My Mix Bus Chain (and Why You Should Have One Too)

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Website: www.jamesarter.com
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My Mix Bus Chain (and Why You Should Have One Too)
In this video, I'm going to take you through my mix bus chain, talk about all the plugins I use and, more importantly, why I even use them in the first place.
00:00 - intro
00:43 - Why have a mix bus chain?!
01:55 - Routing in Pro Tools (skip if not relevant)
04:26 - 1. Slate VCC (Console Emulation)
05:43 - 2. Brainworx Digital V3 (Stereo width & M/S EQ)
07:26 - 3. Clariphonic EQ (M/S EQ)
08:06 - 4. Pultec EQP-1a
09:04 - 5. Sonnox Inflator - Special sauce!
10:28 - 6. Slate VBC (doing NO compression)
12:12 - 7. Brainwork Townhouse (bus compressor)
14:29 - 8. Vertigo VSC-2 (bus compressor - option 2)
15:38 - A/B Bus Compressors (which one do you prefer?)
17:55 - 9. Waves L1 Limiter (usually bypassed)
19:29 - A/B The Whole Plugin Chain!
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#jamesartermusic #mixbus

[@mateocalle__]

Great video broda! Thank you for all the information

[@mattsartori_bat]

Very cool video, nice chain, I know I am very late on this but I have not yet used the Slate virtual console, will definitely check it out!

[@JamesArterMusic]

Ahh they’re definitely worth a look, they have some fantastic plugins! Thanks for watching mate!

[@rome8180]

It's eerie how similar your chain is to mine. I use the Brainworx Digital V3 for stereo width and for the mono maker. I use a Pultec-style EQ (sometimes the UA one, but also some others). And I use the Townhouse Buss Compressor. I do always mix into a limiter though. I'm doing my own mastering, so I'd rather just have the limiter on there from the get-go. I like the Fab Filter Pro-L2 because I find it the most transparent. I've never been able to figure out how to use the Oxford Inflator. It sounds great whenever I hear anyone else use it. But when I use it, even on very mild settings, I feel like it dirties up my mix way too much.

[@JamesArterMusic]

That really is a very similar setup! And I agree with you on the L2; if I were to use a limiter, that really is one of the best and certainly the most transparent. With the Inflator, I'd say, if you're getting by without it then don't worry about it. The main thing with mixing is getting great results and if that plugin isn't working for you, just move on as I'm sure you're mixes are sounding just fine without it!

[@jackguy7551]

I do what you do but I sue 2 x aux one is like my tradional console chain and it feeds my mastering chain softube and uad mostly plus Michalangelo

[@ryanhenry3840]

Great insight

[@JamesArterMusic]

Nice one mate - thanks for watching!

[@jacksmith4460]

Your chain is similar too mine, which is: *Audio Assault Head Crusher (tape Saturation, drive on minimum , just for colour and bass bloom) *Analog Obsession Buster SE ( based on SSL 2-3 db comp this is for Glue) *Klanghelm MJUCjr (Vari mu style comp, at most 1db of comp, just for colour/vibe also makes the bass pop more,and adds a little more glue) *T-Racks Classic EQ (Mid side mode, slight boost too sides 1db vol MAX, and slight top shelf boost around 5k+ on the sides not even 1db) *Slate Fresh Air (Settings varies, but this adds presence and AIr) Nice vid

[@JamesArterMusic]

That’s a great chain - really like the Klanghelm too. Thanks for watching!

[@jackguy7551]

Good stuff!!!

[@JamesArterMusic]

Thanks for watching! What have you got on your mix bus?

[@randomnamemab]

God damn those vocals

[@JamesArterMusic]

Is that god damn good or bad? 😀

[@jumpbackgeno]

Great content, thanks. What processing do you track with if any at all?

[@JamesArterMusic]

Thanks for watching! I do track with processing sometimes, but depends what it is. Anything you were interested in in particular? I did a video years ago about tracking vocals with UAD plugins. That might be of use. There’s also one for bass too. Here’s the vocal one: Tracking Vocals with UAD Plugins kzbin.info/www/bejne/qofMZYWQebdqp5I

[@grgwashnton23]

subbed!

