Waves Audio debuts Chris Lord-Alge plug-ins collection
(Dave Molter | Posted 2010-03-15)
Waves Audio unveils the Chris Lord-Alge Artist Signature Collection of plug-ins developed in collaboration with Grammy-winning mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge (CLA). For over 20 years, Lord-Alge has been the mixer of choice for rock and roll royalty, with credits including Green Day, U2, Nickelback, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Pink, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band, All American Rejects and countless others. Created from CLA’s custom processing chains, the Waves Chris Lord-Alge Artist Signature Collection gives users an all-access pass to Lord-Alge’s hard-hitting, radio ready sound. Included are six application-specific plug-ins with dedicated tools for bass (CLA Bass), drums (CLA Drums), effects (CLA Effects), vocals (CLA Vocals) guitars (CLA Guitars), and acoustic instruments (CLA Unplugged).
The only tools of their kind, the Artist Signature Series is Waves’ exclusive line of Application-Specific Audio Processors, created in collaboration with the world’s top producers, engineers and mixing engineers. Each and every Artist Signature Series plug-in has been precision-crafted to capture the artist’s distinct sound and production style, using custom multi-effect processing chains designed by the artists themselves. For experienced and aspiring audio professionals alike, the Waves Artist Signature Series streamlines the mixing process, delivering high-quality results, instantly.
CLA Bass
Designed to help users lay down a solid foundation for any song, CLA Bass offers six essential effects: bass, treble, compression, sub, distortion and chorus/flange. Notes Lord-Alge, “From sub-shaking smooth sounds to Mr. Buzzsaw, CLA Bass is just what the doctor ordered. Whether you want it to rip, roar, growl, bark or cut, CLA Bass delivers.”
CLA Drums
When creating the CLA Drums plug-in, Lord-Alge had one thing in mind: that anyone who uses it could get a great drum sound for any song or mix and just have fun. There are six different modes: Kick, Snare, Toms, Overheads, Room and, CLA’s personal favorite, Cowbell. There are three color-coded presets for bass EQ, treble EQ, compression, and reverb, plus a noise gate to get rid of leakage. Faders let users control the amount of each effect, and a phase switch is included so anyone can find the best setting for the kit, which Lord-Alge points out is “especially important for drums.”
CLA Effects
On the CLA Effects plug-in, Lord-Alge remarks, “CLA Effects does it all. Filtered vocal? Check. Telephone FX? Check. John Lennon ‘I Am the Walrus’-type vocal distortion? Check and double check. Multiple delays with tape phasing? You got it. Reverb, tape slap and long echo all at once? Yes, yes, and yes.” A favorite feature of Lord-Alge’s is the echo throw section, which allows users to simply hit the throw button and add long delays to just the specific words they want, with one click. To top it all off, all effects tempos are matched to the session BPM, cutting out all the guesswork.
CLA Vocals
With CLA Vocals, Lord-Alge took the very best settings that he uses in his every day mixes and crafted them into this chain. Users gain access to three flavors of the top six effects they need for great vocal mixes: the right amount of bass, treble, compression, reverb, delay and chorus/doubling. Notes Lord-Alge, “The most important part of any song is the vocals. The CLA Vocals plug-in makes this part of mixing an absolute joy. It works great on all styles of singers and, best of all, they will want that sound every time!”
CLA Guitars
The CLA Guitars plug-in delivers the guitar sounds Lord-Alge has used on tracks from Green Day to Daughtry, quickly and easily, “like a guitar toolbox with all the necessary combinations,” he states. The plug-in features three modes – Clean, Crunch and Heavy – with D.I. and Re-amping modes for each. It also offers three color-coded presets for the six most important effects, for the perfect blend of bass, treble, compression, reverb, delay and chorus/doubling. Adds Lord-Alge, “Two words describe the CLA Guitars plug-in: Instant Gratification. Every time I plug in my axe and turn on CLA Guitars, I just can’t stop playing!”
CLA Unplugged
With CLA Unplugged, Lord-Alge created a dream box of reverb effects plus great hi-res EQ and compression for complex sounds, designed to give users limitless reverb and delay possibilities with a very smooth EQ curve. He states, “I always loved the Aerosmith ‘Dream On’ vocal reverb with the really long pre-delay, so we decided to give users access to that type of sound with CLA Unplugged. I also wanted a plug-in that you could also put on strings, piano, acoustic guitars and nylon guitar solos.”
The Waves Chris Lord-Alge Artist Signature Collection is now available with MSRP of $830.00 Native. Mercury V7 owners with current Waves Update Plan coverage receive the Chris Lord-Alge Artist Signature Collection at no additional cost. For more information, please visit www.waves.com.
From a Waves press release.
