I’m more fascinated by your shirt changing colors in real time.

It's very interesting how quickly you can change your shirts, Dom! 😄

Lots of great advice. “Listen with your ears and not your eyes” is huge. Staring at numbers on a screen can be a real problem. Thanks Dom!

6:08 makes me think of a friend who bought a big console and never used it, nor even plugged it in. The console being there got him a lot of clients.

@7:10 Mic Drop. You said it all in that sentence Dom! Bless up Sir

This is the best description I’ve heard for analog/ digital. Do what feels good 😊

Great explanation between the two! Thank you for all of your great content!

Great lesson! Thanks Dom!

awesome video! thanks for sharing your knowledge!

I record on a portable interface when on the road and I run back some of the key tracks like vocals and main instruments through analog gear. It gives me the freedom to run it in cycle and tweak the gears to my liking and print back to computer. I try to recreate that sound in plug-in only as a challenge and sometimes it’s not easy. Sometimes you have to stack multiple plugins to get close but by the time you get there it feels like a lot of work. I believe some of the best engineers who claim they only mix in the box have already tracked or run most of their tracks through analog first. And that is very effective as those subtle analog flavors on a number of tracks will make a significant difference on the overall mix. Also makes your mixing session go fast. Great video as always.

Great tips thank you !

Very true! Great video! Thank you!

This was so interesting and useful Dom. Thanks

This message gives a lot of perspective. Thank you, and and enjoy that real mandolin too!

Absolutely love your thoughts on using the hardware, and your ears instead of eyes on a plug-in, as this is the exact experience I have with hardware synths; becoming part of the machine and working with it - often with two hands. As soon as I get out of the box I feel so liberated and connected with the music.

Great as always Dom!!

You rock, super helpful!

Congrats on getting a mandolin! They are fantastic instruments, so am sure you will have a great time learning yours. Always enjoy your vids.

Excellent!!!Thanks!!

This was very useful.

Your shirt is changing color! I was like "Whaaaat" 😲. Very interesting opinions about the psychological impact of analog equipment.

A great idea for "block" colors! Thanks

Great video, loaded with honest/helpful perspective!! 🙂💛

There are really good points I've never though about before while working in a home studio.

Great video! It's been insanely busy lately but I've got some down time now to get a good healthy dose of Dom Sigalas ❤‍🔥

Inspiring video and... I love you t-shirt 🤣

Okay, Μaster....this video is the master of videos, especially for home studio... and thanks again... as for the mandolin, it's not too late...

Great video love my analog hardware

Best video that I saw for long time.

Thanks... good video.

Great video my friend!! 🤟🤓

I sometimes feel that the irony is that analogue gear is often easier to use - it's more benign, it does less and it's harder to mess up when you have one real compressor vs a dozen plugins; so it's probably better for beginners to learn on. Experienced mixers, folks like Andrew Scheps, can move ITB because they know exactly what they are aiming for and are more able to tame their plugin collections. A lot of the big name guys from the 80s and 90s era, like CLA and Joe Barresi, always appear in front of their SSLs, but then that's now sort of their brand, it makes them stand out in a crowded market place. I find that plugins like the Brainworx Black Box MS with its density control and the adjustable headroom on the Shadow HIlls Mastering Comp are a big help as an easy way to dial in more of what a plugin does and then reduce the impact to get a more natural result. Great vid Dom, food for thought.

I think the biggest flaw in comparing analog gear to plugins is: If you hear a difference, any difference, most people will automatically assume that the hardware is better…tadaaaaa….marketing. I have plugins that are the reason I sold the hardware, because for my taste, or in my opinion, the plugin does a better job. But I know, if you want to buy a 5000$ compressor…any sound difference goes in favour of the gear…

Everything is personal choice really. I have both Analog and Digital, Analog is the true source though. You could call it special sauce really. Have Warm Audios VCA Bus Comp and their 1073 pre amp and EQ, comparison is night and day

Great video

Before watching: if somebody can't make a good mix with stock plugins they aint gonna know how to use equivilent hardware stuff either. And I'm not trying to say I'm any genious on mixing either. I'm pretty avarage. But I know I would't automatically make something better by buying any fancy stuff.

