The a-z of waves

The A-Z Of Waves
Interactive e-book
The A-Z Of Waves is a free 10,000 word interactive e-book including hundreds of hours of free videos
covering interviews, Waves plug-in reviews and tutorials by Production Expert.

A is For Abbey Road 6
Abbey Road Studios 7
Abbey Road Plug-ins 7
B is For Broadcast 8
Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter Review & Tutorial 8
C is For Chris Lord Alge 9
CLA Guitars Plug-in 9
CLA-76 Compressor Plug-in 10
Mixing Drums Using CLA Signature Series Plug-ins 10
D is For DiGiGrid 11
NAMM 2016 - Introducing Waves DiGiGrid Interfaces And I/O 11
Waves Digigrid iOS 12
Review Of Waves DiGiGrid iOS 13
Setting Up Waves DiGiGrid DLS With Pro Tools HD And HDX 13
NAMM 2015 - Waves DiGiGrid iOX and iOC Preview 13
DiGiGrid IOX 13
DiGiGrid IOC 13
E is For EQ 15
Waves Manny Marroquin EQ On Vocals 15
Waves EQ In Music Radio Audio Post Production Workflows 16
Waves V-EQ3 in Action 16
Getting to Know the Waves H-EQ - Parts 1 & 2 16
Waves H-EQ On The Drums In PreSonus Studio One 16
Using Waves V-EQ4 Plug-in To Enhance Voiceovers Part 3 16
F is For Forensics 17
Who Is Phil Manchester? 18
2
The A-Z Of Waves Copyright © 2017 Production Expert

G is For Greg Wells 20
Who is Greg Wells? 20
Greg Wells VoiceCentric Plug-in 21
Greg Wells PianoCentric Plug-in 21
Greg Wells MixCentric Plug-in 22
Greg Wells ToneCentric Plug-in 23
H is For Harmonic Enhancers 24
Andrew Scheps 73 Plug-in 24
Cobalt Saphira Advanced Harmonics Shaping Plug-in 24
Vitamin Plug-in 25
Aphex Aural Exciter Plug-in 26
I is For Image 27
S1 Imager Plug-in 27
S360 Surround Tools Imager And Panner Plug-ins 28
Center Plug-in 28
J is For JJP 30
Using JJP Cymbals And Percussion Plug-in 30
Mixing Drums with Waves Signature Plug-ins 30
How To Use Waves JJP Bass Plug-in 30
How To Use Waves JJP Guitar To Brighten A Guitar 31
JJP Strings & Keys Plug-in 31
JJP Vocals Plug-in 31
K is For Kramer 32
Using The Waves Eddie Kramer Bass Channel Plug-in on A DI Bass 32
How To Use The Waves Eddie Kramer Vocal Plug-in 32
Use Waves Kramer Master Tape On A Parallel Mix Buss 33
Using The Waves Kramer HLS Channel To Add Weight To Drums 33
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L is For Low End 34
Renaissance Bass Plug-in 34
MaxxBass Plug-in 34
LoAir Plug-in 35
M is For Manny Marroquin 36
Waves Manny Marroquin Plug-ins 36
15 Minute Mix Challenge Featuring Manny Marroquin Plug-ins 36
N is For Non Linear 37
O is For OneKnob 38
OneKnob Phatter 38
OneKnob Filter 38
OneKnob Louder 39
OneKnob Pressure 39
OneKnob Pumper 39
OneKnob Wetter 39
OneKnob Driver 39
P is For Pitch 40
Waves Tune 40
Waves Tune Real-Time 41
SoundShifter Pitch 41
Q is For Q-Clone 42
Q-Capture Component 42
Q-Clone 43
R is For Renaissance 44
Renaissance Compressor 44
Renaissance Bass 44
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Renaissance Vox 45
S is For Synths 46
Element 2 46
The Codex Wavetable Synth 47
T is For Tape Modelling 48
Waves Abbey Road J37 48
Waves Abbey Road Reel ADT 48
Kramer Master Tape 49
U is For UpMix 50
What Are The Waves UM225 & UM226 Plug-ins? 50
What's The Difference Between Waves UM225 & UM226? 50
Using Waves UM225 & UM226 in Pro Tools 51
V is For Vinyl 52
W is For W43 Noise Reduction Plug-in 53
X is For Nx 54
What Is Waves Nx? 54
Waves Nx Clip-on Bluetooth Head Tracker 55
Waves Nx Mobile Apps 55
Y is For Why I Love Waves – By Dan Cooper 56
Z is For Z-Noise 58
5

A is For Abbey Road
Abbey Road is perhaps the most iconic recording studio on the planet, partly because it
was the place where many of the Beatles tracks were recorded by producer Sir George
Martin. However, Abbey Road also has been the place where many technical audio
legends have worked. A lot of the technology created at Abbey Road is still used today
and some the basic design concepts are emulated in modern product design.
Waves have been working with Abbey Road for several years developing emulations of
classic mixing consoles, effects and reverbs. Pro Tools Expert has featured many of
these plug-in emulations as reviews and demos of how to use them.
Creating a product endorsed by Abbey Road is
a long process as they guard the Abbey Road
name jealously making sure nothing is done to
compromise it. Abbey Road work closely with
every manufacturer to make sure anything
bearing the Abbey Road name is right before it
sees the light of day - you can't simply put the
Abbey Road name on any plug-in.
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Abbey Road Studios
There are three main studios at Abbey Road:
• Studio One - Mainly used for ﬁlm scoring with a control room housing a 72 Fader
AMS Neve 88RS
• Studio Two - The iconic 'Beatles Studio' with the control room above the live
room.
• Studio Three - This features the mirrored piano room, as well as other spaces, the
control room house a 96 Fader Solid State Logic 9000 J, but will also often have
on of the vintage EMI consoles, the TG12345
Waves Abbey Road Plug-ins
We have featured many Waves Abbey Road plug-ins as reviews and free tutorials on Pro
Tools Expert:
• Abbey Road Reverb Plates Review & Free Tutorial
• Abbey Road Vinyl Review & Free Tutorial
• EMI TG12345 Channel Strip Review
• J37 Tape Review & Free Tutorial
• REDD Review
• Reel ADT Review
• RS56 Passive EQ Free Tutorial
• The King’s Microphones Free Tutorial
7

B is For Broadcast
!
In broadcast workflows, one of the most important topics is loudness. Loudness is
important so that listeners of video content don't have to dive for their remote controls
to adjust the volume between content and
programs.
Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter
The Waves WLM Plus loudness meter is a version of
Waves Loudness Meter (WLM) and adds a True Peak
Limiter and a Trim option, to their loudness meter.
Watch our review of the Waves WLM Plus plug-in.
We have also produced a premium video tutorial
showing you how to use the WLM Plus plug-in.
Watch to learn how to use Waves WLM Plus in Pro
tools to get your broadcast mixes loudness
compliant to the appropriate BS1770 loudness
delivery spec like EBU R128 or ATSC A/85.
8

