Mixing with Slate Plug-Ins
Chapter 1 : Setup
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4:32 Introduction
Learn about what this series is about, and hear the song used before and after processing with Slate Everything Bundle plug-ins.
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4:14 Calibrating the Tape Machine
See how to calibrate the Slate Virtual Tape Machine, and then how to introduce subtle tape saturation while maintaining a constant level.
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3:51 From Tape to the Console
Follow along as the Virtual Console Collection plug-in is calibrated, and then instantiated across all the tracks following the Virtual Tape Machine.
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5:31 Mix Bus Setup
Watch as the Console and tape emulations are set up on the master bus, followed by very gentle FG Grey, FG Red, and FG MU settings in the Virtual Bus Compressor rack.
Chapter 2 : Drums
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5:58 Drum Overheads
Hear how the Custom Series EQs and Air EQ are used on the two overhead channels to establish a blend of the full kit. The two channels are subgrouped together with FG Bomber used to subtly enhance the transients before being blended in parallel with two stages of gentle compression.
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3:41 Kik Drum
The FG-N is used to add weight, click, and saturation to the kik drum before being enhanced by the Earth EQ. It is then run through the FG-116 Modern compressor with the high pass filter circuit engaged and a quick release setting, resulting in added energy to each attack.
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5:02 Snare
The main snare track is set up with some fairly standard EQ and compression. A parallel bus is set up to add weight and emphasis to the lower end of the snare. The two are blended together on a snare bus where the Custom Series Lift EQ adds polish to both the thickness and the crack of the snare drum.
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6:36 Hi Hat & Toms
See how the hi hat and tom mics are processed and blended with the overheads for emphasis and stereo imaging.
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4:17 Room Mic (Controlled Chaos!)
Hear how a mic placed outside the drum room is treated with EQ and compression to add some "room" to the dry drum sound.
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5:55 Drum Bus & Reverb
Hear how some interesting EQ sweetening is created by first cutting and then boosting the same frequencies using two instances of the Custom Series EQ, then running it through some parallel compression. An instance of Verbsuite Classic is then used on a Bus to establish an overall room reverb for the drum kit.
Chapter 3 : Guitars
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4:22 Electric Bass
The Custom Series Equalizer is used to EQ the signal before it is fed in to the Scuffham Amp. It is then processed, post amp processing, with another instance of Virtual Mix Rack using selected bands of both the FG-N and FG-S EQs, followed by some gentle compression to control the final output level.
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4:38 Rhythm Guitars Pt. 1
Hear how the Scuffham amps are used in conjunction with Mix Rack plug-ins to blend a telecaster and a stratocaster guitar together.
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6:17 Rhythm Guitars Pt. 2
See how cleaner guitar processing is set up on these tracks to blend with the more aggressive rhythm parts.
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4:22 Intro & Chorus Guitars
A final pair of guitar parts are layered with the others, each with unique EQ and amp settings.
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2:41 Acoustic Guitar
See how a strummed acoustic part is blended with the wall of multiple electric guitars playing the main hook during the intro and chorus.
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4:33 Verse Guitars
Discover how treating three complimentary guitar parts (recorded with the same guitar, each using different pickup positions) together through a single processing chain, helps them to function as a single unified part.
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5:00 Pre Chorus Guitars
Explore the effects of routing to multiple destinations for a complex layered effect as the pre chorus guitars are fed to both the verse guitar bus and a new bus for simultaneous processing.
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4:21 Interlude Guitars
Hear how dual mono guitar amp processing is used within a single instance of a Scuffham Amp.
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3:27 Guitar Solo
See how the lead guitar is processed with an S-Gear amp and Custom Series EQ for a searing solo sound that brings the arrangement to an exciting climax.
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4:50 Guitar Mono Magic
Hear how some extreme mono parallel processing of all the guitars using EQs and Virtual Bus Compressors brings a fullness to the overall blend.
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7:02 Mix Check
The sound isn't shaping up quite the way I had hoped. Follow along and see what changes I've made to bring the guitars and snare drum closer to what I originally had in mind. Lessons learned: 1. Constantly check your tweaks in the context of the whole mix rather than tweaking them in solo mode. 2. Be careful not to use too many disparate guitar amp based reverb, delay, and modulation processes simultaneously.
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3:38 MIDI Tracks
The supporting MIDI instruments are routed to a subgroup, and treated together with some console and preamp drive, low cut filtering, and reverb.
