Author: Jooyoung Kim

Mixing Engineer, Music Producer

Sonnox Vocal Production Bundle Sale (~10/20, $64.9)

Hello, I’m Jooyoung Kim, an audio engineer and music producer.

Sonnox is currently offering a great deal on a bundle of vocal processing plugins, so I thought I’d share this with you.

Buy Sonnox Vocal Production Bundle at Plugin Boutique

(If you purchase through the link above or any of the other links below, I receive a small commission, which greatly supports the maintenance of this blog!)

This bundle includes three plugins designed specifically for vocal processing:

  • Claro: EQ and stereo width control
  • Vox Doubler (Widen, Thicken): Vocal doubler
  • Voca: A processor combining compression, saturation, and de-essing

Let’s take a closer look at each, starting with Claro.

Claro

Click image to buy Claro

Sonnox’s Claro is a clean and highly functional EQ and stereo width enhancer. You can use it in a simple “Produce” UI, as shown above, or in a more detailed “Tweak” UI that includes a spectral analyzer.

Each frequency band features labels below for negative terms and above for positive ones, making it intuitive even for beginners to use.

Additionally, you can view frequencies in a keyboard format, which can be very familiar and useful for composers.

What impressed me the most about Claro is that you can view the EQ settings applied to other tracks simultaneously!

Moreover, you can adjust the EQ for those other tracks directly within this interface. This is an incredibly innovative feature.

For tracks that experience masking issues and don’t cut through the mix, you can quickly locate the interfering frequencies and make adjustments, significantly streamlining your workflow and saving time.

Claro’s competitor is clearly FabFilter’s Pro-Q3, but considering that you get two additional plugins for just $64.9, it’s a fantastic deal.

Although it’s not a dynamic EQ, it’s the first EQ I’ve seen that also allows width adjustment, making it a plugin I’m seriously considering as my main EQ from now on.

Vox Doubler

The Vox Doubler includes two plugins: Thicken and Widen. The difference is that Widen creates two separate mono tracks, one for each side, while Thicken produces a single stereo track.

While the difference is subtle, it’s perfect for background vocal doubling to emphasize the chorus parts.

Voca

Click image to buy Voca

Voca is essentially an all-in-one channel strip. In the compression section, the left/right parameters labeled as “Squish” work like a ratio, and the “Stable” parameter functions similarly to a threshold.

In the saturation section, “Saturate” controls the amount of coloration, while “Focus” adjusts the EQ curve (higher settings boost lows and highs, while lower settings emphasize the midrange).

The “Soften” parameter acts as a de-esser, specifically targeting the area around 5kHz. You can think of this as a versatile all-in-one effect.

Additionally, if you purchase plugins from Plugin Boutique this month, you’ll receive either a “Solina” synthesizer, which focuses on string sounds, or Zynaptiq’s Orange Vocoder Nano.

Exploring This Month’s Free Plugins on Plugin Boutique

Both are incredibly useful plugins, so be sure to claim them if you make a purchase.

That’s it for today’s post. See you next time~!

Basics of Mixing – 9.1 Harmonics and Saturation

Hello, I’m Jooyoung Kim, an audio engineer and music producer.

Today, I’d like to talk about two crucial aspects of sound: harmonics and coloration. As audio engineers, we know from experience—and from measurements—that the audio signal changes when it passes through hardware or plugins.

For example, why do sounds processed through vacuum tubes and tape machines end up so different from each other?

It’s a topic worth considering for anyone involved in sound production: how exactly does the signal change, and why?

Of course, if it sounds good, that’s all that matters. But if we take that approach, we could say the same for EQs and compressors—if it sounds good, it’s good enough, right?

That said, this chapter will focus on explaining the devices that introduce coloration to sound.

When an analog audio signal passes through analog devices, harmonics are generated due to the non-linear behavior of these devices.

OP Amp
Vacuum Tubes

For example, when components like transistors (such as OP Amps) or vacuum tubes are part of the circuit, they create non-linear responses in the output, which results in harmonic distortion.

Legendary Marinair Transformer used in Neve Hardware (Photo from AMS Neve)

If you’re a fan of hardware, you’ve probably heard the term “transformer.” When you insert a transformer like the one shown above at the input or output stage of hardware, it creates non-linearities that result in harmonics.

This is why different components alter the character of a device, and why those who modify gear often swap out transformers, tubes, or transistors!

Why do non-linear behaviors generate harmonics? We could explain this through Fourier analysis, but I’ll spare you the math to keep things interesting.