C is For Chris Lord Alge
!
There's an in-depth interview with Chris Lord Alge on the Waves website, when asked
about his thinking behind his signature series plug-ins he says;
"I wanted to solve a problem. I thought there was a real problem for the musician, for the
ﬁrst time engineer, for the guy that just wants to go. Basically, it's like a miniature
console on each channel, a plug-in that does everything you want, in one plug-in. They
give you just enough of everything, so you're not trying to set up auxes and returns.
These plug-ins are completely designed based on my work technique and the simplicity
in organization. I like to focus on the music and not the route getting there, just focus on
the thing that makes the song happen. I would say my workflow is built right into the
design for the Artist Signature plug-ins."
Below are links to Pro Tools Expert videos
to help users get the best from Waves CLA
signature and other CLA plug-ins.
Waves CLA Guitars Plug-in
The Waves CLA series of plug-ins provides
a powerful set of mixing tools in the hands
of those new to mixing and also seasoned
professionals. Watch our free video tutorial
where we show you how to use the CLA
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guitars plug-in - an easy to use instant gratiﬁcation plug-in that can help those who use
basic audio interfaces achieve a variety of different guitar tones in their mixes.
Waves CLA-76 Compressor Plug-in
The Waves CLA76 is based on the much loved vintage 1176 compressor hardware. Both
the Blacky and Bluey CLA76 plug-ins are based on Chris' own hardware units. The
CLA76 can be used on a variety of sources such as vocals, bass and drums. Watch our
free video tutorial to hear how the CLA-76 plug-in from Waves can be used to compress
a snare drum.
Mixing Drums Using CLA Signature Series Plug-ins
In this free video tutorial you will learn an approach to mixing real drums using Waves
CLA Signature plug-ins. The ﬁrst in a two part series covers the foundations of mixing
drums including Kick, Snare and Toms using the Waves CLA Signature plug-in to
produce a solid mix.
10

D is For DiGiGrid
!
DiGiGrid is the collaboration between Waves and DiGiCo/Soundtracs that provide the
audio market with processing and networking solutions based on the Waves SoundGrid
platform. DiGiGrid offers audio interfaces for native DAWs, Pro Tools systems, Waves
MultiRack and MADI-enabled consoles.
Waves produced a short video showing four of the major DAWs Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic
and Ableton Live working together using their Waves DiGiGrid IOS audio interface.
The video shows two musicians playing virtual instruments via Cubase and Logic, the
performance being mixed via Ableton Live and then recorded in Pro Tools.
NAMM 2016 - Introducing Waves DiGiGrid
Interfaces And I/O
In this NAMM 2016 video we talk to Dan from
DiGiGrid about the new "Cube" interfaces and I/O
for the DiGiGrid network. We ask Waves about the
options available to the market and how these
products behave in a DAW workflow. Most
importantly we ask Waves how these products
connect into other audio over IP networks. Could
this be connectivity solved?
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Waves DiGiGrid IOS
IOS is a solution for Native DAW users (Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton, Pro Tools
Native, etc.) and is ideal for both professional and personal production studios.
DiGiGrid IOS comes with the complete SoundGrid Studio System software (the
SoundGrid Studio Application, StudioRack, and the eMotion ST mixer). Used in
combination with this software, the IOS lets you mix and monitor in real time using
hundreds of your favourite SoundGrid-compatible Waves and third-party plug-ins, with
super-low latency of only 0.8 milliseconds.
The DiGiGrid IOS consists of two parts, the DiGiGrid IOS hardware and the Waves
SoundGrid Studio software. The hardware is an 8 x 8 audio interface and SoundGrid
DSP server in a single 2U rack unit. Reconnection to the computer is via a Cat 5e/Cat 6
Ethernet cable.
Need more I/O? A single Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet cable is all you need to connect
additional SoundGrid components to your network via the built-in network switch.
Waves DiGiGrid iOS Summary
• 8 mic/line inputs, 8 line outputs, 2 headphone outputs
• Built-in SoundGrid DSP server
• ASIO/Core Audio-compliant audio interface
• Software-controlled award winning preamps
• MIDI, S/PDIF, and AES/EBU inputs and outputs
• Connects via a single Ethernet cable (Cat 5e/Cat 6)
• Quick-view front panel metering and status indicators
• High-deﬁnition ADC/DAC conversion
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Review Of Waves DiGiGrid iOS
Summary: Whilst there's been a lot of talk about the technology behind the Waves
DiGiGrid IOS platform this may have overshadowed an equally important discussion
which is the sound. The sound is very good, in fact so good it left me a little shocked, I
plugged in a Shure SM7 and then my headphones on one of the two headphone sockets
and was simply blown away by the sound. On talking to the team at DiGiGrid it
transpires that both the input stages and the headphone stages come from the Digico
SD7 console, I'm not sure how much is being made of this right now, but if you are
choosing some new I/O then ﬁnd a dealer that has the units in stock and then simply
listen to the units.
You can read our full review here.
Setting Up Waves DiGiGrid DLS With Pro Tools HD And HDX
Russ got his hands on the Waves DiGiGrid DLS and shows how it is set up with a Pro
Tools HDX/HD system. Our system is a single HDX1 card with an Avid Omni, our card is
sitting inside the Sonnet Thunderbolt Chassis.
For the Waves DiGiGrid DLS hardware to work it needs three connections - a network
connection to the host computer, in this case a Mac Pro.
Read the full article Setting Up Waves DiGiGrid DLS With Pro Tools HD And HDX.
NAMM 2015 - Waves DiGiGrid iOX and iOC Preview
Pro Tools Expert met up with Michael (MPA) Adams and talked about Waves DiGiGrid
iOX and iOC audio interfaces. With 12 mic/line inputs and 6 line/4 headphone outputs,
DiGiGrid IOX is the perfect high-count I/O interface for your studio's performance/
recording room. This all-round audio interface features 34 analog and digital ins/outs.
Watch the full interview here.
DiGiGrid IOX
DiGiGrid IOX is a high-count I/O interface for your studio’s performance/recording room.
This audio interface features 12 mic/line inputs with broadcast/studio-quality preamps
and 6 line outputs. The IOX delivers high-resolution monitoring in the studio and the
control room alike, with four headphone outputs allowing independent mixes for each
musician. With your IOX and a dedicated SoundGrid DSP server, you can run hundreds
of SoundGrid-compatible Waves and third-party plug-ins, all fully integrated within your
DAW of choice.
DiGiGrid IOC
Designed for the control room, the DiGiGrid IOC audio interface offers a range of
connectivity options, including 2 mic/line inputs with broadcast-grade preamps, 8 line
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inputs/outputs, and 16 AES and ADAT inputs/outputs, plus two powerful headphone
outputs.
With the IOC and a dedicated SoundGrid DSP server on your network, you will be able to
run hundreds of SoundGrid-compatible Waves and third-party plug-ins, all fully
integrated within your DAW of choice. Just plug the IOC into your SoundGrid network
using a single Ethernet cable, and you will enter a new world of real-time tracking,
mixing and monitoring, with extremely low latency of only 0.8 milliseconds.
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E is For EQ
!
Waves have a huge selection of EQ plug-ins covering a wide range of applications and
styles. We could spend forever featuring all the different Waves EQ plug-ins so instead
we are going to look at a selection that have grabbed our attention of the years and
show you how we use certain Waves EQ plug-ins in what we do. Although a number of
this videos are using other DAWs the tips and tricks with the Waves plug-ins are just as
useful whichever DAW you use.
Waves Manny Marroquin EQ On Vocals
The Manny Marroquin EQ has been modeled
using different hardware EQ’s for each band
including the SSL 9080 XL K for its high and
low pass ﬁlters, Quad 8 or Neve 1073 for the
low end, Quad 8 or Motown for lows/low
mids, Motown, 1073 and API 550B for mids/
high mids and Avalon 2055 for the silky high
end. Watch our free video tutorial to learn
how to use the Manny Marroquin EQ plug-in
on a vocal track. Also watch our 15 minute
mix challenge where we use the Manny
Marroquin EQ plug-in on a selection of tracks in a mix session.
15

