In Summary

Promising easy “desert vibes” on channels, Safari Pedals’ new channel strip audio plugin might be shaped like a stompbox, but the sounds inside promise big board flavours and more. See and hear it for yourself as we liven up our mix in our first look video…

Going Deeper

Mix engineers aren’t short on choice when it comes to the audio plugins that can make or break a mix. We’re talking compression, EQ, reverb, and maybe a certain something to add some extra harmonic furriness to inputs and busses. Especially in the case of EQ and compression, the channel strip audio plugin solves the problem of “what shall I use?” and lets engineers work quickly across multiple channels using a uniform set of controls.

With that replication also comes a cohesive sound thanks to channels’ ‘family’ sound from the same set of tools. If you think that sounds restrictive, anyone who mixed (or mixes) on a console might agree to differ. Working with multiples of a single channel strip plugin is not only quick, but can also enjoy a unified sound that multiplies with your track count.

Using Safari Pedals’ The Camel Strip

The Camel Strip is a brand new channel strip audio plugin from Safari Pedals. Taking a fresh approach to the channel strip concept, it might look like a guitar pedal, but this is one box that packs a whole kit of studio tools for old hands and newbies alike.

In the video we take Safari Pedals’ pet camel for a walk on a simple mix of drums, bass, and a pair of clavs that are more Cruise Ship than Ship Of The Desert. Having dialled in a little crunch beforehand we inject some parallel FET compression into our drums, and also explore The Camel Strip’s one knob gate for super-simple silence when needed. On bass we make our choice from its three EQ circuit options to get some iron in under our low end. Our clavs get the The Camel Strip’s funky full phat treatment for a much needed injection of crunch and top end smoothness from the strip’s simple EQ.

Strip To Be Square

If you’re new to the world of channel strips or mixing in general, there’s no doubt that The Camel Strip gets straight to the point with only the simple controls you need and none of the stuff that you don’t. Even old hands might appreciate its feature set that still gives some useful variation when needed thanks to its three EQ modes and three compressor flavours as well. This strip might look like something you’d find on the guitarist’s pedal board, but make no mistake, it sounds great across your mixer for any sounds that lost their mojo somewhere in the desert…

The Camel Strip Key Features:

• Input Drive Add warmth and saturation with the adjustable input drive, simulating the harmonic distortion of vintage gear.

• Classic Compressors Choose from three vintage compressor models for dynamic control with historic character.

• Vintage EQs Sculpt the sound with three types of legendary equalisers, each offering unique tonal adjustments.

• Spring and Plate reverbs Enrich tracks with the included Spring and Plate effects, from subtle spatial enhancements to lush, springy layers.

• Dynamic Gate Tighten up tracks with gating, perfect for eliminating unwanted noise or enhancing rhythmic elements.

For a limited time all 13 Safari Pedals audio plugins are available for $130 instead of $590 as part of their Everything Bundle that includes The Camel Strip. Head over to their site to find out more.