Home singer/songwriter/guitarist all in with Luna and Apollo and all in with recent Softube Console 1 MkIII and recently all in with instruments with onboard effects (except drum (VI)).
Thinking about the number of layers and choices from the onboard effects with certain instruments to tracking with Apollo and its recording effects and then Luna's extensions and then mix stage with Softube Console 1 and the Send/time-based effects available at each stage.
Here's my setup that's probably typical of home singer/songwriter in singer/guitar/bass/keys/drum context (I do singer/songwriter, alt-rock type stuff):
Luna - starting with Luna seems purpose-built with extensions - Tape, Summing, and Console - to get that marketing speak album-ready cohesive mix. So that's a few layers.
Console 1 MkIII - new platform with Core Mixing Suite purpose-built with Tape/Input Drive, Two Stages of Shape (Gate, Panner etc), Two Stages of EQ (Modern surgical and Vintage Flavor), Two Stages of Compressor (FET, Optical, Bus etc.), Output Drive/Character and Stereo Width. And can interchange a host of UAD Shape, Compressors and EQ's. Send controls can bring in Luna Aux's. So that's a lot of layers at the mix stage. Obvious overlap is Luna Console Extension and Console 1 Consoles. Then there is Luna Tape extension and Console 1 Tape input drive.
Tracking Instruments with Apollo - then there are instrument-specific onboard effects and then of course Apollo record insert effects.
My setup:
Voice - Apollo with Sphere and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central)
Guitar - Apollo Hiz UADX Desktop Dream Pedal and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central). Use to use UAD Fender Unison Amp but like the sound and tactile controls of Dream pedal better.
Bass - Apollo Hiz UAD Unison Bass Amp and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central)
Keys - Apollo Line Stereo Inputs - Moving from Midi Keybaord VI's to Stage Tone Generator Keyboard with onboard effects (Yamaha YC 73). Again, I like the tactile controls and immediacy of keyboard with onboard controls and like the keybed better than midi keyboard and like that the instrument sounds and effects and keyboard are one integrated design.
Drum - Superior Drummer 3 midi to audio export with separate drum part tracks. Superior Drummer 3 preset offer mix effects. Use Console 1 Mkiii to enhance/mix drum parts. Nope will never have drums in home (sigh).
I will mention Sends as a separate category as there are different ways to approach them - so thinking about Sends like reverb and delay (time-based effects) one could focus on:
Onboard send effects in the instrument (guitar pedal, keyboard effects).
Aux's in Apollo while tracking.
Luna sends at mix stage controlled with Softube Console 1
My thought is to try and get/bake the sound to my liking first with the instrument onboard effects alone, second option instrument onboard blended in with Apollo record inserts and then refine within the context of the mix with Softube Console 1. If the send effect is an integral part of the sound - say like a lead synth sound part - bake it in with onboard instrument effect or Apollo record insert. If goal is an overall cohesive reverb or to sound like recorded in same room use the sends at mix stage with Softube Console 1.
Then there is the obvious concern of layering too many effects from onboard instruments, Apollo Record Inserts, Luna Extensions, Mix Stage effects and layers of Send Time-Based effect and ruining a mix.
And another obvious concern is just overcomplicating with too many layers/choices and keeping in the creative zone.
Your thoughts? (I know there is no rules, what sounds right is right, experiment yourself to see what you like, depends on the song, its all subjective) but we are spoiled for choice even as home recorders with effect layers from instrument effects, apollo record inserts, Luna extensions, mix effects, where to focus on sends so curious if you guys are puzzling over the same thing.
Thinking about the number of layers and choices from the onboard effects with certain instruments to tracking with Apollo and its recording effects and then Luna's extensions and then mix stage with Softube Console 1 and the Send/time-based effects available at each stage.
Here's my setup that's probably typical of home singer/songwriter in singer/guitar/bass/keys/drum context (I do singer/songwriter, alt-rock type stuff):
Luna - starting with Luna seems purpose-built with extensions - Tape, Summing, and Console - to get that marketing speak album-ready cohesive mix. So that's a few layers.
Console 1 MkIII - new platform with Core Mixing Suite purpose-built with Tape/Input Drive, Two Stages of Shape (Gate, Panner etc), Two Stages of EQ (Modern surgical and Vintage Flavor), Two Stages of Compressor (FET, Optical, Bus etc.), Output Drive/Character and Stereo Width. And can interchange a host of UAD Shape, Compressors and EQ's. Send controls can bring in Luna Aux's. So that's a lot of layers at the mix stage. Obvious overlap is Luna Console Extension and Console 1 Consoles. Then there is Luna Tape extension and Console 1 Tape input drive.
Tracking Instruments with Apollo - then there are instrument-specific onboard effects and then of course Apollo record insert effects.
My setup:
Voice - Apollo with Sphere and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central)
Guitar - Apollo Hiz UADX Desktop Dream Pedal and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central). Use to use UAD Fender Unison Amp but like the sound and tactile controls of Dream pedal better.
Bass - Apollo Hiz UAD Unison Bass Amp and UAD Recording Inserts and Aux (Controlled by Softube Apollo Central)
Keys - Apollo Line Stereo Inputs - Moving from Midi Keybaord VI's to Stage Tone Generator Keyboard with onboard effects (Yamaha YC 73). Again, I like the tactile controls and immediacy of keyboard with onboard controls and like the keybed better than midi keyboard and like that the instrument sounds and effects and keyboard are one integrated design.
Drum - Superior Drummer 3 midi to audio export with separate drum part tracks. Superior Drummer 3 preset offer mix effects. Use Console 1 Mkiii to enhance/mix drum parts. Nope will never have drums in home (sigh).
I will mention Sends as a separate category as there are different ways to approach them - so thinking about Sends like reverb and delay (time-based effects) one could focus on:
Onboard send effects in the instrument (guitar pedal, keyboard effects).
Aux's in Apollo while tracking.
Luna sends at mix stage controlled with Softube Console 1
My thought is to try and get/bake the sound to my liking first with the instrument onboard effects alone, second option instrument onboard blended in with Apollo record inserts and then refine within the context of the mix with Softube Console 1. If the send effect is an integral part of the sound - say like a lead synth sound part - bake it in with onboard instrument effect or Apollo record insert. If goal is an overall cohesive reverb or to sound like recorded in same room use the sends at mix stage with Softube Console 1.
Then there is the obvious concern of layering too many effects from onboard instruments, Apollo Record Inserts, Luna Extensions, Mix Stage effects and layers of Send Time-Based effect and ruining a mix.
And another obvious concern is just overcomplicating with too many layers/choices and keeping in the creative zone.
Your thoughts? (I know there is no rules, what sounds right is right, experiment yourself to see what you like, depends on the song, its all subjective) but we are spoiled for choice even as home recorders with effect layers from instrument effects, apollo record inserts, Luna extensions, mix effects, where to focus on sends so curious if you guys are puzzling over the same thing.