Best Waves Mixing Plugins

With thousands of options available, choosing the right plugins for production and mixing can feel overwhelming. Waves have long been a staple of the music industry and here are some of their best offerings for mixing purposes.

CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter

One of the most powerful and must-have compressors on the market today. The CLA-76 provides the ultra-fast response and tube-like distortion of traditional FET compressors. With two separate models included in one package, producers have incredible control and ability to color their sounds with either the Bluey or Blacky units. Whether mixing percussion, synths, bass, or vocals, this plugin offers the tools to saturate and control any transient perfectly. Outfitted with presets from Chris Lorde-Alge, this is a must-have tool for producers of all levels and abilities.

C1 Compressor

The C1 Compressor is one of the original Waves plugins, but still one of the most revered. With the ability to add compression, expansion, upward expansion, gating, dynamic filtering, sidechaining, and internal sidechain filtering, this is truly the Swiss army knife of compressors. Complete with a neutral output, it does little to saturate or color the sound, allowing producers to truly focus on the effect or sound they are trying to craft. Whether sidechaining or looking to tighten up a reverb on a vocal, the C1 Compressor can do all this and so much more.

SSL E-Channel

Modeled after the infamous Solid State Logic’s SL 4000, the first piece of hardware to incorporate both EQ and dynamic processing in every channel, the SSL E-Channel continues that legacy in the digital realm. Complete with a 4-band EQ, a smooth/soft knee compressor/ limiter, and the “black knob” EQ developed with George Martin, this plugin is the closest one can get to an SSL mixing board without paying the heavy price tag.

Scheps Omni Channel 2

This powerful channel strip was developed by Grammy-winning mixer Andrew Scheps (Metallica, Jay Z, Adele, Low Roar). Producers can play with the different styles, mixing and matching all in one place, providing powerful EQ, compression, and saturation all within one plugin. Complete with multiple modules for preamp color, 4 compression options, and 250 presets from Scheps, the Omni Channel 2 is a powerful tool for any project.

Renaissance Bass

Few elements are more important to dance music than the low-end and bass of a track. Renaissance Bass, or R-Bass as it’s effectually known, helps quickly add character and presence to the low end of any production. With a simple interface and powerful results, this takes out the guesswork of EQ that can muddy a track and also provides warmth and power without losing headroom.

Vocal Rider

A great vocal can quickly elevate a strong track to a hit single. Of course, getting a smooth vocal can be difficult because of the human element and the amount of harmonic range that can go into a performance. The Vocal Rider is an easy-to-use plugin that is built to help provide a smooth, contained vocal every time. With its simple interface, this saves time from the tedium of automating an uneven vocal and helps avoid the need to over-compress when trying to smooth out a recording.

With a wide variety of powerful plugins available, and ongoing sales throughout the year, Waves is a great place for producers and artists to enhance their own collection of production tools.

Tags: Waves, plugins, vocal rider, CLA-76, Renaissance Bass, Scheps Omni Channel 2, SSL E-Channel, C1 Compressor, producer, audio