Introduction: Elevate Your Mixes with the Orion Plugin by Cradle Audio and Jaycen Joshua
In the ever-evolving world of music production, having the right tools can be the difference between a good mix and a great one. Enter Orion, the latest plugin from Cradle Audio and renowned mixing engineer Jaycen Joshua. Following the success of their first collaboration, God Particle, which quickly became a go-to tool for mix bus processing, Orion takes things further by focusing on one of the most critical elements of any mix—the drum bus.
Designed to emulate Jaycen Joshua’s personal drum bus chain, Orion packs a series of sophisticated processing techniques into a sleek, user-friendly interface. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an aspiring producer, this plugin promises to transform your drum sound with minimal effort and maximum impact.
In this post, we’ll dive deep into Orion’s features, explore how it stacks up in real-world use, and share practical tips for getting the best results from your mixes. By the end, you’ll understand why Orion is generating so much buzz in the music production community. Ready to elevate your drum bus game? Let’s get started!
Overview of the Orion Plugin by Jaycen Joshua and Cradle Audio
When it comes to drum bus processing, few names carry as much weight as Jaycen Joshua, a mixing engineer known for his signature sound and innovative techniques. The Orion plugin, developed in collaboration with Cradle Audio, is a powerful all-in-one solution designed to bring Jaycen’s highly sought-after drum bus processing to producers and mixers everywhere.
Design and Interface
- Sleek Aesthetic: The plugin’s design shares a visual similarity with God Particle, featuring a black-and-green interface with silver knobs, making it part of the same series while maintaining a unique identity.
- Intuitive Layout: Each section is laid out from left to right, making it easy to follow Jaycen’s workflow.
- User-Friendly Controls: The streamlined interface ensures quick access to key parameters without overwhelming users with complex settings.
Core Sections of the Plugin
- Drive Section
- Adds depth, punch, and warmth to the drum bus.
- Features multiple color modes (A, B, and C), each offering a slightly different character.
- High-Pass Filter: Useful for controlling low-end buildup and preventing overly muddy mixes.
- Jaycen’s Recommendation: Try color modes A and C for most drum bus applications.
- Harmonics, Compression, and Lift
- Harmonics Control:
- Emulates the classic Rbass effect, adding thickness to the low end.
- Fully parallel, allowing fine-tuned blending of harmonic content.
- Compression:
- Offers two modes (A and B) that adjust how the compressor responds to different frequency fundamentals.
- Works similarly to high-end hardware compressors like the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, where different modes emulate various tonal responses.
- Lift:
- Enhances the presence and energy of the drums with a single knob.
- Jaycen describes it as a refined version of the “black box” effect he used in earlier setups.
- Harmonics Control:
- Harmonic Equalizer
- Provides four frequency bands for boosting or cutting key frequencies (e.g., 3kHz and 10kHz).
- Ideal for bringing clarity and brightness back into the mix after applying heavy drum bus processing.
- Parallel Channels
- The plugin includes four distinct parallel channels:
- Sub: Enhances sub-bass frequencies.
- Low: Boosts low-end punch.
- Loud: Introduces parallel compression for added power.
- Grit: Adds distortion and saturation, reminiscent of Fruity Loops’ signature sound.
- These channels replicate Jaycen’s real-world mixing template, allowing users to achieve the same polished and powerful drum sound he’s known for.
- The plugin includes four distinct parallel channels:
https://youtu.be/0u7vV445kwQ
Hands-On Testing — Real-World Performance of the Orion Plugin
While the Orion plugin boasts an impressive list of features on paper, its real value comes from how it performs in actual mixing scenarios. In this section, we’ll explore how Orion enhances drum mixes, test its key components, and offer insights on how to get the best sound using different settings.
1. Basic Drum Bus Setup
- Initial Test:
Starting with a clean, unprocessed drum bus, the first thing noticeable when turning on Orion is the immediate impact on the drum sound. The plugin enhances depth, clarity, and punch, making the drums feel tighter and more present in the mix.Key Observations:
- Without any additional tweaking, the plugin’s default settings already add significant energy to the drums.
- The drive section introduces subtle warmth and color, which can be adjusted based on the desired tonal character.
Pro Tip:
Lower the input level by around 4 dB initially to match perceived loudness before and after applying Orion, ensuring that changes are judged on sound quality rather than volume boost.
2. Fine-Tuning for Personal Preferences
- Drive Section:
- Experimenting with the different color modes reveals subtle but important differences in tonal response.
- Using color A resulted in a cleaner, punchier sound, while color C added a slight grit and warmth, ideal for heavier genres like hip-hop or rock.
- Harmonics and Compression:
- Bringing in the harmonics section added weight to the low end, especially at 50 Hz and 80 Hz.
- The compression section helped glue the drum elements together, with Jaycen’s suggested sweet spot being around -1 dB to -2 dB of gain reduction.
Pro Tip:
Keep an eye on the lift knob. A small increase can make a big difference in how forward the drums sit in the mix.
3. Isolating Key Features
To better understand how each section contributes to the overall sound, we tested Orion by turning on and off individual components:
- Drive:
Instantly adds punch and warmth. Engaging the high-pass filter helps control low-end buildup without sacrificing punch. - Harmonics:
Great for adding body and power to thin-sounding drums, especially in electronic and pop genres. - Compression:
Provides clean, transparent compression that helps glue elements together without dulling the transients. - Lift:
Adds brightness and energy, making it particularly effective for snares and cymbals.
