10.6

320Logic Pro Effects
Logic Pro Legacy Ducker
Ducking is a common technique used in radio and television broadcasting. When the DJ or
announcer speaks while music is playing, the music level is automatically reduced. When
the announcement has finished, the music is automatically raised to its original volume
level. Ducker provides a simple means of achieving this result with existing recordings.
It does not work in real time.
Note: For technical reasons, Ducker can be inserted only in output and aux channel strips.
Ducker parameters
• Ducking checkbox: Turn ducking on or off.
• Amount slider and field: Set the amount of volume reduction of the music mix channel
strip—in effect, the output signal.
• Threshold slider and field: Set the lowest level that a side chain signal must reach
before the music mix output level is reduced (by the value set with the Amount slider).
If the side chain signal level doesn’t reach the threshold, the music mix channel strip
volume is not affected.
• Attack slider and field: Control how quickly the volume is reduced. If you want the music
mix signal to be gently faded out, set this slider to a high value. The Attack value also
controls whether or not the signal level is reduced before the threshold is reached. The
earlier this occurs, the more latency is introduced.
Note: Ducker does not work with live (real-time) ducking signals. The ducking signal
must be an existing recording. Logic Pro needs to analyze the signal level before it is
played back to predefine the point where ducking begins.
• Hold slider and field: Define the length of time that the music mix channel strip volume
is reduced. This control prevents a chattering effect that can be caused by a rapidly
changing side chain level. If the side chain level hovers around the threshold value
rather than clearly exceeding or falling short of it, set the Hold parameter to a high
value to compensate for any rapid volume reductions.
• Release slider and field: Control how quickly the volume returns to the original level. Set
it to a high value if you want the music mix to slowly fade up after the announcement.
• Lookahead checkbox: Turn on to make sure that Ducker reads the incoming
signal before processing. This results in no latency—it is primarily intended
for slower computers.