Top 5: Nic Hard

This has to be my most used plugin. I use it on almost every track in a mix, even if it is just as a high-pass filter. Besides being so versatile in relation to Frequency, Q, and Slope, I love the fact that any band can be a bell, shelving, HP, LP, notch, or a band pass equaliser. And that I can use as many bands as I want! 

This EQ has the ability to have any band on a stereo track effect the stereo, mid, side, left or right signal. This is incredibly useful when EQ’ing a stereo source as I can ‘make space’ in the centre by cutting frequencies out of the mid and leaving them in the sides. Conversely, this is also super useful on things like stereo bass where I want to cut low frequencies on the sides while leaving the middle intact.

The last reason I love this plugin is that any band can be made dynamic. This is extremely useful on things like bottom snare mics — where I only want the top boosted while the snare is played, and not when it rings sympathetically with the kick. Dynamic EQ also works wonders for cutting the low/mid on vocals without leaving them sounding thin.

This is a relatively new plugin, and kind of a new concept too. Think of it as a full frequency multi-band compressor — or as they more accurately describe it: a ‘dynamic resonance suppressor’. It reduces frequencies that ‘stick out’ of a sound. You can focus or reduce the action across the frequency spectrum, and it balances the frequencies so you can subdue… or soothe… frequencies that are too prominent. This does have the effect of pushing some things further back in the mix, but in doing that it opens up space for other instruments to shine through.

While RX is more of a standalone app than a plugin, it still deserves a mention. I don’t think I’ve mixed a single record without using it in some capacity since installing it. I won’t list all the functions, as there are too many, but I will discuss the ones that I use regularly.

Firstly, for those unfamiliar, iZotope’s RX is software for ‘fixing’ issues and can be thought of as an incredibly powerful ‘surgical’ tool. My most common use of RX is with the Spectral De-noise module which can more or less remove unwanted hiss, buzz, and squeals from a take. 

To use it, just highlight an area of the unwanted noise, click ‘Learn’, then process the rest of the track to remove that specific noise. Hours were once spent during recording sessions chasing down RF noise, or changing guitars, amps and pedals, all because of a buzz. Thanks to RX, I now know that if I don’t get a good result within 10 minutes I can just move on as I have the option to De-noise it later.

Another mighty feature of RX is the ability to remove things such as click bleed. This used to be another area where I might sacrifice the EQ of an instrument in an attempt to reduce click bleed. Instead, with the aid of the Spectral Repair module, I can now see these little bastards and remove them!