McDSP Plug-Ins Explained
Studio guru Eli Krantzberg does McDSP! Learn all the features and functions of McDSP's unique plug-ins and see and hear them in-action on individual instruments as well a mix. If you use these plug-ins, why not get the most out of them?
Videos
• Introduction & EQ Basics (06:24) - Learn about some of the standard McDSP interface conventions, and review basic EQ and filter operations.
• 4020 Retro EQ (09:54) - Listen to how the unique variable slope Q system and split octave slope design are used to give this four band EQ plug-in it's own unique personality on drums, bass, keys, and vocals.
• Compression Basics (04:25) - Eli gives you a brief refresher on how compressor controls work.
• 4030 Retro Compressor (12:21) - Hear how this compressor's mix control, sidechain function, and unique signal dependent adjustment of attack and release times brings color and personality when pushed to extreme settings.
• 4040 Retro Limiter (04:50) - Hear how natural this look ahead brick wall limiter sounds, even when pushed to extreme gain settings.
• 6030 Ultimate Compressor Pt. 1 (10:31) - Listen to how the separate 6030 Ultimate Compressor models sound on drums, used as both a bus compressor and for parallel compression and with extreme settings so as to emphasize their differences.
• 6030 Ultimate Compressor Pt. 2 (11:19) - Listen to the rest of the emulations in context on drums and vocals.
• Analog Channel Controls (08:44) - Learn about the AC101 and AC 202 interface, controls, and functions.
• AC101 in Action (08:36) - Hear how this plug-in is used as sonic 'glue' to blend mixes together when applied either to the stereo bus or the individual tracks feeding the master. Also see how the attack and release controls are used to tame digital clipping, and shape the contours of over saturated signals.
• AC202 In Action (14:05) - See what the AC 202 can do on a variety of individual tracks, busses, the master output, and on doubled vocals.
• Channel G Compact Overview (07:59) - Learn how the controls and interface of this plug-in work, including the unique compressor input options, knee modeling, flexible routing, switchable EQs, and the various EQ modes that model the response and calibration of hardware EQs.
• Channel G Compact In Action (07:53) - Discover some creative uses for the filter and the various input modes to the compressor, and hear the effects of the various EQ calibrations on a lead vocal.
• Channel G Console (12:44) - Explore the additional components of the expanded Channel G console version, including the altered layout, Gate/Expander section, and additional EQ bands that include two powerful notch filters.
• Compressor Bank (10:59) - Discover the power of this compressor's unique features, including it's pre and post compression filters, the BITE control, it's undershoot and overshoot knee ranges, alternate peak detection circuits, and dynamic EQ function that tracks the attack and release settings.
• DE555 De-esser Controls (03:41) - Explore the DE555 interface, and learn all about it's various tools used for isolating and attenuating sibilant frequencies.
• DE555 De-esser In Action (07:53) - Eli shows you how the DE555 performs on some sibilant dialog, a female vocal, and a guitar squeak!
• FilterBank Controls (06:59) - Explore the user interface of the three separate plug-ins that comprise FilterBank which are the E606 EQ, the P606 parametric EQ and the F202 filter set.
• FilterBank In Action (08:40) - Hear how these EQs and filters sound on various instruments, as well as on a full mix!
• FutzBox Controls (09:46) - In addition to simulating Lo-Fi audio devices, FutzBox also includes filtering, EQ, distortion, a noise generator, a gate, downsampling, and bit depth reduction. Learn how all the controls work and hear it in action on some dialogue.
• FutzBox in Action (06:40) - See how this plug-in is used creatively to add some dirt and hair to a variety of instruments, and why this plug-in's mix knob is worth it's weight in gold!
• MC2000 Controls (06:46) - Discover the flexibility and power of this multi band compressor and how different emulations can be applied to different areas of the frequency spectrum.
• MC2000 In Action (10:56) - Listen to how this plug-in is used to subtly smooth out a drum buss and vocal sub group
• NF575 Noise Filter (08:05) - This powerful noise filter features five fully tunable notch filters as well as steep high and low pass filters. Hear how it's used to remove low frequency hum from an electric guitar track and a a nasty resonant ring on a snare track.
• Revolver (14:40) - Explore the Revolver interface, and learn how the three band routable EQs, two tempo synced delays, three band crossover, and stereo imaging controls work.
• ML4000 Controls (09:28) - Learn how the mastering limiter and multi band dynamic processor interface and controls work, and get a brief final refresher on gate, expander and compression concepts.
• McDSP in the Mix (06:54) - Listen and look at a real world mix including both live and programmed parts, peppered with various McDSP plug-ins.
• ML4000 In Action (16:32) - Watch as the ML4000 is used on a full mix. Upward expansion is used to even out the tonal balance and some mild multi band compression evens out the levels at this final stage. The mastering limiter is then used to maximize the level while preserving dynamic balance.
• 6020 Ultimate EQ Overview (11:18) - The 6020 is a collection of ten equalizers in one plug-in. Listen to some of the unique qualities each model offers.
• 6020 in Action (04:51) - See and hear how the 4020 is used in a session on drums, bass, guitar, and organ.
• AE400 Overview (07:45) - Get an overview of the controls on this ground breaking four band equalizer, and learn how the active EQ controls are used to have incoming signal level influence when and how each band of equalization responds.
• AE400 in Action (13:43) - Hear how the AE400 is used in several different scenarios to establish two separate EQ responses, based on the level of the input signal crossing a threshold set uniquely for each band.
• SPC2000 Overview (10:47) - Explore the controls of this multi stage compressor plug-in and see how the knee and BITE controls are used to emulate various vintage hardware compression styles.
• SPC2000 in Action (09:46) - See how the two, three, and four stage versions of this plug-in are used within a mix.