I feel the same way about the FG-Stress (Empirical Labs Distressor) compressor.
Pro tip: With the FG-A if you hold command (Mac) or control (windows) you can adjust the frequency and gain without increment constraints. This EQ goes on almost all of my tracks when I’m mixing. The FG-A (emulating an API 550a eq) is so beautiful it hurts. It would make this post way too long to detail all the emulations that are in the VMR and their strengths/uses, so I’ll briefly list my favorites and drop a link to the official page where you can learn more about it. Much more than a single gear emulation, the Virtual Mix Rack emulates an entire studio rack of the most sought after hardware tools. Quite possibly the most powerful plugin in the bundle, and certainly the one I use the most, is the VMR. Improve your workflow with the Virtual Mix Rack (VMR) What digital plugins are included in the Slate All Access Pass? And more importantly, what are our favorite Slate Digital Plugins? The Slate Digital All Access Pass: What You Need to Knowġ.
We simply put this together because Slate kicks ass, and we want to share with you the tools that work for us. We are NOT an affiliate for Slate Plugins, meaning we do not stand to profit in anyway from writing this article. By being a subscriber, you ensure your setup is future-proof.
Since I became a subscriber in 2018 there have literally been dozens of software additions and multiple new company affiliations. This is especially useful if you’re just starting your plugin collection, as the bundle provides literally everything you need to make killer music.
This literally totals in THOUSANDS of dollars of value in the bundle. For less than the cost of one quality plugin per year, you get ALL of Slate’s plugins, and many pieces of software from affiliate companies. The Slate All Access Pass is just $15/month. Producing, mixing and mastering music can easily lead to spending ridiculous amounts of money on tools, and even more time searching for the tools that work with your general workflow and preferences, as well as and provide the sound you are looking for. These kinds of specialized tools can help you get a better sound with less tinkering.They can be emulations of analog gear that provide faithful recreations of gear that are staples in studios everywhere.They frequently have more options (better design, more fun to use, a more unique sound or effect, etc.).They can have better workflows, letting you get better results faster.Stock synths are usually pretty meh (with the occasional exception).