Computer Music March 2019

MIXING MAGIC It's amazing to think that not so long ago, the ability to automate fader levels and mutes on a hardware mixer represented state-of-the-art technology. The arrival of the software DAW changed all that, and now we can automate pretty much any parameter we like. That's good news, of course, but all this flexibility doesn't necessarily make the production process any quicker. Thankfully, a number of forward-thinking plugin designers have coupled that conceptual approach with some analysisbased number crunching, and developed smart, 'intelligent' tools that go beyond basic tone and dynamics shaping. These processors can't mix our tracks for us, but they can provide assistance and feedback, and improve efficiency, by helping us get things right. What's more, by demonstrating what's possible, they can also help us to expand our knowledge and understanding. In this feature, we're going to spread the net pretty wide, taking in everything from the latest raft of real-time 'smart' EQs to the more established automatic vocal level-riding plugins.