I like the intro 🥰 remembering me to witcher game soundtrack😊

Analog is cool cause it gave me a reference in terms of the difference between analog and digital. Now knowing the sound of analog, it feels like I can get my digital plugins to get closer to that sound. I think that is a pretty useful bit. But if you are starting out, I don't think you should invest in it right away. It can get mad expensive. There is so much to learn first about music that can be done without analog. But once you feel you can take the leap monetarily and mentally, it is a pretty powerful plunge.

ahahhaha Dom I was paying so much attention to your words that I almost didn't notice your shirt going from green to cyan to green again! 😆

I've been professionally mixing/mastering for over 15 years. Aside from when I worked in professional studios, I did it 100% in the box till about 2 years ago. It is entirely possible to make "industry standard" music just in the box. That being said, about 2 or 3 years ago I started buying analog gear HOWEVER I only got the stuff I felt like plugins just didn't do the job as good as I knew was possible. So I stick with compression and saturation for my hardware. I don't have any analog EQ or fx and don't intend on getting them. The mixbus is the best place to start in my opinion. Get a GOOD mixbus compressor (I chose the WesAudio Dione and it's AMAZING) and build from there. I waited till I felt like plugins were holding me back to start purchasing analog gear and I think that's the best way to do it! Great video as usual Dom, thank you!

love the intro

no way in hell i’m ever going back fully in the box hybrid is the way

Dom what are your techniques for bringing plugins closer to that hardware sound ? Perhaps that would be a good video ;)

Love your videos bro.. I want u to do one of my mixes

Great video. I can't afford the great analog gear but i do use inexpensive stuff and get great results. I have my Beheringer Tube ultragain rack mount preamp going into my ART Pro VLA II compressor. I have 3 mics that I use for vocals. A Warm Audio WA47jr, an Apex 435 and my Lewett 240 Pro. The first 2 mics go through the rackmount gear while the Lewett runs through my Presous series 3 mixer which is my audio interface.

Always the G!!!!

Yes. Especially mic preamps!

Another great vid Dom... my personal preference for analog is for 3 reasons. 1 I suffered option paralysis with plugins, I am now more limited and thus more creative with fewer options. 2 I got an error message "Cubase no longer supports 32 bit plugins", my analog gear will outlast me and will still run when we have 256 bit processors in our phones lol. 3 there are 2 letters of the alphabet that instantly make me lose the will to live... IT, the less I need my computer the better. The last point is prob me being a luddite, however I think the first 2 points are worth considering.

I have a Warm Audio TB12 (preamp) for my vocal mic and i love the way it adds colour to the sound. It makes it feel way more alive. I also tried to record vocals through preamp emulations on my Antelope Discrete 4 Synergy Core and even though they sound great and do make a difference from just the interface preamps themselves, they can't compete with the TB12... The TB12 feels way more alive and real.

As somebody working a in studio with an SSL 4048G+ and also having my own spot with plenty of analog gear, I think : - Analog makes a different during the recording stage : You can track through plugins now. A lot of them offer latency free options (not only UAD). But it's true that tracking through gear (or plugins for that matter) makes mixing easier along the way. And it's true that the wider sweet spot of analog makes it "safer" to track through. - The "wow factor" making artists/clients comfortable : I agree fully. - Analog makes a difference when mixing, you can get to the sound quicker : I think it is true but if I am being really honest : The recall/print or the patching will take as much time as piling up plugins to get to the sound desired. So analog will only be effectively quicker if it is used as "set and forget", like preset. Although hardware do not sound more "3D". They are still stereo or mono imho ^^. - Bigger sweet spot with hardware : Yeah I could agree to that. When pushed they sound great. It is kinda true but a lot of modern hardware sounds absolutely crap when pushed now. - Hardware is inspiring : It's idiosyncratic but I agree too, for me at least. - Music is a human thing : Well depending on how things will go, this statement will either age very well or awfully badly ^^. What you forgot to mention it's that, as soon as audio engineering remain a thing (which I don't think it will much in the near future), hardware is an investment. When buying something second-hand, you can resell it for me and it can help facing tough financial situation. I recently made 1k profit on a sale of a second hand gear. And no I am not 50 y old, I just was lucky to find a great deal, restore the unit (very basic stuff) and sell it back.

