Oeksound’s Soothe 2: Your Ultimate Dynamic Resonance Suppressor
Audio engineers and producers are constantly seeking ways to improve the quality of their recordings and mixes. One of the challenges they face is dealing with unwanted resonances and harsh frequencies that can make a track sound unpleasant and unprofessional. Enter Oeksound Soothe 2, a groundbreaking plugin that has been making waves in the audio production world. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what makes Soothe 2 so special and why it has become an essential tool for many music professionals.
What is Oeksound Soothe 2?
Soothe 2 is an advanced dynamic resonance suppressor plugin developed by Oeksound. It is designed to automatically detect and reduce harsh or problematic frequencies in audio recordings in real-time. Whether you're working on vocals, guitars, drums, or any other instrument, Soothe 2 can help you achieve a cleaner and more polished sound.
Key Features:
Intelligent Dynamic EQ: Soothe 2 uses an intelligent algorithm to identify and target problematic frequencies dynamically. It doesn't rely on fixed EQ bands, which makes it incredibly versatile and adaptable to a wide range of audio sources.
Real-Time Processing: One of Soothe 2's most significant advantages is its ability to work in real-time. This means you can use it during tracking, mixing, or mastering to address resonance issues as they occur, resulting in a more efficient workflow.
Transparent Sound: Soothe 2 is renowned for its transparency. It subtly reduces problematic frequencies without negatively impacting the overall tonal balance of your audio. This allows you to maintain the natural character of your recordings while eliminating unwanted resonances.
User-Friendly Interface: The plugin's intuitive and user-friendly interface makes it accessible to both beginners and experienced audio professionals. You can easily fine-tune the processing to suit your specific needs.
Mid-Side Processing: Soothe 2 offers mid-side processing capabilities, allowing you to target resonances in the stereo image with precision. This is especially useful for enhancing the clarity and width of your mixes.
Applications:
Vocal Processing: Soothe 2 is excellent for cleaning up vocals. It can help remove sibilance, nasal frequencies, and other unwanted resonances, allowing your vocals to sit more comfortably in the mix.
Guitar and Bass: It's also a valuable tool for taming harsh frequencies in guitar and bass recordings, making them sound more polished and professional.
Mixing and Mastering: Soothe 2 is equally effective during mixing and mastering, helping you achieve a final mix that is free from harshness and resonance issues.
Depth Control: Sculpting Your Sound with Precision
One of the standout features of Oeksound Soothe 2 is its Depth Control, a tool that allows you to fine-tune and sculpt the intensity of the processing applied to your audio. This feature adds an extra layer of control and creativity to your sound manipulation, making Soothe 2 even more versatile and powerful.
How Depth Control Works:
Depth Control in Soothe 2 allows you to adjust the level of attenuation applied to problematic frequencies. By manipulating this parameter, you can determine how aggressively or subtly the plugin responds to resonant issues. This level of control enables you to maintain the natural character of your audio while effectively dealing with troublesome frequencies.
Use Cases for Depth Control:
Subtle Corrections: When working on a delicate vocal or instrument track that only requires minor resonance reduction, you can dial in a low Depth setting. This ensures that Soothe 2 gently smooths out any harshness without overprocessing and altering the source sound.
Aggressive Resonance Suppression: On the other hand, when you're dealing with particularly problematic frequencies or need to apply a more pronounced correction, turning up the Depth Control can help Soothe 2 tackle these issues head-on. It allows you to be aggressive with the processing while maintaining control over the outcome.
Creative Sound Design: The Depth Control can also be used as a creative tool. By automating it over time, you can create dynamic effects that evolve throughout your mix or song. This can result in captivating soundscapes and unique textures that enhance your music production.
Dynamic Depth Control:
Soothe 2's Depth Control isn't static; it can respond dynamically to the input signal. This means that the plugin can adapt its processing depth based on the audio's content. For instance, during louder parts of a song, it can become more aggressive in reducing resonances, while it eases off during quieter sections. This dynamic behavior ensures that Soothe 2 remains transparent and responsive throughout your production.
