Waves Audio has introduced the Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain plugin.
Developed together with Abbey Road Studios, the TG Mastering Chain plugin is a modular mastering chain plugin modeled after the EMI TG12410 Transfer Console used in all Abbey Road’s mastering suites since the early ’70s to this day. The distinct solid-state transistor-based sound of the TG12410 has proven itself time and again over many decades.
Whether it is used for mastering as a complete console, or for mixing with only select modules, the TG is heard on albums like Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana’s In Utero, Radiohead’s OK Computer and Ed Sheeran’s + (“plus”).
Just like the original console, the TG Mastering Chain plugin is made out of modules (or cassettes):
— TG12411 input module
— TG12412 tone module (EQ)
— TG12413 compressor/limiter module
— TG12414 filter module
— TG12416 V.A.L (spread) module (stereo component only) incorporated into the output module.
Modules can be interchanged (except for input/output modules) and switched on/off to allow for a flexible processing flow and creating custom chains. Individual modules can be used on different tracks and group buses in a mixing session, as well as on the master bus in mastering sessions.
The compressor/limiter module offers two flavors – Original and Modern – and is coupled with 48 dB/Oct linear-phase sidechain filters. Original — aggressive and “dirty” just like the ‘70s and exactly how we modeled it. Modern — an original Waves and Abbey Road design based on the TG topology.
Alongside the TG Mastering Chain is the Meter Bridge component (separate plugin), offering a new approach to metering. Open one Meter Bridge component on any channel and get access (via drop-down) to all Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain instances in the session. Get a clear reading of VU, PPM, phase and peak at a glance, and stay focused on the music.
With different processing modes (stereo/duo/MS) and monitoring modes (stereo/mono/L/R/M/S), the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain plugin is for the studio or for live sound with a dedicated live component.
Mirek StiIes, Abbey Road Studio’s head of audio products, notes, “I remember seeing the various TG Mastering modules used frequently in the studios and they still are to this day, most recently for mixing Brockhampton’s Iridescence album which debuted at #1 on the Billboard top 200. I wasn’t so familiar with the mastering rooms’ workflow, but from spending time with the engineers it was important to learn that the TG modules are used on almost every project; the only exception being the compressor, which can be a little too harsh for some stereo masters.
“With this in mind, the Waves and Abbey Road teams went about tweaking the original TG topology. Low level information is more prominent and the VCA curve and attack release circuits were modified to create something more suitable for today’s mastering requirements. The end result was signed off by Abbey Road’s mastering engineers and we are all very proud of this plugin. It’s an extremely versatile and beautiful sounding tool for both mixing and mastering.”
Use the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain to create custom processing chains with a flexible flow and the TG magic on the master bus, or on individual tracks/groups in a mixing session.
The Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain plugin is included in the Waves Abbey Road Collection bundle.
