With Eddie Kramer by Your Side - Part 2

Hello.
Following the first part, this article continues to introduce the Eddie Kramer Signature Series from Waves.
In this second part, I’ll be reviewing the [Bass Channel], [Drum Channel], and [Effects Channel].

Related Article:
With Eddie Kramer by Your Side - Part 1

Bundle Contents

Eddie Kramer Bass Channel

This plugin is for bass. With fewer adjustable parameters, it allows for particularly simple sound creation among the Signature Series.

The plugin comes with two modes, BASS 1 and BASS 2, each offering different sound characteristics. You can choose whichever suits your preference.
I felt BASS 1 provided a more natural lift across the spectrum, while BASS 2 focused on boosting specific key points.
Using an analyzer with playback paused, I observed that BASS 1 responded around 60Hz, while BASS 2 reacted around 60Hz and 120Hz. When the OUTPUT was turned up to the maximum, BASS 1 responded across the entire frequency range, whereas BASS 2 focused on around 200Hz.

Eddie Kramer Drum Channel

This plugin is designed to be inserted into individual drum part tracks.

It features modes optimized for bass drum, snare, hi-hat, toms, overheads, and room tracks. Simply selecting the appropriate mode already provides a usable sound, making further adjustments very easy!
Personally, I liked how the BASS knob worked on the snare, giving it a thick and prominent sound.
The great thing about this plugin is that it can unify custom drum kits made from individual elements or one-shot samples, not just pre-made drum sounds from a drum machine. This makes sound creation much easier for those who like building their kits from scratch.

Eddie Kramer Effects Channel

This isn’t designed for a specific instrument but is a spatial effects plugin combining reverb and delay. According to the official website, it appears to feature plate reverb and tape delay.

The previously introduced plugins for vocals, guitar, bass, and drums already include space effects sections.
However, how do you blend in instruments like piano, synths, and strings that aren’t covered?
This is where the Effects Channel comes into play. By applying it to tracks that need the same spatial treatment, you can further enhance the cohesion of your track.

There are two modes: H-SLAP and Z-SLAP, allowing you to choose depending on the situation. H-SLAP is a shorter reverb, while Z-SLAP provides a longer one. The delay feedback is minimal in H-SLAP and more prominent in Z-SLAP.

Points to Consider

In both parts of this review, I’ve covered many advantages of the Eddie Kramer Signature Series. However, no product is perfect. One thing to note is that this suite alone may not be enough to craft a fully polished sound.
Each plugin comes with EQ and compressor parameters, but they aren’t designed for fine-tuning.
It’s best to use these plugins for rough sound creation and then bring in additional EQ or compressors for detailed adjustments if necessary.
Another potential downside is that sometimes the plugin might not suit the track.
Since the concept of this product is to recreate the sound of a famous engineer, it’s natural that everything passed through these effects will sound like the Eddie Kramer Signature Series.
As a result, it might not work well for modern genres like dance music or hip-hop, which have different sound aesthetics.
When it works, though, it works perfectly! That’s the overall characteristic of the Signature Series, and it’s something worth understanding before selecting this product.

Conclusion

This article turned out to be quite long, but I hope it thoroughly conveyed the characteristics of the Eddie Kramer Signature Series.
While writing this, I spent a lot of time using the product, which deepened my understanding. Ultimately, the best way to grasp it is to try it yourself.
Waves offers a 7-day free trial, so if you’re curious, definitely give it a try. Thank you!

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