Magic Garden Chain Presets by Ulterior Motives
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Unlock Sonic Magic with Our New Magic Garden Presets Collection
Welcome to the Ulterior Motives (UM) x Access Analog Magic Garden Chain presets collection.
Designed for creatives eager to explore a unique analog chain, these presets for drums, bass, vocals, and more are powered by Brian Lucey’s renowned Magic Garden Mastering Rig. With Access Analog’s cutting-edge technology, you can stream real-time audio to this rig using the Analog Matrix Plugin.
UM Magic Garden Chain Presets Collection in the Analog Matrix
When using the Analog Matrix Plugin, you are connecting to real analog hardware in the cloud and streaming in real-time to robotically controlled gear.
The presets speak for themselves – there are a total of 18. They’re serving suggestions, focused on drums, bass, vocals and more.
There are a number of level control devices present in the Magic Garden chain, and keep in mind that if you combine them in series the ratio of your gain reduction will be doubled, quadrupled or more.
It’s time to fine-tune your tracks with classic analog hardware…get ready for unparalleled precision and creativity with this unique set of presets for the Magic Garden Chain.
Exploring the Presets
- UM Fills (Linear)
- UM Fills (Non-Linear)
- UM Drums Smash (Non-Linear)
- UM Drums Smash (Linear)
- UM Drums Crush (Linear)
- UM Drums Crush (Non-Linear)
- UM Big Bad Bass (Linear)
- UM Big Bad Bass (Non-Linear)
- UM Massive Bass (Linear)
- UM Massive Bass (Non-Linear)
- UM Huge Bass (Linear)
- UM Huge Bass (Non-Linear)
- UM Master (Linear)
- UM Master (Non-Linear)
- UM Female Vocal (Linear)
- UM Female Vocal (Non-Linear)
- UM Male Vocal (Linear)
- UM Male Vocal (Non-Linear)
Notes and Tips
Our aim with these presets is to combine some gentle dynamics, which you can start to lean into when you want a bit more, with a showcase of what the unbelievable Focusrite 315 MKII EQ is capable of. You’ll find that small tweaks to the Focusrite quickly change the tone. Of special note are the high pass and low pass filters on the input, which sometimes offer unexpected outcomes. You’ll also find some extra gain in the circuit on the right-hand side. And don’t forget, this is a heavily modified variant of the 315 MK II. So if you leave yourself a little room before you hit it, you’ll get more from it than the sum of its parts.
The Fairman TMEQ is another rarified piece capable of almost anything. However, as you’ll start to appreciate, with two such musical EQs inline, things can start to get a little angular, so we’ve found a few sweet spots for the TMEQ that seem to suit what the Focusrite feeds them.
The Elysia is the venerable workhorse here when it comes to dynamics. We recommend using it in plain L-R mode to maintain the width of your material, or engage m-s if you’re looking to balance a slightly skew-wiff source. A couple db gain reduction here is more than enough. If you’re finding too much gain control in the chain, the first port of call is to raise the threshold on the Elysia. Then raise the HPF on the sidechain so that it’s responding to less low end. Following that, you might want to readdress the Overstayer.
All the presets have a (Linear) and (Non-Linear) flavour. This refers to the Overstayer’s two modes. They seem to influence what comes later in the chain nicely, and give you two contrasting points from which to start your tweaks. We recommend that you aim for around 6db gain reduction on the Overstayer, set to where it’s at in the presets, in order to achieve a point of departure for your tweaks.
The final piece in the puzzle, aside from Magic Garden’s fixed elements, which are just right where they are and perfectly balanced, is the Cranesong AD. You’ll see that it offers Triode, Pentode, and Tape saturation. As you’ll immediately notice, the three quickly accumulate harmonics as you dial in more and more, so be sparing and try to focus on one at a time, with just a touch of the others.
The following image shows the Magic Garden Chain fitted with Robotics
A Final Word
The Ulterior Motives x Access Analog Magic Garden Preset Collection gives you a fantastic head start on mastering with the Magic Garden Chain. Explore gentle dynamics and experience the harmonious blend of classic EQs and advanced compression. With tools like the Focusrite 315 MKII and the Fairman TMEQ at your fingertips, you will undoubtedly find that it significantly improves your audio. Whether refining individual stems or mastering entire tracks, the Magic Garden Chain and UM presets are your ticket to optimal sound. Through Access Analog’s innovative platform, you can tap into these transformative tools and redefine your creative process.
As you experiment with these presets and tweak the various components of the Magic Garden Chain, remember that the true magic lies in your creativity and willingness to push boundaries. Embrace the unique character of each piece of equipment, and let the Magic Garden inspire your next audio masterpiece.