Waves EQ In Music Radio Audio Post Production Workflows
Check out Part 2 of our Radio Post Production Mastering Plug-in Chain series to see
where Waves EQ plug-in ﬁt into audio post production for music radio documentaries.
Waves V-EQ3 in Action
In this free video tutorial you will learn how to use the Waves V-EQ3 plug-in as a general
tonal shaping and character adding tool on a pair of layered synth keyboard tracks.
Getting to Know the Waves H-EQ - Part 1
In this free video tutorial using the Waves H-EQ
plug-in, see and hear the effects of the different
EQ models on some white noise and see how
the analog section effects the summed bands.
Getting to Know the Waves H-EQ - Part 2
In part two of this free video tutorial using the
Waves H-EQ plug-in, hear how the US Modern
type and the tilt style EQ in the Digital 1 type
are used on different bands on a fretless electric bass part.
Waves H-EQ On The Drums In PreSonus Studio One
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to use the Waves H-EQ form the Hybrid line-
up on kick, snare and the main Drum Buss in PreSonus Studio One.
Using Waves V-EQ 4 Plug-in To Enhance Voiceovers Part 3
In part 3 of this series of 4 free video tutorials, you will learn how to remove certain
frequencies that have become excessive and how to add overall shaping to the
voiceover EQ curve to better suit the mix – watch here.
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F is For Forensics
!
Waves have a plug-in bundle for audio forensics specialists - The Phil Manchester
Waves Forensics Package that includes nine Waves plug-ins chosen especially for their
precision in covert audio investigation. This package is ideally suited for law
enforcement agencies and includes the following plug-ins:
• W43 Noise Reduction Plug-in
• X-Noise
• X-Crackle
• X-Hum
• X-Click
• C1 Compressor/Expander
• Q10 Paragraphic Equalizer
• PAZ Frequency Analyzer
• L1 Ultramaximizer™
Phil has been in forensic audio from the ground floor. His work was an indispensable
part of the prosecution’s case against Parviz Khan and four others convicted in an
infamous 2007 plot to kill a British Muslim soldier. Phil explained that one day he may
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be in a position to publicly comment on exactly how Waves' tools provided him with the
arsenal to deliver results in this complicated investigation and others, but what he will
say is that Waves processing technologies are without a doubt providing him with the
ﬁnest tools available to allow him to continue as a world-leading expert. Phil continues...
“Waves Audio tools were used to identify, restore and evidentially provide critical audio
for bringing to justice those responsible for high level criminality. Thanks to Waves, I
was able to succeed where other law enforcement agencies had failed.”
Who Is Phil Manchester?
With over 20 years of technical experience as an
international covert audio specialist, Phil Manchester was
the originator of the West Midlands Police Forensic Audio
Laboratory here in the UK. He works with law enforcement
and military agencies and has conducted audio forensics
on more than 750 major criminal investigations involving
national security, counter-terrorism, murder, kidnap,
international drug smuggling and other serious criminal
offenses.
Phil is renowned worldwide for his high level of
effectiveness. Phil told us...
“People often ask me how I am able to obtain evidence in a
recording that others cannot, and the answer is experience
and exposure. You need to live and breathe the material if
you want to achieve results others cannot – just like music,
artistry or any craft in life. You need raw passion and
perseverance, and when that is paired with the right tools, you have the perfect match
for excellence.”
Phil was instrumental in securing the vital evidence required in a groundbreaking, law-
changing U.S.-to-U.K. extradition case in which the audio forensic evidence was crucial
in securing the extradition. His audio forensics work has
also proved indispensable in several high-proﬁle terrorist
conspiracy cases in the U.K. But Phil has always been a
forensics specialist...
“Waves plug-ins are my primary palette of tools and have
been since 2000. They are absolutely crucial to my work.
Coming from a background using Waves plug-ins for music
and mix engineering, I took that passion and applied it to
my professional life in audio forensics, with wonderful
results. I have been fortunate to use almost every form of
restoration software and hardware available, including
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specifically-designed law enforcement equipment and commercially-supplied
professional audio tools used by all of the major agencies; Waves processing provides
the tools to do the job every time, especially when it matters most. In forensics, the
quality of the material is often so poor that we really need to go the extra mile to be able
to provide critical intelligence and evidence, and I have been proud to be able to restore
recordings that others could not.
Many tools on the market today are designed for quick-and-easy, one-button fixes.
Those are fine for certain situations and, for this type of approach, but in my opinion,
forensics really is best suited to more detailed methods, and at the highest levels of
covert investigation, I need the most precise levels of control available. Since we are
trying to obtain accurate evidence, that level of fine-tuning makes all the difference in
the world. Creativity can be a significant part of it too; strict uses of application-driven
tools are often not the best way to obtain intelligence, and a little bit of imagination can
go a long way. For instance, I have even used plug-ins that were designed for guitars to
isolate the conversation of interest.”
Manchester sees the use of plug-ins and audio restoration software by forensics
investigators as a growing trend.
“These plug-ins and methods will have a huge impact on how investigators approach
their craft. For too long, audio forensics has been about racks and racks of equipment in
laboratories. And law enforcement might tend to lag behind on certain developments –
most police officers still record to tape, for instance. But the fact is now, with the power
of a modern laptop, I can perform restoration that will exceed that of the most
expensive laboratory systems, and it is only a matter of time before this type of
investigation is the norm.”
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G is For Greg Wells
!
Grammy Award winning Producer & Mixer Greg Wells teamed up with Waves to develop
a selection of plug-ins he wished were available to him 20 years ago – VoiceCentric,
PianoCentric, ToneCentric and MixCentric
Who is Greg Wells?
In this video, producer/composer/engineer Greg Wells (Adele, Katy Perry, OneRepublic,
Mika) talks about his inspiring career so far, from producing the ﬁrst Mika album to
being part of Adele's record-breaking album 21.
Few producers in music can rival the pedigree of Grammy-nominated producer, mixer,
songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Greg Wells. The Police’s Stewart Copeland once
dubbed Greg as “the Swiss Army knife” for his wide range of skills that have crafted hits
alongside Katy Perry, Adele and Timbaland featuring One Republic. Other artists include
All American Rejects and Deftones. Wells’ career has transcended sonic guidance, as
the fluent guitarist, bassist, drummer and keyboard player has mastered the balance
between hands-on help and drawing out an artist’s own sound regardless of genre.
In contrast to many of his peers, Wells’ career has never been about creating an aural
stamp to imprint a “signature sound.” Despite his vast knowledge and lifelong interest in
music, Wells prefers to be a guiding sensei in the studio rather than an overshadowing
presence.
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“You have to jump into the pool with the artist and quickly assess what’s happening,”
says Wells. “You want to hear somebody lost in their own performance with a complete
lack of self-consciousness. For me, the goal is to shine the best light on the artist
themselves and help them be as true to themselves as possible. I’m more the basketball
coach than the player.” It’s this philosophy that has helped Wells write and produce
