USER’S GUIDE Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressor plug-ins For Tracktion 2
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Mackie Software License Please read this license carefully before using the accompanying Software. By downloading and using the Software, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this license.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE AND FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. 8. Disclaimer of Warranty on Software. You expressly acknowledge and agree that use of the Software is at your sole risk. The Software and related documentation are provided “AS IS” and without warranty of any kind.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Iconography This icon will lead you to some further explanations of features and practical tips. This icon marks information that is very important, so please make sure you have a read. This icon does not appear in this guide. Well except here of course. Note: Visit our website at www.mackie.com to obtain the latest manuals and downloads for all your Mackie products.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Contents Mackie Software License-------------------------2 Examples -------------------------------------------21 Introduction ----------------------------------------6 Main Features -------------------------------------- 6 A brief word about Compressors--------------- 7 Standard vs.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Introduction Thank you for choosing Mackie software products for your computer-based audio recording system. The Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressor plug-ins come with Tracktion, our easy-to-use music production software application. When you install Tracktion, the plug-ins are automatically installed in Tracktion's plug-ins folder.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion A brief word about Compressors As an example of how to use a compressor, supposing you have a track with a wide dynamic range. This may have some exquisitely detailed and quiet passages, played before breaking into the final crescendo of Heavy Metal finalcrecendo-ings. Loud A standard compressor detects the level of the input signals from the main (host) track, and applies the math to this track to produce the processed output signals.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Adding the Sidechain Compressor in Tracktion The first thing to do is to open up Tracktion and open your project. Tracktion uses the term “filter” to refer to a plug-in, be it native to Tracktion, or a 3rd party plug-in such as a VST plug-in. To add the plug-in to your tracks, simply drag the icon labelled “new filter...” located just above the filter section, and drop it where you want the new filter to be placed.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Example 1: Compressor triggering from another track Suppose you want to use the Sidechain Compressor as a "ducker," i.e., to reduce a music program when you make an announcement. We can set up the Sidechain Compressor to take its Key Input from a vocal track, and its main inputs from a music track. Setting up the Key Input 1. Set up the Rack Filter on track 1 (for example), as shown on the previous page. 2.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Setting up the Main Input 6. Add a new filter to track 5 (for example), but do not choose the Sidechain Compressor. Instead, choose the Rack Filter you just set up in step 1. Note: the Rack Filter is the same unit for both track 1 and track 5, and not two separate units. 7. Click on its icon, to bring up the rack filter details at the bottom of the screen. 8.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Adding an EQ to the Key Input (an optional and fun thing to do) 13. Add a new filter inside the rack filter (instead of to the right of the tracks), and choose an EQ. 14. Then click on the Key Input connecting line and use the mouse to hook the EQ in-line. Use the EQ graph to adjust its parameters to suit your delicate audio sensibilities. Select the Key Solo button to audition the Key Input.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Example 2: Compressor triggering from the same track Tracktion's wonderful rack filter system lets you make the key input the same as your main input. One application for this, is to make a De-Esser to get rid of high "Ssss" sounds on vocal tracks. Dedicated De-Essers have more fine features and controls, but this will give you a basic functioning model. Setting up the Key Input to be the same as the main input, but with an EQ 1.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion 4. Connect the left and right outputs of the EQ to the Key Input of the compressor. 5. Adjust the EQ to boost the higher frequencies where the "S" sounds lurk. A bit like this (although this is a more extreme example): 6. And now, here we are. The Key Input is a copy of the main vocal, only with the EQ section actually boosting the S frequencies we don't want. Hmmm... that might seem a bit odd, but there is a method to the madness.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Using the EQ to drop off the lows There is another useful and common application for a Sidechain Compressor: If you have a Guitar track, and you do not want the low frequencies compressed, you can place an EQ in the Key Input to roll off the lows. The EQ passes only the mids and highs into the Key Input, and therefore the compressor will only apply compression for these frequencies.