Metric Halo Parallel 2 (Digital product)

Parallel Drum Smack Without the Routing

MB Parallel 2 belongs to the Make Believe parallel processor plug-ins, developed by Make Believe Studios and Metric Halo. The series is based on techniques that Rick Carson has been using on his SSL console for years, boiled down into the easiest possible package. There is no need for esoteric gear or advanced routing: put the plug-in on a track and turn it up.

How It Works

Like every Make Believe parallel processor, it has only three controls. The fader sets how much processing is added to the signal. Insert mode works like a wet/dry blend directly on the track, while Aux mode is 100 percent wet and is meant for an aux track that several sources can be sent to. The plug-in window can be scaled, many presets are included, and the MH Preset Manager provides cross-platform presets, A/B registers with a blend control and built-in undo/redo.

Who It Is For

Parallel 2 was made for kick or snare tracks and, as Make Believe puts it, it smacks. Rick Carson notes that it cuts through the mix, and many hip hop and pop producers have used it on lead vocals. It is the right choice for producers and mix engineers who want punchy parallel processing on drums and vocals without building the setup by hand. It runs as a 64-bit AU, VST2, VST3 or AAX plug-in on Mac OS X 10.10 or newer (Intel or Apple Silicon) and as VST or AAX on Windows 7 or newer; licensing uses an iLok.com account with two activations, and an iLok dongle is optional.

Technical Parameters

• Type: Parallel processing plug-in
• Controls: Insert / Aux mode, processing fader
• Plug-in Formats: AAX, AU, VST2, VST3 (AU on Mac only)
• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.10 or newer (Intel or Apple Silicon), Windows 7 or newer, 64-bit
• Licensing: iLok.com account, two activations, iLok dongle optional
• License: Perpetual, full version