Monitor Workflows — DiGiTube
In the world of audio, there will always be a constant search for the best tone. Many will be drawn to analog gear, while others will continue to innovate with digital tools like plug-ins and DSP processors. At the end of the day, tone will always be subjective. However, one adjective comes up more frequently than others: warmth.
Fortunately for DiGiCo users, they can add what is called “DiGiTube” to channels on the SD and Quantum range consoles.
By definition from the manufacturer, DiGiTube allows for the emulation of the non-linearities of a valve amplifier: At low levels the valve is almost linear and at high levels the valve starts to compress and exhibits “soft clipping.”
There are three main controls: drive, bias, and a warmth button.
The warmth button removes the drive and bias control and sets the emulation to a default setting. This allows for an unlimited number of instantiations on consoles that have less processing resources.
For the full use of DiGiTube, a combination of drive and bias allows for several possibilities. The drive knob increases the gain into the saturation emulation to increase the number of harmonics generated. The control also has an automatic gain compensation which reduces the volume respective to how much you are pushing the drive, though I have not found this to be exact. When you drive it hard, there is still a significant increase in perceived volume. On the other hand, the bias knob controls the type of harmonics. The lower the bias between 0-5, the more even harmonics are created. Conversely, the higher the bias, the more odd harmonics are created.
When it comes to mixing monitors, I have become increasingly impressed with the value of having a variable saturation stage on every channel on my desk. My general mix approach is to create a monitor mix that does not drastically change the tone or dynamics of the input, especially if the input is directly through an XLR and not a microphone. This means, I am generally not using more than a high-pass filter and some light EQ. I am usually sparing when it comes to compression.
Due to this approach, sometimes I wish I had just a bit of resistance on the inputs to tame overly transient parts without making the playing feel uncomfortably polished. The inspiration in the fingers or vocal cords of the musicians comes from the feeling of music. Creating a mix that feels good to play along with is different from making a mix that sounds pristine. This is where DiGiTube helps me get there quicker. It is just enough resistance to feel good, just enough grit to sound good, and a super easy to access tool.
I would encourage you to try it out if you have not already. There are a lot of saturation tools out there, but having one built in to the console is appealing to me from a simplicity standpoint. As with most of my workflows, the simplicity, and efficiency will almost always reign supreme for me in these workflow tips.
