Parallel processing is one of those advanced techniques that separates the novices from the pros. It’s like the secret ingredient in your grandma’s famous chili—subtle but essential, and when done right, it adds a richness and depth to your mix that’s just plain delicious. If you’re still stuck in the single-channel, single-insert mindset, it’s time to step up your game and dive into the world of parallel processing.
So, what is parallel processing, exactly? At its core, it’s about taking your original signal and blending it with a processed version of itself. This allows you to enhance certain elements of the sound without losing the integrity of the original recording. The trick is in finding the right balance—too much processing and you’ve got yourself a sonic mess; too little and you might as well have stuck with what you had originally.
Let’s start with parallel compression, the most commonly used form of parallel processing. Imagine you’ve got a drum bus that sounds great, but you want a bit more punch and sustain without sacrificing the natural dynamics. Instead of slapping a heavy-handed compressor directly on the drum bus and squashing the life out of it, create a parallel channel. On this channel, you can go to town with a compressor—crush those drums like there’s no tomorrow. Then, blend this heavily compressed signal back with the dry, uncompressed drums. The result? You get that punchy, in-your-face sound while still maintaining the original dynamics and transients. It’s like adding a turbocharger to your mix—extra power without blowing the engine.
But don’t stop there. Parallel saturation is another trick up the seasoned engineer’s sleeve. Let’s say your vocals are a bit too clean and need some grit, but you don’t want to drench the entire track in distortion. Create a parallel channel, slap on your favorite saturation plugin, and dial in some tasty harmonic distortion. Blend it back with the dry vocal to add warmth, character, and a little edge. Now you’ve got a vocal that cuts through the mix without sounding like it’s been put through a meat grinder.
And let’s not forget parallel reverb. Sure, you could just throw reverb directly on the track, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, send your vocal to a parallel reverb channel and process that reverb to your heart’s content. Use EQ to shape the reverb’s tone, compression to control its dynamics, or even modulation to add some movement. Blend it back in, and you’ve got a reverb that enhances the vocal without washing it out.
The key to parallel processing is subtlety. It’s about adding flavor without overpowering the dish. Start with a low level of the processed signal and gradually bring it up until you hear it just starting to influence the sound. If you can hear the effect as a distinct, separate element, you’ve probably gone too far. But maybe that’s what you’re going for and that’s what your particular track needs. The beauty of parallel processing lies in its ability to enhance and enrich the original sound while keeping it intact. Master this, and you’ll find your mixes have a new level of depth, punch, and professionalism that’s hard to achieve any other way.