(If you’re curious, look up non-linear systems and functions.)

Harmonics

If you’ve studied music, you might recall learning about harmonics and harmonic series in class. Generally speaking, even-order harmonics sound more harmonious and pleasant, while odd-order harmonics tend to create dissonance and can sound harsher.

So, if a device emphasizes odd-order harmonics, it will sound sharper. On the other hand, if it emphasizes even-order harmonics, it will blend more smoothly into the mix.

Now, are there analog devices that exclusively boost even or odd harmonics? Not really.

UA 1176LN Legacy Plugin that boosts only odd harmonics

As shown above, you’ll find this kind of control in plugins, but not in analog hardware.

Additionally, because of non-linear responses, the levels of second, third, fourth, and other harmonics also vary in non-linear ways.

So how should we understand these devices? Do vacuum tubes and transistors have unique characteristics?

We’ll continue exploring these questions in the next post.

Purchased the Wharfedale D310 4-inch Passive Speakers

Hello, I’m Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.

A while back, I wrote about connecting passive speakers after I picked some up for free (though I haven’t covered that here on this English blog yet. I’ll make time to write about it soon).

Unfortunately, the ones I found picked up too much external radio interference, so I ended up throwing them away.

But, I still had my old Inkel amp sitting around unused, and I kept thinking it was a shame to waste it. So when I found these Wharfedale D310s for a bargain price, I decided to buy them.

These speakers retail for just $129 overseas, but each one weighs 2 kg, which is pretty hefty for its size.

For audio hobbyists and engineers alike, weight can tell you a lot about a speaker. A heavier build usually means the enclosure is well-designed, and you can expect decent quality woofers and tweeters.

I bought these mainly to refresh my ears when they get fatigued, so sound quality wasn’t my top priority. But the weight alone gave me a good impression.

Interestingly, these speakers have their ports placed underneath. I initially planned to flip them upside down so the tweeters would sit at ear level, but that idea fell apart once I noticed the design.

To my surprise, the sound quality was much better than I expected. At this price point, it made me question why anyone would insist on using active speakers from the pro audio world.

These are also well-shielded, so I didn’t notice any external radio interference. And since these are passive speakers without built-in amps, they have more freedom in the port design, which seems to result in better bass compared to typical 4-inch active speakers.

Even after adding in the cost of my old, cheap Inkel amp, the total was under 200,000 KRW ($150). Compared to similarly sized active speakers, these are a much better deal.

Of course, adding in cables and other extras could push the cost up a little, but you need cables for active speakers too.

I already knew Wharfedale had a reputation for making budget-friendly products, but my personal bias was shattered once again.

The build quality is a bit lacking, but if you look at active speakers in pro audio, it’s often the same. So, I don’t see it as a big issue, especially since this is clearly an entry-level model.

I strongly recommend that musicians challenge their biases and give passive speakers a try. You might be surprised at what you find.

That’s all for today. See you in the next post!

My New Book, “The Basics of Mixing,” is Now Published in Korea!

Hello! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an audio engineer and music producer.

I’m excited to announce that the book I’ve been working on for quite some time about mixing has finally been published in Korea!

Find About The Basics of Mixing

Since I first started diving into audio engineering head-on, I’ve gone through countless books and resources. One of the biggest frustrations I encountered was the lack of educational materials available in Korean. As I continued my studies, I made a promise to myself that I’d one day write a book on mixing.

After finishing the manuscript, I sent it to several publishers, but many found the content to be too complex. While navigating those hurdles, I discovered the POD (Print on Demand) service offered by Kyobo Bookstore in Korea, which allowed me to publish the book online. Although it’s a bit limiting, the book can now be purchased through Kyobo’s website.

I’m deeply grateful to my mentor, Director Yongsoo Choi, and Professor Minho Jang from my university, for reviewing my manuscript. I’m also honored that the renowned engineer, Director Jongpil Koo from Klang Studio, read the book and wrote a recommendation for it. There are so many people to thank for their support and encouragement throughout this process.

To be clear, I’m not claiming to be an expert or someone with an extraordinary career. But I’ve worked hard to organize and share everything I know in the most comprehensive way possible. While the content isn’t exactly easy, I believe it’s worth the effort.

Since this blog is mostly in English, I know most of you won’t be able to read the book. However, if you have any questions about its content, feel free to reach out to me at joe1346@naver.com, and I’ll be happy to respond.

That’s all for today’s post. Thanks for reading!