some of the best-selling and highest-charting tracks of the past 15 years.
In his collaboration with Waves for these plug-ins Greg seems to have set out to create
plug-ins he wished he had had 20 years ago to help his younger self get the sound he
was looking for.
Greg Wells VoiceCentric Plug-in
Watch our review of the Greg Wells VoiceCentric plug-in. The Greg Wells VoiceCentric
plug-in has a user-friendly interface featuring one main control and three additional
controls for Wells’ customised Delay, Doubler and Reverb settings. Designed for those
looking for an A-level mixed vocal sound, this plug-in gives you instant access to Greg
Wells’ signature sound – a world-class solution for vocal processing.
Watch our free video tutorial to learn how to polish a vocal using the Greg Wells
VocalCentric Plug-in
Greg Wells PianoCentric Plug-in
Watch our review of the Greg Waves PianoCentric plug-in. This plug-in is designed to
help users mix piano in pop tracks but it also very powerful when used on other
keyboard instruments.
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This is what Greg Wells says of the
PianoCentric plug-in:
“The PianoCentric plug-in is something I
wish every studio I ever worked in had.
The piano is a hard instrument to record
and even harder to make sit in the mix
properly. I have been playing piano as a
studio musician for 30 years. Any time I
heard an engineer do something that got
me closer to the piano sound in my head, I
paid very close attention. Under the hood of the PianoCentric plug-in is every technique
I've learned over the years of how to make the piano sound amazing in the studio. I
designed this plug-in to reach two different destinations. One destination is gorgeous
punchy piano that will cut through any mix with lots of drums and other elements. The
second and opposite destination is more like an old bullet microphone in mono, inside
the piano—lo-ﬁ and a little crunchy. Enjoy!”
Greg Wells MixCentric Plug-in
Whether used in mono or stereo mode, this plug-in gives you direct access to Greg
Wells’ signature sound with the turn of just one knob. MixCentric provides a quick
solution for ﬁnalizing mixes. Using EQ, compression and harmonic distortion to process
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your master buss or groups, Greg Wells MixCentric is designed to enhance and balance
the tonality of your mix. Combined with your limiter of choice, it can bring your mix up to
par with fully mastered and released material.
The MixCentric is a bit like an audio version of Coca Cola or KFC seasoning, in the fact
that we might know the basics of how this thing is put together but the exact mix of
those ingredients is a mystery. The MixCentric uses EQ, compression and harmonic
distortion and these are then applied to the source material using the intensity control.
We also have a Input and Output control which at ﬁrst glance are there to help balance
the volume between the original and effected signal.
Read our full review of the Waves Greg Wells MixCentric plug-in.
This is what Greg Wells has to say about MixCentric:
“This plug-in is very special, and much agonizing and experimenting went into it. The
MixCentric plug-in will quickly get your track sounding like an expertly EQed and
compressed mix, using the same techniques employed by many of the best mix
engineers.
There is an enormous amount going on behind the deceptive simplicity of the control
knob, including many different settings that come in and out and change as you move
the knob position. Play with it and discover the incredible power of this user-friendly
plug-in. There has never been a plug-in like MixCentric and I wish I had it 20 years ago!”
Watch our free video tutorial to learn how to use the Waves Greg Wells MixCentric on
the Pro Tools master buss
Greg Wells ToneCentric Plug-in
The Greg Wells ToneCentric plug-in by
Waves adds rich analog tone to individual
tracks or entire mixes in studio or live
environments. The ToneCentric was
based on Greg’s favourite pieces of
analog gear.
We produced a free video tutorial showing
how to use the Waves Greg Wells
ToneCentric plug-in on vocals and a mix
bus. Watch to hear how well this plug-in
places a vocal in a mix.
You can also watch our 15 minute mix challenge in which we mix an entire full band
production using only the Greg Wells Signature Series plug-ins by Waves.
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H is For Harmonic Enhancers
!
We have several plug-in choices from Waves that include some form of harmonic
excitement including Andrew Scheps 73, Cobalt Saphire, Vitamin and Aphex Aural
Exciter plug-ins.
Andrew Scheps 73 Plug-in
Using innovative procedures to model the acclaimed Marinair
transformer, Waves has aimed to capture all the sonic
characteristics of the 1073, including its harmonic distortion.
These overtones were tweaked by Andrew Scheps himself,
resulting in beautiful and authentic saturations.
Watch our video review of Waves Scheps 73 plug-in. Waves say
the Scheps 73 is a colourful 3-band EQ modeled on the classic 1073 console's EQ and
mic preamp module that was developed in association with world-renowned mixing
engineer Andrew Scheps (Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Sabbath, Lana Del Ray,
Metallica, Jay-Z.)
Cobalt Saphira Advanced Harmonics Shaping Plug-in
Cobalt Saphira is an advanced harmonics shaping tool that lets you add rich harmonics
to your tracks in order to give them analog musicality, depth and "glue."
• Analog harmonic enhancement with full digital control
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• Edge and Warmth controls – allowing you to balance tube,
solid-state and transformer qualities in order to achieve
various levels of even and odd harmonic enhancement
• 4-band EQ for separate control of the frequency spectrum
of the even (Edge) and odd (Warmth) harmonics
• Seven different harmonics modes for your tweaking
pleasure
• Tape depth with ﬁve different tape speeds to choose from
• Great for "gluing" your sub-groups and master buss
Watch our video review of Waves Cobalt Saphira Advanced Harmonics Shaping Tool to
hear how it performs on both on a mix and a small selection of solo instruments.
Vitamin Plug-in
Waves Vitamin is a multiband harmonic
enhancer and tone-shaping plug-in
designed to make any track sound
powerful and full of spark by mixing an
enriched version with the original signal.
With its zero-latency processing, Vitamin
aims to cater to studio and live mix
engineers alike. Used as an insert on any
track or buss, Vitamin can deliver a warm,
vital result that is comparable to what you
would get from a parallel chain of EQ,
compression and saturation processors, but without the hassle.
Watch our review the Waves Vitamin plug-in to hear examples of it on drums, piano,
synth and guitar tracks as well as on an entire mix.
Watch our free video tutorial showing you the Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer plug-in in
a post production workflow. Learn how to improve voiceovers, handling underscored
music and sound effects using Waves Vitamin.
Watch another free video tutorial showing you how Vitamins sweetens tracks in a folk
mix.
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Aphex Aural Exciter Plug-in
Modeled on one of only a few tube-powered units ever made, the Waves Aphex Vintage
Aural Exciter plug-in has been designed to deliver the unique character of the rare
original hardware unit, with all the advantages of software.
When it was originally introduced in the mid-1970s, the Aphex Aural Exciter brought its
distinctive sound to select sessions by leading recording artists, traveling from studio to
studio as an exclusive (and expensive) rental unit. It was highly regarded for its ability to
increase and enhance presence, brightness, and vibrancy on vocal and instrumental
tracks alike. It was even credited as a "session player" on best-selling albums by the
likes of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, engineered by Val Garay,
who worked closely with us on the development of the plug-in.
In this free video tutorial you will learn some Waves Vintage Aural Exciter mix tricks.
Watch the video to learn two different mix modes that can achieve entirely different
results.
26

