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Chapter 4 Dynamics processors 90
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Release slider and eld: Drag to 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.
Use the Ducker plug-in
1 Insert Ducker into an aux channel strip.
2 Assign all channel strip outputs that are supposed to “duck” (dynamically lower the volume of
the mix) to a bus—the aux channel strip chosen in step 1.
3 In the Ducker plug-in window header, choose the bus that carries the ducking (vocal) signal from
the Side Chain pop-up menu.
Note: Unlike all other side-chain-capable plug-ins, the Ducker side chain is mixed with the
output signal after passing through the plug-in. This ensures that the ducking side-chain
signal—the voiceover—is heard at the output.
4 Adjust the Ducker parameters.
Enveloper
Enveloper is an unusual processor that lets you shape the attack and release phases of a signal—
the signal’s transients, in other words. This makes it a unique tool that can be used to achieve
results that dier from other dynamics processors. In contrast to a compressor or expander,
Enveloper operates independently of the absolute level of the input signal—but this works only
if the Threshold slider is set to the lowest possible value.
The most important Enveloper parameters are the two Gain sliders, one on each side of the
central display. These govern the Attack and Release levels of each respective phase.
Boosting the attack phase can add snap to a drum sound, or it can amplify the initial pluck or
pick sound of a stringed instrument. Attenuating the attack causes percussive signals to fade
in more softly. You can also mute the attack, making it virtually inaudible. A creative use for this
eect is alteration of the attack transients to mask poor timing of recorded instrument parts.
Boosting the release phase also accentuates any reverb applied to the aected channel strip.
Conversely, attenuating the release phase makes reverb-drenched tracks sound drier. This is
particularly useful when you are working with drum loops, but it has many other applications
as well.