Plugins I Have Known And Loved

Gear
#41

I will probably change my DAI soon, because my Line 6 UX1 is getting (very) old and the latency is sometimes a problem ; at least it’s not comfortable at all. The thing is that, if I change for a non-Line 6 DAI, then I won’t have the software amp sim possibility anymore with POD Farm … so this kind of plugin could be a very good solution for me.

Anyway I don’t think I would use it for bass, because I like having my base tone packed in a hardware preamp, but it could be very useful with a guitar.

#42

The DAW amp plugins I have tried have been uniformly great.

I really like Kuassa’s guitar amp plugins. Their bass amp is good too. I own these:



That modular one you found looks really good.

Ignite makes an excellent free bass amp plugin as well, the SHB-1:

Their guitar amp is solid too, but extreme:

All of those plugins sound better to me than any real amp I am likely to be able to afford.

Ignite also offers a great free standalone cabsim:

You would want that for SHB-1 or Emissary. The Kuassa ones have a cabsim built in.

1 Like
#43

I definitly should try those IR plugins.

1 Like
#44

also I often read that the old modeling preamps don’t sound good (the 1st gen Bass POD being truely an exception) because of the cab sim. a few folks have tested using an old modeling preamp like for example a POD 2.0 or a POD XT without the internal cab sim (bypassed), and with a modern IR. they said it sounded way better than the preamp alone, which means that the preamp models are still excellent but that the old cab sim technology is really outdated. a POD XT (for guitar) costs almost nothing used, it could be really interesting for old guys like me who still like to turn physical pots :grin:

#45

That sounds like a fun project :slight_smile:

Of course for knobby goodness that’s also easy to solve…

i :heart: “MIDI Learn” :laughing:

(Even if plugins don’t directly support MIDI Learn, and many do, Reaper does anyway!)

#46

looks complicated :sweat_smile:

#47

Haha.

A perhaps more practical example:

image

Before MIDI Learn, mapping this kind of stuff was super tedious. With MIDI Learn, it’s literally:

  • Turn on MIDI Learn
  • Click on the thing you want controlled
  • Twist the knob you want to control it
  • Turn off MIDI Learn

And now you have an analog knob controlling something in your DAW.

So good :slight_smile:

1 Like
#48

that’s very interesting indeed. I know nothing to MIDI but it could make my studio work more fun with Reaper, I guess ?

1 Like
#49

Yeah, basically give you physical sliders like a mixer, knobs for things like the VST controls for amp sims, etc.

1 Like
#50

thank you @howard for this kind of discussion, it really helps me see the options I have when I’ll change my DAI. I may start looking for a very simple analog-like midi control devices (don’t know really the name).

and also I think that I really want to try old PODs with a modern IR cab sim plugin, which means that I’ll have to buy at least a POD 2.0 and/or a POD XT …

… it never ends …

:sweat_smile:

1 Like
#51

With this does the parameter value jump to the knob position the first time you grab the knob? That’s what usually annoys me about control surfaces, the knob positions aren’t in sync with the values. I sometimes accidentally lose where something was set or have to turn the knob to the value before nudging it just a little more.

I’m hoping this will solve it. Each knob is an encoder that spins forever. The value is shown by an LED ring. So the knobs synchronize to the midi values of whatever it is mapped to without having to turn them to the right position.

2 Likes
#52

Yeah the MIDI controllers send discrete values so the parameter moves to them. At least with mine.

That thing looks cool!

#53

Ah, yes, this is what has been baffling me… My little MIDI keyboard has a few sliders and knobs that can be “trained”, but if you fiddle with the parameters both via software and with these knobs, it is quite messy. (I am also just learning to use them…)

Cool device you have linked there… unfortunately “sold out” :joy:

1 Like
#55

That’s too bad. I wonder what their supply problem is.

I’ve also thought about going motorized faders to track. This has some rotary encoder knobs too. It’s primarily designed as a mixing surface, but there’s nothing stopping you from mapping the controls to anything you want.

2 Likes