Mixing Bass and Guitars with the Apogee Neve 8068: Analog Vibe in Your DAW
Welcome back to HomeRecordingMadeEasy.com! If you're reading this, you probably caught last week's tutorial where we dove into mixing drums using the Apogee Neve 8068 plugin. Well, you're in the right place for the next installment—today, we're going to break down the process of mixing percussion, bass, and guitars using this killer analog-style channel strip in a DAW setup. Buckle up, because we’re getting hands-on.
Table of Contents
Why Mix With Channel Strips?
Mixing with channel strips isn’t just old-school nostalgia—there’s real magic in capturing that analog glue, flavor, and punch. Instead of bogging your mix down with 5,000 plugins, you can use one great channel strip across all your tracks to:
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Speed up your workflow
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Ensure consistency from mix to mix
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Get real, punchy, analog-style sound
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Bring out saturation, glue, and subtle compression—all in the box!
“You instantly start to realize that the channel strip in and of itself is gonna kind of glue everything together. It's gonna give it a little bit of saturation and a little bit of compression. And they find that they're gonna use a lot fewer other plugins beyond the channel strip to get everything to kind of sit right.”
Mixing this way isn’t just easier—it’s better sounding and more fun.
The Apogee Neve 8068 Plugin: A Quick Rundown
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, here’s a quick look at what the Apogee Neve 8068 (in partnership with powerhouse engineer Bob Clearmountain) brings to your DAW:
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Mic/Line Input Selection: With real differences in sound. Crank up the mic pre for analog crunch!
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Classic EQ Section:
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High-shelf filter (10, 12, 16kHz)
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Parametric EQ (350Hz - 7kHz)
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Low-shelf filter (35Hz - 220Hz)
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Cut Filters & Phase Switches
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Simple Output Fader & Auto Output Trim: Prevent unwanted volume spikes when you drive the input.
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Output Resizing and Value Display Options
This plugin closely models Bob Clearmountain’s actual Neve 8068 console from the iconic Power Station studio. There are only a few of these left in the world—so this is as close as most of us will ever get!
“There’s only I think two or three of them left in the world in their full capacity. Most of those consoles have been parted out over the years and Bob Clearmountain's console he was able to purchase recently.”
Screenshot of the Apogee Neve 8068 Plugin interface, with key features highlighted
If you want to check out the plugin yourself, head over to Apogee’s website for a demo. Not a sponsored callout—just sharing what works!
Project Overview & Workflow Tips
The Song
This session is all about mixing a track by James D. Cooler—the song is called "ATM." You’ll hear little bits and pieces as we go; for the full experience and to support the artist, check the links in the description.
DAW Used
We’re in Studio One, but let’s be clear: you can follow these steps in any DAW. Logic, Pro Tools, Reaper, Ableton—channel strip mixing is DAW-agnostic!
Analog Style, Digital Convenience
The goal? Turn your DAW into a digital analog mixing studio. That means:
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Treating every track like a console input
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Giving each instrument its own analog flavor using the same channel strip across the board
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Keeping the mix clean and focused by avoiding stacking tons of plugins
Visual diagram showing a DAW session with every channel featuring a single instance of the Apogee Neve 8068 plugin
Session Walkthrough: From Percussion to Guitars
Let’s dive into how I tackle each group in the mix, step by step. For each section, I’ll break down what I did, why I did it, and practical advice for your own mixes.
Percussion: Claps, Shakers, and Tambourine
1. Setting Up the Claps
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Start with the mic input: Turn up the mic preamp to introduce a touch of compression and analog crunch. The cool thing? With auto output activated, the output automatically turns down as you crank the input—making level matching simple.
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Line input: More transparent, but the mic input gives you vibe, especially for hand percussion.
Plugin settings for claps, showing the mic preamp, EQ boosts, and auto output engaged
Why crunch the claps? It helps them sit on top of the mix and feel lively—without extra plugins.
2. Shaker Tricks
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Low-cut filtering: Get rid of rumble around 100Hz and below.
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Mic input hit: Just a bit of crunch—don't go overboard, as shakers are usually bright.
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Slight top-end boost: Open up the transient detail so every shake is present, not muffled.
Before-and-after waveforms of shaker track, demonstrating clarity boost
3. Tambourine
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Same basic approach:
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Low cut to reduce muddiness
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Small boost in the air band (10kHz-16kHz)
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Mic preamp push for a lively, crisp sound
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Quick tip: Loop the tambourine section and adjust EQ until it slices through without being harsh.
Bass Guitar: Depth and Glue
Bass is the foundation! Here’s how to nail the low end with analog-style plugins:
1. Mic Preamp for Compression
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By using the mic input, you add a hint of compression—think “glue” without needing another plugin.
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This helps round off peaks from the bass and gives the track cohesion.
2. EQ Moves
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Boost at 110Hz: Adds solid weight to the bottom end without flabbiness.
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Boost at 3kHz: Brings out attack and definition so the bass cuts through.
