channel! I would love to do videos on stuff like this. My experience is that there isn’t really a formula and each situation is different. But there are plenty of tricks. I’m preparing to do some live streams every week. This is something we will surely cover as we’re gonna do live mixing. Cheers! Steve

[@sbeattie7]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks Steve! I’ll be sure to watch.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@sbeattie7 I believe I should be doing a livestream this Monday at 8pm cst Cheers!

[@ryancohenmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney Steve does the Neve 1073 have a channel strip similar to the API vision?! You're the man

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@ryancohenmusic thanks mate! Yeah - the neve 88rs is the neve channel strip that is closest to the api, in terms of feature set. The 1073 sound, however, can really only be found in that plugin. The reason there is no 1073 channel strip similar to api is because, the plugins are all based around real hardware and the 1073 wasn’t designed like the api vision console, which is a much newer design. The 88rs is a lot more similar for the era.

[@MuzeInspiration]

Please what studio speaker is that?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Krk rockets - older gen

[@478Cubano]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers mate!

[@ajbigguy]

suggestion put your picture in the corner and the subject on main view

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks brotha!

[@yojz]

Random question: Where did you get that floor lamp??

[@TheSteveKinney]

LOL. Some of the questions I get like this are always my favorite. I always wonder what people spot out in videos. Pretty cool. Anyways. I believe it’s just a standard offering from inside of lowes. And the lights are legit vintage style bulbs. Not the led’s. Big difference in quality. Tungsten. 😎👍🏻 Cheers mate!

[@yojz]

@@TheSteveKinney Thanks man! Love your videos as well - not just the lights haha

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@yojz ha ha 😆 the lights are cool though! Cheers bro!

[@DANEOSEVEN541]

New sub your the goat

[@blowingupthesun1985]

Uad channel strip...great

[@moequinn9475]

hi what is an ideal frequency to set the suppressor?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey there! Great question, well for 1. Always use your ears. Sweep the frequency bands back and forth while the harshness is playing and find where it sounds best. Next - With the suppressor de-essor - it has a graph where you can get visual confirmation and visually see where the energy buildup is. It’s gonna be a bit different with every singer and every mic. Hope this helps. Cheers mate! Steve

[@leftofcenter4]

Scary seeing a drink next to your gear,🫣😬

[@TheSteveKinney]

I like to live dangerously

[@DANEOSEVEN541]

Thanks so much bro 🙏🙏

[@PicoPanesa]

Great vid!

[@Mynelka]

Didi you count how many times you said really /absolutely awesome ?

[@TheSteveKinney]

LOL 😂 That’s amazing. Cheers mate!

[@manuel1969able]

Thank you very much for your video. Excelent.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks so much for watching and the support! 🙏🏻 Cheers!

[@SamirDipalee]

Great Video. Thanks Steve. Checking out your site.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks fam! Hope you are well! Be sure to check out my recent video on how to get a great vocal sound. It’s kind of the follow up to this one. It walks through the complete thought process and approach to getting a vocal. Thanks for the support, cheers!

[@SamirDipalee]

Do you do one on one tutorial or masterclass? I am a singer songwriter in India and use Apollo Mk2 working out of a home studio.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@SamirDipalee sure do, I do one on ones. Shoot me an email at SteveKinney.one43@gmail and we can go through the details.

[@SamirDipalee]

@@TheSteveKinney Sure doing just that.

[@makethisfood8574]

Thank you we appreciate you 💯👍🏽

[@LosFicosMusic]

KEEP UP the GREAT WORK!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks so much for the support! The best is yet to come!

[@bvrbvs]

Great one! Have you tried antares auto tune in UAD?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Yeah I've played around with it, it works great and takes CPU load of the computer. I don't know that there is much more advantage to it than that... If I'm tuning vocals - I'm gonna be doing it with Melodyne. I think that far outpaces autotune in a lot of ways- unless you're going for the AT effect. Cheers! Steve

[@thankfulpiper]

I tried the Antares auto tune and felt it was way too mechanical, unless you like that T-Pain effect. I use Melodyne for tuning and like the control you get, even though it takes a bit more time.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@thankfulpiper melodyne is amazing. Especially the more advanced versions. You can save a really bad vocal take lol

[@dek10157]

Bro I have a 710 pre amp going into an Apollo twin but I keep getting this noise when I dial up the gain. Kinda sounds like eggs frying and when I look at an eq I’m getting all this high air from 3-7kish. With all my noise reduction plugins the performances still come out sub par. Do you think it’s a issue with the tube in the preamp or my vocal booth not being professionally isolated? Keep up the content 📈

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey there! Thanks for the support! Where are you dialing the gain up? on the Twin Pre, or on the 710? Next, how are you connecting the 710? is it connected via XLR? Balanced patch cable aka TRS? or is it a TS Cable? You definitely shouldn't be getting that kind of result, so we should be able to narrow down from there. Cheers, Steve

[@dek10157]

@@TheSteveKinney when I’m trying to Dial again to get a good mic level I’m using knobs on both devices. Around 12 o’clock ish on both the interface and preamp. Both units are connected but and xlr cable. I find that when I plugin in my mic directly into my interface a lot of the noise vanishes but I have to crank it to get a good input signal. Very discouraging when Trying to create

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@dek10157 So ideally - the way I'd approach it is that the master output of the 710 is pretty much Dime'd at 10... this ensures that whatever gain you apply through the 710 - the Apollo twin is seing it at the same level. Now, this might make the signal quite hot going into the twin, so I'd say pull back to maybe like 8 or 9 initially,... you shouldn't have to really use any of the gain on the twin in this case, so I'd pull that down. More than likely, you'd only need it to be at around .5 or 1. just to see a signal in general. You may even find that you need to engage a pad. Since you're using an external pre, and a nice one, you don't need to really gain at all on the twin. Now - could also be a bad cable. Try swapping the cables out with others. If you don't have any other cables - then connect the mic directly to the interface, and then swap each cable out with this configuration. My bet is that at least one of them are gonna be noisy. If not that - try connecting the 710 with a TRS cable and see if the problem persists. It's all a process of elimination. Hope this helps. -Steve

[@dek10157]

@@TheSteveKinney thank you for the swiftness In feedback. You’re a real one ☝🏾

[@apostolicway2604]

@@dek10157 Did you figure it out? I have a focusrite and the 710. I contacted both companies and they advised that I use an xlr to trs cable to connect from the 710 to my interface.

[@MatthewAndrew111]

bro ur amazing

[@samssouci9888]

Video looks great and informs well! Thank you!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks so much for the support! Be sure to subscribe for more, tons more to come this year!

[@sandranoonan3141]

Love your videos mate you do a good job

[@nickmcclureguitar]

That coffee making me nervous be careful now steve

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ha ha right! Ain’t nothing like the new UAD Coffee Plugin. Really saturates all your hardware nicely.

[@Sokko13]

Thanks for the great video! Subscribed.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Dude thanks so much! 🙏🏻