Joe Chiccarelli Signature Plugin

Name: Joe Chiccarelli Signature Plugin
Price: 159 USD
Author: Leapwing Audio

by Leapwing Audio · Channel Strip · Engineer signature channel processor

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Joe Chiccarelli Signature Plugin by Leapwing Audio

The second Leapwing Signature Series plugin, built with producer and engineer Joe Chiccarelli, with 11 profiles for drums, bass, guitars, electric piano and lead vocal.

Each profile combines drive, EQ, compression, parallel compression and effects tuned from analysis of Chiccarelli's gear and records, so a source gets a finished chain in a few moves.

Best for: Drums, Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Keys & Synths. Genres: Rock & Indie, Pop.

Keywords: drums, vocals, bass, electric guitar, keys, parallel processing, lead vocals, mixing, piano, room mics, kick, snare, acoustic guitar, punchy, tracking.

What it does

The Joe Chiccarelli Signature Plugin is about "capturing the signature sound of multi-award-winning engineer and producer Joe Chiccarelli," whose credits include U2, The Strokes, The White Stripes and Beck. Leapwing analyzed his EQs, preamps, compressors, distortion units and reverbs to build it.

11 profiles: kick, snare, toms, drum overhead, drum room, bass DI, bass amp, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric piano and lead vocal.
Per-profile processing: drive, EQ, compression, parallel compression and effects, each tuned to the source.
Signature sound: built from analysis of Chiccarelli's workflow, records and a wide range of his outboard gear.
Workflow: common controls on one screen, with fine adjustments one click away.

A 30-day trial is available.

Source: Leapwing Audio product page

When to use it

The Joe Chiccarelli Signature Plugin has profiles for a whole band, while IK Multimedia's Joe Chiccarelli Vocal Strip covers vocals only. Compared with full channel strips like Scheps Omni Channel or Neutron 5, it trades detailed control for fast, tuned starting points; the Al Schmitt plugin is the gentler, more acoustic sibling.

Best for: getting drums, bass, guitars and vocals to a punchy, finished-sounding place quickly while tracking or mixing.
Genres: rock, indie, pop and funk.
Look elsewhere if: you want to see exact EQ frequencies, or you work mostly in genres far from rock and pop.
Standout: dedicated drum profiles for kick, snare, toms, overheads and room, each with parallel compression.

What producers say

Reviewers found it gets sources to a mixed sound fast, with requests for more visibility into the settings.

Mix (2022) Barry Rudolph called it "a one-stop processor with so many uses" and ended with "Highly recommended!"
Tape Op (2023) Dave Hidek found presets quickly turn raw sounds into something respectable, but noted they lean on rock, pop and funk.
Gripe: Rudolph wrote "I'd like to know the frequencies used in the 4-band EQ."

Where to buy

Leapwing Audio: $159

Tutorials and reviews

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