Create dirt – Restoration / Noise Reduction plug-ins
Ever thought of using noise-cleaning processors to create distortion? Overdriving of the noise reduction plug-ins or using extreme settings can create alien voices, distorted radio messages, or unique distortion types you can’t get with regular distortion or overdrive processors.
Mix separation
Want to know a great trick for pulling out a cappella or other sample elements of a CD’s track so you can mix it into different music? Just use S1 MS Matrix on the stereo track of the song to phase-invert the audio. You can have access to little portions of the vocals or other things that you could never separate from the full stereo track. Of course, the end result is not stereo but mono, but this is still a great trick for DJ mixing.
Adding punch to a track – Renaissance Compressor or C1 Compressor
Use an audio track with a good take from the artist. Any type of signal will do (vocal, guitars, etc.), although this trick works better on drum tracks. Duplicate the track onto another track. Open Renaissance Compressor or C1 Compressor on the duplicate track, and apply very heavy compression: Ratio 10:1, Threshold -30dB. These settings should make the compressor “pump.” Blend this track in with the original track until you hear the “punch” of the duplicate track as it gets added to the original non-compressed track.
Guitar Doubling with SuperTap Delay
Take a mono guitar or vocal track and run it through the SuperTap Delay with the original panned 45 degrees to the left and a very short delay panned 45 degrees to the right. You might add a little extra high-end boost on the delayed signal to help give it its own character. Another way of doing this is to clone the track (with all its effects) and slide the clone in time. Using SuperTap Delay is a much more elegant and simpler solution.