I is For Image
!
In our A-Z of Waves I stands for image - or more accurately image control. Waves have
three great plug-ins for imaging duties, the Waves S1 for stereo work, S360 for 5.1
manipulation and the Waves Center for boosting or reducing center audio content in
stereo audio content.
S1 Imager Plug-in
Waves claim the S1 is "ideal for stereo
tracks as well as full mixes, the S1 is a
unique and powerful set of tools that uses
psycho-acoustic spatial imaging
techniques to enhance and alter stereo
separation".
That said, the Waves S1 is based on
recognized engineering principles and does
not purport to create a three-dimensional
sound ﬁeld from a two-loudspeaker system
or to create a pseudo-stereo master from a
mono source. S1 Imager offers a high level of mono compatibility with minimal side
effects because it is based on established audio engineering principles.
The Waves S1 provides the means to readjust the stereo level-balance of a mix and has
the ability to dramatically widen an existing stereo image, again without introducing
27

significant side effects. For example, an asymmetrical mix can be adjusted so as to re-
balance the left and right components without affecting the position of the centre
image or, alternatively, the center image may be panned left or right without affecting
the balance of the stereo components of the mix.
S360 Surround Tools Imager And Panner Plug-ins
The Waves S360 is engineered for the precise manipulation of imaging, distance
panning, and spatial enhancement for surround sound.
The Waves S360 is a Surround Panning and Imaging tool for 5 or 5.1 channels. It offers
an alternative to surround X/Y panners, designed to provide better control of Phantom
images, and provides better localisation as well as an enhanced sweet spot. The S360°
Panner lets you set the Rotation and Width for a Mono, Stereo, 5-channel or 5.1-channel,
Surround source in the surround mix.
The S360° Surround Imager and S360° Surround Panner plug-ins can also generate
early reflections and can use shuffling to increase low frequency width and perceived
depth.
In the first part of a series of free video tutorials on the plug-ins in the Waves Surround
Tools Bundle we show you how you can use the Surround Panner and Surround Imager
plug-ins in audio post production workflows.
Center Plug-in
Waves designed their Center plug-in to be ideal for final mixes and mastering, Waves
Center separates phantom Center content from Side (L/R) content. With Center, you can
zero in on the phantom center and bring out or bring down the vocals without affecting
everything else. Waves say it is perfect for post-production engineers and DJs as well.
Center enables users to reposition, isolate, and even eliminate elements in a mix.
28

Using a unique dynamic engine that considers the
amplitude, frequency, and time envelope of stereo
sources, Center is designed to give users the power to
radically re-balance spatial imagery. Adjustable punch,
high frequency, and low frequency controls means we
can focus on Center or Side elements.
Waves Center is ideal for a wide range of audio
applications:
Post-Production:
• Enhance dialog or narration
• Control the ambience/reverb of stereo location
recordings
• Improve mono compatibility
Mixing and Mastering:
• Bring out the lead vocals in a ﬁnished mix
• Re-image stereo drum overheads
• Balance stereo recordings of individual or groups of acoustic instruments
• Widen or narrow the stereo spread
DJ:
• Remove vocals for karaoke
• Remove instrumental tracks for remixes and mash-ups
• Manipulate samples and drum loop
Watch our free video tutorial to learn how Waves Center can be used to augment and
rebalance the stereo spectrum & tonal balance of existing loops to better ﬁt
productions.
29

J is For JJP
!
J is for JJP, short for Jack Joseph Puig. Waves offer a large range of JJP signature plug-
ins in their portfolio. We have produced a number of free tutorials about the JJP
signature series plug-in that can be found below:
Using JJP Cymbals And Percussion Plug-in
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to use the JJP Cymbals & Percussion plug-
in on some loops and cymbals. This plug-in includes a lo-ﬁ effect which is great for
fattening up shakers and can scoop out mid-ranges on tambourines to make them
sound brighter.
Mixing Drums with Waves Signature Plug-ins
In this free video tutorial we show you an approach to mixing real drums using Waves
plug-ins. In this second video in this series we focus on producing the perfect Hi Hat,
Ride and Overhead sound using the JJP Signature plug-ins along with the Waves
Kramer plug-ins to glue the results together.
How To Use Waves JJP Bass Plug-in
In this free video tutorial you will learn how to use the JJP Bass Plug-in in a mix within
Pro Tools.
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How To Use Waves JJP Guitar To Brighten A Guitar
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to lift up a lackluster guitar track into a
really shiny using the JJP Guitar plug-in.
JJP Strings & Keys Plug-in
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Strings &
Keys: “When I’m dealing with strings
and keyboard parts, in general I want
them to be radiant and beautiful. I
want to shape the tonality to ﬁt what
the song needs to be, so when it
comes out of the speaker, it’s on
another level. With JJP Strings &
Keys, it’s set up so you can really
follow your instincts, to bring out the complexities in your keyboard parts and
orchestrations. You might want to use some delay and make it wider, or add a little air
for a more ambient feel. Sometimes you’ll want it dry and in-your-face. Whatever I do, it
has to serve the song.”
JJP Vocals Plug-in
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Vocals:
“When I mix a vocal, my approach is
intuitive and instinctive, not
technical. I don’t think in terms of
‘which delay’ or ‘how to EQ it’ or
‘more compression’ or whatever.
What concerns me is how it makes
you feel. And since each singer is
unique, and every song is unique,
there’s no single way to go about it. Is it personal, is it intimate, or is it loud and
aggressive? So I do whatever it takes to make sure the vocal is open, sits well in the mix
and, most importantly, helps convey the message of the song. JJP Vocals helps get you
there.”
31

K is For Kramer
!
For over ﬁve decades Eddie Karmer has painted the rock landscape with his aural and
visual brush working with some of music history’s biggest names such as The Rolling
Stones, David Bowie, Bad Company and The Beatles, just to name a few. Still, Kramer is
best known for three long-term associations - Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Kiss. He
not only produced and engineered music for these legendary artists that continue to
influence rock musicians and producers of our times, but he also has set standards for
rock production today.
Below are four free tutorials that will help you understand the Waves Kramer series plug-
ins
Using The Waves Eddie Kramer Bass
Channel Plug-in on A DI Bass
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how
to get a DI bass track to cut through a mix.
How To Use The Waves Eddie Kramer Vocal
Plug-in
to use Waves Eddie Kramer Vocal Plug-in on
a lead vocal.
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Use Waves Kramer Master Tape On A Parallel Mix Buss
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to set up Waves Kramer Master Tape plug-in
on a parallel mix buss on drums and bass. Often this technique is used with
compressors but we show you what happens when using it with tape compression and
saturation. Find out how to set it up and listen to the results.
Using The Waves Kramer HLS Channel To Add Weight To Drums
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to
add weight to a drum part. Developed in
association with legendary producer/engineer
Eddie Kramer, the HLS Channel was meticulously
modeled on a Helios mixing console just like the
one he used in historic sessions at London’s
acclaimed Olympic Studios.
33