Hi Dom. Thank you for this. I've always wondered whether one can emulate an analog environment by using plugins in the input channel. Is this advisable? Can you maybe make a video on this?

I've been producing like 100% in the box since 2009 for most of my music except for when I record guitar(acoustic and electric for which I used an isolated cab I built to record my Mark V in 2014 and 2015 before purchasing a Mesa Cab Clone in 2016 and more recently a Torpedo Live). But I recently started to purchase analog gear and plan to slowly go hybrid!

Can you do a video on how to build, connect, setup, integrate with digital and use the analog gears for tracking/mixing/mastering?

If you can afford decent analog gear, go for it 100%!

Great. I see that in the same way. 👍

Decided to skip McDSP APB in lieu of a few carefully picked plugins that are as close to analog as you can get ITB...Tone Project, Schwabe Digital, PSP...ETC. Even the SSL channel strips sound excellent and add some body. Now I use Kelvin as first insert...this already adds that weight, then adding additional emulations after just elevates the experience.

Best ‘analog’ DAW is UAD Luna Pro 😊 Has that good old days workflow with its extensions, tape simulations and summing. I’m a Cubase head but love LUNA Pro

Great video, only analogue gear I have is the Dangerous 2-Bus+, summing to it creates depth, almost 3D and warmth I cant seem to match with my 1,000+ plugins.... :D

I've been using GAP Comp-3A for all the vocals I record, and voice overs too - highly recommended!

DOM, This was great video. I noticed you have a Rupert Neve Designs Master Bus Transformer. How do you like having the red and blue silk at the same time? I really want one of those but they are so expensive. You should do a video on it!

dis is pricelezz 🥳🔥

this works the same way with guitar amps too 🔥

I find that where analog really makes a diff is.on the way in too...❤

In my opinion. It is critical to have a good recording chain of: microphones Rode K2, Shure SM7b, 2 x Rode NT5, Rode NTR Ribbon microphone etc. Go into a channel strip like Focusrite ISA-430 Mk2, into good A to D converter. I agree about the analogue recording chain. Record to 48k and 24 bit. Mix in software. I find my Mackie CR1604-VLZ mixer and RNC1773 compressor works really well too, cheap and very effective. On the rare occasions I need to record drums I go to another studio. Most of my drums are samples played with a mouse or MIDI keyboard. (I must get a Roland V-drum kit.) Most pf my gear has been purchased used. Lots of people buy gear, lose interest, and sell it. For bass I have Ampeg PF 20-T going into a 15" EV or a Avalon U5 for DI. Mesa Boogie Nomad 100 and a choice of several speakers for guitar. There are 4 basses and 3 guitars in the studio maintained with intonation set correctly and new strings available. As for the psychological effects, I let my work speak for itself. I find people don't come to my door unless they have heard my previous work. I would prioritise making the studio feel good than some boutique compressor. Have a nice artist's lounge, a kitchen with cans of drink and some wine in the fridge. I have the services of my wife as a quality catering service. She is good, she cooks or takes orders and gets Thai take away. I have put way more time into learning about composition and arrangement than worrying about gear.

Analog gear forced me to use my ears more. To be more critical with my decisions. Plus turning knobs and pushing buttons makes me feel more connected to my craft. But definitely not required to make good music. Great video Dom.

The best piece of gear I have is my Rupert Neve Newton Channel. It's pretty much all I need to record vocals and I've had other hardware but mostly clones. This is the most affordable thing that is the actually the real deal.

Dom "Of Course!"