Chapter 4 : Vocals
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5:52 Lead Vocals
Hear how the width of the vocal reverb is set up to blend with the stereo width of the guitars, and see how automation, EQ, and multiple stages of compression are used to smooth out the lead vocal track.
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7:40 Harmony Vocals
Harmony and alternate lead vocals are grouped and treated together. In addition to preamp drive, EQ ,and compression, the Eiosis Air EQ and the DeEsser are used to help the high end work in conjunction with the heavily driven guitars on the chorus. A send to Repeater is automated to add an ethereal floating quality to the vocals at specific sections.
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4:10 Vocal Stack
Hear how the stacked "oohs and ahs" are treated with drive, EQ, compression, Air EQ for sparkle on top, and finally reverb and delay to help them "disappear" into the background.
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6:42 Final Tweaks & FG-X
Learn about a few small last minute tweaks to the mix, and see how the FG-X is used on the stereo output track to bring the volume up to commercial levels.
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5:18 Final Play Through
Listen to a final play through of the finished mix along with the artist video of Will to Survive by Hayley Richman.
Chapter 5 : Bonus Videos
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8:17 Virtual Tube Collection
Learn about these three new plug-ins, and hear how they recreate the sound of classic vintage tube circuits on a variety of tracks and busses.
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9:00 FG-Stress
See and hear how this latest emulation from Slate captures the wide range of compression characteristics heard in the Empirical Labs Distressor unit. Opto and Nuke modes, along with the various detector and post compression circuits are explored.
Product Overview
Eli Krantzberg is your host on this epic journey of mixing with Slate plug-ins! See how a real-world mix takes shape from beginning to end, using only Slate Digital's awesome suite of plug-ins.
Eli begins with an introduction, explaining exactly what will be covered in the videos, and then gives a play through of the song that you'll be mixing together.
Eli now covers how to get ready for your mixing journey, by showing you how to calibrate the Virtual Tape Machine, routing to it, and setting up your mix bus.
The drums are next, and Eli covers every drum track in the song, showing you what Slate plug-ins to use and why. Bass and guitars are then focused on, and you'll see and hear how much better they sound with a little Slate magic sprinkled on top.
Eli then moves onto the vocal tracks, honing them to a perfect tone and blend with different Slate plug-ins. He then does some final tweaks to the mix, creating the perfect mix, ready for all the world to hear.
See the individual tutorial descriptions below for more info. If you want to see and hear if Slate plug-ins are right for you, or how a professional uses them, this series is the place to be… Watch "Mixing with Slate Plug-Ins" today!
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Reviews
Submitted 1 month ago
Insightful
It was great to hear a complete project mixed from the bottom up. This guy does a great job of explaining this stuff.
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 5 months ago
A Big Help
Not only was this a good primer on using Slate plugins, there were also some great signal routing/send techniques that I found very useful. My only problem is that I can't run all those plugin's at a 96K sample rate on my computer. Can you tell us the specs on the computer you used to run the Logic sessions in this course and the sample rate? I am getting frustrated with my DAW set up and want to find out if it is me or the capacity of the computer, etc. Thanks!
Submitted 2 years ago
Great Video Series
Eli smashes it again with this great course. Full of tips and tricks, both with the plug-ins and mixing techniques. Also, this is a real song, a real mix and Eli doesn't shy away by re-visiting the mix and taking a different approach to achieve his original vision, which, is very important. Cheers, Eli!
I am a: Professional, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Sound for Film/TV
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 3 years ago
Great course!
Does a wonderful job of showing you a project, start to finish (mixing-wise), using Slate's Everything Bundle. The progression through the project is logical and well explained. A bonus was seeing the work flow through ALL the tracks of a FULL song. I enjoyed this a lot and think it'll help cement some of my own practices. Oh, and I bought a month pass for $15 -- so I got almost 3 hours of instruction at $5 / hour. Makes me feel like I'm exploiting Groove3! But I'm sure I'll be back...
I am a: Hobbyist, Musician, Ableton Live
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 3 years ago
Slate Plug-In Course
Contrary to other videos that skim over the surface, this gives in depth instruction on how to use the Slate plug-ins. Using a complex song, each instrument and vocal is reviewed and optimized. I also found the video to give new mixing perspectives as well.
I am a: Hobbyist, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Mastering Facility, Sound for Film/TV, Reaper
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 3 years ago
Learned Lots
Very Good! I love the Slate stuff
I am a: Semi-Pro, Producer, Audio Engineer, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Studio One
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 3 years ago
Really enjoyed it!
Love Slate Digital and I love watching how Eli has put it to use. Not only do you get to see how Slate plugins can be used to great effect, you also get to see Eli's take on mixing a alternative rock track. I learned a lot! Thanks Eli.