L is For Low End
!
When it comes to Low End Waves have it pretty well covered with speciﬁc low end plug-
ins such as MaxxBass, Renaissance Bass and LoAir.
Waves MaxxBass and Renaissance Bass are similar yet different at the same time with
Waves LoAir different again. What these plug-ins all share is that they enhance bass in
audio without using EQ but instead use the creation of harmonics based on the signal
to create the enhanced low end effect. We have four free tutorials that will help you
understand each of these Waves Low End style plug-ins.
Renaissance Bass Plug-in
In this free video tutorial, you will learn the principle
behind the Waves Renaissance Bass plug-in along
with some music mixing application examples.
In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to get
the best out of the Waves Renaissance Bass plug-
in in a post production workflow.
MaxxBass Plug-in
MaxxBass works and how to get the best out of the
Waves MaxxBass plug-in in a post production
workflow.
34

LoAir Plug-in
In this free video tutorial, you will how to get the best out of the Waves LoAir plug-in and
the differences between this and the other Waves Low End plug-ins.
35

M is For Manny Marroquin
!
Manny’s humble approach and creative music production technique have positioned
him among the elite in the industry having graced nearly 250 million albums worldwide.
His ear for sound has helped earn him over forty #1 albums and one hundred Top 10
albums on The Billboard 200. Add to that another twelve Hot 100 #1 singles and over
forty singles in the Top 10. Waves and Manny have developed a number of plug-ins
bearing the Manny Marroquin seal of approval. Watch our 15 minute mix challenge
video where we mix an entire song using all the plug-ins with the Manny Marroquin
signature series bundle.
Waves Manny Marroquin Plug-ins
• Manny Marroquin Delay
• Manny Marroquin Distortion
• Manny Marroquin EQ
• Manny Marroquin Reverb
• Manny Marroquin Tone Shaper
• Manny Marroquin Triple D
36

N is For Non Linear
!
Non linear is often described as all those nice sounding processes usually produced by
even harmonics. It is often those very even harmonic processes that produce warm
sounding effects like valve processes and tape
emulation. Watch our review of the Waves NLS
(non-linear summer) plug-in to hear how Non
Linear plug-ins, such as these, warm up audio.
The Waves NLS plug-in features three models of
anolog console. What makes NLS special is that
Waves spent a lot of time modeling over 100
individual channels from these three consoles.
The results of this mean NLS has all the unique
characteristics of each and every input channel
and summing bus amp true to the original
consoles. 
 
37

O is For OneKnob
!
Waves have designed the OneKnob series of plug-ins to make mixing easy, featuring the
best of Waves processing technology in a collection of audio plug-ins, each of which is
controlled by a single knob.
OneKnob Phatter
Add bottom, weight and body to bass, keys, kick
drums and vocals alike with OneKnob Phatter, a
bass booster that provides a quick way to thicken
them in the mix. In this free video tutorial, you will
learn how the Waves OneKnob Phatter & Brighter
plug-ins can be used in parallel with the built in
splitter on a drum track.
OneKnob Filter
From the mixing room to the DJ booth, OneKnob
Filter is a powerful sweepable ﬁlter with switchable
resonance modes, perfect for full mixes, loops,
synths and more. In this free video tutorial, you will learn how the Waves OneKnob Filter
plug-in can be used to ﬁlter and create automated sweeps.
38

OneKnob Louder
Using a combination of peak limiting and low-level compression with automatic
makeup, OneKnob Louder effectively makes tracks louder, increasing RMS by up to 24
dB. In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to add apparent loudness, depth, and
punch to drum tracks.
OneKnob Pressure
From light parallel-style compression to heavy compression. Watch our free video
tutorial to learn how to use the OneKnob Pressure on a drum mix.
OneKnob Pumper
Designed for achieving an instant ducking effect,
OneKnob Pumper simulates sidechain
compression, saving you the need to route the
kick track to the sidechain input of a compressor.
In this free video tutorial, you will learn three ways
to use the Waves One Knob Pumper plug-in on
synth, bass synth and drum tracks.
OneKnob Wetter
From short, bright ambiences that are felt more
than heard, to longer, darker spaces, OneKnob
Wetter adds instant depth to any track, for the
perfect atmosphere. In this free video tutorial, you
will learn how Waves OneKnob Wetter can be used
to add ambience to tracks.
OneKnob Driver
The Waves OneKnob Driver is inspired by famous guitar overdrive pedals. OneKnob
Driver is capable of everything from light overdrive to full-on distortion. Watch our free
video tutorial to learn how to use the OneKnob Driver as this plug-in isn’t only just for
guitars - it also sounds great as an effect for vocals, piano, synth, drum, bass track and
more.
39

P is For Pitch
!
Waves Tune
Waves Tune is a monophonic pitch
correction plug-in that has a workflow
not too dissimilar to MIDI piano roll
editing. It works in-sync with the Pro
Tools timeline using ReWire taking
control of the Pro Tools transport and
playback. The most common
application for Waves Tune is vocal
pitch correction as it delivers very
transparent results with the GUI being
very easy to use. This isn't to say that
Waves Tune is only good a getting
transparent tuning results, oh no, it is
also very good at producing very
creative tuning effects. A stand out
feature of Waves Tune is the ability to create vibrato. Let's say a vocalist failed to sing
with vibrato in the performance - Waves Tune can take the straight pitch and produce
vibrato after the fact very quickly.
40

Waves Tune Real-Time
Waves Tune Real-Time is a very cool
pitch correction plug-in that makes
light work of tuning tasks. What
makes Waves Tune Real-Time
different to Waves Tune is the ability
to use it, as the name suggests, in
real-time... as in live. It lends itself
perfectly to live vocals and for quick
post tuning tasks producing very
musical results. Waves Tune Real-
Time is a very good tool for getting
multi-tracked backing vocals in
shape fast as all that needs to be set
is key and speed of tuning.
Watch our review of Waves Tune Real-Time and hear how it performs on a lead vocal
and bass guitar.
SoundShifter Pitch
Waves SoundShifter Pitch is a very good global
audio tuning tool. Say you have an acoustic
guitar recording that is overall a little sharp in
pitch - Waves SoundShiter Pitch can gently
flatten the overall pitch of the guitar to be more
in line with the tuning of the mix. It is also very
good for tuning drum hits such as snares, kicks
and toms. Waves SoundShifter can pitch plus
or minus one octave either in semitones or
cents for ﬁne tuning.
41