Fine-Tuning with the Sharpness and Selectivity Knobs
Oeksound Soothe 2 goes beyond traditional EQ and dynamic processing with its unique Sharpness and Selectivity knobs. These innovative controls provide an additional layer of customization, allowing you to precisely shape the way Soothe 2 interacts with the resonant frequencies in your audio.
Understanding Sharpness:
The Sharpness knob in Soothe 2 determines the bandwidth of the processing applied to detected resonances. It controls how wide or narrow the attenuation is around each problematic frequency. This feature is incredibly valuable because it lets you focus the correction on specific frequencies without affecting neighboring ones.
Narrow Sharpness: If you set the Sharpness to a narrower setting, Soothe 2 will target a more precise range of frequencies. This is particularly useful when you want to eliminate a single, problematic resonance without affecting the surrounding tonal elements.
Wide Sharpness: Conversely, using a wider Sharpness setting can be beneficial when you want a more gentle and broad reduction. It helps maintain the natural timbre of the audio while addressing broader resonance issues.
Harnessing Selectivity:
Selectivity, on the other hand, gives you control over how sensitive Soothe 2 is to detecting resonances. This knob allows you to adjust the plugin's threshold for identifying problematic frequencies. By tweaking Selectivity, you can fine-tune the balance between correction and preserving the natural characteristics of your audio.
High Selectivity: When you turn up the Selectivity, Soothe 2 becomes more selective in its resonance detection. This can be advantageous when you want to precisely target and correct specific issues while leaving other frequencies untouched.
Low Selectivity: Lowering the Selectivity can be helpful in situations where you want Soothe 2 to have a broader detection range. This may be suitable for audio that has multiple subtle resonance issues that need attention.
Striking the Perfect Balance:
The combination of Sharpness and Selectivity knobs in Soothe 2 empowers you to strike the perfect balance between surgical precision and a more subtle, natural approach to resonance control. These controls are especially valuable when working on complex audio sources or when you need to fine-tune the plugin's behavior to achieve your desired sonic results.
Understanding Stereo Modes:
Soothe 2 offers three distinct stereo modes, each with its unique characteristics. These modes enable you to tailor the resonance control to the specific demands of your audio source and your artistic vision.
Stereo Link: This mode treats the stereo signal as a single entity. When you engage Stereo Link, Soothe 2 applies the same processing to both the left and right channels simultaneously. This is particularly useful when you want to maintain a consistent resonance reduction across the entire stereo field, preserving the balance between the left and right sides.
Stereo Duo: In Stereo Duo mode, Soothe 2 processes the left and right channels independently. This means that if a resonance issue is present in one channel but not the other, the plugin will address them separately. This mode provides greater flexibility for dealing with stereo-imaged audio sources, allowing for more precise and nuanced resonance control.
Mid-Side: The Mid-Side mode in Soothe 2 is a powerful tool for enhancing the spatial characteristics of your audio. It separates the mid (center) and side (stereo) components of the signal. This mode empowers you to target resonances in the center of your mix, the sides, or both independently. It's invaluable for achieving a wider and more controlled stereo image, as well as addressing resonance issues that may be specific to either the mid or side signal.
Applications of Stereo Modes:
Stereo Enhancement: The Mid-Side mode, in particular, can be used to enhance the stereo width of your mix. By selectively addressing resonances in the side signal, you can create a more expansive and immersive soundscape.
Focused Resonance Control: When working with complex stereo recordings, Stereo Duo mode allows you to pinpoint and resolve resonance issues that may be present in one channel but not the other, ensuring a balanced and polished final product.
Delta Button: A/B Comparison and Informed Decision-Making
In the realm of audio processing, the ability to make informed decisions and assess the impact of your changes is paramount. The Delta button in Oeksound Soothe 2 is a powerful tool that facilitates A/B comparison, allowing you to hear the difference between the original and processed audio. This feature plays a crucial role in fine-tuning your audio and ensuring that the adjustments you make are achieving the desired results.
