Al Schmitt's Signature Sound: A Pro Engineer's Take on the Leapwing Plugin

Taylor Crouse

— 3 min read
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Al Schmitt's studio setup with Leapwing plugin.

Leapwing Audio teamed up with the legendary Al Schmitt, a mix engineer with 20 Grammys, to create a new plugin. It's designed to bring his signature sound to your mixes with simple controls. I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype, especially since Leapwing is known for its cool stereo tools.

Key Takeaways

  • The Al Schmitt plugin by Leapwing Audio offers a straightforward way to achieve professional-sounding results.
  • It features different modules for various sources like vocals, bass, piano, strings, and full mixes.
  • Controls are simple, focusing on key elements like body, air, echo, and compression.
  • The plugin maintains a natural sound without obvious artifacts or aggressive processing.
  • It's designed to be intuitive, making it hard to get a bad sound even when pushing the controls.

A Pro Engineer's Approach to the Al Schmitt Plugin

I'll be honest, I'm usually a bit skeptical of plugins with just a few sliders. You don't always know what's happening under the hood, and sometimes they sound good, sometimes not so much. But when I saw Al Schmitt's name attached to this Leapwing Audio plugin, I figured it had to be good. And it didn't disappoint.

The interface is clean and simple. You've got your input and output levels, which stay put. The real magic happens in the middle panel, which changes depending on which of the six versions you load: Bass, Brass, Mix, Piano, Strings, and Vocal. I started with the Vocal version.

Vocal Module Magic

On the vocal track, I played around with the Body, Air, and Echo levels, plus the compressor. The Air control, especially on a well-recorded vocal, just made it sound more open and smooth. It was one of the first things that made me think, 'Okay, this is legit.' The Body level adds warmth, which works great for both male and female vocals.

Then there's the Echo. Leapwing calls it Echo, but it sounds more like a lush, smooth reverb blended with delay. It's got that classic Al Schmitt, Capitol Records vibe. You can hear it here – it just blends perfectly with the vocal. It’s amazing how just a few tweaks can make a vocal sound so much better.

And the compression? I'm usually a control freak when it comes to compressors, but this one is spot on. It's super smooth, no artifacts, no over-compression, and no artificial volume boost. It just sounds like tasteful, well-done compression. I'm really curious what they modeled for this.

Exploring Other Sources

Bass Module

For bass, the module has Compression, Body, and Air controls. Again, it's very subtle and natural. You can push the controls, and it still sounds good. It doesn't sound like EQ or aggressive compression. It just adds a bit of polish without sounding processed.

Mix Module

This one has more controls, including EQ (Sub Boost, Low, Mid, High) and a multi-band compressor (Low Comp, Mid Comp, High Comp). It seems like it might be inspired by the Tubetech multiband compressor that Al might use. What's cool is the visual feedback – little LEDs show you the gain reduction on each band. The EQ seems to work post-compression, which is a nice touch. You can even link the bands to move them together. It all sounds incredibly natural and musical.

Piano and Strings Modules

On the piano, you have Compression and Echo. The echo is again that smooth, lush sound. The compression is very subtle, which is a nice change from the more aggressive compression often used today. Even when I tried to push it, I didn't hear any artifacts.

For strings, it's just the Echo control. Again, it sounds like a natural, lush reverb. Type C seems to be the richest. You can also use modules on sources they weren't specifically designed for, like using the string echo on vocals.

Final Thoughts

This Al Schmitt plugin is definitely a keeper. It saves a ton of time and is incredibly effective. Leapwing Audio's plugins, in general, have this natural sound, and this one is no exception. There are no hidden features or complicated menus. You can crank the controls, and it's hard to make it sound bad. It really is foolproof.

If you're looking to add that professional polish to your mixes, this plugin is worth checking out. It brings that Al Schmitt magic right to your fingertips.

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