Q is For Q-Clone
!
Q-Clone is a very powerful plug-in by Waves that expands our studio outboard gear
capabilities in our DAWs.
Let's say you have one very nice outboard EQ in your studio - You want to use this EQ
multiple times in your mix but you can't as you only have the one physical EQ unit in
your rack. Q-Clone will enable you to model the characteristics of that outboard EQ
meaning enabling you to use a digital clone of that EQ across many instances in your
mix. Q-Capture takes a snapshot of the outboard EQ curve which is then used in the Q-
Clone plug-in on any track within your mix.
Q-Clone comes in two parts:
Q-Capture Component
Q-Capture is the plug-in that needs to be
connected to the outboard EQ. It sends out a
test tone to EQ and receives it back again so
that it can capture the curve of outboard EQ.
Setup - An output from the outboard EQ
needs to patched to an input on your audio
interface. An output from your interface
needs to be patched to the input of the
outboard EQ. Load the Q-Capture on an
42

auxiliary track and set the I/O within the aux track to match your patching between
audio interface and outboard EQ. Both Waiting and Transmitting meters will light up to
show that the patching and routeing have been setup correctly
Q-Clone
Q-Clone can be inserted on any number
of tracks in your mix. Turn
on Capture as start dialing in EQ
settings on the outboard EQ to see the
EQ curve change in Q-Clone. Q-Capture
needs to remain on and active on the
auxiliary track for Capture to
work. Select Hold to freeze the
settings, useful is you want to turn off
your outboard EQ or take your session
somewhere else without the outboard
EQ. Add enables Q-Clone to receive EQ
changes over the top of the cloned
outboard EQ, useful for making changes to the current settings. Q-Clone also features
many bundled EQ presets.
Watch the our free video tutorial below to learn how to setup Q-Catpure and Q-Clone in
Pro Tools.
43

R is For Renaissance
!
Renaissance Compressor
The Waves Renaissance Compressor is a very handy
compressor plug-in. It features a simple set of controls that
are easy to set for achieving transparent compression
results. Renaissance Compressor has two different
compression modes - vintage opto and modern electro, both
add subtle changes to the compressor characteristics.
What's nice is that the Renaissance Compressor has a key
input, this enables the use of sidechaining when pumpy
compression is needed to be driven from a different track
such as a dance kick compressing a synth pad.
Renaissance Bass
Waves Renaissance Bass does one thing - It effortlessly
fattens up low-end. It achieves this in a very different way to
low-end boosting with EQ. Renaissance Bass uses Waves
MaxxBass psycho-acoustic technology. Renaissance Bass
fattens up low-end by creating higher harmonics from
existing bass within your tracks - this in turn, tricks your ear
into hearing bigger bass. This is a very useful tool for
exaggerating bass within tracks in your mixes for smaller
playback systems. A great application for R Bass in on close
44

mic drum toms that sound thin. Tune the frequency to the fundamental of each tom and
increase the intensity to taste.
Renaissance Vox
Waves Renaisance provides a simple one-stop
solution for cleaning up and levelling a vocal in a
mix. It's one of the simplest compressor plug-ins
and a ﬁrm favourite amongst the Pro Tools Expert
Team. Renaissance Vox (R Vox for short) is the best
vocal compressor when transparent compression is
needed in a hurry.
• Compression, gating, limiting, and level
maximisation in one plug-in
• Soft-knee compressor with auto make-up
gain
• Gentle downward expander for noise gating
Watch our free video tutorial to learn how to use Renaissance Vox on a vocal track to
and to learn a very simple control linking features that isn’t mentioned in the manual
45

S is For Synths
!
Element 2
Waves Element version 1 was the first virtual instrument Waves released. Element 2 is
the latest version of the dual oscillator analog based synth by Waves. Element is quite
an in-depth synth featuring VCF, VCA, built in effects, 4 LFOs and Mod Matrix just to
name a few. We produced a free four part video tutorial series showing how to use
Waves Element.
Part 1 of 4 - In this free video tutorial, you will
learn how the oscillator section works in Waves
Element 2. Watch to learn how to build a simple
synth bass sound.
learn how to use the voltage controlled filter
section of Waves Element 2. In the video, you will
hear how the envelope parameters, keyboard &
velocity tracking and other functions influence
the sound of the filter.
learn how the LFOs are assigned within the instrument. Learn how to modulate various
sound shaping parameters in the oscillator and filter sections.
46

Part 4 of 4 – In this free video tutorial, you will learn how to create rhythmic patterns
generated by the arpeggiator and how to create irregularly repeating patterns using the
step sequencer functions.
The Codex Wavetable Synth
The Waves Codex Wavetablke was the
second synth instrument product
released by Waves. It is based around
two wavetable oscillators with sub bass
& noise generators. Waves Codex is a
cutting-edge polyphonic synthesizer
based on an advanced granular
wavetable engine and powered by
Waves’ Virtual Voltage technology.
As you would expect, there are hundreds
of synth presets however, users can
import their own audio ﬁles to shape
them into custom wavetables.
Waves Codex Synth Features:
• Cutting-edge polyphonic
wavetable synthesizer
• Powered by Waves’ Virtual Voltage Technology
• Innovative oscillators with progressive wavetable scanning capabilities
• Advanced and comprehensive Modulation Matrix
• Formant control – direct control over the acoustic resonance of the sound
• Wavetable (sample) importing
• User-replaceable wavetables
• Arpeggiator/16-step sequencer
• Integrated chorus, delay, reverb, distortion and bit crusher effects
• Visual dynamic waveforms
• Plug-in and standalone instrument
Watch our free video tutorial showing you how to create a sound from scratch using the
Waves Codex synthesiser.
47

T is For Tape Modelling
!
Waves Abbey Road J37
The Waves Abbey Road J37 tape saturation
plug-in was Wave's follow up tape style plug-
in to the Kramer Master Tape featuring
similar controls for tape speed, bias, noise
and wow & flutter. The main difference is that
the J37 includes three oxide tape formulas
providing extra signatures sounds of the
original machine at Abbey Road. Like the
Kramer Master Tape, a tape delay unit is also
featured.
Watch our free video tutorial - Using The
Waves Abbey Road J37 Tape Emulation To
Add Width To a Guitar
Waves Abbey Road Reel ADT
The Waves Abbey Road Reel ADT claims to be the ﬁrst plug-in to successfully emulate
Abbey Road Studios’ pioneering process of Artiﬁcial Double Tracking. The effect that
would become an integral part of Abbey Road’s signature sound was initially created at
the famed studios in the 1960s to meet the needs of some very special clients: The
Beatles.
48

It features the combination of tapes and valves from a vintage Abbey Road machine,
even better it offers other tape based modulation effects such as phasing and flanging,
as well as tape saturation.
Watch our video review of Waves Abbey Road Reel ADT to hear the results for yourself.
Kramer Master Tape
Waves developed the Kramer Master Tape plug-in in association with legend Eddie
Kramer. The Kramer Master Tape plug-in was Waves ﬁrst tape emulation plug-in based
on a vintage 1/4" reel-to-reel machine. It features adjustable tape speed, bias, flux, wow
& flutter and noise controls with an extra slap-back style delay.
Watch our free video tutorial to hear how it performs in a parallel processing
application.
49

U is For UpMix
!
UpMix is the process commonly used when stereo audio, such as a mixed stereo music
ﬁle, needs to be upmixed to multi-channel such as 5.1. Upmixing a stereo music track to
multi-channel is a quick and useful workflow when an impression of a multi-channel mix
of a stereo music ﬁle is required and the stems of the stereo music track are not
available for mixing in multi-channel.
What Are The Waves UM225 & UM226 Plug-ins?
The Waves UM225 and UM226 plug-ins are straight
forward to use enabling users to quickly convert
(upmix) stereo material to 5.0 and 5.1 surround
formats.
What's The Difference Between Waves UM225 &
UM226?
There are slight differences between the two plug-
ins, the main being inclusion of the sub channel in
UM226. Users should use either or plug-in, not both.
• UM225 - 5.0
• UM226 - 5.1
50

