09) A True Parallel Mixer
In my mixing I use a lot of parallel processing. Parallel compression, distortion, modulation, and obviously time-based effects. The benefit of using parallel processing is that you manipulate sounds from the bottom up, rather than the top down. Compression, distortion and modulation effects are no longer affecting the peaks of the signal, they are hovering at the bottom. You may have heard this approach referred to as "Bottom Up Compression", "NY Style Compression" or simply "Parallel Compression".
I love a mix/blend knob on a plugin, and in its default state GOLD CLIP's mix/blend works just like every other plugin, but it can do so much more. While developing Gold Clip, I wondered why plugins did not have an option to run in true parallel, allowing for bottom-up parallel processing. That simple question led me to develop the true parallel mixer in Gold Clip.
What is a True Parallel Mixer?
A true parallel mixer allows you to blend the level of the dry signal separately from the level of the wet signal. If you unlink the dry and wet signals with the 🔗 symbol between the faders, you can perform parallel, bottom-up processing right inside Gold Clip. Keep the dry signal full volume (0.0dBFS) and blend in the wet signal from below.
The wet signal contains all of Gold Clip's processing. The dry signal consists of the plugin's true input without any oversampling or gain manipulations -- the input is simply delayed so it is time & phase aligned with the wet signal. This allows you to mix and blend the dry and wet signals as if Gold Clip was on a send and return channel in your DAW.
Potential Uses for the Parallel Mixer
If you want your bass or 808s to decay into a bed of distortion, you can heavily clip the track, leave the dry fader at full volume and blend in the wet signal from the bottom up. The low end is still clean and pure, but the bass decays into a bed of distortion. There is even a preset that uses this technique called "Distortion Bed." Check it out.
If you wanted to add some bottom-up compression using that same preset, simply back off the clipping and lean into the Gold Processing. Now, sounds will decay into a bed of gold compression. Or, just use the "Compression in Parallel" preset.
By unlinking the dry and wet faders, you have a world of parallel compression and distortion techniques at your fingertips. Mix and blend the distortion or compression effects, monitor the short-term LUFS meters below the input and output meters, and use the output trim to match loudness.
These techniques can work well on bass, drums, vocals, effects returns, and much more. No need to set up aux sends and returns in your DAW. You can parallel distort and compress your sounds from the bottom up, all within Gold Clip.
Tag @SchwabeDigital in an instagram story and show us how you are using parallel processing in your work. We'll repost.
Be well,
Ryan Schwabe
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