[@showerstudio]

Townhouse is special!

[@JamesArterMusic]

It really is!

[@jedirocker8]

Great video man! Curious about something... I saw at the beginning of the video where you created a master fader to help lower the volume of everything before it hits your mix bus plugins. I've always just used a gain plugin as the first plugin on my mix bus and lowered the gain that way. Does that effect the audio any differently than the way you are doing it? Not sure if one way is better than the other or if they are basically the same.

[@reasons4171]

Wondering the same thing

[@Afrosono]

@@reasons4171 works the same.

[@unggoysolid940]

all tracks and sends goes to this 2tracks (mixbus & fader) then 2tracks goes into the master right? Not a single tracks & sends goes right in the master but the stereo bus and fader ones right?

[@unggoysolid940]

Thanks anyway for the video, this helps me a lot! Thinking solutions not stocking up plugins in master track/bus

[@JamesArterMusic]

So absolutely everything is going to an AUX. The master fader is technically there to control the input into the AUX as it’s pre-fader. This allows me to adjust the level of the whole mix before it hits the AUX and, more importantly, before it hits the plugins. Hope that makes sense. Give me a shout if anything is unclear though! Thanks so much for watching 👍

[@notmine914]

Just wanted to say there aren't enough comment on this, there are tons of videos on mix bus chains, but I think this is the best chain. Trying to save up for clariphonic, it goes on sale but at best is like 120💀thanks again, trying to afford to steal this whole chain lol

[@JamesArterMusic]

Ahh nice one, thanks a lot - glad it helped! The clariphonic is definitely a great plugin. What do you currently have on your mix bus?

[@notmine914]

@James Arter Music in order: SSL G master compressor (waves), J37 Tape (waves), brainworx v3, Pultec eqp-1a, Oxford Inflator, Puigchild 670(waves Fairchild knockoff), Gullfoss(just got it and it's the sauce🔥), been keeping my eye on the townhouse bus compressor, think that's my next add on lol thoughts?

[@notmine914]

Oh and sometimes a limiter but often that's just first on my drop-master chain

[@JamesArterMusic]

@@notmine914 Nice! I'd prob put the limiter last really as it'll then take everything that's before into account and just squeeze everything down relatively evenly. Also, if you have two compressors on there just ensure they're not working too hard as it can really affect your mix and make sure you always check on them as the mix progresses. Cool chain though man!

[@notmine914]

@@JamesArterMusic almost all of my compressors are just giving the tiniest bit of tone, little actual compression or gain. But I'll definitely start keeping my limiter on my mix chain

[@petewl2532]

and thisss is why you mix anything important for me =D

[@JamesArterMusic]

And it's always a pleasure mixing your stuff mate. With the great songwriting and performances, they practically mix themselves!

[@JiggysWorld]

can this chain be used for hiphop/r&b/ etc

[@JamesArterMusic]

Absolutely 👍

[@godchoice5397]

do you mix into your mixbus or wait till at the end?

[@JamesArterMusic]

I enable all plugins at the start and mix into it

[@godchoice5397]

@@JamesArterMusic kool

[@danielwmwolf]

You very talented. But it is hard for to continue listing because I am no fan at all of the genre you choose to share your knowledge. So I mute and watch the movie and follow your suggestion and try them with my sound ideas in mind. Great stuff anyway.

[@JamesArterMusic]

Thanks for the feedback Daniel. Hopefully some of the videos will have musical examples that are more to your taste but thanks so much for watching!

[@Atezian]

I don't understand why you would put this on the mix bus at the start of the mix if it has EQ. Why mix into EQ? That is changing the freq response of your monitoring setup for no reason. 0.0

[@dspoet1]

Too many plugins

[@27naysen._.]

real, my mixbus is just a compressor doing almost nothing, an eq and sometimes tape saturation

[@lexlux777]

Well, if you want that compressed sound, many plugins helps ☝️