Using Waves UM225 & UM226 in Pro Tools
1. Import stereo audio ﬁle to a stereo audio track in Pro Tools
2. Insert either the Waves UM225 or UM226
3. Pro Tools will change track to surround - assign it to the surround output or bus
as required.
51

V is For Vinyl
!
The Waves Abbey Road Vinyl plug-in provides users with the vintage warmth of vinyl
records played on classic turntables and needles. Waves Vinyl is a precise model of
Abbey Road Studios’ vinyl cutting and mastering gear.
Watch our review of Waves Abbey
Road Vinyl.
For added authenticity and creativity
Abbey Road Vinyl even lets users
move the location of the tone arm
across the record, changing the
frequency response and distortion like
in the real world. Users can add vinyl
noise and crackle, apply a gradual
slow-down/stop turntable effect, and
add wow & flutter effects for extra
analog warmth.
Watch our free video tutorial to learn
how to use Waves Abbey Road Vinyl in
a mastering application.
52

W is For W43 Noise Reduction Plug-in
!
The W43 Noise Reduction plug-in was based upon a popular denoising hardware unit
that has been used for decades by professional audio mixers in the post production
industry – The CAT 43.
The W43 plug-in is a very good tool for removing backing ambient noise such as wind,
hiss, hum and air conditioning in DAW workflows. The W43 features four ﬁxed
frequency bands that delivers users with clear and quality denoising with very little in
the way of unnatural artefacts
 
!
53

X is For Nx
!
Of course we know Nx doesn't start with the letter X, we are slightly cheating here,
however, Nx is a very powerful headphone technology and we feel it is well worth
featuring in the A to Z of Waves.
What Is Waves Nx?
At the core of Nx is a headphone dependent
software/hardware system that provides users
with an acoustically balanced virtual mix room
through standard studio headphone monitoring.
The Waves Nx plug-in requires access to
computer webcams for real-time head tracking.
The head tracking feature does exactly what it
says on the tin - It tracks user head movements creating the sonic illusion of how sound
changes when moving one's head naturally around a mix position (sweet-spot) between
physical monitors.
The Nx plug-in works with stereo content but also extends to multi-channel audio as
well. The magic within the software enables users to mix multi-channel content through
stereo headphones. All the combined features in Waves Nx result in very realistic mix
room conditions.
54

Waves Nx Clip-on Bluetooth Head
Tracker
The Waves Nx Bluetooth Head Tracker
is a small AAA battery powered gadget
that clips on the top of headphones
that further tracks head movement
while the webcam tracks forward to
back head positions. The results are an
immersive 3D effect that feels weird at
ﬁrst but very natural after a short
amount of time. The feeling is very
similar to not wearing headphones at
all.
Waves Nx Mobile Apps
The consumer market can also take advantage of the Waves Nx experience as well by
downloading the free Waves Nx app for iOS and Andriod. The Bluetooth Head Tracker is
required and is easily paired via Bluetooth within the app. Users can play music through
the Waves NX app from their music library, Spotify & Soundcloud accounts. The Waves
Nx app settings can be personalised by adjusting room ambience and inputting
personal head measurements for better results.
Read our free tutorial that explains how to get the Waves Nx Head Tracker working with
older Mac computers.
55

Y is For Why I Love Waves – By Dan Cooper
!
For the letter Y Pro Tools Expert Deputy Editor Dan Cooper chose not to talk about a
particular set of Waves plug-ins, instead, he shared his reasons behind why he loves
using Waves plug-ins in music production.
My Introduction To Waves Plug-ins – By Dan Cooper
In 2008 the band I was in at the time booked into a very plush studio in West London to
record and mix a handful of songs. The studio was running Pro Tools HD TDM and the
engineer used only Waves plug-ins found in the epic Waves Mercury bundle. My little
bedroom studio in 2008 was running a very basic Pro Tools LE system with DIGI 003
interface. I couldn't afford third-party plug-ins so I
used only the Pro tools plug-ins that were bundled
free.
I remember watching the engineer very closely as he
mixed our music using only Waves plug-ins. I learnt
quite a lot about mixing by watching him work but
what the engineer did for me without me even noticing
at was he opened my eyes to what appeared to be an
endless pallet of mix opportunities in Pro Tools using
Waves plug-ins. In short, I was instantly hooked on
Waves and told myself "One day I'll own a Waves plug-
in bundle."
56

Some Years Later
In 2012 my business was one year old and work was going well. I had developed a
strong list of returning clients in a short amount of time and work was coming in thick
and fast. I was getting more and more mix jobs from clients who used Waves plug-ins in
their Pro Tools sessions that I had to mix from. It was this increase in mix based work
that gave me that small push to invest in a Waves bundle but I remember not being too
sure which Waves bundle to invest in.
Mercury has been Waves flagship "everything bundle" and the price has always reflected
that. Waves Diamond and Silver bundles follow Mercury yet both had, at least at the
time, very different sets of plug-ins that made it hard for me to choose either or. Luckily,
the Waves Horizon Bundle, in my opinion, sat between the two as I felt it had the best
selection of plug-ins that were geared towards mixing music. The cost of the Waves
Horizon Bundle also proved to me to be the best bang-for-buck as well.
Why I Use Waves Plug-ins
In all honesty, there is not a single Pro Tools session in the last ﬁve years that I've
worked on that does not feature at least 3 Waves plug-ins. I still feel the same about
Waves plug-ins as I did in 2008 when I was ﬁrst introduced to Waves - I love Waves plug-
ins as I still feel that Waves plug-ins offer me an endless pallet of mix opportunities. The
Horizon bundle didn't give me just a single compressor, no, it gave me a vast selection
of different styles of compressor that I've learnt and use across different mix
applications. I've always found Waves plug-ins to be very easy to learn. Being able to
learn a plug-in quickly is really important to me as plug-ins that become established in
my "go to" plug-in lists are plug-ins that don't complicate processes - they embrace and
enhance processes.
57

Z is for Z-Noise
!
Z-Noise is a real-time broadband noise reduction plug-in by Waves that enables users to
quickly remove the following artifacts from noisy audio:
• Tape hiss & vinyl
• Wind
• Air conditioner noise
• Ground hum
• Computer fan noise
Like the W43, the Z-Noise denoising
process is also straight-forward but differs
slightly as there is a two-step process for working with Z-Noise:
1. Users must first create a noise profile of the troublesome audio by enabling
"Learn" and then playing the audio through the plug-in
2. Users can then embrace the de-noising tools within Z-Noise to fix noisy audio.
If the characteristics of the noise changes over the course of the audio clip then Z-Noise
has an "Adaptive" mode that changes the noise profile along with the changes of the
noise in real-time.
58

Z-Noise also features a de-noise monitor section that enables users to hear either the
de-noised results or the difference. This is a very useful feature as it enables users to
hear if areas of the denoised audio are being harmed during real-time denoising - a great
feature for ﬁne tuning the controls.
59

The a-z of waves

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