Production VS Mixing Plugins...???

[Chew_Bear]

I am a little confused...

Whats the difference between a plugin that you would "SPECIFICALLY" use in PRODUCTION....VS....a plugin that you would "SPECIFICALLY" use in MIXING....???

Since I am a beginner...The only thing I have as a learning tool and teacher are Youtube Producer's and their videos.

Some of these producers use the SAME EXACT plugins for BOTH Production and Mixing. (For ex. Fabfilter Pro Q2, Camel Crusher, Dada Life Sausage Fattener...list goes on. Not to mention the native plugins inside your own DAW also)

So....

1. How does a beginner begin to sift thru the many VSTs and plugins out there and understand which one's that would satisfy Production, Mixing and/or BOTH...???

More specifically...

2. Which plugins and/or effects would be 'more' geared towards production...???

Or...is it as simple as...

You can use ANYTHING that you like...ANYWHERE that you like....as long as it achieves the sound and/or music that you are after...???

Is it also that with due diligence and experience....you will just know which plugin would be needed where and when....regardless if its Tracking, Arrangement/Production, Mixing or Mastering...???

 

[krushing]

How do you discern between "production" and "mixing"? If you're changing your sounds to better fit what you're making, it's as much production as it is mixing. It's pointless to try to categorize the plugins like this.