“Body” is a tilt EQ control which allows the user to, if necessary, tame some of the low-end. For metal vocals, it almost felt like cheating to get such a good sound with so little effort. If you are processing a vocal track with even a minor amount of grit to it, this sounds fantastic, as it smooths out the vocal and makes it more prominent.
Along with gain, saturation is also applied, and by pushing the value beyond the default position, more noticeable distortion occurs. “Gain” is a make-up gain control and by default is set to +27 dB.
The manual states that the compressor’s internal signal detector has a high-pass filter applied to it, so the compressor is not reacting to bass frequencies. It’s further reinforcement of the fact that this plugin is doing a lot with only a few controls. I quite like that the default setting is quite aggressive. There is a scratch mark on the GUI that indicates the default setting of 100%, which can be backed off as required. The “Slay” control is effectively the ratio parameter and governs the amount of compression applied. By adjusting the input level on the top right of the interface, you can control how hard your audio is pressed into the threshold. Instead, the threshold is at a set level. There is no threshold dial on this plugin. You’re getting a hefty amount of very pleasing saturation along the way. This is in no way a transparent compressor. As soon as the plugin is engaged, its gritty sound character becomes apparent. The meter lights up when the plugin is turned on, controlled by an on-off flip switch on the top left. The central part of the interface hosts the VU meter which shows the gain reduction being applied. Post-apocalyptic visuals aside, the layout is straightforward and contains few controls. Complete with masking tape and etched-in labels, this thing looks like it’s survived a nuclear blast and is still compressing. Starting with the GUI, the plugin has a hardware look, styled like an old, gritty, beat up hardware processor. The plugin comes with a streamlined control scheme in order to get you to a mix-ready vocal with as little messing about as possible. The overarching theme with this effect is that it gives you results quickly. JST Gain Reduction Deluxe (on sale for $35.40) is a vocal compressor, but could equally be applied to other instruments for a gritty compression effect. My previous review of JST Soar was recently published on Bedroom Producers Blog. Joey Sturgis is a successful metal producer, part of the team behind the URM Academy, and of course the man behind the Joey Sturgis Tones, his plugin development arm. It promises to be simple to use, great sounding, yet highly affordable. Sometimes he improvises sometimes he uses theory-based composition.Gain Reduction Deluxe is a vocal compressor VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, RTAS plugin developed by JST. and compose out of those ingedients their 'music'. His techniques are those of music producers (Microkill is not a musician) that use field recordings, electronica, drones, noises, etc. Microkill has amassed about 100 Gb of sounds (musical instruments, soundscapes, loops, tones, voices, recordings, etc.) and he uses this soundlibrary to compose his musical pieces.
Sounds, noises, voices - everything you can hear - is mixed using audio software. It's like making collages (montages) with sound. 'Microkill uses an anarchic, nonconformist way of composing. The point with experimentalism, is that sounds are used, not necessarily music or even tones. The approaches are without limit - a composer can fill them in creatively. Or, the composer tries out if something is listenable, if it evokes moods, changes your perception. This comprises different approaches to try outs the composer tries out if pieces of music, sound, noise, go together. Through digital techniques the composer lets the listener share in his or her experience. Experimentalism takes place in the head of the composer. It can be played, but probably will never be performed, even though it was composed. This experimental music, which we dubbed experimentalism, has no tactile component, or, at least, not much in the form of instruments, performing. Experimental tracks of this Avant-Garde composer.