How the Delta Button Works:
The Delta button, located prominently in Soothe 2's user interface, serves a straightforward yet invaluable function. When engaged, it temporarily bypasses the processing applied by Soothe 2, allowing you to hear the unprocessed, or "delta," audio signal. In other words, it toggles between the original and processed audio, making it easy to compare the two and evaluate the impact of your adjustments.
Benefits of Using the Delta Button:
A/B Comparison: The Delta button enables you to perform A/B comparisons effortlessly. You can switch between the original and processed audio with a simple click, allowing you to hear the exact changes introduced by Soothe 2. This real-time feedback is invaluable for making precise adjustments to your audio and ensuring that you achieve the desired results.
Transparent Assessment: By toggling between the delta (unprocessed) and processed audio, you gain a transparent view of the plugin's impact on your sound. This helps you avoid overprocessing and ensures that the corrections made by Soothe 2 are enhancing the audio rather than detracting from it.
Efficient Workflow: The Delta button promotes an efficient workflow by eliminating guesswork. You can quickly evaluate the effectiveness of your settings, fine-tune them as needed, and move forward with confidence, saving time and effort in the production process.
Application in Mixing and Mastering:
The Delta button is particularly beneficial during mixing and mastering sessions. When shaping the sound of individual tracks or the final mix, you can use it to assess how Soothe 2 is influencing the audio. This level of control and transparency ensures that your mixes and masters are polished and free from unwanted resonances.
The Speed Controls:
Soothe 2 provides two essential Speed controls: Attack and Release.
Attack: The Attack control determines how quickly Soothe 2 responds to incoming audio. A lower Attack setting results in a faster response, making the plugin react more swiftly to resonance issues. Conversely, a higher Attack setting introduces a slower response time, allowing the plugin to be more deliberate and gentle in addressing resonances. The Attack control is particularly useful when you need precise control over the initial transient of a sound.
Release: The Release control determines how long it takes for Soothe 2 to stop processing after the resonance issue has subsided. A shorter Release time causes Soothe 2 to recover quickly, while a longer Release time extends the processing to ensure a smoother transition. The Release control helps you tailor the plugin's behavior to the specific characteristics of your audio source.
Applications of Speed Controls:
Vocal Processing: When working with vocals, you can use the Speed controls to fine-tune the response of Soothe 2. For example, you might opt for a faster Attack time to catch and correct sibilance quickly while using a moderate Release time to ensure natural-sounding transitions in the vocal performance.
Guitar and Instrument Processing: When processing instruments like guitars, the Speed controls allow you to adapt Soothe 2's behavior to the instrument's attack and release characteristics. This can help you smooth out harsh frequencies while preserving the instrument's transient details.
Mastering: In mastering applications, adjusting the Speed controls lets you tailor the plugin's response to the entire mix. You can choose settings that provide a more transparent and subtle correction or opt for a more aggressive response to address resonance issues across the frequency spectrum.
Sidechain: Enhanced Resonance Control and Dynamic Processing
Oeksound Soothe 2 takes resonance control to the next level with its Sidechain feature, which adds a dynamic and flexible element to the plugin's capabilities. Sidechain allows you to shape how Soothe 2 responds to resonances by taking input from an external source, giving you greater control over your audio and helping you achieve precise results.
How the Sidechain Feature Works:
In Soothe 2, the Sidechain feature lets you use an external audio source to influence the detection and processing of resonances in the main signal. This means that Soothe 2 can dynamically adjust its processing based on the content of the sidechain input.
Applications of the Sidechain Feature:
Dynamic Control: The Sidechain feature is particularly useful in scenarios where you want to prioritize certain elements of the audio signal. For instance, if you're mixing a vocal track with a prominent guitar part, you can use the guitar track as the sidechain input to ensure that the vocal resonances do not interfere with the guitar's clarity.
