Ask a Music Producer: How Many Plugins Do I Use?

Software plugins & VSTs have replaced a lot of physical hardware and while some crave the analog feel and sound of real equipment, VSTs have made it easier, faster and much more affordable for everyone.

But, with access to so many virtual versions of hardware available (and at a fraction of the cost) it can be tempting to own 1000s of plugins, and it begs the question how many plugins do I need?

There is no right or wrong answer about how many plugins you should use, but it’s probably not wise to own so many and get too distracted by choice rather than concentrating on just making music.

Certainly as I get older and more experienced I don’t get as excited by the promotion behind the newest plugin. Instead I’m more comfortable with what I have already.

There is something to be said about spending a little more time with the existing plugins you currently have rather than constantly seeking out new ones to find that ultimate sound (it’s a costly and dangerous path and I know it all too well!). In my experience, many stock plugins can do the job just as great.

But on the other hand, there is definitely some room in the locker for creative or experimental plugins. Plugins can fall into 2 main categories – essential plugins like EQs and compressors and then your more creative plugins like modulation sounds and delays. Generally speaking I think it’s a good idea to have a few more creative plugins but then have only a handful of essential plugins to call upon for forming the foundation of your mix.

How many plugins do I use?

I think as I get older I like to keep things more simple! I own about 100+ plugins. I’d say I only use 10 or so essential plugins and a further 10-20 experimental/creative plugins.

What makes a good plugin?

This is only my opinion and others will vary. Firstly of course, it must sound good. Then, it needs to be easy to use. I don’t like 50 switches and not knowing what they all do. I don’t have a lot of time or patience! So when I open up a plugin I need to understand what everything does very quickly.

I tend to also prefer to use multiple plugins instead of one big one. In other words I’d prefer to add a chorus plugin to a delay send channel rather than have a delay plugin with a modulation area within it. It’s just how my brain works!

Producers didn’t have all these plugins in the old days so why did we need them now?

Times have changed and there is money to be made by releasing products and marketing them to studios but also there’s an ever growing market of home-based producers. So new plugins are released all the time, because… money, really.

But also as the sheer amount of music released increases (because it’s now easier than ever to get a song of any quality on Spotify) so does the competition.

In other words, it’s easier now to mix a track to a high professional standard at a fraction of the cost compared to years gone by. That means that artists are chasing a high quality sound in order to keep up with other artists. So if you’re a musician trying to get that “better” sound and I’m a salesman, then I’d say, “my plugins can help you get that sound!”.

Artists are also trying to find new ways to sound different. And again, if I was a salesman I’d say “my plugins can help you sound edgier!”.

I’m being a bit overly cynical – not all companies who create plugins are just looking to sell, sell, sell. But it’s just something to be aware of.

What plugins do I use?

I’ll give you a snapshot of my favourite plugins:

• Waves CLA-76 (Compressor)
• Waves CLA-2A (Compressor)
• Maag EQ (EQ)
• Wavesfactory Cassette (Modulation, Saturation, Experimental)
• Techivation De-Esser (De-esser)
• SoundToys Microshift (Chorus, Doubler, Thickener Modulation)

Plugin and play

There’s already a theme running with the post I sent out last month “Should I Put Reverb on the Insert or Send of a Track?“, which I spoke about ignoring those who might say things like “you’re doing this wrong!”. Similarly here you don’t necessarily need to follow the messaging out there of “you need to buy this!”. As always the thing you should do is just enjoy making music – ignore the rules – have fun!