I am a: Hobbyist
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 3 years ago
Very In-depth
Got the Everything Bundle and found out that there are not enough tutorials other than the ones at the Slate website. So glad to have found this! I immediately bought it when it went on sale!
I am a: Semi-Pro, Pro Tools, Studio One
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 4 years ago
learned a lot from it
Helped me a lot to understand Virtual mix rack !
I am a: Student, Semi-Pro, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Game Designer, Sound for Film/TV, Cubase, Reaper
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Submitted 4 years ago
Awesome course!
I've been using slate's plugins for something like 2 years at least I think. After this tutorial series I found out, that I was using them in a wrong way sometimes. For example I used VTM at the end of the chain, while it should be at the beginning. I also like concept of adding only a little of saturation from many instances of plugins, which then sums up. I highly recommend this tutorial for every owner of slate's plugins!
I am a: Semi-Pro, Musician, Producer, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Studio One
Ease of Use Quality of Videos Value of Training Access to Videos
Reviews
Submitted 1 month ago
Insightful
It was great to hear a complete project mixed from the bottom up. This guy does a great job of explaining this stuff.
Submitted 5 months ago
A Big Help
Not only was this a good primer on using Slate plugins, there were also some great signal routing/send techniques that I found very useful. My only problem is that I can't run all those plugin's at a 96K sample rate on my computer. Can you tell us the specs on the computer you used to run the Logic sessions in this course and the sample rate? I am getting frustrated with my DAW set up and want to find out if it is me or the capacity of the computer, etc. Thanks!
Submitted 2 years ago
Great Video Series
Eli smashes it again with this great course. Full of tips and tricks, both with the plug-ins and mixing techniques. Also, this is a real song, a real mix and Eli doesn't shy away by re-visiting the mix and taking a different approach to achieve his original vision, which, is very important. Cheers, Eli!
I am a: Professional, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Sound for Film/TV
Submitted 3 years ago
Great course!
Does a wonderful job of showing you a project, start to finish (mixing-wise), using Slate's Everything Bundle. The progression through the project is logical and well explained. A bonus was seeing the work flow through ALL the tracks of a FULL song. I enjoyed this a lot and think it'll help cement some of my own practices. Oh, and I bought a month pass for $15 -- so I got almost 3 hours of instruction at $5 / hour. Makes me feel like I'm exploiting Groove3! But I'm sure I'll be back...
I am a: Hobbyist, Musician, Ableton Live
Submitted 3 years ago
Slate Plug-In Course
Contrary to other videos that skim over the surface, this gives in depth instruction on how to use the Slate plug-ins. Using a complex song, each instrument and vocal is reviewed and optimized. I also found the video to give new mixing perspectives as well.
I am a: Hobbyist, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Mastering Facility, Sound for Film/TV, Reaper
Submitted 3 years ago
Learned Lots
Very Good! I love the Slate stuff
I am a: Semi-Pro, Producer, Audio Engineer, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Studio One
Submitted 3 years ago
Really enjoyed it!
Love Slate Digital and I love watching how Eli has put it to use. Not only do you get to see how Slate plugins can be used to great effect, you also get to see Eli's take on mixing a alternative rock track. I learned a lot! Thanks Eli.
I am a: Hobbyist
Submitted 3 years ago
Very In-depth
Got the Everything Bundle and found out that there are not enough tutorials other than the ones at the Slate website. So glad to have found this! I immediately bought it when it went on sale!
I am a: Semi-Pro, Pro Tools, Studio One
Submitted 4 years ago
learned a lot from it
Helped me a lot to understand Virtual mix rack !
I am a: Student, Semi-Pro, Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer, Sound Designer, Game Designer, Sound for Film/TV, Cubase, Reaper
Submitted 4 years ago
Awesome course!
I've been using slate's plugins for something like 2 years at least I think. After this tutorial series I found out, that I was using them in a wrong way sometimes. For example I used VTM at the end of the chain, while it should be at the beginning. I also like concept of adding only a little of saturation from many instances of plugins, which then sums up. I highly recommend this tutorial for every owner of slate's plugins!
I am a: Semi-Pro, Musician, Producer, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Studio One
1. When did you start dabbling in music?
I started playing drums in high school at age fourteen. Like most kids my age around then, I was into progressive rock. Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, and Yes. They rocked my world. A few short years later though, my musical life changed. While studying music in college I discovered Charlie Parker, Milt Jackson, Sonny Stitt, and John Coltrane. Milt Jackson spoke to me in such a profound way that it left me no choice but to take up vibraphone.