4. Exploring Parallel Channels
Each parallel channel in Orion serves a unique purpose, and together they offer incredible versatility:
- Sub: Boosts the sub-bass frequencies, making it useful for modern genres like trap and EDM.
- Low: Adds punch and presence in the low-mid range, perfect for giving kick drums more body.
- Loud: Acts as a parallel compressor, adding thickness and power without crushing the dynamics.
- Grit: Introduces subtle distortion and saturation, emulating the sound of a heavily processed drum loop in Fruity Loops.
Pro Tip:
Start with small amounts of each parallel channel and blend them into the mix gradually. The Grit channel, in particular, can work wonders when trying to get a kick and snare to cut through a dense mix.
Beyond Drums — Using Orion on Bass, 808s, and Melodic Instruments
While Orion is designed primarily for drum bus processing, its flexibility and powerful features make it a valuable tool for other elements in your mix. In this section, we’ll explore how Orion performs on bass, 808s, and even melodic instruments like strings and keys.
1. Enhancing Bass and 808s
One of the biggest challenges in modern production is achieving a punchy, well-defined low end that translates well across different playback systems. Orion’s harmonics, compression, and parallel channels offer a perfect solution for this.
- Test Setup:
We started with a clean bass line and an 808 sample, then applied Orion to see how it could improve clarity and punch. - Before and After Comparison:
Without Orion, the bass sounded decent but lacked presence and energy. After applying the plugin:- The Drive section added subtle warmth and weight.
- The Harmonics section boosted low-end presence, making the bassline more noticeable on smaller speakers.
- The Parallel channels (especially Sub and Low) provided additional thickness without making the low end muddy.
Pro Tip:
Start with small amounts of harmonics and compression to avoid overloading the low end. Using the high-pass filter in the drive section can help clean up any excessive rumble.
2. Applying Orion to Strings and Keys
Surprisingly, Orion also works well on melodic instruments, adding warmth, depth, and presence in a way that enhances the overall mix.
- Test Setup:
A thin-sounding keyboard pad and a string section were processed using Orion. - Results:
- The Lift knob added brightness and clarity to the strings, helping them cut through the mix.
- Using the Harmonic Equalizer, we boosted the mid and high frequencies, which brought out the natural resonance of the instruments.
- The Grit channel added a touch of saturation to the keyboard, giving it a vintage, analog feel.
Pro Tip:
Try applying Orion to instrument groups or busses (e.g., all strings or all keys) for subtle tonal enhancement. Small adjustments can make a big difference in how these instruments sit in the mix.
3. Experimentation Is Key
As Jaycen Joshua himself emphasizes, there are no strict rules in music production. While Orion was designed for drums, its versatile features make it a powerful creative tool for various mix elements.
- Suggested Uses:
- Vocals: Use the harmonic EQ and lift section for added clarity and brightness.
- Synths: Experiment with the drive section and parallel channels to add warmth and grit.
- Percussion: Apply Orion to percussion tracks to create a cohesive, punchy sound.
Final Thoughts — Is Orion Worth It?
After extensively testing Orion across different mix elements, it’s clear that this plugin isn’t just another drum bus processor—it’s a versatile and powerful tool that can enhance the overall sound of any production. Developed in collaboration with Jaycen Joshua, one of the most respected mixing engineers in the industry, Orion successfully captures the essence of his personal workflow and makes it accessible to producers and mixers at all levels.
Pros of the Orion Plugin
- All-in-One Drum Bus Solution
- Combines multiple stages of drum processing into a single, intuitive plugin.
- Saves time by eliminating the need for multiple plugins and complex routing.
- Versatility Beyond Drums
- While designed for drums, Orion works exceptionally well on bass, synths, keys, and even strings.
- Its parallel channels, drive section, and harmonic EQ allow for creative applications across various instruments.
- User-Friendly Interface
- Straightforward layout makes it easy to dial in the perfect sound quickly.
- The visual feedback and logical control placement make it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
- Authentic Jaycen Joshua Workflow
- Orion offers a direct emulation of Jaycen’s signature sound, providing users with a professional-grade tool that mimics real-world studio techniques.
Cons of the Orion Plugin
- Requires Careful Use
- The plugin can significantly alter the sound, so users need to be mindful of over-processing, especially when working with subtle genres.
- CPU Usage
- Due to its complex processing, Orion can be somewhat heavy on CPU, especially when used on multiple tracks.
Who Should Use Orion?
- Producers and Mix Engineers:
If you’re looking for a fast and effective way to enhance your drum bus or add punch and clarity to your mix, Orion is a great choice. - Aspiring Mixers:
Orion provides a hands-on way to learn professional mixing techniques by replicating Jaycen Joshua’s workflow. - Creative Sound Designers:
With its parallel channels and harmonic controls, Orion can be a great tool for experimenting with new textures and tones.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Mixing Game
Orion is more than just a plugin—it’s a creative tool that simplifies complex drum bus processing while offering enough versatility to be used across various elements of a mix. Whether you’re a professional mixer or just starting out, this plugin can help you achieve a polished, professional sound with minimal effort.
So, is Orion worth it? Absolutely. For those who want to tap into the mind of a world-class mix engineer and elevate their drum sound (and beyond), Orion by Cradle Audio and Jaycen Joshua is a must-have in your plugin arsenal.
Thanks for reading and reach out if your interested in my professional mixing and mastering services.
