MixWithTheMasters Exploring Iconic Outboard Gear, No I.D. Studio, Young Guru Workshop #10

Step inside the impressive studio of producer No I.D. for a series with Young Guru! In these videos, the Grammy award-winning engineer addresses a controversial subject – the benefits of using analog tools instead of their software equivalents, despite the convenience of plug-ins and virtual instruments available today.

He presents some of his favourite drum machines, compressors, equalizers, and effects units, referring to their historical significance and how they continue to play a role in modern music creation. Focussing mainly on outboard compressors, he explains the circuitry types and features of some of the most famous pieces ever built. For demonstration, Young Guru opens the Pro Tools session of ‘Do Better’ by J. Stone featuring T-Pain and inserts a variety of compressors on vocal tracks. You will learn his approach to choosing a compressor and see how he adjusts parameters to find his dynamic ‘sweet spot’.

Part 1
Drum machines, samplers, bit depth, PPQ, swing, filters, anti-aliasing, visual distraction, compressor types

Part 2
Treating vocals with various hardware compressors, approach to parameters, pleasing artifacts

Part 3
Outboard effects, equalizers, tape machine, harmonic saturation, the behaviour of plug-ins vs. hardware