These great players, along with drummers like Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Elvin Jones changed not only the way I thought about drumming, but also music - and by extension, life - as a whole. I realized life was meant to be a creative endeavor. The idea of improvising based on a loose set of guidelines and rules permeated into my psyche even when I wasn't holding a pair of drumsticks or mallets. But if I am going to be perfectly truthful, I have to hold Henry Miller and Woody Allen equally responsible for shaping the way I view and experience the world around me.
2. What training have you had?
I am currently an Apple certified Logic Pro. Young and cocky, and armed with only a partial University degree, I dropped out of school and began playing steady commercial hotel engagements and jazz gigs when I could. This went on for many years until I decided it was time to complete my degree - which I ultimately did with a major in Political Science and a minor in music.
It was at this point that I formed my current band Nightshift. We are going in to our twenty third year now - playing commercial one nighters like weddings, corporate events, etc. Don't turn your nose up at it though - it has allowed me a wonderful quality of life. It gave me the freedom to go back to school and complete a post graduate degree in Communications Studies - all the while supporting myself by playing weddings.
3. When did you get into recording?
It was in this graduate program - in the early nineties - that I found myself drawn to the fledgling emerging universe of hard disc recording and midi sequencing. Based on nothing more than the recommendation of one of my band mates who had an old Atari, I jumped in head first and bought a Mac LC ll, along with a version 1.1 of what was then Notator Logic. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But, in hindsight, it was a decision of epic importance in my life - shaping my future as much as the music of Milt Jackson and Charlie Parker did fifteen years prior.
I opened up my own commercial home studio in 1998 and began doing a variety of projects, working on radio jingles, artist CD projects, and whatever came my way. A couple of years later a colleague called me up - desperate. He was working at a post production house and one of the editors had just quit. They were doing audio post for a weekly TV series and needed a Pro Tools editor - and fast! And so, once again, I jumped in head first into what would ultimately open up my world even more - the world of Pro Tools.
4. People you have worked with/for?
Focusing on Logic, I built up a small but loyal client base and my phone kept ringing for Logic tech support and instruction. Film composers and studio owners all over the city were calling me. Even the music stores were giving out my phone number at this point! This kind of stuff becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. The more of it you do, the more calls you get to keep doing it. At least that's the way it should be!
As my Logic chops kept growing, I was hired by an old buddy of mine, Len Sasso, who was then an associate editor at Electronic Musician magazine, and began writing some columns for them. I had a blast doing them - and really learned to focus and express my thoughts in a concise and clear manner. This lead to a collaboration with LA based composer Terry Michael Huud on the 2006 film called Civic Duty - which was certainly one of the highlights of my professional life as a composer.
5. Why are you so good at training people?
I wake up every day excited to boot up, and create. Whether it's instructional videos, creating music, working with a studio client, performing with my band, or teaching at the schools - my days are filled with what I love doing. Enriched by the stimulation and creative freedom this modern music making software brings to my life. I bring that excitement and passion to each and every training product I create. My years of experience both using and teaching these programs has taught me the best way to make the user comfortable with these complex programs.
Products by Eli
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tutorial videoAAS Chromaphone Explained
Eli Krantzberg returns, this time showing you the incredible AAS Chromaphone creative percussive synthesizer. This synth is capable of creating incredibly expressive drum, percussion, string, and synth-like instruments, so hold the phone and check it out!
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tutorial videoAAS Strum GS-2 Explained
In this FREE series commissioned by Applied Acoustic Systems, Eli Krantzberg covers the expansive performance library of electric and acoustic guitar strumming inside and out, and shows you how to make Strum GS-2 your new favorite session guitarist!
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tutorial videoAirEQ Explained
Eli Krantzberg returns with an in-depth series on the amazing AirEQ by Eiosis, which was designed with a vision of achieving musical, technical and sonic excellence in equalization. This just might become your to go-to EQ!
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tutorial videoAlchemy 2 Explained
Logic Pro X 10.2 integrated Alchemy 2, one of the most powerful virtual instruments ever made. In this three-hour video training tutorial series, Eli Krantzberg teaches you how to become a Alchemy wizard and unleash all of its power on your music!
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tutorial videoAmple Sound Super Jumbo Explained
Eli Krantzberg presents a detailed series of Super Jumbo tutorials! Learn Super Jumbo, Ample Sounds’s incredibly realistic virtual acoustic guitar instrument inside and out, as well as how to use it creatively.
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