As an engineer who built his dream studio in 2020 with tons of analog gear , a c800g , elam 251 mic and a plethora of analog synths coveted pieces etc. Financially this will absolutely do nothing to make you more money from a client , at all. I've had clients actually prefer shitty digital pumping compression over hardware , like shit off a phone on bandlab...demoitis is so real lmfaooo. BUT analog gear shoots up in value , all my hardware has appreciated in value. Not only do I think it sounds amazing during recording/even some post processing stuff. I also love summing so much and 2-bus hardware processing. Hybrid for life... I love it because my studio is essentially a savings account for me. Just reflipped 2 pieces and profited 1k back after using it for a year. Wild

The quality preamps and microphones still make sense sense. But with lack of recall and the expense involved in hardware, im not sure it is worth it in 2024. I'd advise someone to put that money towards a high spec cpu.

bro that's your studio in the b roll? You have some incredible pieces of hardware...

Plugins into hardware is great

I 100% experienced that singers perform better with a nice front-end. Nice pre-amp with some compression to give a big sound in their headphones and suddenly stop moving their head away when they hit louder notes. Makes it more fun for everywhere. I also noticed that you cant away with more gain reduction on the way in than can do with a plugin. And finally, when I decided to upgrade my vocal chain (including the mic) I dont have to do a lot in mixing. Some low-cut, maybe a boost. Finish it off with a nice La-2a plugin, add verb/delay and done. I used to spend ages on vocal EQ and compression with plugins.

i am not fan of analog gear for several reasons... but that's me.. this debate has started for years and years and in a serious talk everyone can have real points to show out in a conversation... in the end of the day, Analog gear or Plugins, they will deliver the job should anyway... the most important things are 1) the one using that gear, no matter what it is.. 2) when using something, knowing what you're doing, and most importantly know what to expect when applying something.. in other words working with intention...

Hi Dom, was just seeing your video where you explained how to create customized scripts for midi controllers and was super informative. Can you please help me in understanding how to assign one rotary knob from my midi controller so that I can scroll between tracks in my project window as well as the mixer window ,. Right now, I can see two different options to go to previous track and next track and would have to assign 2 rotary knobs, thanks a lot in advance☺

I mix hybrid and even though I really like my distressor plugins, I would never get rid of my hardware distressors are my vari mu comps.. I have 16 units of hardware eqs & compressors and they’re here to stay.

Seems like Tech has caught up for this to even be a question. I know I have found more than a few guitar amp sims that sound so close to the real thing you can not do a blind test! You can also put effects on headphones through a daw with some great plugins real time as well. Like my first statement said........

I think most people are mislead by the analog industry and youtubers but in reality the best starting investment you can do is buying a really good channelstrip with eq and comp (try to aim for an optical one one the way in like Dom already said) and youre set for a long time. i wish someone would have told me this 10 years ago ;D

HI Dom! Sorry about my Bad english . What do you think about plugins simulations for analog? How about pre simulations on the in channels of the daw? I was trying many ways to find a good sound with my dynamic mic.

If better means more depth, 3D, real sounding etc. then go with hardware all the way and once you hear that then there will be the inspiration at least for me.

Mandoline best intro ever.

Thank you for this tutorial. Do you know a good midi controller to manually act on modulation, expression, velocity, vibrato... for virtual orchestra instruments. Thanks a lot!

I have a CL1B too and agree it's a beast. It adds nice sound to vocals; But it is my opinion you can get a good sound allowing singers to perform as you nicely put it with any software compressor too. It will just sound a little less great but not bad. In my beginning years I recorded vocals with a 15 year old SM58 which we borrowed from a club and which smelled because every drunk DJ had been sptting in it for years. We didn't have money for a pre amp so I used my cheap Mackie VLZ 4 channel console with their "mic pre's" built in. Given that little console cost mayby 100 bucks you can imagine.... And from there, directly into digidesign 882 ADDA converters, probably the worst converters ever. And we sold quite some copies. Honestly, I can't say that all sounded really awesome; It didn't, compared to nowadays in the box quality. Just saying, while I agree anaologue gear is great, imi in 2024 you can perfectly do without and still make great sounding performances.