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Sidechain Compressor Features Global Controls Contour Edit Screen Compressor Controls The Main Screen is made up of two sections: • • Global Controls Compressor Controls and Contour Edit Screen The Global Controls section includes the Lock and Hide buttons, Preset up/down buttons, Preset title window, Active, Menu, and Mem A/B buttons. The Compressor Controls section includes most of the controls and readouts.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Global Controls Lock If this is pressed, the compressor's interface will not disappear when you select other items or areas in Tracktion. Hide This hides the compressor interface from view, and is useful if you have previously selected "Lock." Preset Toggle Buttons You can save your own favorite settings as presets for later recall. The up/down arrow buttons on either side of the preset window enable you to scroll up or down through the user presets.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Threshold The Contour Edit Screen The level at which the compressor starts working is called the threshold. The compressor will reduce the level of signals above the threshold volume level and not affect lower-level signals. 0 -6 You can adjust the threshold by grabbing the T node on the graph, or by adjusting the slider.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Compression Ratio The compression ratio compares the change in input level with the change in output level. From the graph on the previous page, the input range from 0 dB to the threshold is –30 dB. From the graph, this input range is compressed into an output range of –12 dB, and the ratio is 30/12 (= 2.5/1). When AUTO MAKEUP is IN, the compressor automatically chooses an appropriate makeup gain for you. This is based on your dynamics contour.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Soft Clip On and Threshold The Soft Clip switch activates a soft-clip limiter circuit. There is also a threshold slider. When the output level goes above this threshold, the soft-clip circuit kicks in. This circuit starts adding analog-style distortion, which rounds off transient peaks, and avoids the harsher sound of a straight digital clip. The lower the threshold, the more analog-style distortion is added.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Reduction Meter Input and Output OL LEDs The small boxes at the right of the input and output meters are the overload LEDs. They light if the signal goes above 0 dB, and this should be avoided. Most little red lights which come on should be avoided, like that one in the car which says "Oil." You can generally get rid of clipping by backing off the makeup gain slider slightly, or by engaging the Soft Clip switch (see the previous page).
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Examples Expansion The red diagonal line added to the graph below, represents unity gain (i.e., the output signal is the same level as the input signal). Contours which are steeper than this, like the segment between T and node 1, represent expansion, those not as steep, compression. Leveling Having expansion for low input signals, and compression for higher signals is a good way to level out a signal's dynamics.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Hard Knee and Soft Knee Compression The terms hard and soft do not refer to sound, but rather the way that the compressor reacts to incoming signals. The difference is somewhat subtle to hear, but is more apparent at higher compression ratios. A hard knee setting is well suited to lower ratios. When using higher compression ratios, you may find it a little bettersounding to draw in a smoother knee curve.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Specifications Dynamics Gain Makeup ±15 dB Attack 0 to 100 ms Release 30 ms to 3000 ms Threshold –48 dBfs to 0 dBfs Compressor Contours Four nodes per each allowing for any possible compression or expansion ratio from 1:inf to inf:1 Input/ Output Meters –48 dBfs to 0 dBfs Reduction Meter +12 dB to -12 dB Soft-Clip Threshold 0.0 dB to –20.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Appendix: Using Compressors Compression has become such an integral part of mixing, that we thought an appendix might be called for. Dynamic Range To use a compressor effectively, it’s important to understand the concept of dynamic range. Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest and quietest signal levels passing through the system chain.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion level, we’ve made the vocal track louder in the mix without reaching a volume at any point that will cause distortion. To do this requires a very fast compressor or limiter, but it’s a good example of the principle. Compressor Artifacts Since to most listeners, louder equals better, another use for compression is to make a mix sound louder. Often there’s a single sound - a snare drum for example – that’s noticeably louder than anything else in the mix.
Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion Working the Knobs Lowering the threshold while keeping the compression ratio fixed reduces the maximum output level, since you’re compressing over a larger portion of the dynamic range of the input signal. By keeping the threshold fixed but increasing the compression ratio, you’ll reduce the output level by compressing only the loudest signals. There are no rules for this. Let your ears be your guide, with the meters as a sanity check.
Preset Name Attack Time Release Time Threshold Node 1 Input Node 1 Output Node 2 Input Node 2 Output Node 3 Input Node 3 Output Node 4 Input End Point Soft Soft Clip Clip Threshold in? Auto MakeStar Makeup up Gain Sign Gain ? Use this table to record some of your favorite presets, or to predict when the planets align for favorable recording sessions.
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