“Load up a plugin you don’t know what the f**k it does – just try s**t”: Steven Wilson advises producers to experiment with new plugins
“That’s so much a part of my process.”
Steve Wilson
Renowned producer, prog rock musician and remixer Steven Wilson has advised producers to experiment with new plugins, revealing that this is a key part of his own process.
The advice is given in a recent video posted by Audeze. In it, Wilson highlights the different ways he approaches solo work and remixing. He also runs through the processing of an upright piano part of the track, Impossible Tightrope, which features on his new album, The Harmony Codex.
While remixing classic albums, such as The Who’s Who’s Next, there is a “pre-defined sonic goal”, the interviewer suggests, Wilson’s solo work requires a more experimental approach.
“It’s almost like the opposite. There isn’t a goal,” he says, urging viewers to think ‘Let’s just approach this like an idiot and just try shit’. “Load up a plugin you don’t know what the fuck it does and just try shit. That’s so much a part of my process.” He says.
Also in the video, Wilson, who’s now released six solo albums, explains to viewers his use of Abberant DSP’s Sketch Cassette tape effect plugin to accentuate the “rusty” imperfections of his upright piano for the track Impossible Tightrope.
He loves the “squeaky hammers” of the instrument, he says. “There was a time when I would’ve filtered all that out, but now, I’m like ‘wow, so cool!”.
Within Sketch Cassette, Wilson applies tape hiss, a Worn effect, a Wow effect and Flutter to give the sound more “personality”. A digital distortion noise is also added to sit in the background and add atmosphere.
Check out Steven Wilson’s work via his website, stevewilsonhq.com.