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Low-cut at 45Hz: Removes ultra-low-end rumble and leaves space for the kick.
“One of the things about working in this kind of a workflow... the channel strip in and of itself is gonna kind of glue everything together. It's gonna give it a little bit of saturation and a little bit of compression.”
Spectral view of bass track, pre and post-channel strip processing
Don’t be afraid to push the EQ on analog emulations—they won’t “fart out” or get harsh at the extremes.
Acoustic Guitars: Cleaning Up and Panning
Recording doubled acoustics is common, but they can muddy up the mix. Here’s how to keep them punchy and musical.
1. Carve Out Low Mids
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Low-cut filter around 160Hz
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Cut at 220Hz for wolfiness and boxiness
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Why? These cuts prevent clashes with bass and drums and keep the acoustics clear
2. Add Air
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Boost at 12kHz (using the high-shelf filter) for “sparkle”
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Keep boosts gentle for natural brightness
3. Compression and Panning
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Use the mic input for dynamic control (light compression via preamp crunch)
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Pan guitars HARD left and right at first, then tweak:
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Consider pulling them in (e.g., L75/R75) if they feel too wide or detached from the mix
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A DAW mixer screenshot, showing acoustic guitars panned and EQ’d
Electric Guitars: Crunch and Clean
This mix features both dirty (crunch) and clean guitar layers.
1. Crunch Guitars
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Low-cut at 70Hz to focus the sound and remove mud
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110Hz boost for body
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4.8kHz boost for presence and bite
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Use line input for a little less preamp grit
2. Clean Guitars
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Approach is even more “keep it clean”
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Filter out bass to leave room for other instruments
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Slight boost at 10kHz or 12kHz for glassy, chimey sound
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Pan left/right for spaciousness
“You just turn stuff until it sounds good and you go. There's not a bunch of options. There's not a bunch of extra crap on the channel strip you don't need. It's just nice and simple.”
Comparison chart of plugin settings used for crunch versus clean guitars in the session
Tip: For guitars played hard or with aggressive picking, a touch of mic pre compression can help tame peaks—no need for a separate compressor plugin yet.
The Cumulative Effect: Why Channel Strips Matter
The real test isn’t just how each instrument sounds individually—it’s about how they sound together.
When you use a single channel strip plugin on every track, the mix takes on a unified, “album” vibe. The tracks start to gel; the subtle saturation and EQ color tie everything together.
“Just using this one channel strip with a simple EQ... It just glues the whole thing together.”
A/B Example: Channel Strip In vs. Out
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With Channel Strips: The mix feels warm, punchy, and together
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Without Channel Strips: Tracks sound separate, clean, but disjointed—lacking analog magic
Waveforms and spectra of stems with and without channel strip processing
My Favorite Analog-Style Mixing Tips
Here are some proven workflows and tweaks that work great when mixing with analog-style channel strips, especially the Neve 8068 emulation:
1. Start Wide, Then Narrow
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Begin with extreme panning (hard L/R) on doubles
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Back off to taste (e.g., L75/R75) if mix feels lopsided
2. Don’t Fear the Drive
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Push the mic pre input for saturation and “crunch”—it’s what gives analog-style plugins their vibe
3. Less is More
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Avoid stacking plugins unnecessarily. The EQ and preamp of a real analog-style channel strip can do 80% of the work
4. Consistency
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Using a channel strip across all tracks provides a uniform phase, tone, and compression character
5. Fast Workflow
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Decisions are easier when you’re not distracted by endless plugin options. Trust your ears and move quickly!
Next Steps & Free Bonuses
Feeling inspired? Here’s how to keep leveling up your skills—and get free resources.
1. Free Mixing Course
If you’re new here, pop over to HomeRecordingMadeEasy.com and grab my free mixing course (worth $100) right on the homepage. Just my way of saying thanks for stopping by.
2. Exclusive Deals
Ready to master analog-style mixing in your DAW? Check out my newest course: Mixing with Analog Style Plugins Made Easy – 2025 Edition. You’ll get:
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Faster mixing
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More consistent results
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Way fewer plugins (and headaches)
Save 25% with code YOUTUBE25!
3. More Songs, More Styles
This is part two in an ongoing series. Next up: vocals and finishing touches. Make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don’t miss it.
Tell Me What You Think!
Do you use channel strips for your mixes, or prefer building chains plugin-by-plugin? Have you tried the Apogee Neve 8068, or do you have another favorite? Let’s keep the conversation rolling—leave your thoughts in the comments!
“Let me know if you have this plugin by Aputure. What is your favorite channel strip? And if you don't use channel strips for mixing, why don't you do channel strip mixing? Let me know in the comments below.”
And until next time… keep it simple, sound great, and happy mixing!
End-of-article hero shot—a glowing studio console, a computer screen, and a coffee cup. Home studio vibes!
Helpful Links
Any questions? Requests for next week’s video? Drop them below! Thanks for hanging out and see you in the next deep-dive.
— Dave, HomeRecordingMadeEasy.com