It's interesting you speak about the "sweet spot being wider" when it comes to analogue gear. I commented on another video earlier today about plug-ins & digital mixing etc and I was mentioning that back when I was recording in an all analogue studio the sweet spot of an *entire mix* was a lot wider than what it seems to be when one is mixing in the box with plug-ins. And this wasn't even flash gear. Foxtex R8 tape machine, Alesis compressors, Boss & Peavey mulit-FX rack units.

This is an informative video so thank you for putting the time and effort into making and presenting it it but it really should be titled 'high end analogue gear'. far too many people are under the impression that just because these esoteric and extremely expensive processors sound amazing then so must all analogue gear. There is a reason why these things cost a fortune. much analogue gear made before digital was noisy and muddy sounding. The manufacturers could get away with that when people were recording to 1/4 inch tape or dreadful cassette tape. I remember di'ing my bass into a Studiomaster live desk and being horrified by the boxy muddy tone that came out. I remember a similar sound from a low end four channel compressor. Then there was the Alesis compressor that sounded awful on bass. None of these could get close to a Drawmer never mind an 1176 or a distressor. Early transistor guitar amps sounded pretty bad too which further convinced guitarists that valve amps were the only way to go. thats another myth busted by modern digital technology. The move to 24bit solved the cheap analogue versus digital conundrum. if you can afford highj end analogue then go for it. I wish i could too but I am very careful about what low end analogue gear I put my music through.

yea same goes with all guitar and bass analog gear. Cant really make music without my tube amps and pedals!

Thanks a lot for this wonderful video. One day I want to be you. ❤ Love from Sri Lanka ❤❤

Its all about skill i would say gotta know how to mix and master and train the ear which comes mostly with time and exprience getting familiar with how the hardware/plugin sounds and feels or adds to the mix. When it comes to gear i use both anlog pre amps even a seperate computer

It's true about the compressor for vocalists, but you could just buy Volt interface with 76 compressor emulation for cheap

I was wondering where get i get this LED t-shirt for Christmas loll

What are your thoughts on the uafx pedal version of these compressors?

ANALOG SAVE TIME DUDE WITH GREAT RESULT

Your T-shirt changing colour is making me dizzy, Dom 😅

what about the sound and quality of summing with an analog mixer? Do you master mixes after it mixed solely on an analog mixer?

Soy cantante y para mí cantar en vivo incluso sin compresión en mi in ear es un suplicio, tienes que estar muy pendiente de los cambios de dinámica y te quita poder de la interpretación. Gracias Don

I'm a drummer, I built 2 Capi VP28s and 2 Hairball Lolas on a 500 chassis, I love I can just flip that switch and get kick,snare,overheads that sound like a dream. Playing with the pre gains and the trims, the filters, makes it a whole worth it. I have a question... I have a Focusrite Red4Pre(4 pres, 4 lines, 16 through adat, dante and spdif), I need to expand my analog input situation... I was thinking on getting some cheap-ish used 8pre/8out adat compatible interface, any recos? It could be used and old, I'd just use it for the I/O... Presonus Digimax maybe? Thank you

QUESTION. Do you work with tape microphones?

his shirt changing color was messing with my head lol'

I couldn't concentrate to the video because of your color changing t-shirt 😁

Im selling everything I had for mixing, just a vari-mu and a vca comp for tracking.

Dom. I’m a big fan and really appreciate all the videos you post. I’ve learned so much from you regarding Cubase and “in general” recording techniques. But, I do have a question I’m hoping you can answer regarding real drums. When I choose to use the various programmed drums in Cubase, my songs sound more professional, or should I say, more professionally mixed. I can use the same recording techniques on my guitars, bass, vocals, and keys, but if I use “real” drums, the mix seems to fall apart. It’s like there’s a cohesive element that disappears. Do you have any secrets to mixing real drums and obtaining that tight, cohesive, professional sound? I’m using DW’s, high end Zildian cymbals, SM57’s, AKG414’s, 12 foot ceilings, different room sizes, but there’s just something missing. I call it a glue that holds the rhythm tight. I’m not sure if I’m explaining this properly.