De-essing: When working with vocals, the Sidechain feature can be applied to de-essing. By using the vocal's sibilance as the sidechain input, you can have Soothe 2 target and reduce sibilant frequencies specifically, allowing you to maintain a clean and natural vocal performance.
Enhanced Creativity: The Sidechain feature opens up creative possibilities by allowing you to use almost any source as a sidechain input. Experiment with using drums to influence the resonance control on a synth pad or use a specific instrument to shape the resonance processing of another, leading to unique and captivating soundscapes.
Customizing Sidechain Behavior:
Soothe 2 offers detailed control over the Sidechain feature, allowing you to determine how it responds to the external source. You can adjust parameters such as sidechain EQ, filter slope, and mix, giving you the flexibility to shape the sidechain's influence precisely.
Band Controls: Precision Resonance Control and Tonal Sculpting
Oeksound Soothe 2's Band Controls offer a comprehensive set of tools for audio engineers and music producers to achieve precise resonance control and tonal shaping. These controls enable you to target specific frequency ranges with remarkable accuracy, giving you the ability to tailor the sonic character of your audio in a highly customized manner.
Understanding the Band Controls:
Soothe 2's Band Controls provide a versatile set of parameters for each band, allowing you to define and adjust individual frequency ranges with precision. These controls include:
Frequency: The Frequency parameter lets you specify the center frequency of the band you want to manipulate. You can pinpoint the exact frequency range where you wish to apply Soothe 2's processing, ensuring that you address the most problematic resonances or enhance specific tonal elements.
Sensitivity: The Sensitivity knob determines how responsive Soothe 2 is to resonances within the selected frequency band. Increasing sensitivity makes the plugin more vigilant in detecting and reducing resonances, while decreasing it allows for a more gentle and nuanced response.
Q (Bandwidth): The Q (Quality) control dictates the width or range of frequencies influenced by Soothe 2's processing. A higher Q value narrows the bandwidth, targeting a specific frequency range, while a lower Q value widens the bandwidth to include neighboring frequencies. This parameter is crucial for fine-tuning the focus of your correction.
Balance: The Balance knob adjusts the balance between the dry (unprocessed) and wet (processed) signals within the selected frequency band. This control allows you to mix the correction with the original audio, preserving the natural character while addressing resonance issues.
Different EQ Types in Soothe 2:
Soothe 2 offers three different EQ types that can be applied to each band, further enhancing your control over the sound:
Bell: The Bell EQ type allows you to boost or attenuate frequencies in a bell-shaped curve centered around the selected frequency. It's ideal for precisely shaping the tonal characteristics of the audio within the chosen band.
High Shelf: The High Shelf EQ type applies a boost or cut to frequencies above the selected center frequency. It's useful for adding airiness or taming harshness in the high end of your audio.
Low Shelf: The Low Shelf EQ type affects frequencies below the selected center frequency, making it suitable for adding warmth or controlling low-end resonance issues.
Applications of Band Controls:
Problematic Resonance Control: The Band Controls are indispensable when dealing with specific resonance problems within your audio. You can use them to target and eliminate resonances that may be causing unwanted harshness or muddiness.
Tonal Shaping: Whether you're working on individual tracks or the overall mix, the Band Controls allow for precise tonal shaping. Boost or attenuate specific frequency ranges to enhance the character of your audio.
Dynamic Resonance Control: The combination of Band Controls and dynamic processing ensures that Soothe 2 adapts to the input signal, making it ideal for addressing resonances that vary in intensity over time.
Conclusion:
Oeksound Soothe 2 has quickly become a game-changer in the world of audio production. Its ability to intelligently and transparently control problematic frequencies in real-time has earned it a place in the toolkit of many professionals. Whether you're working on vocals, instruments, or the final mix, Soothe 2 can help you achieve a cleaner, more professional sound. So, if you're looking to take your audio productions to the next level, give Soothe 2 a try, and experience the difference for yourself. Your ears will thank you!